My Mam has Pneumonia. . Any advice?

[DuchessOfRubbish]

She's 48 and has had a chronic cough for about three weeks. She went to the doctors just over a week ago and he told her it was a chest infection, and gave her Amoxycillin. Her course finished yesterday, but she was still awake all night coughing badly with a lot of pain in her chest and sides. Mam went back to the doctors this morning, and a different doctor listened to her chest, did her oxygen sats and told her she was treating her for Pneumonia. The doc prescribed Ethromycin (sp?) and codeine.

I had a quick look online earlier, and was really shocked to read how serious it is. My Dad is beside himself with worry, and my Mam is stressed out over it, as she babysat DD (6 mo)last week, and is worried she could 'pass it on' to her. Is that actually possible?

I have never heard of Pneumonia in anyone as young and (relatively) healthy as my Mam before. I always thought it was an illness of the elderly.

Anyone out there had it/knows of someone who has? Will she be OK? TIA

My DS has had pnuemonia twice now and each time he made a quick recovery. Its very scary to hear someone has pnuemonia, so I can understand you all being in shock.

From what I remember being told, as long as she completes the course of treatment and drinks plenty of fluids, sh can expect to start feeling better within a few days. Of course it would depend how advanced it was. With DS, one of his lungs was full of fluid and it took him close to 2 weeks to be completely over it and to lose the grey looking skin.

As for passing it on to your DD, you can't catch pnuemonia. You get pnuemonia from the way your body reacts to the virus. If you are already run down/low immune, then you are more prone to the virus travelling to the chest or lungs.

Wishing your mum get well vibes.

kid Thanks for the reply. Sorry to hear that your DS had it. You must have been out of your mind with worry I hope he is OK now.

My Mam is pretty sensible, so I know she will look after herself. I know my Dad is going to worry whatever I say, but at least hearing experience from someone else can help put his (and my) mind at rest. Thanks.

Oh he is fine, it was a few years ago that he had it. The first time was very scary as he was only 2, then he developed it again the following year and I was worried he would suffer every winter. He hasn't had it for the last 2 1/2 years so fingers crossed he is stronger now.

She will be fine, I take it she isn't in hospital? If so, thats reassuring as it shows its not too advanced. Get her to get back to the Drs after she has completed the medication so they can check her chest/lungs to confirm it has cleared.

My sister (36yrs) has been in ICU for the last 2 weeks with pneumonia.Been very scary,she had a 5hr operation and I ampleased to say has turneda corner.
She has however,had the very best of care in a major London teaching hospital.We nearly lost her twice and it has been so distressing watching her fight for every breath.
Once they isolate the bacteria and treat appropriately,things look much brighter.
It is scary butwith the right tratment,am sure your Mum will be fine.

Get her to drink lots, move around plenty and take plenty of deep breaths (as deep as she can comfortably tolerate).

ATM the affected area is probably "consolidated" which means nothing will be shifting, but it will begin to resolve more easiy and quickly if she does the above things, then she will start shifting some phlegmy type stuff. It is often rusty coloured - don't mistake it for blood.

Hope she's better soon.

Pneumonia can be very serious, as in the case of Whoosh's sister. It can also be relatively mild.
It is a chest infection which has consolidated in the lungs. (basically the phlegm has become very thick and has caused part of the lung to stop working as it should.)
In the early stages there is little phlegm cleared, but as it responds to the treatment, it becomes loose and needs to be cleared.
this is a breathing technique that can help to clear the secretions, when they start moving

I hope she feels better soon

whooosh how awful that your sister had to go through that. I hope she will make a full recovery x

IWishIwasmoreorganised I am glad you said that about the rusty coloured phlegm thing. I will make sure she's aware of that just in case.

I just phoned her to say goodnight, and she seems OK in herself at the moment, apart from the coughing and tiredness. Thanks for the advice and suggestions. It's helped a lot.

norksinmywaistband Super link. Thanks! I will print that out for her. The coughing is driving her round the bend. Hopefully this will help

Glad she sounds ok.

The breathing exs might not help until the infection starts to resolve, but there's no harm in starting them off now so that as soon as the phlegm starts to loosen she's good at the techniques and can shift it effecively.