Pneumonia recovery time

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

I had pneumonia about 7 wks ago when I was 13 wks pg. I was treated in hospital with an antibiotic drip for 24 hrs. Luckily it was bacterial so the antibiotics got rid of the worst fairly quickly.

But 7 wks on, I'm still feeling awful. Totally exhausted, if I do anything like go to the local shops i' just wiped out. Up to very recently I was gasping for breath on exertion, though that does seem better now. I went back to work half days after a month but I just seem to have got ill again. Lots of colds and sore throats and generally just worn out. It doesn't help that DD (3) has been ill as well so I've been looking after her and haven't had the rest as she hasn't been at nursery.

Anyway, has anyone else had pneumonia and how long did it take to recover fully? People are saying why are you still ill, which is really starting to piss me off ! Though luckily work have been very understanding.

I had it and wasn't pg, I had 3 months off work in the end. If you are short of breath on exertion, I'd go straight back to the GP.

Thanks so much jilted I was starting to feel an absolute wuss! Imdeginitely went back too early.

I've been to the GP every week since I came out of hospital, for one reason or another. I've had full blood count done, and every time they check heart, lungs and blood pressure. Also had urine tested for infection. I'm back on antibiotics because of the sore throat and I brought some some v scary bright yellow phlegm.

Thank goodness it's Christmas and I can just relax and be looked after for a couple of weeks. And have someone to look after DD as well!

Can you get any help? Are you eating properly/taking multivits.?

Anyone who asks if you're still unwell should be asking out of concern, otherwise put them in the same category as people who ask if you're still grieving after a major bereavement, (insensitive).

I agree with the previous poster about talking to your GP & midwife.

oops, slow post!

look after yourself OP

Agree that looking after yourself, and being looked after will help. For me though the pneumonia had caused a rare complication with how my body regulated my breathing and it was only when I saw the top consultant that he knew why I still was SOBOE, feeling rubbish, and what would help. Like I say though it is rare.

Hi thanks, will be with family from Sunday onwards so will have lots of help,then. Yes to taking multi vits and if looking after yourself is lying on the sofa while 3yr old creates carnage around you then yes most definitely looking after myself!

My SOB is really sporadic, I'll just be sitting on the sofa and take a sudden deep breath involuntarily, but just I was walking around the flat after DD and I was fine.

Just out of interest jilted what was your condition called?

I've got no idea sorry. Was still quite ill when I saw the consultant in my defence

How he explained it to me, the part of he brain that regulates breathing (and I can't remember which bit) had gone into shock and would just calm down in time. I was SOBOE with everything though, could still barely shower at 2 months.

I think we tend to underestimate the impact of a serious infection like pneumonia. Antibiotics are literally life-saving in this situation, but your body still needs plenty of time to recover, and you have the added burden of pregnancy to cope with. I would go back to your GP, explain how bad you are still feeling and get signed off again. You clearly aren't well enough to be working yet, and you are going to need to be back on top form to cope with a new baby.

Jilted that sounds awful, you poor thing!

Thanks muso, I've been off work this week, and then I'm on annual leave til 7th jan, though shouldn't really be using up annual leave when I'm ill.....
Good point about being on top form for a baby, if he's anything like DD I won't be getting a lot of sleep.

All ok now though so don't worry. Once you are better ask for the pneumonia vaccine and my GP also let's me have the flu vaccine each year as my pneumonia was a complication of the flu.

Not quite the same ... But

I had pneumonia over Christmas when DD was 4 months old , wasn't taken into hospital ( had I left it another day and I would have been admitted )
I had antibiotics and steroids , and also inhalers as asthma had also started up again .

It took until the end of March for me to be better .

So , 3 months at least to fully recover .

I have a flu jab every year now , and have had the pneumonia jab as well .

Maybe asthma has been triggered in you as well ?

They did asthma checks on me too so agree it could be worth checking out.

I got pneumonia (after swine flu) when 13 weeks pregnant. I was in hospital for 11 weeks with it and it took me the rest of my pregnancy and a few months after that to 'recover'. It is almost two years since the whole saga and I am still not back to where I was and if I get a cold now it can knock me out for a fortnight.

I am not saying this to scare you as not for one minute do I think this will be the case for you but I am not surprised you are still feeling poorly. Take it easy, sleep as much as you can, take your multivitamins and pro-biotics.

Ladykoo, that is horrendous! What an awful time for you.

I am feeling better, though still have a sore throat, I'm doing very little this holidays. The breathlessness is getting less and less.

Thanks for all your replies, here's to very healthy 2013!

I had it in September. Luckily my GP caught it before it got to a point where I would need to go to hospital. I wasn't pregnant but DD was only 16 weeks old, so my body wasn't at it's best. It took me a month to start feeling better.I have still felt exhausted though and I have an inhaler because I get short of breath now if it's cold etc.

I had thought I was getting back to normal, but the past few days I've started getting a tight chest again, and I could sleep all day. My GP has told me that it can take months for your body to get back to normal, and if you get a cold or anything, some of your symptoms can flare up again.

I had it in October and not PG, but I'm still not fully recovered. The cough came back just before Christmas and I've had another course of abx to stop it turning into another pneumonia. They gave me the same really strong abx I had in hospital and they really have helped - about 3 days in I suddenly realised I felt "normal" after over 2 months.
You might need another dose? Definitely get yourself signed off again, you need to take care of yourself.
Though I am guilty of taking last week as holiday as I knew I couldn't cope, even on reduced hours and no commuting as I couldn't face trying to get another drs note, when I feel I really ought to be healthy again.
Sigh.

I had pneumonia 2.5 years ago and then got pleurisy as well.

I was unable to breathe well in the cold for about 5 months, it was ghastly.

Even now on a really cold frosty (Scottish!) day I still get a "pull" in the lower left back where I had pleurisy (inflammation of the lung lining) if I take a deep breath.

Caught the bloody thing on a flight home from Venezuela!

I know one you mean about the 'pull' Weegie. Both of my lungs collapsed when I had it and now on really cold days I still feel it like a vice across my chest.

*what