Anyone had pneumonia?

[samurai pizza cats]

my ex-fiance had it. she wouldn't let me take her to the hospital. finally after a week of high fevers she gave in. i freaked when they told me it was pneumonia. she was in the ICU for a week. i had to wear a full coat and a mask just to be in the same room as her :( . all that just so she wouldn't miss finals. whats wrong with you women?!

[Todd Black 88]

I had it as a baby, still here, but now have chronic throat issues from it.
My son got it around 18 months old also, but he seems none the worse for wear. It was caught early.
Good luck in your recovery.

[quickervicar]

I've had it. Twice. Nothing to sneeze at, but I've been worse, too. Second time wasn't as bad, but they caught it early.

Three words of advice:

Rest

Fluids

Meds

[coldweatherblue]

pneumonia runs a large spectrum of disease ranging from benign and self-clearing to almost universally fatal.

if you presented to an ED complaining of productive cough + fever and had abnormal vital signs the standard of care is a rule out pneumonia work up (2 view chest xray, blood tests, IVF, likely steroids and antibiotics +/- hospital admission depending on results)

to OP sorry they missed it a couple times and hopefully you're ok now.

pnuemonia can be a terrible disease process and is nothing to waffleswaffleswaffleswaffles with. If you or someone you know has a productive cough, fast breathing, and fever go see a doctor immediately, etc cause if you let it fester you may end up in the ICU on pressors with a hole in your neck, multiple organ system failure, etc and a lifetime of lung problems.

[Redfox]

Thanks for the responses and well wishes. I'm a little over 3 weeks of having it and I have been fever free for a week now. Yay! I'm also able to swallow my own saliva again, eat small amounts, (sore throat comes and goes), and drink. I'm left with some mild wheezing, tight chest, a little of those "wet bubbles" near the tops of my lungs, and random coughing fits. I am not passing/blacking out or being rushed to the ER anymore so that's incredible to me. When they had me on fluids and more medications I could count, and I could not breathe or swallow, and I simply was the weakest i have ever been, it was the first time I truly was fearing the possibility of dying. It is a little humbling to admit that. I truly feared had they not found an answer soon that I had the possibility of not making it- simply because of the inability to swallow my own saliva, and breathe. Not Drinking and eating for 5 days because I physically couldn't was the second half of that fear. I just finished rounds of steroids and the last of my antibiotic. I am going for follow up chest x rays, blood work, and a follow up now that I finally finished medication.

I never knew pneumonia could be so incredibly powerful. I had it as a young child, says my mother, and I vaguely remember using a nebulizer. Regardless it isn't something I will ever look at lightly ever again. I'm actually pretty scared at the thought of it getting worse or getting it again in old age, as it is probably one of the worst ways to suffer before dying.

[LJ851]

Sounds like great way to lose some weight.




















Seriously though, glad you are felling better.

[Redfox]

Sounds like great way to lose some weight.




















Seriously though, glad you are felling better.

Is that a hint?

Yeah, down 7 pounds from this whole fun experience.

[MNE30]

I'm in and out of the hospital a lot, I had pneumonia two years ago and it lasted two weeks. I wasn't really alive the first week but week two I was up and about in my house. I got it this year when I punctured my lung and it lasted around two weeks again, this time it was much worse I didn't leave my room for 9-10 days.

[mr.vang]

My first cousin just posted on his fb about having it yesterday. He went to the er because he has a high fever. They took him straight to get a xray, that's when they found out he had it. Hope you the best of luck and get well soon buddy.

[seatown88]

I had it 3 years ago, luckily it was walking pneumonia.

I felt like crap for a weekend, didn't want to get off the couch at all. I had a high fever and productive cough. Finally on the 3rd day, with pressure from my girlfriend, I called the school health center. There they checked for the flu and told me I had a cold...

The next day I woke up in hives and with a swollen face. We quickly went to a emergency walk-in clinic and there they gave me an epinephrine injection and another steroid I don't remember to stop the hives. The next day, the same thing happened, went and got the injections again. This time the walk-in clinic had me go to an emergency appointment with allergy specialist. Luckily, I had a really great doctor there who really took the time to see what was going on, and finally he ordered a blood test and chest x-ray. He called me in the next day to let me know I had walking pneumonia and he explained why I broke out in hives, spending over an hour with us talking about everything which I was not used to.

I did have to go to the ER once after though, as I was trying to fall asleep, and woke at up 2 am with serious chest pains/discomfort. Luckily it was nothing serious.

I'm lucky my story was not as serious as some of yours, I got away lucky.

[einhander]

I had it in Kurdistan last year. I had to basically nurse myself to health, which didn't work, and I was sent to Jordan to convalesce.

Stupid.

[LJ851]

Feeling any better ?

[GillesBigCowboy]

Had it 3 times, and was hospitalized twice.
The last time was the worst as each antibiotic would either not work or cause an allergic reaction... Many days in hospital with no improvement.
I have been getting the pneumoccoccus? Vaccine and been pneumonia free for about 20 years.
I'll never forget the razorblades in my lung feeling.
Stay strong!