I'm an asthma sufferer with pneumonia but I'm worried I'm not getting better

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I've had asthma all my life. Every winter around January - February I get sick and have a lot of chest congestion & coughing with phlegm. This year on day three of being sick I went to the emergency room after I had taken ibuprofen and my fever had gone up. They did a strep test & throat culture since I was also having a sore throat. Those test were negative so they assumed I had the flu with no test, and told me to take ibuprofen & that it should be gone by day 5-7. So on day 8 with a fever, chest congestion, a cough, & pain when breathing I saw a doctor who did a flu test which was negative. We also did chest X-rays which determined pneumonia in both lungs. I had a shot of rocephin before leaving the office, then she sent me home with antibiotics (z pack) and an inhaler. Now I'm on day 10, I woke up this morning with out a fever (finally). But my chest still feels just as congested, a lot of phlegm, pain breathing, I'm still sleeping on the couch sitting straight up so I can breathe. Not sure what to do here. Am I just over thinking because I've been sick for 10 days and it feels like forever? Or should I be worried?

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4 Replies

  • Posted

    Casey

    I am so sorry to hear you are having such a hard time.You are so young to have to cope with all this .I am asthmatic and aged 42.I had pneumonia in March.was kept in overnight with sepsis (lovely mother's day present) then discharged following day with double antibiotics for treatment of the pneumonia.what a horrid illness it is.I felt as though I could have slept endlessly had it not been for the hacking cough.I defo felt the sweats for a considerable time later.a couple of weeks down the line I felt my throat sore and lymph nodes swollen (that was after I had finished the antibs) doc reckoned that was a sign of my body's natural defence to fight back .even now I get some element of pain (not anything to shout about) in the region where the pneumonia was .that's despite 2 chest xrays and a CT scan. I didn't actually bring up a lot of phlem from my chest with the pneumonia .before I was diagnosed I was convinced I had a bad sinus infection but that was before I looked green and my body was trembling all over.nearly a year down the line I am a lot better but there is a still a tiny part of me that isn't 100% I feel.i was off work sick for about 6 weeks.my mother is chronically ill with chest problems and is on round the clock oxygen.she has had pneumonia at least 4 times thats been confirmed in the last 2 years.she was told by a nurse once that it takes a healthy person 6 months to get over pneumonia so bare that in mind given you have the underlying condition of asthma.try not to run before you can walk.I'm sure you will fully recover given you have youth on your side.make sure you get further xrays etc if your not content.it's your body after all.take care.wishing you a speedy recovery

  • Posted

    Casey,I don' think 10 days re too be fighting pneumonia in both lungs. I think you need to ' give in' to this for several more weeks's and just hunker down and give your medicine and rest help give you complete healing and keep an exasperation of your asthma at bay. It's going to be slow and frustrating, but hopefully you will be better is a few weeks

  • Posted

    Go back to the doctor!  A Z pack. Is probably not enough and you may

    need prednisone and about 10 days of antibiotic. Having to sleep straight up and feelings of chest congestion whether it is loose or dry needs to be addressed. Ttaking generic form of Mucinex along with drinking lots of water will help.

  • Posted

    Wow hope you are feeling better now. I wouldn't have waited so long to go to the doctor, I go at the first sign of getting sick so I can prevent this. I usually get antibiotics and steroids. I am so surprised they sent you home without antibiotics thinking you just had a flu. Also musinex helps break up your phlegm you want to cough that up. 

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