Recovering from Pneumonia

[slightlybroken]

Hi guys. Sorry I've been absent. My kids got sick last week. They had sore throats and high fevers, but they bounced back after a couple days. When I took them to the doctor, the dreaded H1N1 got mention, and I literally cringed at the thought.

The pediatrician mentioned that they stopped testing for the flu around here. They said it wasn't reliable. People that had the flu were showing up negative on the test but then developing pneumonia that goes hand in hand with H1N1. After my children recovered within 2-3 days..I thought, it must not have been H1N1. They were fine...no problem.

Then it happened..ME the mom that never gets sick, started to feel not so good by Sun. I shrugged it off as being tired and allergies. Then the fever kick in. I started with a 101.6. I would take  2 tylenol. Within 2 hours my fever was up to 102.7. I had to take Motrin just to kick the fever.

I went from bronchitis to pneumonia within 3 days. I was in the ER Wed. They gave me a breathing treatment, steroids, a z-pack, vicodin, and sent me home. The ER doctor said I was too far gone for Tami-flu and started the course for pneumonia that was just starting into my left lung. The ER doctor said the same thing about the testing for the swine flu...he said it wasn't reliable..(you don't hear that on the news..do ya)

I guess you could say that my whole family got it and we survived. It wasn't as scary as the news made it out to be. I'm weak and still not thinking straight. The bad part about was that I had to cancel my CC appointment because of this...I didn't want to expose anybody or be in a car for 4 hours with a fever.

I was on a package of steroids. The first few days (the highest amounts) I noticed a difference in my symptoms but once the taper happened, and I had to lower the dosage it was quickly taken away, and I noticed my symptoms were back to the way they've always been. Was this coincidence or was this actually working? I know it's not the same as the IV steroids or as strong, but I know I felt something different...my toes was actually moving and I had some strength in that ankle, that tingle in my head went away etc...but after the taper down (by the 3 or 4 day) it went away and my old symptoms returned.

[rendean]

I'm glad you are feeling better. You need to take it easy! The laundry can wait or hubby can do it.

As Quix said,"Glad to see you back, but stay as rested as you can.  You'll likely be low on energy for weeks"

Sending well wishes,

Ren

[slightlybroken]

Thank you all for your concern. It's nice to feel cared about. I'm hanging in in there, still having coughing spells (thank God for Poise pads).

My house looks like a tornado went through it and the laundry need done, and frankly I have no energy to do it. I guess I'll do it, a little at a time.

I feel ok as far as the pneumonia. I can still hear some wheezing and noises when I breathe, but I'm able to cough it up. I've been doing breathing treatments to help out. The kids are fine and hubby too. I wish I could have bounced back the way they did.

As far as my neuro -muscular symptoms, they have gotten worse. I'm fatigue like I've never been before. My left side (the side with all the symptoms) is very weak. My spasm/spasticity is in high gear. That little boost of energy that I felt from the steroids, that gave me a little relief from my neuro-symptoms, has fizzled. I feel like BLAH!

It was nice to move my toes again, even if it was for a day or two. I guess I thought I had loss the use of those toes and ankle forever. My toes for at least a year will not point upward, neither does my ankle. The steroids at least gave me a couple of days and reassured me that they still do work.

[Lulu54]

Hi SB, that nasty bug is floating around the valley, isn't it?  We have many adults in the 30-40 range and a few older, who have had it and can't shake the cough.  We have had a few do like you and go into pneumonia.  

At least now you don't have to think about getting the vaccine or standing in those long lines to get one.  I'm still waiting - I'm not sure what the vaccine supply is like in other parts of the country, but here it is just not widely available yet.

Too bad you had to cancel the CC appointment - I'm sure someone was happy to take your cancellation spot.  Hopefully your wait won't be too long to get back there, but you did the wise thiing by not heading north.  

Did you have tests scheduled or was this just another regular appointment to discuss what might be wrong?

I would have brought some chicken soup to you if I had known you were sick, neighbor!

feel better,
L

[Quixotic1]

Wow, so glad you came out okay.  It isn't worth testing for the H1N1 anyway right now because 99% of the influenza cases are all H1N1.  There is little doubt that H1N1 is what you had.  The seasonal flu hasn't really made its appearance yet.

Remember that millions of cases of 2009 H1N1 are going on with the deaths still numbering less than 1200 in this country.  Glad to see you back, but stay as rested as you can.  You'll likely be low on energy for weeks.

It sounds like the steroids were having some effect.  If they were just lessening the work of breathing and the inflammation in your lungs, that is enough to improve your neuro symptoms.  Remember as our bodies are stressed, our symptoms get worse.  Maybe the steroid pulse was too short at the effective dose.

BTW you are not on our list of the diagnosed.

Quix

[sllowe]

So glad you went to the ER.  Kids doing better too?

You jot down the improvement w/the steroids? So you can tell the Dr. @ CC when you get rescheduled?

ttys,
shell

[Wobbly]

wow... I'm glad you are feeling better and your family is doing better... that is a scary not easy thing to go through.  

take care of yourself and rest up
wobbly

[HVAC]

Sorry about getting sick. Glad you came through.

Alex