Exacerbation post infection (Covid & secondary infection) - what’s normal?

Hi all, I’m on day 28 of what all the doctors are sure was Covid. I initially recovered then lungs flared up badly (the body attacking stage of CV). Was put on steroids for 5 days, then recently antibiotics as I developed a minor secondary infection. GP’s have been great.

I’m improving but still get breathless and lungs hurt occasionally. I’m still tired so know body is recovering (heard lot people with moderate CV taking 4-5 weeks so that is normal).

Question is is it normal for lungs to take a while to settle down post an infection? Trying not to panic this is permanent damage. Will call GP if not better Tuesday post antibiotics but also want know what’s normal

(PS am now on high dose of red - combined- inhaler ie SMART regime for this after years of asthma not being issue at all so was off all inhalers).

[Ans2020]

Sorry to hear that you’ve been unwell. My story isn’t quite the same but thought I’d share incase it helps.

I was in hospital with really bad asthma and dry cough (no fever) and generally unwell back in mid February but because Covid-19 wasn’t officially here yet i wasn’t tested but looking back now it does make me think. I was in hospital for 7 night all together. My asthma medication and steroids didn’t seem to work and I needed a nebuliser every 4 hours. I ended up with pleurisy and like you was given antibiotics and steroids to take at home.

It’s taken a long time for me to recover. I’m much stronger in myself since about 3 weeks but my lungs are still taking time to recover. I had a bad tightness in my chest yesterday and needed more of my reliever inhaler but feeling much better today.

Before this my asthma was very much under control but now I get breathless very easily. I asked my GP if it was covid-19 will it have left it’s mark on my lungs and her answer was simply “we don’t know. We have no idea what we’re dealing with here”.

So give yourself time, you will get stronger every day but don’t push yourself. Your lungs will take time but you’ll feel more like yourself in no time. My boss has been so understanding and i’ve started a phased return back to work last week (from home of course).

Hope you get better soon

[twinkly29 in reply to Ans2020]

Sorry you've been unwell - and that recovery is taking its time. I imagine it is completely normal with what you've been through. They say pneumonia, for example, can take otherwise healthy people a long time to recover from, never mind asthmatics. So guessing other infections, whether bacterial or viral, could be similar.

Take care and I hope you continue to improve steadily - I'm glad you've got good GP support too.

[Ans2020 in reply to Ans2020]

I forgot to mention that my GP and all the DRs at the hospital told me that it would take 6 weeks for me to feel better. And I did start feeling a lot better and stronger 3 weeks ago (which would be 5 -6 weeks after symptoms started). Rest as much as you can and you will get there 💪

[Music47]

Hi ya,

This is a very similar story to mine. I’m now on day 30. I have asthma only during hay fever season but have been on antibiotics for a secondary infection along with 3 different inhalers. Today is the first day I am beginning to feel normal and my lungs have less pain and tightness. I hope you continue to improve and begin to get more strength . 🤗

[akosime in reply to Music47]

Same here, i am on day 30. Had a cough 1st wk and then asthma kicked off 2nd wk til now. But i must say the chest tightness has eased off a bit and lungs don’t feel as painful. I was also given ventolin inhaler and antibiotics on 2nd wk. I am now on preventer inhaler. I guess some of the symptoms i had then were also part anxiety. This isolation can make you think about so many things! I wish for you a speedier recovery, hang in there!

[Chip_y2kuk]

Yes once asthma is flared by something it can take weeks-months to settle down.... gp once told me it's common for a chest infection to trigger asthma and that cough/irritation can last for 3 weeks.... minimum

I've also been Told viral infections can last up to 6 weeks in the blood stream even if there not doing much and most symptoms have gone

I once had a chest infection that went away after a week on antibiotics but I spent three months trying to get my asthma under control.... I failed in the end and had to have a change of regime

[CRP386]

Yes, it can take some time for the lungs to recover following an infection. However, if you feel your breathlessness is getting worse the please go back to a healthcare team. Permanent damage can sometimes happen following a very bad chest infection/pneumonia.

[Emer1000]

Hi sorry to hear you've been so ill. For a non covid chest infection I am floored for a few weeks after and need time to recover (breathless, not able to walk far etc)

[LDloveslattecoffe]

Sorry to hear your feeling rough.

My asthma was pretty well controlled on high dose seretide and Monteleukast for years. Although looking back maybe not as well as I thought as for about 2 years prior to what I am about to tell you I was getting a lot of infections not just respiratory.

05/12/2018 I started with an infection which turned out to be a bacterial infection called moraxella cataralis. I was sent to hospital by GP the week before Christmas when got the sputum test results. First time I went to hospital was nebuliser. Let home but given outpatients to see Asthma Nurse changed my inhaler.

Although the infection left recovery from start of infection to when I felt well was 10 weeks.

Unfortunately 6 weeks later (end of March) I got another infection which was scary after what I'd just recovered from but thankfully it was only a 3 week one.

Thankfully for first Christmas in 3 years I did not get an infection. Likewise first March in 3 years I haven't caught an infection - not saying that to rub it in. I recognise how lucky I am to be well at the moment.

The point of this response is to say rest up don't rush it. Your asthma and the after affects of the infection can take a while to recover even when you are clear of infection, your body can take time to catch up.

You will have good days and bad days and then you'll have a week of good days and you'll realise you are recovered.

Take care

[Hidden]

Even if your asthma doesn’t flare badly it can take weeks to recover from a chest infection. I had one back in 2005 that I didn’t realise was a chest infection. I had a mild cough but my peak flow wasn’t bad at all (it was down, but not by much and I was still in the green). Eventually - after three or four days of not feeling completely well I began to feel really awful and was sent home from work. I managed to get a GP appointment and went in convinced I had flu only to be told I had a chest infection. I was astonished! I remember the GP (who had known me for years) was very pleased my asthma hadn’t flared badly in response to it - obviously the meds I was on (and am still on) were doing their job.

Despite all that it took five weeks before I felt really recovered from it.

[Hidden]

Thanks all, super helpful!

Been speaking to GP & respiratory nurse and concensus is 3 months to feel all better