My mum has pneumonia and is in hospital on oxygen with low blood pressure how serious is this?

[Tonihend]

Hi just had a call to say she may be moved to ICU as she is on high levels of oxygen what does this mean? How serious is this? What are her chances? I have read online but need more. I'm at home tonight after being there all day she is talking and positive doctors are just telling me facts that I don't understand on a scale of 1-10! I'm home now and not sure if I should be going to work tomorrow or going to stay at hospital my mum is my best friend please help shed some light.

[Tonihend]

Thank you so much, your response has brought me to tears, something I think needed to come. I understand it can be so varied I first thought it was just great they caught it and now she'd be ok but when you Look it up and read the odds of hospitalized cases as 1 in I0-20 dying it's very frightening but docs are very factual with no indication of scale of severity. I will call the helpline tomorrow and take the day to go to ser her again tomorrow. thank you again x

[petermichael]

I am 75 and just got over the same, please stay positive, but do remember that even after discharge, it can take up to three months to fully regain your fitness at the level you was before. My advice would be go to work, the reason being visitors sitting at the bedside can sometimes cause stress, they feel they should be talking and trying not to fall a sleep,

And rest is critical, and will help you take your mind off it as well, it's imperative that you stay well, to be able to help Mum on her return. I wish your mum and you well, and let's hope f.or a speedy recovery.

Peter x

[Suzy6]

Please do ring the Help Line. Ring in the morning to book a Nurse to call you back. I rang mid afternoon once and had to wait till next day. They are absolutely brilliant. Please try not to worry to much. I know how much it means to me when ill that my family are there willing and helping me on by my side. xxx

[cofdrop-UK]

Hi Tonihend

So sorry to hear about your Mum being so poorly. Good advice from the above posts. I know your dear Mum is your priority but it is also important that you take care of you, as you will need to be on top form when your Mum returns home and recuperates.

Love and positive vibes to you and your Mum.

cx

[Hidden]

I cant add anything to Flibbertis' comments - she has given you some really good advise. Just to wish your Mum a speedy recovery and remember to look after yourself too. Your Mum is very lucky to have you. Lots of love TAD xxx ps Just a thought write down questions you have so that you can ask the doctors when you see them

[cora22]

The helpline is very good try not too worry too much and take care of yourself you need to be strong at times like this.

Cora

[joyce741]

I have had pneumonia 3 times now and I'm still here

please speak to the doctors and don't believe everything you read xx

[katieoxo60]

Try not to worry too much Tonihend, I know, easier said than done. Hospital is the best place for your mum until she gets over the critical stage. As said ICU is so they can monitor her more closely.The helpline is good and can chat to you more than the doctor. Look after yourself and take care as you will need all your strength for when your mum comes home.

[sassy59]

You have had some wonderful comments and advice so I just wanted to say that I hope your mum does make a really good recovery. You take care of yourself too. Thinking of you. xxxx

[Puffthemagicdragon]

Oxygen can help with breathing but it's mainly to keep the organs in good health. So they are probably keeping her sats normal.

[Offcut]

I have pneumonia about every 18 months or so and had pleurisy to many time as well. but still here. Your mum is in a great place ICU as you know there will be someone looking after her all of the time.

Be Well

[Hidden]

Hi there x. You've been the best advice on this wonderful site. My late husband was in ICU three times and recovered. In there they monitor you constantly, something they can't do on the wards. She will need IV fluids to bring her blood pressure up and strong antibiotis. Don't be afraid to ask anythin at all even if you think it's trivial. ICU staff are wonderful x. Kath x

[jimmyw123]

hi tonihend, poor you, you must be exhausted with worry, theres much advise on many of these posts, all positive, i have had pneumonia, collapsed lung at the same time , but pulled through, ,the worst thing to do is look at the "medicals on the computer google etc. this can often worry you more, the best advice youll get, is from the doctor treating her,

best try get some rest,, shell need you the same as you need your mum .

i pray things go well, im sure it will, albeit possibly some recovery time

take care ,, jimmy

[Tonihend]

Thank you to you all. You have all been incredibly reassuring and things have begun to look up so you are all right too mum is still in high monitoring unit but her low blood pressure has improved with the drips and this evening they have managed to start reducing her oxygen flow from 60% to 35% and she is responding well. I'm home now feel tired but relieved for the first time since Tuesday. Im really grateful for all the positive messages you've all sent, I couldn't respond to them all today but they did encourage me through the day when I had chances to read them. Thank you all again x

And I will bare in mind the recovery time too and try encourage her to take it a bit easier.

[Tonihend]

Im annoyed with the hospital I went to work today and called twice, in the morning and afternoon both times they said she was doing fine. When I went there tonight she was so much worse. She's really weak and drowsy she's had a temperature all day which she didn't have the day before and she was much more alert yesterday. To make it worse the nurse said she is much more alert this evening when I saw her than the rest of day. I'm now worried again as she looks like she's getting worse not better and I feel like they're not telling me anything. I know it's not the nurses fault as they change everyday so don't know what she was like yesterday. I'm just upset I feel like I don't know what's going on. The doctor tonight was very short and dismissive and didn't tell me anything new but I then found she's been for a cat scan and they've started a new type of antibiotic and keeping her in high monitoring unit with possibility of ICU when yesterday they said she may move to a ward today. i looks like she's getting worse. Has anyone else experienced this? It's been 4 days now.

[Witchygirl]

I'm so sorry to hear your mum is poorly. My mother hasn't got COPD but she is in her 80s and recently had several blood clots in both lungs, pneumonia and a small heart aneurism. anyone of those can kill people. It is of course serious to have pneumonia so I don't want to make light of it. My mother cant move around much when she's ok so this is why she got blood clots I think but whilst the nurses and doctors were brilliant and undoubtly saved her life it took a week to get her lungs scanned. Best wishes to you both love.

[kellyjgood]

My mom had pneumonia and was in hospital 6 days she was suppose to be going home March 25th on a Wed .So my Aunt goes to get her she says ill be back ill go get my daughter from work so my aunt gets back my moms not in same room ..Well my aunt wasnt sure what to think they come and tell my aunt her oxygen level dropped and shes got high blood pressure they couldnt get it to come down so they gave her meds to make it go down .Well in mean time her lungs get wet they try to make her wear a cpac mask she didnt like it so they take it off ...Well they call my daughter say whats going on and they hesitate and my daughter said do i need to call family in nurse says yes ..so we get there they say were gonna try cpack mask again if not we will put her on vent which they ended up doing they never once tell us shes going to die they told us they were planning on making her stable and transport her to Indianapolis IN hospital where they have better equipment ...Well we was told mom was full code we wasnt sure what that meant but the nurse had wanted someone to stay with her so i drive back to my house get my meds and clothes i barely get back and nurses are running to lobby to ask what you want us to do shes code i say everything you can ...It didnt make sense cuz my younger sis was there in her room and her sister was i dunno why they came to lobby to ask me and a few other family members who was there but they did ...Her DR wasnt even there the nurses was just talking to her on phone so the ER dr came up to do the paddles on my mom ....Worse night of my life and you are in such shock that i said no to autopsy and now i wish i would have said yes they were like well if you dont want one we can take her tubes out make her look more norm......no mom didnt look more norm !!! I just know in my heart of hearts that St vincent dunn hospital in Bedford IN made a mistake that night and caused my mothers death she had just turned 63 !!!!!! But nothing we can do we have no proof ....Then right after her death i get a call from some organ donor place asking if i want to donate tissue or eyes im like no !!!! My mom was on full time oxygen had copd and some other health issues but i still dont feel it was her time to go......