34 in hospital with pneumonia.

[RebeccaM1981]

I have recently been admitted to hospital with pneumonia (hoping to be discharged tomorrow). My question is what happens next? How long can I expect to feel unwell? How long until I will be fit enough to go back to work? I am a teacher and am currently on Easter holidays and want to know will I be ready to go back to work at the end of the holidays.

[kimmy59]

Evening.

It depends on how severe the Pneumonia and what else you have wrong. I had double Pneumonia and it took me 3 months to recover, but I have severe Emphysema. You just have to take each day as it comes.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

Kim xxx

[RebeccaM1981 in reply to kimmy59]

Thank you x

[O2Trees in reply to kimmy59]

Hi kimmy my neighbour down the road

Your account is the mirror of mine, double pneumonia and severe emphysema (and asthma). The respiratory team have said it will take 8 weeks and Im out of hospital for 2 1/2 weeks now, so that's about what you found.

Rebecca, good luck, crossing fingers for your recovery as soon as possible.

[kimmy59 in reply to O2Trees]

Morning.

I dragged myself round for a few weeks before being diagnosed which probably didn't help. I had 4 days in hospital where they were fantastic, then had hospital at home for a further week.

I didn't think I would ever be well again, it was a slow process. One thing that really helped me was a holiday in Scotland, I had to give in use a wheelchair but the air quality really helped.

Just do one day at a time, but try and stay mobile. Hope your feeling better soon. Where are you again.

Kim xxxx

[RebeccaM1981 in reply to kimmy59]

In Durham. I've been up and about couldn't bear to be sitting about in my pjs all day. Feel exhausted by 7pm. Usually fit and well x

[O2Trees in reply to kimmy59]

Not sure if you were replying to me or Rebecca but Im in Whitstable Kim - remember we spoke about maybe meeting up with Helingmic who is in Swalecliffe.

I was seriously ill at home and refusing to go to hospital for 3 weeks before i did go. Personal paranoia with a long history which i have to say was dispersed by the wonderful treatment. I was in the Kent and Canterbury on Invicta ward, that the respiratory one and they couldn't have been better.

Im two and half weeks out of hospital now. I would need a wheelchair to go out other than in the car, but I'm spending time doing gentle exercises at home, a little gentle gardening, plus just going upstairs is an exercise adventure in its own right.

All going ok though painfully slow. All except i have totally lost my voice. I can see the inflammation at back of throat. No idea why - virus? anything to do with tapering steroids (down to 6mg now)?

You take care Kim xx

[kimmy59 in reply to O2Trees]

Yes I was talking to you, lets keep fingers crossed for a meet this summer.

Kim xxx

[O2Trees in reply to kimmy59]

Great, look forward to it xx

[stillmovin in reply to O2Trees]

Hi O2trees, I'm just taking up a little space on Rebecca's post here to say I am glad you are getting better. I didn't know we could get pneumonia after having our immunisation injection - is this what happened in your case? If so, it is a shame that the shot isn't functioning as it should. Wish you all the best and glad you are back on the site.

And RebeccaM, bless you, sorry to hear you are now affected and I can understand your concern about getting back to work. From what is being said here, you will have to give yourself some time to recover, take it easy on yourself. I am sure the school will understand this. xxx stillmovin

[O2Trees in reply to stillmovin]

Hey stillmovin, what I've read and been told here is that the pneumonia shot only covers streptococcal pneumonia. There are many other varieties, viral, bacterial, community acquired, hospital acquired etc etc.

The term pneumonia seems to cover an area of intense inflammation at the end of the airways, so mostly at the bottom of the lungs, which shows up as a shadow on an X-ray. Its a very imprecise term.

Consultants vary but some are saying that we definitely need a booster to the supposedly lifetime jab most of us have had.

Maybe we have outlived the previous notion of how long "lifetime" means xx

[stillmovin in reply to O2Trees]

Gosh. Thanks for the info. With that and the flu jab news, I suppose none of us are really 'immunised' now. All the best. xx

[stilltruckin]

uptodate.com/contents/pneum...

Quote:

'A person with pneumonia usually begins to improve after three to five days of antibiotic treatment. Improvement may be defined as feeling better or having fewer symptoms, such as cough and fever. Fatigue and a persistent, but milder, cough can last for one month or longer, although most people are able to resume their usual activities within seven days. Patients treated in the hospital may require three weeks or more to resume normal activities. . . .'

[RebeccaM1981 in reply to stilltruckin]

Thank you x

[Fennella02 in reply to RebeccaM1981]

Hi. I had pneumonia at Christmas. I didn't need to go into hospital due to prompt recognition and aggressive treatment by my GP. I remember getting over feeling actually ill after a few days and assumed I was better. I was wrong, it takes the body a good while to get over such an infection. My advice would be to be very kind to yourself for as long as you can. My cough persisted and played havoc with my chest muscles, back and neck causing pain, poor sleep and bad headaches. Great news that you're coming home and I wish you a speedy recovery. C x

[O2Trees in reply to stilltruckin]

Does this account allow for those with copd and other lung diseases Stilltruckin? It sounds like its aimed at those with normal lung function and I think it could give too optimistic a picture for us, particularly the final sentence which goes against what everyone is posting and also what our respiratory people are saying.

[stilltruckin in reply to O2Trees]

I quoted the only site I could easily find that made the relevant prediction.

As pneumonia is far more common in people who are already unwell, and/or elderly, it seems unlikely it would focus solely on the typical outcome for normally fit and healthy people. Perhaps I'm wrong, never having had pneumonia I can't speak from personal experience.

With a further search I've found this: caring-for-aging-parents.co...

Quote:

'The risk of developing pneumonia in elderly is higher if the elderly often suffer from chronic illness or weakened immune systems and, in turn, have a more difficult time recovering. . . .

Recovery often takes 7 - 10 days but can take longer. Relapses are common. . . .'

[O2Trees in reply to stilltruckin]

I had it in my early thirties, relatively fit just with seasonal asthma, and recovered more or less in line with your research. Various people here have said they had it earlier in life. I think its more common than we imagine in younger and fitter adults but like you say, very common with us ones, and others with other long-term conditions.

Relapses? Perish the thought.

[Tetrazzini]

I don't want to scare you but it can take along time. I had viral pneumonia, was in intensive care for a week,had another week in hospital and full recovery took a full twelve months. Things were pretty desperate for a while and I am a lot older than you so hopefully you will recover quicker.

My advice would be to take as it comes - rest if you feel tired - and be guided by your G.P. Don't try to do too much too quickly and get a bit of exercise and eat sensibly.

[knitter]

Hi and best wishes, I was a teacher when I had double pneumonia over twenty years ago...I went back to work too early and regretted it and ended up having to take more time off later. Playground duty in the cold was difficult, chest muscle strain made PE teaching hard and of course there is a lot of talking to be done even if you pace yourself. Listen to your body and take advice from your medical team. You are younger than I was when I contracted pneumonia but you still need to take care.

[callum19]

have asthma, pulminory embolism and sleep apnea and took me 6 months to recover as it left me even more tired and breathless it also affected my oxygen levels when tested in sleep lab still upto today. Get well soon plenty of rest and fluids even homemade soups to give your body the boost it needs

[Offcut]

All of the above are right it will depend on how fit you were, to how fit you are now. your determination to get better and has it bought forward anything else that will make you feel unwell.

I hope you are up and running at 100% soon.

Be Well

[sassy59]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Rebecca but don't be tempted to rush things. Take care xxxx

[FarmerD]

Hello Rebecca,I don,t want to scare you,remember we are all different.10 years ago I was told I had Copd,I was short of breath on exertion but just put it down to smoking too much.I was already retired on medical grounds.My doctor just assumed I would,nt stop smoking so stupidly I did,nt.Two years ago Igot really breathless and was taken in to hospital by ambulance at 4.00am.After a CT scan they told me I had pneumonia

.I spent a week in there and have never really recovered .I now have very severe emphysema and I am on maximum medication,next stop transplant possibly.

My advice would be ,if you smoke,stop now.Keep as fit as you can and eat as healthily as you can.I don,t think most people deteriorated the way I did , just did,nt get the best of advice and being innately lazy did,nt help.Steer clear of Google it will only scare you.This is a great sight and you will find out lots,we have no axe to grind and just try to help each other.Don,t waste your life worrying,control the illness Don,t let it control you.Best of luck.D.

[RebeccaM1981 in reply to FarmerD]

Thanks farmerD the unusual thing is I have never smoked,; I am of an age where smoking was still allowed in public places when I worked behind a bar whilst at uni.

A had a water infection and my condition got worse 4am trip to A&E and a chest x-Ray later and I find myself admitted and bringing the average age on the ward down by 20 years.

I'm home now with oral antibiotics and a hacking cough. Hoping that a week or so of R&R will do the trick. Although with two children (4 and 1) I might be kidding myself 😜

[Daffodil51]

Hi Rebecca M . Now this may be a long reply but only because I don't want you to make the same mistake I did. I had pneumonia 2 years ago and was in hospital for a week. I also am a teacher and my mistake was that I went back to school after 2 weeks as advised by the hospital. BIG MISTAKE! Your immune system will be completely wiped out . Mine was and I picked up infection after infection in total I suffered from 8 chest infections in in less than 6 months until in February the chest infection was so severe that both my lungs failed and I ended up in intensive care with lung failure in both lungs- I nearly didn't make it and it was a really scary time. At school,you are surrounded by children who sniffle and cough and sneeze and you won't be able to tolerate their bacterias because your poor body is still trying to build up your immune system. If you've been hospitalised with pneumonia you must take this seriously and take a good 6 - 8 weeks to build yourself up otherwise you'll go back and get sick again and again and end up being there then off. You're better off taking the time now at least your head will know where they are and can put things in place. Oh and another thing. My pneumonia left me with a progressive condition called bronchiectasis and with every new infection, the damage was made worse. Please take my advice. I wish I'd had this forum for advice at the time I was going through that because someone on here would've put me straight. Hope this helps you make up your mind - don't do it.