Hi all, just back from a short break, it did not quite go to plan!
I was aware that I had tingling fingers for a few days before holiday, lots of wiggling to get rid of pins and needles. Day 2 of the holiday my left arm became very painful and within an hour I could not lift it up. Pain so bad I called an ambulance. Temp raised 38. Hospital shoulder xray, diagnosis probably bursitis. Taken to the ward overnight and aspiration of shoulder attempted next morning. Nothing. By this time movement coming back. Diagnosed tendonitis - painkillers and gentle movements recommended. I was told raised temp probably because of the pain.Back to holiday home.
2 days later a call from a doctor at the hospital. My shoulder xray had been reviewed, part of my lung area on film, and she thought I should come back to the hospital for a chest xray. How was I? A bit on the breathless side was my response.
Chest xray showed pneumonia and the arm symptom was fluid build up pressure pressing on the nerves. So I spent the next 4 nights in hospital with a combination of oxygen , painkillers, antibiotics and increased doses of diuretics! Not quite the strolling walks and ice creams I had planned😂
Back home now, have to say my breathing is much improved and my weight loss is great !
So never again will I ignore numb feelings in my arms!
This is my second bout of pneumonia in 6 months, plus chest infections about every 6 weeks, I think my Mycophenolate is suppressing my immunity to such a degree I am susceptible to every bug going. Having a chat this afternoon with hospital to discuss either reduced dosage or stop taking it. Wish me luck and take care everyone. X
Well done if you have read this far 😂
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Blyth1
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Crikey Blyth1, tingling and left arm pain are also signs of heart attack! Just well done that hospital for looking at the xray & noticing your lungs. What a holiday, you'll need another.
Thank you for posting about this, very useful for others.
I used to be similar, 5 pneumonia in 18 months, endless infections and different antibiotics (both the infections and antibiotics deplete our immune systems). Personally I take plenty of vitamins minerals and supplements to keep immunity as high as possible plus effervescent vitamin c for a boost when needed
When my respiratory nurse noticed the pneumon on my record she immediately gave me the pneumonia vaccination & I've not had it since. Have you had it?
I had two different pneumonia vaccinations became I didn’t get any antibodies from the first one, yet I got pneumonia in March this year, 7 weeks in hospital, but that’s a story I’m sure many of you have heard so I won’t bore you again!
No worries, it's always marked as to who your reply is directed to 😀.
PS the pneumonia vaccination is like flu vaccination in that it can only cover the most likely types so occasionally one or two get through the net. I think I had pneumonia in early Jan 23, high fever, coughing until vomiting, shaking, delirious etc etc but could not get through to GP surgery for abs. In hindsight I should have called 111 or 999 but twas too ill for brain to function. Three weeks in/on bed.
In a way I was luckier. My daughter has wooden floors and I’d slipped off her side. I’d already got my pjs on so can’t have felt too good. Even with her help I couldn’t get up. She called 999 at about 7.30 on the Sunday evening, and the paramedics finally arrived at around 5 on Monday morning. I’d spent the night on the floor covered with a throw. A man paramedic came with 2 women, one a trainee. He had no bedside manner. He told me off for being covered with a throw, because at this part my temper was 39.9! He got me to sit up and then put his arms under mine and lifted be on my own then slid me over to the sofa! I think he was showing off. I am no light weight and what he did was painful! Became of my temperature I was straight through to hot resistant. The paramedic told me several times that I had sepsis, but the first dr I saw said it was pneumonia!
Crumbs, an awful story. Normally do you live alone. I'm not an anxious person but I do wonder what will happen if I do collapse or have a tumble down the stairs 🤔. My mobile is rarely on me.
I used to live with my husband, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2018. I cared for him until last year, when I collapsed from exhaustion. I was totally out of it, on my bathroom floor, on my left side for over 24 hours. My husband thought I was asleep (on the bathroom floor!) and it was only when my daughter came round the following morning, that she found me. I was taken to the hospital in our trust that takes all the broken hips. Mine wasn’t broken, but I was so dehydrated that they couldn’t examine me because they couldn’t get a cannula in for meds. I was in this hospital for 10 weeks and came to my daughters last July. My husband was there as well but in the time I was in hospital my husband’s dementia had got much worse, and we made the difficult decision that the best place for him was a care home.
I’ve had a lot of work done on my house and hope to be moving back home in about 4 weeks. While at my daughters I’ve done some of the cooking, all the downstairs cleaning, weekly menus ordering food online so I’m going to be fine when I get home. Apart from the initial collapse, I have slid off the sofa a couple of time, but at home I have carpets, and I can sit on the floor and get up so I think I’ll be ok.
Have to say I’m sceptical about the usefulness of Mycophenolate & interestingly Glenfield hospital in Leicester patient advice online is to stop taking it if you have an infection & for 2 weeks after antibiotics
I'm also on Mycophenolate and at glenfield hospital, yes they always tell me to come off the drug if I'm on antibiotics, but I thought it was to give ur system a break while the antibiotics work?
I'm glad the hospital found it + got u back in.what a holiday! Gd luck, it's important they respect yr immunity as infections can cause lung damage. I always carry+ use handgel & if colds etc r prevalent,I still use masks.i also use vicks rescue nose spray+coldzyme throat spray ( both are viral blockers) if with people, incl hospital appointments x
What a holiday. Can you arrange another one now for ice cream and strolls along the prom? Your post struck a chord, as I went to the doctor's this morning for tingling in my leg, which came on on holiday. (Trapped nerve, he thinks.) I'm glad they were on the ball and sorted out your much more serious problem.
Thanks for posting Blyth1. If only that it teaches us all to never dismiss a change of symptoms. It all sounds a bit alarming and yet you reel off the events as if you were the consultant tracking all that has happened! (It's a good read too!)Very best wishes for a more settled months ahead. Please keep us all informed of your progress. ❤️
Oh my word that must have been a shock and worrying for you both. I hope you are now on the mend and feeling better. Fingers crossed this next holiday goes with no problems and you get your short walks and ice cream x
Good morning Blyth1. Sorry to hear you didn't get to have a nice break and holiday. Pleased you are feeling a bit better and hope you get more answers today. Brian
It’s a pity it ruined your short break but at least you were well looked after. And to be called back in means the staff in hospital were on the ball. I like that.
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