Im struck by just how many people have had pneumonia just now. Is there something in the air/water?! or is it a function of low immunity at the end of winter? Or is it around at this level most of the time? (this is true, but we all carry bacteria but actually going down with it is, i had thought, not so usual. Maybe I'm just noticing because I've had it myself.)
It would be great, though purely anecdotal, if people who've had this now (or any earlier time) and are struggling with after effects could post and share any tips for helping with rehabilitation.
Dunno Otwo, there are different strains I guess. I had it 5 times, however, not since I had the vaccination. (Touching wood).
Looking back, my first diagnosed bout was Febrary 2009. I've had it several times at Christmas as has daughter Anna.
I think it's devastating and certainly saps what immunity you have left. It does kill even well people. A really fit, healthy non smoking friend was hit with it, within two weeks he died, at 58 😞, it was winter 2010.
Im no scientist so this is my opinion, it gets you when your immunity is compromised.
You've done so well to get yourself home again. Take care of your precious self. P xxxx
I am glad you brought this up 02...I had pneumonia a couple of years ago..was in hospital, and REALLY bad with it...I had had the pneumonia vaccine several years before I caught it, and have been wondering ever since if one does need a 'top up' I asked my doctor he said no, its a lifetime protection ( hmm) I have read that 'some people' need a top up every 5 years, but as far as I can gather that's only if you have spleen problems
I have just had it the once since my injection, but as its so deadly for us lung sufferers I hope that the vaccine does not need 'topping up'
My doctor insisted I had a booster to my initial shot Sohara. He said I needed it because of my depleted immune system. I don't have spleen problems. I'd go back and have a chat with your doctor as maybe it is a while since you've spoken to him. Hope you are keeping well. Take care.
In the past month I have been taken off seri tide and now on symbicort ,the reason sertide was stopped by my nurse ,it can cause pneumonia!, so what's all that about
I think you'll find that the real reason your inhalers have been changed is down to cost. The same thing happened with me and I was told the Symbicort is half the price. However I couldn't get on with it as it is a powder inhaler rather than an atomiser one, so I've now been asked to trial Fostair instead. Either way. they seem very keen to get me off Seretide which I've been on for 6 years with no obvious side-effects.
You didn't ask why they were shifting you WS? So much down to cost these days but Im interested in a possible pneumonia connection with sere vent. Ive never used it and use symbicort with no problems. Presumably serevent has steroid component in it.
Hi O2Trees. I didn't need to because the nurse practitioner was open about it and said the saving would help to pay for the Carbocisteine which I'd requested to trial, and I agreed to trial the Symbicort with an open mind. The resultant month long trial confirmed what I already suspected that I can't get on with powder inhalers, as you need to be able to generate your own puff to get a dose into your lungs, and I can't do this. Also there's no feedback from the inhaler to confirm you've taken a dose, but I suspect most of it was ending up in the back of my mouth. She was quite happy to put me back on Seretide, but as she had another inhaler Fostair, which is both cheaper and also an atomiser version, I agreed to do an extended 2 month trial on this. At the end of this I will have the option to stay on it or revert to Seretide. Because I'm aware of the cost pressures on the NHS and trust the nurse not to lie to me then this is not a problem, but I would be interested to hear anyone's feedback about the use of Fostair.
Both times I hospitalised for pneumonia was in the middle of the summer O2. The first bout caused a lot of damage to my lungs and I'm sure the second lot didn't help much either!
Saying that I believe the usual winter respiratory infections turn to pneumonia a lot faster than in the summer time. So sun and summer must have a lot to do with it. Off subject a bit I know. Also be kind to yourself after a bout of pneumonia. The worst mistake is to feel you are being lazy when all you are is worn out and depleted after a serious attack on your system. Take care honey.
Oh dear Jean. Are you sure you are resting and giving in to fatigue?? Or are overdoing it?? There is no bonus at all in forcing it. Your body will dictate that and you did have a pretty serious bout of pneumonia. I know some people spring back easily but there are various degrees of the illness. Some sufferers can even continue working. Not saying you got your laryngitis from overdoing it but we can make ourselves more susceptible if you see what I mean. Rant over. You take care and stop giving Rita nightmares! xxxx
A friend told us yesterday that in fact the thinking now is that the pneumonia vac needs a booster after a certain time. I'll try to get a more precise reference and post it asap.
Hi 02
I agree with you there has been a lot and my sister who works on the district said there has been a respiratory virus thats been hitting a lot of people but its certainly been an odd time x
I had pneumonia last year and for months afterwards fell asleep at the drop of a hat. It was awful, But this year was in hospital for iv's and developed a urinary tract infection and became dreadfully ill at one point they considered just making me comfortable, I was shocked ,when they said that. thank heavens I managed to hold on. M x
Yikes, just making your comfortable?? Me too, glad you hung on.
They came to ask us about Do No Resusitate when i went to hospital this second time. Seemed to be pressing us to agree and luckily Rita said i think we need to discuss this a bit more.
Well I had a fright when at my PR course last year someone came in to discuss 'living wills' !!!! and said a new policy was to get all chronically ill patients to write a living will, saying if they wanted to be DNR or ? No one on my course was interested in doing one, and I certainly am not anywhere NEAR thinking about that...but it was scary even discussing it
I am on my second stay in hospital after having pneumonia. I have not had it since I was 6 and I am 64. The vaccination only covers one strain and there are hundreds. My own straw poll seems to be showing that this epidemic (as my consultant called it) is very prevalent amongst vulnerable people who had this years flu jab. I have not had flu and when asking others found that most people had had the flu jab, had not had the flu but did have a nasty bout of pneumonia. I have lost 12lbs and my confidence. I also developed an empyema which is fluid trapped between the lung and the chest wall and is the devil to treat. Perhaps a couple of years from now,after the election is over it will leak that something went wrong in the manufacture of this years flu vaccine which was nothing to do with the virus mutating.
I had empyema in 2008 and was sent to another hospital for a decortication but they would not do it because I was so poorly so I ended up on an Oscillator for 12 days. Hope they clear it up quickly for you.
The empyema in my case was mostly pus. I was on a ventilator anyway and it became my only option. My old specialist explained that it was a case of trying the decortication but they said the chance of survival was bad to ? They decided I had less than a 50% chance on an Oscillator? My family were told twice while on it I was not going to survive the night as I was in MOF.
Sounds like you're proving them all wrong anyway which in a funny way seems to be what most of us do. I had mine aspirated and now they are trying to finish it off with Meropenem. I have asked for the opinion of the surgical team but my consultant is not keen yet
I had the pneumonia jab when it first came out. But still get it about every 18 months? I have never had a build up to it over a few weeks I seem to go from a gooey chest to Pneumonia in days. A strange thing that happens with me just before I get a bad chest my gout always raises it's head first?
Why every 18 months Offcut? its meant to cover lifetime though i think that's being rethought and boosters may be the way forward. But 18 months?? Never heard of that.
No idea about the gout. I have a friend who has it and so i know just how dreadful the pain is.
I'll bet. Make sure you get a bit of time for yourself flibberti.
Ive just bought a microscope, how exciting is that?! Perhaps i'll rival Daz with slides of my lung excreta (just kidding).
I got it for £30 on our town Whitternet and a scientist brought it round to the house. First thing she said was, You're not contagious are you? I nearly said you're far more of a threat to me than i am to you love.
Anyway i have a microscope, what will i do with it? Must be an adventure there
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