Morning! My husband has been ill again. We both contracted flu in January and to be honest until two weeks ago neither of us have felt properly well. But suddenly he was really well and then Just over two weeks ago he started to feel just not right and with experience I have found this can go one of two ways - within a few days he is fine or he just gets worse! We decided to start the antibiotics a week last Sunday with the steroids but by Wednesday the cough really started in earnest it was just awful. He slowly seemed to recover over the following weekend and (stupidly with hindsight) decided to go to a formal 50th birthday party - it was such a struggle for him but we did it and I thought perhaps it would actually be beneficial psychologically. (He gets very depressed when on antibiotics and steroids). Whilst at the party he seemed to be on oxygen all the time - he is prescribed it for ambulatory. My first question is can you overdo oxygen even at 2 lpm? Does it have any adverse affects?
He is convinced that he overdosed on the oxygen so has gone the other way and hasnt used it all since Sunday night! Having said that he is certainly not as ill as I have seen him - he can get to the toilet etc without truly gasping for air and the ventolin. Of course the last ab was on Saturday. By Monday he seemed tired but OK - but whatever he has has returned with vengeance. Fortunately we have an arrangement with the doctor that she will prescribe a second course of abs (we have to give a sputum test) so immediately started another course. By the end of Monday he was coughing thick green plegm again. Monday night was just awful - literally every time he laid down. Slowly and I mean so very slowly he is improving, certainly he slept well on Tuesday not so well last night though he was coughing it wasnt as violent and the phlegm is now yellow! - though yesterday he did get a shower and get dressed, today he felt he couldnt cope with the shower but is up and dressed - though still captive in the bedroom. He tells me that he thinks his symptoms are subsiding but very slowly. Just to add to the pressure we are supposed to be picking our son up from uni on Saturday and holding a family party on Sunday afternoon for his 21st. Ah well. So thats my moan! Rang the respiratory team to ask their advise but they dont have a co-ordinator there today.............. not sure what that meant other than I have to try to ring back tomorrow!
Sputum test is in but the phlegm has changed colour so not really expecting much from that. His sinuses are much better - they were a big problem last week! Have instigated the use of Metatone to build him up!
Sorry for the moan - its been a long two weeks and I am worried that I will have to postpone my sons birthday celebrations. I suppose there are worse things! Hope everyone else is keeping as well as possible. Lots of love TAD xx
We do puff - I think that he was feeling so ill at the party that he thought oxygen was helping! He has been using the oximeter at home since then and his sats are sitting about 90 - they are usually 93/94 at resting. xx
90 to 93 is about right for us. I'm still feeling it a bit hard to breathe in if I move to much as the infection I got is still lingering. I check my SATs and they are about 93/94, if I didn't check I'd be tempted to up the oxygen as I would assume my SATs were too low !
I do wish your hubby well Tad and hope things do improve for him very soon. It is so hard struggling to breathe. There is just so much going around at the moment. Good wishes to you both. xxxx
For anyone else you would be saying ring BLF! You've just got time if you try now. If you miss them you can now text for a call back in the morning.
I can't help with O2 advice but would deffo ring both BLF plus your respiratory person tomorrow.
Good luck - metatone for you too asap to get you through the 21st party and its preparations xxxxxx
Sorryto hear things are so difficult for both of you right now, Tad. Getting the flu must have been disastrous for you and I'm assuming that was despite having got the flu injection. From my long experience woth infective exacerbations, I would think that a week's course of antibiotics is probably not enough and that he should be prescribed 14 -day courses. If he stays on the abx over the weekend, his symptoms might be controlled enough to allow you to go ahead with the party. But honestly Tad, you have so much on your plate and parties are so exhausting for the person ( you) who has to do all the work, I'm sure your family would understand if you postponed. You could still pick up your son and have a celebratory dinner just for you two and the kids. Good luck, whatever you decide.
Oh Tad I am so sorry this has happened and just before your sons party too..You are ALWAYS so helpful to everyone that comes into the forum.I hope that your husband gets better soon..It does sound as if he did not clear the infection with the first course of AB's and this course perhaps is not doing a great job of clearing it up either by the sound of it. As Peege said phone the BLF or even better phone your doctor..he may want to try a different AB this time
Re the party...I KNOW how much you want to do this for your son, BUT I am worried that your husband will overdo things ( we all push ourselves too far where our children are involved, the last thing he needs is a relapse..
So UNLESS he makes a big recovery and you can get LOTS of help organising the party, I think your husband should give it a miss...
Lots of love to both of you
Sohara
Oh Tad, I'm so sorry to hear your hubby is so poorly. You were so supportive to me when I first joined this forum and I wish there was some way that I could help you. As a carer myself I really do understand how distressing it is watching your other half struggling. Please take care of yourself while you are supporting your hubby and make sure neither of you pushes yourself too hard.
So sorry to hear you are both struggling so much. I hope he picks up asap, it is so tiring for you both, so, make sure you look after yourself too. This flaming disease!!! xx
Oh TADAW as everyone has said you are so supportive to everyone now is the time to see if you can muster some support for yourself and Hubby. Could you make it just a small party for close family and friends. I'm sure if you asked around people would help you, Just a token gesture for your Son. Take care of yourself as well as Hubby. Love Suzy xxx
Hope yous get fit and well soon i am on my 15TH day of a bad cold or virous sore throat wheezing all night bad cough and have coughed so much last week all my ribs hurt but mostly gone now and feeling a lot better now thank god, it started on last few days of holiday just a minor sore throat
One day i felt much better and thought it had gone then the next day it would come back and bad again but getting back to normal now slowly;
not been on antibiotics because mucas is clear
Anyway wish you well has your always so helpful to anyone else who is not well
Music x
Thank you all so much for your support getting all your replies has made me feel much better and not alone! You are all wonderful xxx
so sorry your husband is so sick. Like everyone says please take care of yourself. Your so supportive to everyone on this site. Please know that everyone is here for you.
I do think it would be far too much for you to have to do all that planning and organising with your husband so unwell. It's so hard as I know you will feel guilty but unless you can leave it all in the capable hands of someone else honey you risk making yourself unwell with the added worry of a sick husband. Hope you are able to work something out Tadaw, maybe from all the good advice you've had from the others.
Take care and hope it all works out well for you.
Sara xxx
So sorry to hear things are rough for you and your darling at the moment. Agree with the others that maybe putting the party off or getting someone to do it for you might be best until you are both feeling better. Thinking of u, take care xx
Just a quick update - I decided to postpone party and just have a celebratory m and s lunch here with my mum. You all made me realise it was mad to try and continue. The chap at the venue was lovely haven't lost the deposit - so will try to rearrange after my sons exams. Feel a bit sad but very relieved.
As for husband seems to have turned the corner! Typical. Just a bit stronger yesterday and a bit better today. Slowly slowly. But tried a walk in the garden and it was just too much. Thank you again for your support - lots of love TAD xxx
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