Ragen Ivey wants to be here for his Grandson!

[Ragen]

Hi my name is Ragen. I was diagnosed last year with ipf and just this week I started feeling really bad having a hard time breathing I have been on a nebulizers and different types of medication to help me with my condition and I have been doing so so I am in hospice care but not close to death as my doctors have treated me well just day before yesterday they diagnosed me with a viral bacterial infection and started me on antibiotics today when I woke up I had severe pain in the center to the right of my chest in my right lung and severe pain in my neck with a headache I contacted my hospice nurse and she told me that I probably had a sinus infection I don't believe it's a sinus infection because I'm not congested but since I started the antibiotic I'm not coughing up phlegm like I did prior and now I have pain when I move or bend over severely for some reason if I sit still my right side of my chest still hurts deep and it's difficult to breathe I wonder what the situation is now if it was a sinus infection would the antibiotic not clear that up as well as the viral infection in my lung this is got me very worried they are going to come in do an X-ray tomorrow at my home thank you if there's anything you can think of please let me know it would help me sleep better for sure.

Ragen

[Ccupcakes]

Hello Ragen and welcome to this forum.

I don't suffer with IPF but there are others here who do and I'm sure they will be along soon with some helpful replies to you.

In the meantime you could always ring the BLF nurses helpline, they are really helpful and may be able to put your mind at rest my friend.

C.c xx

[sassy59]

Good morning Ragen, l think it's good you will be having an x-ray and your doctor needs to check you over to ascertain any further problems. Could you be having a reaction to the antibiotic? Is it one you've had before?

Take care and good wishes to you. Xxxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Ragen, antibiotics will not cure a virus infection but should deal with a bacterial infection. The pain in your chest is coming from your lungs, not your sinuses and this will need addressing. It is only one medic's opinion that the infection is viral not bacterial so it is good that you are taking antibiotics because without a lab test of the mucus you are coughing up they could not actually know. It is good that you are having the xray tomorrow because it should show up any infection in your lungs. Also get them to send your mucus to the lab to test for which bacteria is in there so that they give you the right antibiotic in the correct dose for long enough. I do hope that this helps and that you will be feeling better soon.

[Dedalus]

Can't add to the above advice - hello and welcome Ragen - hope you'll be home with your grandson soon x

[Roessner541]

Not long ago they wanted to be in hospice I didn't feel like I was ready to die as well so they put me on palliative care instead had a therapist come out work with me on exercises and in there is that check my vitals and monitored my medication that time I was on oxygen 24/7 about six weeks into it it took me out the palliative care because they said I was to healthy. In addition to oxygen I was taking Advair, spiriva, blood pressure medicine cholesterol medicine because I've been going to the hospital a lot they decided to try me on daliresp it helps with exasperations. I also take NAC, magnesium can periodically I use a nebulizer when needed. I felt like I was getting too much oxygen because when I walked with it my stats would drop so did you started trying to walk without it it was a slow process baby steps at first I am now completely off oxygen except occasionally when I drive and come back and have to walk up at a time and then only for a few minutes I have not been to the hospital for 17 months now I have only had a small infection which was taken care of with a zip pack. They wanted to give me prednisone a tapering dose but prednisone is really hard on me I can't sleep and I feel bad for a couple months after taking it so I'm trying not to use it unless I have to go to the hospital I try to walk everyday but sometimes it's every other day I still use a walker but as I get stronger I will try to do it without I had a challenge last week where I have to go to the bank and there was a long line and of course no chairs to sit down I wasn't sure that I would be able to do it as I didn't have my walker with me but I just took slow deep breaths kind of leaned on the pole and iade it through. I guess what I'm trying to say is just because the doctors want to put you in hospice doesn't mean that you have to kind of have to be your own advocate my doctor doesn't know I'm off of oxygen yet I have an appointment in September because I wanted to be able to do the 6-minute walk not quite there yet but almost Maybe by September anyway don't give up and say your prayers God bless you jane