Learn me pneumonia

Apparently I have it. Yay Christmas present!

So, other than take the antibiotics the doc in a box prescribed, what do I need to know and do?

Take all of the antibiotics even after the symptoms are gone!

Can I ask what you were given?

I think this is your standard "drink lots of fluids, get lots of sleep" situation. I had pneumonia when I was 15 and ran a temp of 104 one afternoon during. Not a lot else to it + Ranger50's instructions.

Levofloxacin

Thought I was getting better. Went back to work today. About 30 minutes ago the fever felt like it came back and I came home. Wife says that I will hit exhaustion easier than ever and that's what happened. Only made 7.5 hrs today before back in bed.

I feel like some damn sissy.

I've had it 4 or 5 times. 1st grade, 5th grade, freshman year, and junior year of high school.

When I was in 1st grade I was out for 2 weeks. 5th grade, I remember I slept one day until 2PM. Mom drove me to Burger King (about a 7 minute car ride), we went through the drive through. I had to take a nap right after eating my burger, for about 1.5 hours. Yeah, it will run you down.

Oddly I felt the best and could breathe the best when I was playing hockey. After that was brutal though.

pres589 wrote: I think this is your standard "drink lots of fluids, get lots of sleep" situation. I had pneumonia when I was 15 and ran a temp of 104 one afternoon during. Not a lot else to it + Ranger50's instructions.

This. I'm prone to lung infections, which lead to pneumonia. I've had it 3 or 4 times over the past 10 years. Not much you can do. Take the meds, rest, get sleep. Everyone's body reacts differently, but in general it will likely take you several weeks before you truly feel 100% again.

Ask your doctor for an incentive spirometer. It will help you exercise your lungs just a bit.

Otherwise, as stated, antibiotics to completion, rest, fluids. Catch up on your reading and TV.

If your wife is game for it, ask her for some "percussion therapy".

youtube link

Here's everything you need to know about pneumonia:

You Don't Want It.

As they say, it doesn't matter what you "die" from, it is pneumonia that kills you.

So, follow your physician's orders, cough up that crap, use the incentive spirometer, REST.

Dr. Hess wrote: Here's everything you need to know about pneumonia: You Don't Want It. As they say, it doesn't matter what you "die" from, it is pneumonia that kills you. So, follow your physician's orders, cough up that crap, use the incentive spirometer, REST.

So is this a whole lot more "oh, berkeley!" than I have been thinking? You just said this E36 M3 kills.

Or am I overreacting to your post?

And define rest, please. We talking bed ridden, or are we talking no 18 hour work days?

Yeah, that E36 M3 kills. A lot. A whole lot. "Oh, he died of xyz cancer. But the pneumonia killed him." Rest as in REST. Don't exert yourself. If you're tired, stop. If you need to stay in bed, stay in bed. If you can get up and work a bit, well, OK, but it better be IT work and not digging ditches work.

Yes, pneumonia can kill. It is often deadly. But if you are otherwise reasonably healthy, it is likely nothing to be scared of--get your rest, if your work is easy and not physical, go ahead--but take it easy. Especially if you have sick leave. Hard to argue with pneumonia.

Pneumonia can definitely kill, but cases vary pretty widely in their severity. Treat it with respect, but there's no need to be terrified. Keep tabs on how you're doing, and if things don't start getting better then call your doctor back.

My job is primarily driving around, and driving a desk.

I think I will call out of work at the parts store though. That's fairly physical when I am well. Lots of jogging and heavy lifting.

Thanks guys.

Other than rest, what can I do to speed recovery?

Dusterbd13 wrote: Other than rest, what can I do to speed recovery?

Take the meds the doc prescribes. Eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I recommend garlic; may be an old wives tale but I swear it helps with the recovery.

keep well hydrated

All of the above is true, but be prepared to think in terms of months, not weeks, for a full recovery. It's a possibility, and it's not because you're a sissy. You're a guy with freakin' pneumonia. Consider it a long break-in period for a reconditioned engine. Recovering from pneumonia slowly beats the hell out of recovering from pneumonia twice.

Dusterbd13 wrote: Apparently I have it. Yay Christmas present! So, other than take the antibiotics the doc in a box prescribed, what do I need to know and do?

All i remember is it sucks. And you're more prone after youve had it. And cold berkeleys with my lungs sometimes now.

My uncle died from complications of Hemochromatosis and Pneumonia. They said it was the latter that killed him.

My wife has Asthma and has pneumonia twice since we've been together. I watched a pulmonologist flip out on a hospitalist that was trying to say she was ok and discharge her.

It's not something to dick around with. Stay home and get rest.

Drink plenty of fluids so your body has a way to flush the toxins out. It helps keep the mucus from settling. Rest as in bed rest. Any activity is taking energy and resources away from fighting germs and recovery. Consider yourself in "limp mode" for the next few weeks and take it easy on physical exertion for a few wwks after that. One thing that is worse than having pneumonia is having a relapse due to pushing too hard before fully recovered.

Yeah, I hate to say this, but work isn't as important as getting over this. I also have very negative thoughts towards coworkers that knowingly come to work sick as they stay sick longer and I am more likely to contract what they've brought in.

At the op

Don't mess with this. I almost died from it years back. I was out of action for 5 weeks and out of work for two months. I could not walk up a flight of stairs with out getting winded for six months. I got permanent scaring of my heart and have to be very careful about cold and wet situations. And I got all this because I ignored my doctor and thought it would just go away like every other cold I had when I was working construction.

Seriously this can kill you or in my case change your life for ever.

Rest take all the meds and be very careful about being out in the cold for the next six to twelve months.

I had a shot that is supposed to prevent me from getting pneumonia.

Worked so far.

I would think a great deal would depend on the type of pneumonia you have. Something not described by the op. But, I am also not a doctor.

I have an elephant repelling lucky charm. Works great.

I have had pneumonia so many times, I need to borrow a second set of hands to count it. Rest up, do not do anything stupid, and sleep. Not only will it help you feel rested, but it will help the time go by as you recover.