Diagnosed with pneumonia and scared I'm going to die

[fairyloveheart]

So scared. Have had a bit of a cough for three weeks, then on Weds it got worse and sputumy and I started to feel ill with a temperature. Can't eat as I just keep throwing up with the coughing. I went to the GP on weds who said go back in a week....
Today I got shortness of breath so went to the walk in clinic, three hours later I got seen and they said they think its pneumonia and prescribed amoxicillin for a week. Now I am worried about what he said. He said, you really are not well atall, my heart rate was 132bpm, my respirations were 32 and I have a high temperature. He said every thing is high and I'm very unwell, take the antibiotics and go back to GP if they don't work.
So now I am in a frenzy I am going to die in my sleep
My lungs ache, I feel awful. Keep coughing. Why did he send me home if I'm very ill

[AlexandriaUK]

Because you are poorly but not so sick to need hospitalisation, can I ask was he an Indian.

[fairyloveheart]

Errr no

[mikewales]

What difference would his race make ???

[AlexandriaUK]

The reason I ask is the one indian at my old surgery was very gentle and always said you are poorly and need to go home to bed which would freak me out so never wento to see him after that, so hence the question,
they would not send you home if you needed to be kept in and amoxylian is a good attack drug for pneumonia, drink plenty of fluids and did he advice paracetamol for lowering temperature.

---------- Post added at 19:50 ---------- Previous post was at 19:49 ----------

Sorry slow response as on apple with on board keypad so slow. :)

[MRS STRESS ED]

Fairyloveheart if you feel worried dont hesitate to phone nhs helpline or get gp out ,hopefully your antibioctics will work ,I know you must feel scared but let me tell you my sister had pneumonia and she is fine now hope you get better soon hun x :hugs:

[AlexandriaUK]

Also how did he diagnose pneumonia by xray or sputem/bloods

[fairyloveheart]

Thanks, no, no X-ray or bloods or anything, just obs and listening to my chest..
Yes did say to take paracetamol x

[GingerFish]

I had pneumonia 2 years ago, this was before my panic attacks begun. I was originally diagnosed with tonsilitis then 2 days later a cough started and got told it was just a standard chest infection and 3 days into the antibiotic course I was coughing up blood and couldn't breathe for the pain in my ribs. I went up to A&E and got an urgent chest xray and they told me I had pneumonia and it was most likely viral but gave me more antibiotics to make sure I didn't catch anything else. I also had 2 cracked ribs from coughing constantly. I didn't think it was possible to crack ribs from coughing but there ya go. Like others have said, don't hesitate to contact NHS24 if you start to feel worse or panic. Pneumonia is horrible and I can't imagine how I would feel having now I have panics. I think I'm dying when I get the flu now :/ Hang on in there. I felt ill with pneumonia at the worst for about a week and a half and then it slowly went away and left me with a drained flu like feeling afterwards.

[AlexandriaUK]

I just had a read up and it does say that they wouldnt send you home if they we're worried, you should get lots of rest as well, have you someone there to run round after you, lots of tlc needed x

[fairyloveheart]

Thanks xxx

[AlexandriaUK]

If you still feel poorly after a good nights sleep ring your out of hours doc and grt him to send you for xray and bloods, hope you feel better, would say watch telly but theres nothing much on

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm surprised they could diagnose this without an x-ray. I had it about 20 years ago and I went to the GP several times and was diagnosed with chest infections. After a while I woke up in the middle of the night with what felt like broken ribs and off I went in an ambulance as my parents were concerned about the impact on my asthma. I had an x-ray and was sent home with nothing, no idea. A couple of days later it happened again and an x-ray this time showed up a 50p peice sized patch on one of my lungs.

I spent a week in hospital but to be honest, it wasn't too bad in terms of pain after 24hrs because the meds and oxygen/nebulisers were really helping.

It took months to get right again but after 3 weeks it was due to an after effect in that my platelet count had dropped.

So, if it doesn't improve, push for treatment and if you need advice, you can always call the new 24hr NHS line which is staffed by nurses & paramedics. They can then decide if you need emergency help or offer advice on what to do at home.

Plenty of rest and fluids.

[anthrokid]

Fairylove,

I had pneumonia several years ago, and my doctor also gave me some strong antibiotics and sent me home to rest in bed until I was better :) And I was better within a couple of weeks. She said that whilst I was very sick, my pneumonia wasn't severe enough to be in hospital, and that I'd probably be better off at home because there'd be less risk of catching any other mild colds that could have made it worse.

[fairyloveheart]

Still feeling awful. I would say pretty similar though. Only difference is I feel more out of breath now if I walk or do anything other than sit here. Worried my lungs are gradually filling with fluid. Coughing a lot. So fed up. I really think this is it. My husband says he will take me to a and e tomorrow.

[AlexandriaUK]

Sorry you are still feeling crock, have you a thermometer? Your antibiotics will take at least 48 hours to kick in.
Are you coughing up anything.

[fairyloveheart]

Hiya, thanks for replying x
My temperature is ok 36.7. Coughing up just clear sputum - not green.

[AlexandriaUK]

That's a good sign and shows no major infection are you getting plenty of fluids, hot honey and lemon helps to break up congestion but no cough medicine, as for feeling puffed you are meant to be resting LOL x

[fairyloveheart]

Hello. I went to a and e today as wasn't feeling good and they did say to go back if the pills were not working.
They did a chest x ray and said there was nothing major on there - wish i had asked what that meant. Prescribed prednisone steroids and an inhaler and to carry on with the antibiotics. Said it's either pneumonia or bronchitis. Said my blood gases were ok.
They made me take some steroids there and then I felt dizzy all day :(
I flippantly said to him my lungs are not going to fill with fluid are they and he said no I don't think so and so and sped off.
I felt relieved for all of 5 minutes that i had had an x ray and that there wasn't anything major on it and then it went back to panic; what if they didn't look properly as they were so speedy there, what if it didn't show it for some reason, what if the steroids cause me to be more ill, what if they compromise my immune system and I get something else, what if they missed something :(

[fairyloveheart]

No better today. Don't like this prednisone. Makes me feel very strange. I just feel so lethargic and achy and still coughing and wheezing :( not sure what the steroids are supposed to be doing but they and the antibiotics don't seem to be doing anything. I wonder if it's viral.
:(

[Round in circles]

I'm sorry you're not any better. Sometimes I wonder how many people start getting health anxiety after seeing a blunt doc. No wonder you got so worried from what the first doc said. I spent 2-3 weeks fearing I was going to drop dead when I had to wait for tests to see if I'd bruised the wall of my heart after a nasty martial arts sparring bout.

It's good to know what's going on, but urgh.. The way some people tell you things can leave a lot to be desired sometimes. I hope you start feeling a bit better soon.

Take care.

[fairyloveheart]

Thanks. Went back to the gp and they're now saying it's viral pneumonia and have signed me off for a week. I have zero energy and Still coughing so much. I'm now worried I have a hernia from all the coughing as have a bad pain in my left abdomen.
Is it normal to feel so ill with this for a week? I asked for a blood test as wonder if there's something underlying. I seem to catch every bug going.
I can't cope

[anthrokid]

It is absolutely normal to feel so sick for a week with pneumonia. It doesn't get better within a few days, it takes a couple of weeks to clear up, and afterwards you will still be short of energy for a while whilst your body recovers. The pain in your left abdomen is most likely muscular due to all of the coughing. Every time you cough your muscles tense up. It's not surprising to get chest and abdomen pain from all the coughing.

---------- Post added at 11:33 ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 ----------

Also, the definitely would NOT have missed anything in the x-ray. X-rays are the most effective form of detection for pneumonia/chest infections, and any fluid in the lungs would definitely have been visible to the doctors who looked at the xray, no matter how quickly they looked at it. If they said it wasn't concerning, that's a good sign. It indicates that there is probably only a little fluid in your lungs. If there was a lot, or they were worried about something else, they would have kept you in for observation.

[Jimmy28]

Don't worry. I know I told somebody here once, but I'll say it again - I've had pneumonia twice in my life, the first time when I was 8 and the second time when I was 11. Now I'm 19 and I don't even remember what it felt like when I had it. You will not die from it. Yes, it is normal to feel ill, I didn't go to school for a month the first time I got it but simply because I felt weak, so you have to rest a lot and listen to what the doctors say and trust me, you will feel better. Just think of it as a simple flu or smth. Don't stress over this so much, it is not that serious, you will be fine, 100% :)

[emeraldgirl]

I had viral pneumonia a few years ago. I felt very ill and didn't get out of bed for over a week. I had two lots of antibiotics and eventually the pain and cough went although I still felt washed out for about a month. I think you need to give it time. Antibiotics take a couple of days to start working and if you ave pneumonia you need to rest and drink plenty of fluids. It does take a while to get over it but you will get better. Take care