First Hospitalization

[CyclingInvestor]

After my recent Alaska trip I was recovering from a cold when I got hit with what I figured was the flu. I lost my appetite (a first) and all energy while maintaining a fairly impressive cough. I was finally sleeping about 23 hours a day and barely had the energy to stand. I could not tolerate the taste of any food, and only averaged about 200/cal per day for 9 days. I did not go to the doctor because I figured that would be whining, and waiting it out had always worked in the past

My roommate finally dragged me to the doctor, who after a couple tests sent me over the ER to get faster test results. After a few hours they determined I had pneumonia, which earned me a 3 night hospital stay, my first ever. My appetite returned shortly after the first IV antibiotics, and I seem to be recovering fine.

 

[W2R]

Glad you are feeling better! Pneumonia is a miserable illness. Take care.

 

[haha]

Glad you are better. That pneumonia can be dangerous.

Ha

 

[Dawg52]

Glad your better. But 9 days is a long time. Jump on it quicker next time.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

In the "old" days, pneumonia had a mortality of 15% or more. Almost all was caused by one or two well-known bacteria. Patients would get sick as dogs, then have a "crisis" where the symptoms would briefly get awful, then would rapidly resolve with a clean recovery.

Nowadays, the germs have changed, as have the antibiotics. But it is still a major killer even with antibiotics. Glad you bounced back. Might not have been that way if you delayed much longer, were older, or otherwise in a weakened state.

Some tips for when to get thee to a doctor: shaking chills with a cough, persistent or copious sputum with blood or thick consistency or yellow, tan, green with fever, chest pain, inability to retain lots of fluid, pregnancy, other chronic diseases including diabetes, asthma, COPD, etc among many others; new shortness of breath.

DD, Meadbh and others can probably come up with a few more.

 

[bbbamI]

CI, you should give your roommate a cookie. I'm glad you're doing ok now.

 

[vicente solano]

Cycling: Even I would have gone to see a doctor sooner than you. Ahem...a couple of days sooner, I´m sure. And not because I thought I was a whiner. It´s because anything to do with hospitalisation terrifies me!

 

[shoe]

Cycle, did your doc ever offer you a pneumonia shot? Mine gives them but many of my friends have never been offered one. Just curious. Thanks and glad you are feeling better!

 

[Martha]

The shot doesn't help the bacterial pneumonia. Only the viral.

 

[DblDoc]

Cycle, did your doc ever offer you a pneumonia shot? Mine gives them but many of my friends have never been offered one. Just curious. Thanks and glad you are feeling better!

Not everyone is supposed to receive pneumovax. In general they are offered to those over age 65, and those under 65 who are immunocompromised or suffer from chronic disease(s) that increase morbidity or mortality if they get pneumonia.

DD

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

The shot doesn't help the bacterial pneumonia. Only the viral.

Oops - if you're referring to the pneumovax ("the pneumonia vaccine") it's the other way around.

The shot helps prevent pneumococcal pneumonia, a specific group of bacteria. It does not prevent other types of pneumonia which, unfortunately, are increasingly common. In fact, despite recommendations to the contrary, the actual benefit of pneumovax for most groups is pretty minimal but its safety has been excellent so even a small benefit may be worth it.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Glad you are in the pink again, CI! As soon as I hit 60 I am getting the shingles vaccine and at 65, the pneumonia. I have seen some people with some pretty painful cases of the shingles.

 

[Meadbh]

The shot doesn't help the bacterial pneumonia. Only the viral.

Martha, if you are referring to Pneumovax, it prevents pneumococcal pneumonia. Pneumococcus is a bacterium.

H1N1 vaccine (in production) will protect against the H1N1 influenza virus. I will be getting that for sure, as a healthcare worker. Pregnant women are 4 times more likely to develop severe illness or die with this virus and they, not FIREes, will be a priority when the vaccine becomes available.

 

[Nords]

After a few hours they determined I had pneumonia...

I've been that route three times, and I'm glad you're feeling better.

I guess the "good" news is that you're intimately familiar with the warning signs, but hopefully it never happens again.

 

[CuppaJoe]

CyclingInvestor, you mention sleeping 23 hours a day. I’d add fatigue to the list of reasons to visit a doctor. I’ve never had pneumonia or been hospitalized with an infection but recently I had a bacterial infection and was treated as an out-patient. I was so tired my daily plans were reduced to things like, “I’ll write a check today” or “I’ll pay one bill online.”

So glad to hear you took care of it and are doing well.

 

[Martha]

Oops - if you're referring to the pneumovax ("the pneumonia vaccine") it's the other way around.

The shot helps prevent pneumococcal pneumonia, a specific group of bacteria. It does not prevent other types of pneumonia which, unfortunately, are increasingly common. In fact, despite recommendations to the contrary, the actual benefit of pneumovax for most groups is pretty minimal but its safety has been excellent so even a small benefit may be worth it.

Oops! Thanks for catching my mistake.