Pneumonia

[ukaskew]

Anyone had the experience of suffering from pneumonia? Shortly after finally recovering from myocarditis (a virus on my heart, took the best part of 10 months to get over it) I went into hospital with severe kidney stone pain, my temp of 42 degrees rang alarm bells and it turns out I also had pneumonia. My 40+ temp, very, very high heart rate and low oxygen count etc (plus many other nasty symptoms) wouldn't budge for nearly a week, eventually after lots of meds etc I was discharged and also passed my stone, erm, manually, which was nice! Apparently it was a very severe case of pneumonia so they did say it would take a couple of months to fully recover.

Anyhow, 3 months down the line and I constantly feel incredibly hot, uncomfortably so. I also sweat to the point of literally completely soaking everything around me with even the slightest physical exertion. I'm so out of sync that in places that everyone is wearing trousers, tops, fleeces, coats etc, I'm in shorts and a t-shirt and still feeling far too warm.

I'm 31, was pretty fit prior to my heart 'issue', don't drink or smoke etc. I've gone back for check-ups and double-check X-Rays to make sure it's all sorted, I monitor my temp a few times a day which is absolutely fine (36-37), and my heart has a been given the all clear now, so they have given me a clean bill of health. I'm not sure where I go next to be honest, it seems trivial but it's bordering on debilitating.

I can't find a great deal online about long terms effects of pneumonia, and certainly nothing along the lines of what I'm experiencing, particularly at my age. Any experiences similar to mine?

[maffski]

I had pneumonia this year, started around Christmas (and I thought socks where a naff present), I wound up in hospital at the end of March - pneumonia and severe heart failure.

The only lasting effect I've noticed is it seems slightly more difficult to breathe in humid air, I haven't noticed myself feeling hot or anything like that.

Might be worth chatting to your doctor about it.

[Cupramax]

Not had your symptoms but had pneumonia 3 years ago and have been suffering severe post viral fatigue since, doctors offer very little help other than offering Cognitive behaviour therapy which has been no help for me. I have next to no energy compared to before the illness (was previously very fit, gym 4 times a week etc) and any exersion now causes days of unbearable tiredness. Not nice...

[ukaskew]

Cupramax said:

Not had your symptoms but had pneumonia 3 years ago and have been suffering severe post viral fatigue since, doctors offer very little help other than offering Cognitive behaviour therapy which has been no help for me. I have next to no energy compared to before the illness (was previously very fit, gym 4 times a week etc) and any exersion now causes days of unbearable tiredness. Not nice...

I had post viral fatigue after the heart virus, literally could not stay awake for more than a few hours at a time some days and would wake up in the morning feeling like I had had no sleep at all. The pneumonia came just as I had recovered from that. I missed my honeymoon (and the rearranged one!) my hours were reduced severely at work to 8 hours per week so it was a big financial strain as well.

I pushed myself pretty hard (relatively speaking) whilst I was awake, walked along my local canal every day, gradually building up the distance. I was also incredibly positive (having just survived the heart scare so being happy to be alive) and photography was my hobby of choice whilst out walking. The doctors at the Mineral Hospital in Bath basically said I was a perfect example of beating it, I dragged myself out of the fatigue by not letting it defeat me, as it's very easy to slip into depression etc. A year later and I'm pretty much ok, post-pneumonia heat/sweating aside.

[Alexw88]

When I was 18 I blacked out and upon an awfull lot of tests discovered pneumonia in my left lung and enlargement of the heart on one side.

It took 6 months realistically to get over the effects of the pneumonia. Heart was longer. 18 months later I began to run and train again as I had before, I noticed slight burning on my lungs while exercising and fatigue for some months however I kept at it and my chect became more and more resiliant. I like you have never smoked or drank. I would see your doctor and see what he recommends. I have read articles where people have struggled for some time but it's a big thing for your body to experience so you will have to build it up so to speak.