Do you have experience with pneumonia?

Hi, there!

It's taken two weeks to get this diagnosis worked up, but it looks like I have an opportunistic infection in my right lung. I'm currently taking antibiotics for bacteria, although the infection could be fungal. I guess it's a bit more of wait and see.  

This is my first real, serious infection since being on myriad immunosupressants, and I'm a bit scared. This is the WORST I've felt in a very long time, and for us Lupies, that's really saying something!

With proper treatment/rest, do you think I can recover in 3 to 4 weeks?

Do I need to worry about the infection spreading elsewhere, like to my heart? I recently learned about myocarditis. Eek!

I'm also worried about handling this with my employer. Not sure if this is a short-term disability thing or if I can work from home part-time until the worst is over.

I'm sorry. I know I'm just rambling here. Any experiences anyone could share with me about recovering from pneumonia or dealing with lung/heart infections would be greatly reassuring, I'm sure.

Wish I could just worry about my health, and not my job!

Thanks so much!

Nina

 

Hi Nina,

When I had pneumonia, the worst of it lasted two weeks. However, it took me four more weeks to completely recover. I was weak and quite fatigued during that time. I had no energy, which made it difficult to work. I was student teaching at the time and was able to flex my schedule a bit. I was able to work for about half a day and then after that the exhaustion set in. Be good to yourself. Rest is really important while you recover.

Laura

Hi Nina:

I have loads of experience with pneumonia and taking the immunosuppressants drugs. Just this past Christmas I was in the hospital for 3 weeks with both viral and bacterial pneumonia. My lupus has really attacked my heart and lungs. I'm on oxygen 24/7 at 3 liters, my lungs are very scared and I have nodules that they keep testing me with PET/CT scan in hopes of figuring out if they are cancerous or not.

Since I have leukemia in addition to my lupus, and I've taken all (but gold) immunosuppressant drugs they can cause cancers. I'm currently taking MTX at high doses, it's used to treat my type of leukemia, until it's no longer controllable.

It sounds like you're at home and not in the hospital, which is a very good thing. That means that your pneumonia should clear up just fine. I wouldn't be to worried about it spreading to your heart. I'm not a Doctor and I'm not saying it can't happen, but I'm saying I've not heard of many people having that happen to them.

Yes, when you have pneumonia you feel terrible and do for several weeks afterwards too, just like Laura said she felt. The best thing you can do is get plenty of rest at home, take all your medications, drink plenty of fluids, and call them if you have any problems.

I've had several friends who have had pneumonia and they've done great. Try not to worry to much, if you begin to feel worse, call your Doctor and be seen. If you can't reach your Doctor head to ER. If you find you're having troubles breathing, or can't put a sentence together when talking you need to be seen.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me. You can post your ?'s on this thread or my email is listed here. I hope you begin to feel better really soon and welcome to our forum.

Hugs,
Barbara

Nina, I'm glad to hear you are going to work from home and give your body a chance to heal :) It's a hard conversation to have with your employer but you have to take care of YOU!! I hope it goes well as it can.

It's also good that you are going to see a pulmonologist.

I am so grateful for this community, the people here are so supportive and understanding of what we all go through!

Take care and keep us updated :)