Breathing problems after pneumonia

[Inventor]

I had a stubborn pneumonia in July that scared me enough to get a BiPAP device. It never completely cured, but a week ago I was hit by a real angry one with crp close to 400. Got four days of IV antibiotics and a week of oral abx after that.

My problem is, right when the second pneumonia hit me, I needed to go 24/7 on BiPAP (which I had used very little before that) to be able to breathe at all. And now, a week later, I still can't take the mask off for more than a couple of hours even though the pneumonia symptoms are long gone.

Am I facing an overnight switch from "no BiPAP needed" to "24/7 BiPAP required" or could there still be a chance of some improvement? Any experiences on this?

 

[MaxEidswick]

>Any experiences on this?

are they nebulizing albuterol or anything else? are you working with an ALS pulmo?

 

[Inventor]

So far it's just plain air. I have an appointment with the pulmo next week if I am able to manage the three-hour trip there (and another three hours back). Until then I am pretty much on my own.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>Until then I am pretty much on my own.

:-( slow and steady!

 

[affected]

Hi Inventor,
pneumonia is so damaging.

I think the question though is something you will have to ask this pulmo, so I hope you can get to the appt.

I say this because we can't really tell from where we sit. I've known PALS to have a bad pneumonia and rally against the odds to go back to reasonable breathing for a year or more. I've also, of course, known the pneumonia to trigger lingering infections and hasten breathing progression.

In the meantime, see the bipap as your friend, not something that you are now stuck with. The best chance of recovering from the pneumonia is to be able to expel air and keep your lungs as clear as possible and that something the bipap will help you to do.

Let us know how the appt goes

 

[Inventor]

Bought a UPS device that should be able to power the BiPAP (well actually it turned out to be ASV rather than BiPAP) machine for a few hours so I should be able to wear it in the car.

Strange pneumonia. crp close to 400 but no phlegm whatsoever. A humidifier would certainly be useful and I'm gonna ask for one.