Oye, my worry wart tendencies always surface when it comes to you, Oakley! I don't have any advise for you but I will be paying attention. Sure you shouldn't be in the hospital?

Oh, dear Oakley. So sorry you're going through this. I feel your pain. I just got over a six-week long bout with a severe sinus infection. Doc said it was on the verge of turning into bronchitis when she put me on antibiotics. That did finally knock it out. Since you do have bronchitis, it may take longer, but I don't think it needs to take 3 months to go away! Antibiotics are wonderful. They should help.

I know what you mean about having no strength, & having a terrible cough. I hurt in my chest from coughing almost non-stop throughout the night. I was also very congested with the most awful post-nasal drip. It was pretty miserable, but I did live to tell the tale. Have been pretty normal this week. You'll get there! Best wishes for a speedy recovery! Take it easy!

May be worth mentioning that I was also taking Mucinex D along with the antibiotics. It was the only thing that helped with the sinus symptoms. Had no luck with Zyrtec or Claritin. You may want to ask your doc about it. Hope you feel better, a.s.a.p.!

I don't know what the timing of all this is, but, given your medical history, which you've mentioned elsewhere, and what you've mentioned here, I'd push your doctor a bit. Have you completed your course(s) of antibiotic? Do you need another course or a different antibiotic? Do you need respiratory therapy? Are your sugars well monitored/controlled with the prednisone on board? Is your asthma well-controlled or do you need a different/additional meds? Sorry to practice armchair, unlicensed medicine, but the oak pollen has been a disaster here, too, and has caused lots of problems in my neighborhood (about which I hear nearly daily), one state to the south of yours! One shouldn't take one's lungs for granted!

I've been too exhausted to check my blood sugar. My appetite hasn't been good..which is good! :) I did the full course of antibiotics, but that was right before the stuff went to my chest.

My asthma is in overdrive right now because of the bron. and pollen, but it's not too bad.

I do have a nebulizer that I've used a few times the past week, and it's helped a great deal. Haven't had to use it in a few days.

The physical symptoms are getting better, but it's being so tired that's bothering me. They checked my oxygen level today and it was normal, which is good.

I knew the cold would end up badly. Now that I'm older, I don't get a regular cold anymore, because some secondary infection always rears its ugly head! lol

oakleyok, I rarely get sick and then it's not a big deal.

UNTIL this past February and March, that is. I woke up with a tickle in my throat that progressed to a bad head cold. Then the coughing started and then I got a sinus infection.
I can sympathize with you. I had no energy and yet couldn't sleep because of the coughing and congestion and the post-nasal drip.
Our pollen situation is terrible! I can't blame my illness on that, but it might have been a small factor.

I can't imagine how bad I would have felt if I had asthma on top of this "thing".

This mess lasted 3½ weeks before I saw improvement. I was starting to think I had pneumonia. The good thing is I lost 7 pounds.

Don't push yourself. Healing takes time and you don't want to permanently damage your lungs.

I hope you're getting some TLC from the folks in your home. You deserve lots of that right now.

M.

I had the same thing happen, after three weeks, I finally went to the doctor, same diagnosis and medication regime as you've been given. That was 6 weeks ago. 4 weeks ago I lost my voice entirely and it's still not back 100%.

I agree, don't push yourself, this isn't any typical cold or virus. I'm self employed and had to keep my normal schedule as much as possible. I think that's one reason it's been so hard to kick it once and for all.

I've had a tendency to get Bronchitis in the fall when my allergies are at their worst! I have asthma, also, and the post nasal drip and the draining seem to be what aggravates my lungs! Doctor used to put me on antibiotics and a very strong decongestant. Now he recommends Mucinex D (along w/antibiotics if needed). In fact, the first words out of his mouth are "have you started your Mucinex?"

I should be a paid spokesperson for that product because I've recommended it to so many people!

Of course, check with your doctor to see what he thinks about taking it along with whatever else you are taking.

It's 11:30 pm when I should be drooling all over my pillow, and now I can't get comfortable because I think I've pulled a muscle in my ribcage! lol Will it ever END?

I do have some Mucinex here. But wouldn't that make me cough more? The chest congestion has gotten better and the doctor told me not to take any of my decongestants or antihistimines. My head is okay as far as drainage goes.

I'm trying not to cough PERIOD to get my rib muscles to heal. I'm glad that's what it is because I thought I'd popped my hernia. Ack!

I'm on Vicutuss, the cough med with hydrocodone in it, and I think it's keeping me awake.

Oakley, you are scaring me again. Ask the Dr and make sure he/she is worth asking. You are not very good about taking care of yourself. Is anyone in your family good at making sure you are getting the best health care?

Oakleyok...I was sick with a bad case of bronchitis last spring and it did last for a number of weeks.. listen to your body and try to rest...I did take cough medicine with hydrocodone but I was given another prescription for the coughing spasms. It is called "tessalon perles" or generic name "benzonatate". The pills look like small vitamin E pills that are filled with an anesthetic that has a numbing effect. It really helps with the cough and gives some respite from those awful coughing spasms. Ask your doctor about them and maybe give them a try! Hope you feel better!

Make sure you are floating in hot liquids and breathing steam as much as possible. It sounds like you are on a lot of meds already, but for the future you might consider Yogi Breathe Deep Tea with ephedra.

I have asthma and I like to use an expectorant (isn't that what mucinex is?) to help me, well, expectorate. The nebulizer sounds like just the ticket.

Rest is so important. Steamy rest is best.

I used to get bronchitis frequently but haven't had it in a several years. Standing in a shower with the hot water beating on my chest would help. And yes, it used to be weeks and weeks before I was well again. Bronchitis lingers.

My personal weapon against disease is high doses of vitamin D3 every day. I take 4,000 units per day. Maybe just a coincidence, but no colds or bronchitis since I started taking it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vitamin D

Didn't you have a cold not long ago and then thought you had pleurisy? It sounds like your allergies or asthma is not under control. I, too have allergies - although mine is mold. I have started back on allergy shots which thankfully are helping. I've never had bronchitis or pneumonia - and had my first sinus infection about a year and a half ago. Due to the allergies. Have you ever seen an allergist? I was sent to an ENT and about a year later had a second sinus infection. He told me I HAD to get my allergies under control so I went through the testing again (I've done this twice before with much success)and now the shots. During high mold times I use singular and a nasal steriod spray. Also an antihistimine.

It sounds like something (pollen?) is aggravating you and causing the problems, so you may be like me and need to get that under control first. My ENT SWEARS by mucinex and also says forego decongestants and use the mucinex. Just the plain - which is a mucus thinner - and you can ever take more than it says on the box (prescription is a much stronger strength). Sounds like that might help you also.

I agree that it sounds like you are not getting the best of care, but as I've said here before, you REALLY NEED a good, thorough complete physical. Prednisone can actually be dangerous to a diabetic. Make sure you are checking your levels.

And get that hernia fixed! LOL Oakley, you are not nearly as old as you make yourself out to be and you should not feel so tired all the time. You owe it to yourself to take control of your health issues and FEEL BETTER.

tina

If I posted about pleurisy it was because my back was hurting, but that went away. lol

Golddust, I really do take good care of myself, I eat three meals a day, oatmeal or Cheerios for breakfast to get me started. But as I've gotten older I just don't have the morning energy I used to. And if I get sick, it just makes it worse. I know diabetes has a lot to do with it, but it's pretty much under control. I took my reading this morning and it was in the normal range. yay!

This past year has been hard physically because of the diabetes, but I know it takes time to adjust.

I'm definitely going to check into the pearles though. Sounds interesting.

Gray, steam aggravates asthma. I always have to use my inhaler before I get into a hot shower. Especially in the summer.

I talked to a friend last night and he's on his third week of bronchitis too, so I was surprised to find out being weak is normal for this thing for a long time!

I also started my vitamin supplement regimen again yesterday. My dh takes them religiously and he always has energy and he's a diabetic too.

I wonder though, to they really work? I had TV on The Doctor's yesterday and the female doctor said we SHOULD be on daily vitamins. So I'm taking a multi-vitamin, fish oil, Vit. C, B12 and B6.

I've always been bad at taking vitamins, but if I stick to it this time, maybe some of my energy will come back?

Any of you think vitamin supplements help?

steam aggravates asthma

You (I) learn something new every day.

I take vitamins on faith - I don't know if they are doing any good or not. And the science is evolving from being told supplements were not necessary to telling everyone to take them. The experts agree that fish oil is great as well as the B vitamins. Vitamin C was the cure-all years ago, but studies haven't supported the claims. In fact, there is a joke that when Linus Pauling was claiming that Vitamin C had wonderful curative powers, he was right except that he was off by one letter - vitamin D not C is the wonder vitamin.

Your post is below -

My point was (is) there seems to be an underlying problem. Did you cough in October with that cold/pain? Did your doctor do a chest x-ray when he diagnosed bronchitis? This is funny - I looked up steam and asthma, and many sites recommend it, but I did note where one said to stick your tongue out while inhaling it! LOL

As long as you take the right amount, vitamins can't hurt. I generally don't take them as I try to get them through diet and feel I eat pretty well balanced. I know I get plenty of D as I'm outdoors alot but I have read recently where alot of people are deficient in it.

tina
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(Your post 10/14/09)
I friend suggested I had a bout of Pleurisy the other day, and I looked it up and sure enough, I had 100% of the symptoms!

It was so bad two nights ago I almost asked my dh to take me to the ER. I had no idea what was wrong with me, only that it hurt really bad to breath and to lay down. I also had a small fever, which could have been a higher one but I was takig a lot of Aleve, Ibuprophen and Tylenol for the pain so it probably masked a higher fever.

The symptoms went away this morning. I did some research online and it says it usually lasts a few days and it's caused by an underlying condition, such as the flu or a viral bug. I had a cold a few weeks ago and it was a whopper!

I never did go to the doctor since it went away, but I can't find any information on whether it will come back or not.

Does anyone know if I'm prone to getting it again? Now that the episode is over, should I still go to the doctor?

Actually, there is growing evidence that some vitamin supplements may not only be ineffective, but harmful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reader's Digest - The Vitamin Myth

Now I remember! But that cold was nothing like the one I got two weeks ago. This one hit like the flu without the aches.

I'm thinking I had cocho....itis...lol..it's a common pain in the chest muscle. I did go to the doctor and it was no big deal. It did freak me out but she said it's very common. It wasn't pleurisy.

I don't have any underlying conditions, just allergies and asthma, and the "crud" has been going around this area for the past two months.

I just have regular ole bronchitis which I haven't had in I don't know how long, that's why I was wondering if I was supposed to be this weak.

The time I did get pneumonia it was this time of the year because of all the pollens and mold from rains.

I went all morning without one cough, I took an hour nap, got up and all of a sudden I got a huge coughing fit,and I swear it pulled every muscle in my stomach! lol