Wishing you well. I have had influenza including that H1N1 twice in the last few years and I thought I was going to die from it. Not nice. I picked up a nasty virus that had been going around the last week of January. I was so sick. Chest congestion was horrible, choking phlegm, coughing non stop, still coughing now but at least it is a dry short cough, then just as I was feeling better I had terrible bouts of vertigo. I am still wheezing and should have a puffer but I don't want to start using one of those again. I was relieved though because it didn't go into my head or sinuses and I was still able to sleep. I was so sick I couldn't get up off the couch to get food but I had just purchased one of those fancy tins of cookies with chocolate wafers and light cookies. That is what I ate for a week, didn't want food. My good friend sent over a care package with 5 containers of chicken soup and other goodies to get me through. I hope you feel better soon

I'm so sorry you are ill, but I'm glad you are seeing a doctor. My best friend is still recovering from bacterial pneumonia almost three months after diagnosis. I think she wishes she had gone to the doctor much earlier than she did.

I got sick the beginning of February. Fought it for a week with OTC meds. Coughed so hard and for so long I had to hold my ribs when I coughed. Dr. put me on broad spectrum antibiotic and prednisone for 10 days for chest congestion, sinus infection, ear infection. It took a full 7 days to start feeling better. 2 1\2 weeks for the cough to go away.

In the meantime, I developed a yeast infection from the antibiotics. Again OTC meds for a week. It kept getting worse. I then developed a UTI. Fever, chills, nauseated, back ache, pain in my side, muscle aches. Took FOUR days for urine culture to come back verifying UTI then I was put on Cipro for 7 days. Finally started feeling better after 3 days on it. I haven't been sick like this in over a decade. Ridiculous! Irritating!!

Feel better.

I hope you feel better soon, hope besides the flu you do not have pneumonia.

Ick! I hope you get better soon.

I've been sick constantly since I started working in a preschool! It's awful. I ended up with a chest xray a few weeks ago due to a horrible cough. I hope you feel better!

Thank you everyone. Ya I pretty much knew this was influenza when I first got sick..I've only had it once before, but OMG the flu is tragiclly horrible. once you have it you never forget it.

Cherry yesterday was the first food I ate in days and thsn it was only a few bites of bean soup. I don't even know how I managed to make it and I wouldn't have if son wasn't here to help. I mostly gave him directions what to do.

Katlan, that had to have been a very very bad time for you all that illness and a yeasty on top of it. I will probably go on antibotics tomorrow and I will get a yeasty since I always do. yippie...I'm also hsving to hold my arms around my middle to cough pain from the strained muscles do not help one bit.

Cherry and Katlan, I bet you two still arnt 100% back to yourselves. But I'm glad you both came thru this. I don't know your ages but I know some people expecially after age 60 don't fight of these type of illness' s.

Lucille, I'm prone to pneumonia, probably why the doctor want an xray. Fingers crossed.

When I first got sick I did see the doctor course that's when they first rammed the stick up my nose to test for influenza.(such a treat). I should have called the doctor yesterday though instead of waiting until today as I knew my fever should have dropped by now. My grands and Amiee have been so helpful. The boys bring me drinks and bless little Amiee who suffers daily and often can't get to the bathroom without my help has been a real trooper. My son Matt is staying a few days to take care of Amiee and get the boys on and off the bus Thank God for adult sons who live close by. Lol.

Thank you all for listening to this old lady. Lol

Sorry you are so ill...hope meds will made you better soon. Did you have the flu and both pneumonia shots? After double pneumonia last year, I made sure I got caught up on them this year.

Hope the doctor is able to give you something to make you better fast. Good thing the rest of the family is okay.

Mama - When I have to take antibiotics, (which sometimes is frequently) I take a probiotic & that prevents the yeast infection.

Elizabeth, Thank You. ..actually I thank all of you good folks.

Summer I do try to eat a few yogurts a day when on antibotics, does that count lol. I've never actually bought probiotics before, but I will for sure if I'm put on antibotics it sure can't hurt. And if it works...no more burning itch LOL. Elmer close your eyes. Haha.

Phoggie, I did not get the flu shot this year. Shame on me. Last year both the grands got their flu vaccine and tested positive twice. I guess its only good for certain flu's??

Thank you all.

Mama - The grocery variety yogurt is useless (read the label). I take Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Maybe you could run it past your doctor when you're there tomorrow.

Mama get the probiotics! Seriously ask your Dr about it. I actually didn't get a flu shot this year. Just fooling around, putting it off, couldn't get it close to my allergy shots, I just didn't get it. I was never swabbed and actually diagnosed with the flu. I would say I'm 95%.

Please everyone take care. By the way, I'm 56.

Shots or not, *everybody* has had or is having this. Wracking coughing; 102F fevers; the run-over-by-a-truck exhaustion. DH and I had it for six weeks end of 2016. We'd both had flu shots and both of the pneumonia vaccines.

People arriving at our Maui complex have it. People here already have had it for weeks. (Those without 'the thing' are sick from the pollution/vog.)

I had two courses of antibiotics (Levoflaxation) and Prednisone. Yes! You must take PRObiotics when you take ANTIbiotics. (WHY don't MD's tell you this. It's like taking sleep aids when you get wired on Prednisone. Duh.)

I hope you all feel better soon. You probably won't...not real soon, but you'll live.

Last month, I had a bout with pneumonia. A week ago, I stumbled in my computer room. My foot was wedged against a duffle bag and I couldn't move it fast enough to prevent a fall. I went over backward. it wold have been a simple bang your bottom on the floor except my left back encountered a corner of a hard case that was about 18 inched tall. That thing gave me such a shot on an upper rib that I nearly blacked out, had the breath knocked out of me and then, had difficulty breathing. The pain was fierce - I thought that I had broken a rib. The pain did not abate and breathing was painful. My wife drove me to the ER and i got checked over including a series of X-rays. They did not find any breaks or fractures. It seems that I bruised my rib and shoulder blade and probably damaged connective tissue. That was a weeks ago and that compromised my driving ability. I have refrained from driving until I can handle the required motions well. I may take a short drive to the grocer tomorrow to restock my food larder. I missed my chess game last week and likely will miss it again tomorrow.

Yesterday, we had an 11 inch snowfall and I cleared 200 frontage feet of sidewalk. It was slow work because I was favoring certain motions. I could have bemoaned my lot, but did not. Four other men died yesterday in neighboring Milwaukee County while clearing snow.

Jem I hope your ribs get healed soon. I cannot imagine dying from clearing snow, why didn't those guys just stay inside? What a tragedy for them and their families, so sad.

I had the flu once and it really opened my eyes to how the flu could kill the millions of people it has. I was young (late 30s) healthy, non-smoker. It ended up turning into pneumonia, with a hospitalization and PICC line, then off work for 6 weeks after that. It took about 6 months to regain my strength back. And I do get a flu shot every year, which is now mandated at work. Don't delay that xray, Mamapinky! Hope you feel better, drink lots of fluids. And I second a probiotic, but get a good one. Yogurt is useless.

My story isn't nearly as bad as the ones above, thank goodness. I had a cold in early February and it went away in a week. I did everything you are supposed to do - take it easy, drink liquids, etc. Then at the end of the month, I got another cold that was worse and I developed bronchitis. I knew it wasn't the flu and I was pretty certain it wasn't pneumonia,but I went to the Minute Clinic at CVS so that my friends would stop pestering me. The Minute Clinic NP concurred with my diagnosis. :)

What surprised me was that although you can't treat a cold with antibiotics, she was able to give me a prescription for something to calm down the bronchi, thus allowing my sore ribs to heal. She prescribed Tessalon Perle (generic: Bensonatate), and it has helped.

I'm 90 percent recovered, and still not doing anything strenuous, but I've started getting out and about again.

I'm still at doctors.

Graywings -- Yes! Bensonatate is what stopped my cough in hospital when I had pneumonia. It did *nothing* for the cough I had at the end of 2016 though, and neither did inhalation therapy. DH never gets sick, but he and I lived in our pajamas for weeks -- just completely washed out.

Results....pneumonia in both lungs right lung towards the top section left lung more in the center. They also think the glands in my neck are infected I know they are very painful and I have a throat infection. I was started on the Zpak and a steroid. They gave me a scrip for Xopenex, a rescue inhaler for wheezing( can't take Albuterol) . They are culturing the mucus I am coughing up and did tons of blood work encluding all the viles to check for bacterial infections. They feel the pneumonia is viral. Doctor said that being run down with the flu often leads to pneumonia. Lots of fluids and rest. She told me to take my perscription pain meds for my RA to help with the muscle pain in rib cage and back and that they hydrocodone will also help with coughing. I don't take these pain pills for my RA so probably won't now, but may try a half. Said I should be feeling much better in 3 days and if I'm not she wants to know asap. Husband says to the doctor..will you tell her she has to eat or she won't get better..doctor says as long as she's drinking well she doesn't need forced to eat..I stuck my tongue out at hubs.

I'm glad I went today otherwise I probably would just have got even more sick. I do think my cough has improved this evening lol, but OMG does my glands and throat hurt. I hope the grands and oh gosh Amiee doesnt get this crap.

Thank you everyone. And I hope all of you stay well and those that arnt I hope you heal fast.

Mama, take the pain med, even if the half. You'll rest better, and recover faster by resting better. Hopefully the Zpac will knock this out quickly and you'll feel even a little better tomorrow. Don't take that as an excuse to get up and do laundry - things are going to have to wait a few days while you get some rest, you don't have time for a set back now ;0) Take care, and sleep well.

Glad you have a diagnosis and are under Dr.'s care. Hope you heal fast. Sorry it's double the pneumonia trouble.

Quote:

"Lucille

Jem
I hope your ribs get healed soon. I cannot imagine dying from clearing
snow, why didn't those guys just stay inside? What a tragedy for them
and their families, so sad."

Unquote.

A few of these may have lived alone. Most towns in this part of the state, Milwaukee included, have ordinances about keeping the sidewalk clear. even though home owners do not "own" those. The property owner is responsible for clearing the sidewalks fronting his property next to the street within 24 hours after a snowfall. Written in these ordinances is the threat that if the owner does not clear the walks, the city will and add the cost to the property tax bili. There may be no mention as to what the charge will be.

In reality, these ordinances are loosely enforced. Extra time is allowed in cases of extraordinary snowfalls, and the city employees will do all the street and alley plowing before tackling sidewalks. Sometimes, they may not bother. However, there is a real lawsuit threat. If an owner has not cleared the walk and someone gets injured, he may sue.

I know of those ordinances/legal threats but to me, coping with them would be would be preferable to dying. I do not understand why those guys did not just stay inside, clearing a walk is not worth one's life.

Mamapinky I'm so sorry you have pneumonia and infection. I agree with Morz, take the pain meds, so you can rest and recover. It is extremely important to call the doctor back if you do not recover in a few days.

Mamma -- You are not in hospital? OK, since you are not getting a ton of fluids via a drip...you must force liquids. I mean that you must drink and pee copious amounts. You are on the 'rinse cycle' all the time for the near future. Get Depends if necessary. This is no time for 'decorum'. You have to take the meds and rinse the debris from them and from the infection out of you.

You also have to REST. Steroids make me crazy. You may need a sleep aid.

This is not going to be gone fast. You will RELAPSE if you do not rest A LOT -- maybe for months.

I agree with chisue. You really really need to baby yourself. Loads of liquids, tons of rest. Take all your meds and pain killers. Get well soon mama

wishing you a speedy and safe recovery from STL.

My son brought it home and I picked it up from him. Literally, I made him lunch, he was too sick to eat it, it sat for an hour so I picked up a bean chip, dipped it in the hummus, realized the chip had no crunch and asked "Did you eat the chips?" and he said he tried one and put it back. He is 7 and I should know better than touch his food. I knew from the lack of crunch that was the chip I ate was the one he put back. I had a fever within 24 hours and for the next four days that followed. I wasn't sure if I was getting shingles but I think they are just fever blisters. I was honestly too sick to go to the doctors to find out or even care. Rest, rest and more rest. I hit my peak and now it is recovery time. Epsom salt baths helped a lot plus I was having up to three hot showers (just sitting on the floor of the shower) a day to clear my sinuses and chest and have a cool mist humidifier on at night. I used apple cider vinegar on my blisters and that has helped a lot too. I would take Nyquil for a full night sleep. Also Vicks on the feet and a heating pad and lot's of TV. Also honey and tea for the throat. Take care, I got hit hard (probably worst a flu has ever affected me) but not nearly as hard as what you seem to be going through.

Cookie you poor kiddo, I see you feel wrenched. Those blisters though ...Hmm could be scarlet fever which is only a scary term for a viral rash. I know its been all over the place this year. As for the chip don't beat yourself up as its highly unlikely you got sick from that since there's a incubation period. But if you wouldn't have gotton sick when you did it was only a matter of a week or so before you would have. Keep pampering yourself and continue getting well. These bugs this year are wicked. Hows your son feeling now?

Chisue, you do have a way with words..haha. Thank You! I'm not needing depends YET but I am wearing a sanitary pad, took some from my daughter. You know your old when you caugh and pee at the same time. Thank you all. I'm drinking tons of gatoraid mixed half with water and also plain water. I do feel a tiny bit better today except my throat and neck glands. I won't be running any race any time soon. I feel drained. I haven't touched the laundry. That's a sure indication of a sick Mamapinky.

Scott. How sweet Thank You. And hug the kids for me.

Thank You all. ...its great to be able to talk to such kind folks.

I used a lot of ice and ginger ale. So my teeth rot...I couldn't do plain water.

When I had pneumonia I really thought I was much, much better until I realized I would sit in bed to read...then wake up two hours later.

Chisue. Yess. I recline on the sofa in the family room so I can see the boys, I think I'm wide awake until I realize my hips hurting (RA) because I fell asleep and layed in the same position for 2 hours. Lol they do say a body does most of its healing during sleep. I've never been one to nap or rest during the day, just couldnt take the time because always have things to do and think I should be doing them, but I really don't have the energy to care what needs done right now. I'm amazed hubs and the boys are surviving with me being out of commission, but they are doing everything soo well. Lol.

How long did it take for dh and the boys to feel better?

I have been lucky this year. My sister came down with it and needs to decide if she should cancel their cruise. I did offer to take her place lol

My son had a fever last Tuesday and final bit cleared on Sunday. He still has a lingering cough but is energetic...which is driving me nuts. I don't nap either but am still in and out of consciousness. I think I I will make it today without passing out. Yep, on the mend. I am so happy my arthritis has been cleared for a couple of years now. Sorry to hear it is affecting you. My daughter made laugh yesterday and I found that painful on the chest and throat.

My daughter had a fever, then it turned in a cough and running nose. It took about 3 weeks for that darn cough to taper off and finally go away. The end of the 2nd week it sounded like it was going away, more like a dry cough and then the next day sounded bad again so I took her in to the doc just to have her lungs listened to etc etc. Doc said everything sounded fine. Better safe than sorry right :-)