Getting Worried

[mama2gabe]

I have been to the Doctor 2X in the last 5 weeks.  At first, I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and placed on antibiotics for 10 days.  A couple of weeks later, I went back because I had developed a low grade fever with difficulty breathing.  I was then diagnosed with walking pneumonia and placed on a Zpack of antiobiotics along with a 6 day steroidal .  I am on day 4 of taking these medications, but the difficulty breathing is still there, and the fever has actually gone up slightly.  I also noticed that for the first time, lying down makes the breathing worse (especially if I lay flat on my back) and also makes my chest feel heavy with pressure.  I have been coughing for 4 weeks now, and have had the low grade fever for 2 weeks - which is actually beginning to rise, not go down.
Anyone out there know what is going on?

[Sunny602]

I would go back to your doctor, he should get a chest xray to see what your lungs are doing. By the sounds of it, the antibiotics don't seem to be doing the job, you have been on them for quite some time now. Are you coughing more or bringing up more sputum? How about the color, is it yellow or green?
Either way, you need to be seen again so that you can get the right treatment. A sputum culture wouldn't be a bad idea either to check and see what bacteria is responsible for your infection. The results will also tell the doctor which antibiotic(s) would work best in your case.
I hope you feel better,
Sunny

[FaithFriend]

Hi there, mama!

It's surprising they didn't give you a breathing treatment for some relief of this (i.e. albuterol). You might consider going back to the doctor to see what more can be done to clear your airways.

When you lie down, do prop up on lots of pillows for the respiratory support that your lungs need right now.

Doesn't seem that the antibiotics are kicking this infection. You can go back and start another course with your doctor, or seek alternative, natural treatments to knock it out. What has worked for my chronic bronchitis/bronchiolitis 2 year old (at the time) when the medical community could no longer help can be found on Earth Clinic, under the name of H202 Inhalation Therapy. This method has truly worked wonders for our family when nothing else would in killing the invading bacteria or virus and has actually been quite life-saving but can seem very bizarre if one is not familiar with it.

Please take care and let us know how your progress goes!

Your Friend in Faith