Still feeling ill almost 1 year after Pneumonia

[smithy281179]

I came down with Pneumonia in both lungs almost 1 year ago.  I was in hospital for 1 week and given all sorts of antibiotics for a period a little over 1 month.  My breathing is pritty good now, however i still do not feel quite right.  I have days where i feel very weak, tired and generally ill.  Why do you think this could be? I also for example when lifting something heavy get chest pains which last a day or two and go away. I am an active person in my job and social time etc and eat a well balanced diet.

[National Jewish Health]

A year later, with complete recovery from a serious episode of pneumonia, you should be feeling back to normal.  One possibility, albeit a bit unlikely, is that your pneumonia never completely resolved.  Another, is that you have an as yet undiagnosed underlying condition that predisposed you to the pneumonia and is also responsible for  your having days when you feel “weak, tired and generally ill.” Examples of such would include auto-immune disease, chronic low-grade infectious disease (of which there are many) or an immunodeficiency state.

That you are, “..an active person in my job and social time” is very reassuring, but the bad days clearly warrant further investigation.

I suggest that you seek consultation with a specialist in Internal Medicine (Internist), given that the ongoing symptoms may not be secondary to pulmonary disease.  If you do not have ready access to such a specialist, I suggest that you arrange for consultation with an Internist at the nearest Academic Medical Center.

I wish I could be more specific but your concern is warranted and your condition will require a thorough evaluation.

Good luck

[fsb]

I have been out of the hospital six weeks today. I was hospitalized for 5 days with pneumonia. I still feel terrible. Of course, I got out of the hospital on Friday and went back to work on Monday. It takes all I can do to make it at work. I come home and then I try to rest. From what I have read it just takes time to heal. This has been very frustrating to me because I am a very active person.

I get up every day thinking it will get better.

[humpycamel]

A related discussion, Pneumonia was started.