pneumonitis

[kortman79]

My doctor in france recently diagnosed me as having pneumonitis.  however, the amoxicillin i have been taking for a week now has done little to change my state.  i am wondering if the following symptoms could indicate another malady? For a week now, I have had problems breathing, fevers on and off, chills, pain in my lower abdomen which sometimes manifests itself in between my ribs, extreme fatigue, and today, pain in my left arm.  I recently travelled to kenya, so i am afraid i may have caught something there.  I have a history of cardiovascular disease as well as an ulcer.  Do any of you have any advice?

[National Jewish]

Your symptoms suggest that, if you truly do have pneumonitis (pneumonia) it is either of a non-infectious variety or infectious but not sensitive to amoxicillin.  In either event you need to be reevaluated, without delay.  The left arm pain is not typical of pneumonitis and may be a cardiac symptom, perhaps induced by the strain of your pneumonitis.  

Finally, having been in Kenya, your chances of having amoxicillin resistant pneumonia are significantly increased.  If you have pneumonia, the longer you continue with inadequate treatment, the more difficult it will be to recover quickly.