which lung infection?

[pushka]

I'm still suffering from a viral infection which gave me typical cold symptoms with pain in my right shoulder and neck , a swollen sore throat and a productive chesty cough. After two weeks I was prescribed, over the phone, Doxycycline antibiotics which haven't helped. It's been three weeks now and I'm still coughing up mucus and have been told I have infection in the base of my lungs. I couldn't say if the mucus was clear or had blood in it as I'd been swallowing it. I haven't had a fever as such, no chest pain and haven't lost my appetite, but I have felt very tired, sob and wheezy. My doctor has given me Amoxycilin and has asked me to return for possible x ray etc. If it hasn't gone next week. My mum said this lung infection must be pneumonia but I'm wondering if there is just a more simple form of lung infection that I could have?

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

What you describe is consistent with the diagnosis of pneumonia that could be bacterial or viral.  Examination of your sputum could give a clue.  Your Mum is probably right.

Clinically, the course of this illness could also be specifically consistent with Pertussis (whooping cough) and common disease in young kids and now a not uncommon occurrence in young adults.

At this stage of your illness you should wait no longer before seeking re-examination and a chest X-ray.  With the passage of time and the sub-optimum response to antibiotics, your condition has now entered the realm of complicated pneumonia and, without effective therapy may just continue to get worse.

Do not delay.

Good luck

[pushka]

Thank you so much for your reply. The second course of antibiotics was also unsuccessful at relieving my symptoms of shortness of breath and wheezing so I visited my doctors' practice again yesterday. A more junior doctor examined me this time and although he asked about swollen ankles and chest pain, he didn't repeat testing of my reps or blood pressure, they had been good last week. I told him that a chest X-ray had been suggested at this stage and he agreed. I have now been given a third course of antibiotics, so up to date I've taken Doxycycline 100, Amoxycyllin 500 and now a further course of Doxycycline 100 which I will start taking today. I was given the chest x-ray as requested and will be given the result within the next ten days.

I also have heart trouble, a mechanical aortic valve due to congenital aortic stenosis, and Atrial Fibrillation and am on Warfarin for both, and other meds. I also have high bp and type 2 diabetes so I understand that there may be more complications due to these, or am I mistaken? I take all required medications for these illnesses plus Gabapentin and Zomorph tablets for arthritic pain.

My sob has been much increased upon trying to walk in town or up and down stairs and around my home, and I'm finding it more difficult to cough up any mucus although after using my Beconase nasal spray it is possible to get more mucus when I blow my nose, this mucus is clear. Is there anything I can do to help myself at this stage? I've mainly stayed indoors and away from my pregnant daughter but would like to know if there is anything else I should be doing. Thanks again,

Michele