Pneumonia that won't clear up

[hdracer]

I started in April with bad back pain in the left side of my back, felt like my lung.  Went to the Dr who thought I pulled a muscle.  It continued to give me problems and then turned to stabbing pain when I breathed.  Went back to Dr who thought it may be plueresy, sent me for chest xray which showed nothing.  I continued to have pain and shortness of breath but continued on as there was no diagnosis.  On June 9th, I was out of town, my breathing had become so bad and the pain was so bad I could not stand it.  On that morning I began to cough up blood and was taken to the ER.  There I was told it was bilateral pneumonia and plueral effusion.  I was given IV anitbiotics, oxegen, nebulizer and pain meds and sent home with Levaquin, dexamethesone, pain meds and a nebulizer.  I do have asthma, a lifelong problem.  It still never cleared, in fact got worse.  Did a CT scan, still had signs of pneumonia in both lungs, was started on 2 nd course of Levaquin.  Still no improvement, was then started again on prednisolone, Zyrtec for allergies, inhaler and nebulizer.  Still no improvement.  I hurt so bad from the coughing, I still had small spots of blood come up along with green looking spots.  I can't walk 10 ft without heaving for air.  I just cannot live like this.  I am also a stage 3 cervical cancer survivor for a year and a half now.  Can it really take this long to clear up?  Is there something I am missing here?  Is it possible this will never clear up?  
Please, Please help.

[littlemagoo]

I too have pretty much the same symptoms as you which started April 7th first it was viral no antibiotics but a shot in the butt for inflamation in my sinuses. 2 weeks later worse go back to Dr and now I have another shot and Biaxin - bad cough, facial pain, motion sickness, votiming - 3 days later, go back to Dr. keeps me out of work for 3 days rest and take Biaxin & singular and robatussin cough only med.  Not even 7 days later pain on left side is back - and all the other symptoms, go back to Dr. x-rays, blood test and Ct of sinuses.  Ct show inflamation in my sinuses and was put on Levaquin, cough meds and sinuses meds...this has been going on since April, I have been in and out of the Dr offices at least once every 2 weeks or so - went back Monday- had another x-ray now I have pluerisy, and the cough wont quit and I am tired - now on another round of meds including inhaler - Is it the air or what I have allergeries but this is taking its toll on me - I go to work - and go to bed - I have no appitite at all. So I am losing weight.  

Wish I knew the answer but know you are not alone it seems this is going on everywhere.  I too wonder how long does this last???  Hope someon can help!!!

[katpurs]

sorry to hear about your difficulties,
i have pain in my back and right lung, its painfull!!!  i have on and off bronchitis that wont clear with antibiotics hopefully i will get  a ct scan  im in the uk and pollen is very high this year i wonder if some of this is allergic asthma making things alot worse, hope that  you feel better  soon and sorry to hear how  very ill you have been, i have  three children and put all of my strength into looking after them  , its very tiring  hope i get to the bottom of it all and wonder why i keep having these infections and maybe my lungs are dry?? making the plem get stuck then in turn it goes inot  a bacterial infection,  

[sister mtt]

Hi, I am 55 and have had this three times this year alone, I also have asthma. I think it was just so bad  for me that it had my system wore down. I had it form Jan. till April. I
was on advair all this time and gained 16 lbs, I said no more advair.Its to hard at my age to get it off! It seem to help at first and then it stoped helping for some reason.No reason to take it if it dosent work any more. Maybe thats the thing, after awhile you have to change things. All I know Is I  thought it would never clear up. I got sick last week with
a cold and I thought not again, but it cleared up in 8 days . I too was on Levaquin 750
three times, I didnt take it this time, my body was fighting this time,That was a good thing. I prayed so hard it go away and it did after three months of it! My age has something to do with it I am sure! it made make my asthma worse too! now I have to use  the inhaler all the time for some reason. I just had to have a 3 cin. polyp taken out 5
weeks ago. They say its precancerous and I might have to have part of my colon taken out. I am on medicade,so we will see how it goes! Hope all works out for you! Keep
the faith and it some how will  all work out! Ps 37: 9-11, Isa.65 and Rev. 21:4


                                                                               Holding on to faith,
                                                                                 sister mtt

[Caligal196]

I'm living with the same things right now. Started having terrible asthma trouble early June. Have been to the E.R. twice now. X-rays show no pneumonias. First trip I was put on a 5 day round of prednisone. It didn't help. Went back in a week later. Was given a shot of something to relax the muscles around and in my lungs. Put on more prednisone, and azithromax, and albuterol. I do neb treatments and have an inhaler. I also take q-var inhaler daily.
The smokey air in Northern California has been bad, and I've tried to stay indoors. I'm 46 yrs old, and feel like an invalid. I woke up this morning, and couldn't even make it to the bathroom without struggling to breathe. My med treatments ended almost 2 weeks ago, and I felt good for about 2 days. It's all back, and I'm starting to freak out that I have lung cancer, or emphysema or something. The worst part is, I have no medical coverage right now. Hubby switched employers, and we can't afford the $1200 cobra payments, I used a charitable hospital when i went to the E.R., and may just have to go back today, as it's bad. But, I don't know that they actually do as much testing as I think I need, to get to the bottom of what it wrong. I have suffered since Dec. or Jan. with my asthma not being under control....bad pollen this year. Been on 2 rounds of prednisone during the spring, but now it's just bad...
I can't walk around too much for fear that my chest will tighten up and I won't make it to the nebulizer in time for a machine. The panic attacks are frequent. My head wants to explode from coughing, and my body is drained.......