Pneumonia

[Debbyd1231]

I had the pneumo vax 3 years ago. Five months later I wound up in the hospital with pneumonia. Which, by the way I was in there 5 days. They never "admitted" me as a patient so my insurance would not pay the $1000 medications.

Now 3 months ago they told me I had walking pneumonia, diagnosed with a blood test. Then I get a call that tells me that I have pneumonia in my left lobe. They put me on cipro.

I had a bad fall 2 nights ago. The ambulance had to come and get me. Guess what! I have pneumonia in both lungs.

How can I keep getting pneumonia? I am concerned because there have been so many of my dad's side of the family dying with lung cancer with mets to the brain.

Is there anyway to mix up an xray and call it pneumonia and it truly be cancer?

I thank you for your answer. Debby

[Debbyd1231]

I am seeing a lung specialist today. I appreciate your kindness in answering my question,

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

Lung cancer can predispose one to pneumonia but in that case the pneumonia would recur in the same place in your lung each time.  In addition it is quite unlikely that the radiologist would mistake lung cancer for pneumonia.

That still leaves the question of why you should have recurrent pneumonia, unanswered and that is a question that will require further investigation.  There are many causes of recurrent pneumonia including underlying lung disease either acquired or inherited (for example cystic fibrosis, with or without a condition called bronchiectasis), an acquired abnormality of your immune system, recurrent aspiration of food and/or liquid, aspiration of a non-food foreign body or the acquisition of an unusual/uncommon type of bacteria, to mention a few.

What you have experienced is definitely abnormal, probably not cancer and deserving of further investigation by a lung specialist.  Recurrent pneumonia, in every instance, must not be ignored.

I suggest that you speak with your doctor about testing of your immune system and to request consultation with a lung specialist (Pulmonologist).

Do not delay any further.

Good luck