pneumonia - feeling rough

Do take care as my late husband chad pneumonia but but wouldn’t have a GP to visit him so I went to the GP who informed me he had a cough. My husband then went to mend a roof in the rain which made him worse. In the end I insisted that he should see a GP who informed me he had pneumonia with a collapsed lung. However, after one night in hospital his breathing improved but he never had the same energy.
Af

Sorry to hear this, do you not have anyone who could come to your rescue? Tesco have a Whoosh delivery service supposed to be with you in 20-60 minutes. Or another food delivery service? I wish you better.

I’m so sorry wintersday, I know just how you feel as I’m just recovering from viral pneumonia in November. I too live on my own but I do have carers three times a week so I was a bit better off than you. For a couple of weeks, I lived on toast, soup, tinned rice pudding and gallons of low sugar Ribena and antibiotics. I didn’t want anything to eat I just wanted to sleep. I stayed in the living room and slept in the recliner chair as I hadn’t even got the energy to go to bed. It’s taken until now to feel half right but I’m getting there slowly. I do hope you’re feeling better by now and please do see the doctor and have another check up when you feel able. Happy New Year and I really mean that.

Hope you get over this illness soon. and hope you do not have to go to hospital. However you live by yourself and you have found there is no one to do anything for you. I keep my local care agency's phone number on my phone. This meant that as I was being discharged from Hospital on a Friday I could ring them up and ask for them to come and assess me, they did and I paid for the care we agreed. I ordered nestle Meritene Energis powdered Chicken Soup on Amazon. As others have said uber will deliver meals. In this present world we have to set up our own systems and then be grateful if we get a little bit extra help and attention from neighbours friends or family.

Excellent advice from Esmay! But please do phone 111 if you are no better within 48 hours.

I don't want to be depressing but when you have pnuemonia, you don't always know when you're not getting enough oxygen. I speak from experience!

If you haven't got an oximeter, can you get a friend to get you one ASAP or order one from Amazon Prime?

I can see why you are separated ! He could at least have managed to get you some soup and stuff and if he was so worried about himself brought them to your doorstep but not come inside. By now you may feel a little better, and be able to rest, keep warm and read and listen to the radio. I live alone and know how hard it is when you are not well, Could you ask a neighbour / friend to make you a couple of jellies of different flavour? Sounds odd but it g ets the fluid into y ou, is very easy to swallow , no effort. if you feel no better I agree that you would be better contacting the doctors and see what they can advise. Do you belong to any groups like wi, or a womans group? I go to a group on a thursday, and there is no booking or anything, any woman can go. But of course we get to know each other over time and I have both been able to offer help and also to receive help from them. We just look out for each other. I also play whist regularly, and have met some pleasant people. I wouldnt say I know them very well but am sure, up here, if I rang one of them and told them I was ill, they would rally round. Hope you feel better soon, we are all here to have someone to talk to and take whatever advice you think is useful to you. If you do manage to get up and do some soup then my advice is to put half in a thermos flask, and eat the other half. Then you can go back to bed with the thermos and there will be something hot for later.

Please don't feel bad about asking a neighbour to do a simple job of opening a tin or jar for you. When I found out my very elderly neighbour could not open something and ended up with a jam sandwich for dinner I was gutted that she had not just rung me or popped round. I keep asking her to not forget I am there. I hope you are feeling better today.

I wish I lived nearer to people sometimes.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to prop someon3 up, bring them some soup, and leave them comfortable and fed, at least.

My husband had a chest infection for ages and ended up on antibiotics for several weeks, he simply wasn't hungry but could manage M&S thicker soups like the M&S Chunky Mexican-Style Chilli & Bean Soup - though this is in a can I'm afraid. He did find that the chilli seemed to help his cough.

I do hope you will soon be feeling better.

Nightsky2

What about some cartons of soup that you can just heat up in the microwave. You could ask a friend to buy you a few cartons. You only need half so could have the other half the following day with some nice bread. Drink lots of water and maybe have some custard. Just simple foods till you’re feeling stronger.
Best wishes and I hope you feel better soon.

Yes, I was going to suggest cartons, you can cut the top off and microwave them in a mug. Some of them are chunky and nutritious.

Not surprised you feel so tired and weak, wintersday - when I had pneumonia it was as much as I could manage to go 5 steps to the loo, but I was in hospital, on 2 different ABs, tablets and drip. And hardly eating - I lost over 5 kg.

Is there anything you can eat that takes hardly any effort? Even just a piece of toast or bread and butter?
I do hope you’ll be feeling a lot better soon. 🤞

It's awful, being totally alone and feeling so unwell.

I hope you can let us know how you are feeling today, wintersday.

Oh dear you must be feeling bad to have to ask your ex for help and then for him to turn you down was utterly disgraceful. Do you not have a neighbour or other family surely someone can help. I live on my own but can call on even the guy who helps with my garden. Would your local shop maybe do a wee delivery for you.

i was similarly ill while i lived alone a few years ago so you have my sympathy. the thought of going downstairs to make a drink was overwhelming. if you have a flask can you heat up soup eat what you want and leave rest in a thermos for later? Save heating lots of times. similarly for hot drinks too. if you have a loo downstairs can you make a cosy bed on the sofa keep that room warm and just doze as you wish dont worry about day and nights.
re food think about Wiltshire Farm Foods they were a lifesaver for my dad. they would come in unpack foods too very nice people they do do soups light bites bigger meals diet requirements pureed etc nice meals too all sorts and puddings. ok you need to pop them in a micro or they can give you an over i believe but they are quick and easy, maybe when you start to feel better maybe the light bites might tempt your appetite. there is no contract so you can finish when you wish.
a lot of folks have said about Ensure or good old Complan. go on Pharmacy2u they did a full pharmacy range so you can order and it should be with you quickly
it is always hard being alone i wish i was nearer i would soon be round to help you but stay warm and safe xx

Can anyone bring some Complan powder for you to add to drinks ? Or maybe the flavoured Complan shakes ? Also some cheap ice lollies (box of 8 for around £1 in Tesco/Asda) .
I hope you start to feel better soon.

Thank you every one for your kind comments and support, makes me feel much better. My husband is getting me some shopping today, some bananas, going to try some Aldi meals so at least something to warm up. Have eaten a lot of soup. I havent got any of the things you mention above and have done well to get husband to go to Aldi so will just have what he fetches. Thanks again everyone.

JaneJudge

if you feel you are getting worse you need to ring for an ambulance
I hope you feel better soon

Yes, I should have emphasised that.

if you feel you are getting worse you need to ring for an ambulance
I hope you feel better soon

Some good advice from Esmay
Chilli releases mucous I didn't know that.

If you have juices that will give you Vitamin C
Vitamin D and zinc will help boost your immune system.

If it's a result of the nasty virus going around, painfully sore throat and cough), I was worried it had gone to my lungs but the nurse practitioner said no. She did ask me to take a sputum test in but I didn't feel up to going back as it's quite a trek.
Thankfully it eased but the mucus is taking weeks to clear.

Hope you feel better soon

karmalady

You need humidity in your lungs OP. Drink plenty, include honey/ginger/lemon if you have any

Head over bowl of hot water, containing eucalyptus if you have any. A humidifier in your living room/bedroom, amazon do them for < £40

Stay put, you are better off at home and monitor your own oxygen level with an oximeter.

Yes, or tea tree oil if you have some, but only a couple of drops as it's strong.

Stay warm, drink plenty and I hope the anti-biotics have started to work now. Don't hesitate to ring the GP or 111 if you don't feel better or get worse.
My friend had to have three courses of antibiotics before she felt better recently.

Hospitals here are overwhelmed at the moment with cases of 'flu so you are probably better at home unless absolutely necessary.

I'm very sorry that you have pneumonia .
It's a sign of being run down and your body not being able to cope with a cold .
It is horrendous and leaves you as weak as a kitten and feeling depressed because the slightest exertion is too much .

I suggest the following :
An anti pneumonia injection when you are better .
Steroids should have been prescribed with the antibiotics .
You might need a temporary inhaler -my neighbour did .
Vitamin supplements-Berocca is good .
Fresh soups if you can obtain them .
Otherwise canned soups . I add a natural antibiotic garlic. Chilli releases mucous .
Fresh or processed juices .
If you produce a lot of thick mucous then reduce your dairy intake .
I had whooping cough as a child and asthma as a result .
I seemed to out grow out of it then developed mature onset .
I'd have occasional bouts of pneumonia and pleurisy until late 2023 then five or six bouts .
I felt dreadful and I thought that I was dying .
Antibiotics ,steroids ,a steroid inhaler ,lots of rest and plenty of fluids have helped me .
When I'm tired I admit defeat and rest .
During the summer I got the following supplies in -canned foods and Coffeemate .just in case .
Please take great care and rest as much as possible.
It doesn't matter if you doze in front of the telly!
You will feel better .
It just takes time .
I wish you well .
Love ,
Esmay
X

I’ve just recovered from pneumonia, also had 2 lots of antibiotics, took ages for the cough to dry up and then I had a painfully tight chest for days. I’ve just had a 2nd x Ray to check it’s all clear. Fortunately I had my OH to run around after me. Keep warm, hydrated and take lemsip or paracetamol , phone the docs if no better after taking the meds.

Good advice from karma lady
Hope you’re soon feeling more the thing

You need humidity in your lungs OP. Drink plenty, include honey/ginger/lemon if you have any

Head over bowl of hot water, containing eucalyptus if you have any. A humidifier in your living room/bedroom, amazon do them for < £40

Stay put, you are better off at home and monitor your own oxygen level with an oximeter.