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Saturday, June 07, 2008

Pneumonia is stupid and stuff

So a couple of weeks ago I got a little cough. Just a tickle in my throat, no big deal. Then I started coughing more, and

**Warning - the proceeding contents may contain grossness**

well lovely colorful uh stuff started coming up when I coughed. Then I started having a runny nose, and at first it was all clear, like I'd bend my head down for something and water would just run out of my nose. So fun.

Anyway this past Tuesday I woke up and could hardly breath. Taking a breath felt like an act of congress and I decided that the "cold" I had apparently wasn't just a cold anymore.

So off I went to the doctor and some blood work and x-rays later we had a diagnosis! Walking Pneumonia. As opposed to what, sitting pneumonia or maybe jogging pneumonia?

I text my cousin and had her look it up. Basically "Walking Pneumonia" is a dated term used by doctors when the Pneumonia hasn't advance far enough to be debilitating. Oh yay, so that means I only have little pneumonia, not the big pneumonia that can kill you. All right!! Good News!!

So the doc shoves a wad of prescriptions in my hands and on to the pharmacy I go.

Wednesday morning I eat a yummy (and healthy) breakfast of granola with blueberries and strawberries on top. I got a little over halfway through the bowl and made a pit stop in the kitchen to put the bowl down before I high tailed it to the bathroom.

Well that was a good breakfast.

Throughout the day I tried and failed to keep down anything. Even water. The pain I felt everytime something hit my stomach was incredible. I also was unable to keep my eyes open. I've never taken an antibiotic that made you drowsy but this one had me bordering on unconscious with a side of hallucinations.

Turns out the antibiotic was to strong for my system (I've always been really sensitive to meds) and was making me sick. So they called in another antibiotic. And something for stomach pain.

Am I the only person who thinks doctors and medications are just ridiculous?!?

I have pneumonia so the doc gives me a script for an antibiotic and a cough suppressant. I'm walking around with lungs filled with goo that I NEED to cough up but they want to suppress my body's natural need to cough. Uh OK

Then the antibiotic is too strong and it's making me sick so they give me another antibiotic and something for stomach pain and guess what the first 3 side effects are on BOTH of these meds??

Nausea, stomach pain and vomiting. Oh and it gets better. The stomach pain med also says may cause congestion and difficulty breathing.

Right on!!

So I'm not taking anything but the antibiotic. I'll manage without the cough suppressant that alters a chemical in my brain to repress the natural need to cough up mucus from my lungs, and since I've stopped taking the antibiotic that made me sick I don't need the meds for stomach pain, that cause uhh stomach pain and congestion.

If it was anything other than pneumonia I'd have said screw all the meds and took my chances that it would work itself out.

I tell ya, going to the doctor is dangerous these days.

1 People who coughed on a furball:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, doctors are dangerous. Meds are even worse and life is good when you survive the warnings. I'm a one percenter...I end up with the problems one percent of those taking the med get...Thanks for sharing, good write...you might try Mucinex...the doctor said it keeps the mucus moving so you can cough it and it doesn't settle in one place...I think moving mucus is good.