Yesterday I ended up spending 3 hours in the ER. I was laying on the couch trying to watch football when my breathing became extremely labored. I had already been diagnosed with pneumonia but suddenly my smartwatch sent me a heart rate notification. My resting heart rate, while lying down, was over 130. I felt it pounding in my chest, became dizzy, and my hands were cold and tingling. My mom drove me to the ER and at triage my heartrate was 154. They took me into a room right away ahead of other people who were there before me and did an EKG and some labs. The doctor was worried about blood clots so ordered a CAT scan and some IV fluids. The CAT scan was negative for clots but showed that the pneumonia was all over my lungs, not just localized. After 3 hours there, my heartrate was back in the normal range and the doc said that I need to keep taking the steroids and antibiotics and to drink water like crazy for the next few days, then released me. I was able to breathe well enough to sleep 6 hours and my heartrate max while asleep was only 111. I think the best thing about the whole ER visit was they didn’t try to gaslight me and say that it was all just due to anxiety. I was actually treated with respect. In the past I’ve been told that physical issues were all in my head. Anyway, I’m still short of breath, but it is improving and I’m gonna beat this thing!
Wow, scary. It’s good that you’re feeling a bit better now though.
Yeah, I actually got 6 hours of sleep last night…the night before I was awake all night struggling to catch my breath. So it’s a lot better!
oh no…glad they caught it…sorry you are going through this.
You should be in hospital @WhiteRaven
I spent 7 nights in hospital in january with pneumonia
They need to keep an eye on you
I am so glad they took you seriously.
Wow, that is frightening
Glad you are doing better now @WhiteRaven
Yes, drink plenty of water and take care of yourself
I’m so glad you went to the ER and that they treated you seriously instead of blowing you off. I hope you recover quickly. I am wondering though if you actually need to be admitted due to the severity. Can you talk to your primary Dr about it?
I was worried that they were going to admit me, too. But after they gave me 1000ml of lactated ringers solution via IV, my pulse went back down into the 80s and remained stable. They said to continue the prednisone, antibiotic, and nebulizer breathing treatments from home and to drink more water. The doc said to monitor my symptoms for a few days and come back if nothing improves in that time. I just have to take it easy and rest a lot.
Ok. Well I hope you heal quickly. I was hospitalized with pneumonia a few years ago and I had to do pulmonary rehab afterwards. It was an ordeal.
I had to get a nebulizer last winter with a bout of borderline pneumonia……so sorry you’re sick…hope you feel better soon.
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