Training after pneumonia

[Jan]

I was diagnosed with pneumonia just over a week ago after a chest X ray. I had probably had it for at least a week prior to that. At the moment I am not feeling like doing anything but assuming the next X ray in 3 weeks time is clear when and how much exercise should I do?
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Cotswold 113
Virgin London Standard 2013
Iron Man Wales

[Dunc]

Personally I'd seek the advice of a qualified medical professional rather than a bunch of strangers on an internet forum who will all have different opinions which they can completely justify is the right opinion...

Pneumonia is pretty serious and it depends on how bad your indiviual case is, how fit you were/are, how much training you were doing before.... nobody on here can give you a definitive answer.... no doubt you'll get lots of "When I had it..." stories and "My mate who's a doctor reckons...." but at the end of the day listen to your Doc and your body before you listen to anyone on here....
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next I'll be doing...

Belvoir Challenge 16 mile Trail Race (Feb 2012)
Clumber Duathlon (Mar 2012)
Belvoir Half Marathon (Apr 2012)
Southwell Sprint Tri (May 2012)

more to follow.....

[Daddy Pakoss]

Dont take any notice of Dunc, just go balls out now!
When I had it, it made me go faster and therefore I trained harder.
My mate who's a doctor reckons you'll be fine and therefore just go balls out.


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Don't worry, be happy!!

(Do, do do do di do)

[OnTheRun]

I had it pretty bad nearly 20 years ago, couldn't breath properly and ended up in an ambulance then hospital for a few days

It took me quite a while to recover from it but I got back to running steadily after a few weeks and built up slowly from there. I wouldn't rush it

[acidotic]

Depends how you feel- pneumonia is not always that serious and is defined as a lower respiratory tract infection- most young fit adults will shake off "pneumonia" very often without antibiotics. Pneumonia is one of those emotive names for an illness which has a vast range severity. At the other end, people can end up on intensive care and be extremely unwell, though not many get this sick.

Why was the X Ray done- do you have any other illnesses or reasons for needing a CXR- were you unwell and not getting better, did you have noises on your chest that were not improving when someone listened to them- do you smoke, how old are you- why are they repeating the XR? Have you had antibiotics?

Chest X rays will show consolidation with pneumonias- this is where the bit of lung that is infected fills with muck then goes a bit solid- the body will reabsorb this.

Go back to training gently- if you don't have a temperature, don't feel achy or shivery and have no history of asthma or any other respiratory illness, then gradually build up again over a week or two, taking your time and not pushing too hard- you may well feel a bit short of breath and still cough stuff up- this is normal during recovery. If you get any increasing shortness of breath or feel unwell or disproportionately tired, dial it back and let yourself recover more.

Hope this helps and get well soon.

BTW, I have been a qualified medical professional for 18 years

[TB]

I am just on my way back from pneumonia myself. I was diagnosed in early December and just avoided hospital. I had a chest xray, which as said above, showed consolidation. I also was told I had pleurisy with it. The first three weeks I couldn't do anything, walking up or down stairs was enough. After then I started being able to get to the shops (200m) and started upping walking after that. 5 weeks later the GP told me I could start excerising again and get back into it. 2 weeks after that I have been running a few times but it wipes me out. I also get some chest pain in the area the pleurisy was. Generally I am improving gradually.

So - take home message, dunno. That was me. I have read about people running gain after a week of being diagnosed. Your body and your GP will guide you better than anyone else.
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[Jan]

Of course I will go on my doctor's advice. In response to "acidotic" I do not have any other related things. I have never smoked. 55 years old and normally very fit & healthy. Why did they do the Xray? Don't know I assumed it was normal practice.
Thanks for all the advice.
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Cotswold 113
Virgin London Standard 2013
Iron Man Wales

[acidotic]

[acidotic]

I'm getting fed up now too- 3 colds in 4 weeks and now on antibiotics and still feeling crap- think I got complacent!! I usually fight them off really well an dhave a pretty good immune system, but beasted myself on Thursday after trying a Second Surge Caffeine gel after a swim and before a gym session- I was still buzzing that evening so did a 45 minute turbo intervals straight into a high pace run- in retrospect I was an idiot, but it felt great. Paying for it now after stuffing my immune system again. bring on spring.

[big in japan]

I had it in the autumn, for the second time in my life.

It took me weeks to be fully up to speed - I was told four to six weeks, but it wasn't that long.

Your body will dictate what you can do: even after you feel better you'll probably find you are easily tired, if my experience is anything to go by. So my advice would be don't decide 'I'll start training after X weeks' and plunge back in. When you feel better go for a ridiculously short run or cycle. Give it two days and see how you feel and then go from there.

Sympathy - recovery is very boring. Just remember it's a serious condition and you don't want to make yourself sick again.

[flyingelephant]

Many types of pneumonia, and the word is often used to cover everything
ranging from a mild chest infection to full blow 'you are going to die' infection. The causes are different too, so each type needs to be treated differently, from the curable to incurable, or where no damage to the lungs is left to permanent damage.

I had infected lungs and pneumonia about 3 or 4 years ago. Most likely cought it traveling in planes.
Knocked me for six, coughing up foam and blood. I could only walk about 8 steps on the flat then had to rest to get my breath back, and with every breath it felt as though I had been stabbed in the lower back.
I was later told by a docter that if I had been older of not so fit I might not be writing this today!
In my case if I had done training after the flights I might have cleared my lungs of the infection before it took hold, unfortunatly my flights were long and late at night for 2 days.
Once I had the infection I was given very strong painkillers (made me sweat like something else and my heart go bananas) and antibiotics. I had to rest and keep warm. This rest took about 6 weeks and then I was told not to do too much as I could relapse (this happened to a co-worker. Thought she was over it, went out and came down with it again) This took another 4 weeks before I could go out on the bike for a proper ride. I was lucky, mine was curable and left no damage.
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When your legs turn to jelly, attack!

[acidotic]

horrible winter- I've not seen such a virulent chest infection epidemic for years- still wheezing here.

[Giblet]

Like Acidotic I'm getting frustrated with cold viruses. I'm in the early/main bit of my 4th virus since Xmas. This one's nasty! Due to other family illness I'm having a blood test to check my immune system is working properly.

What with that and ITB recovery my training has fallen through the floor this year.
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2013: Snowdonia Slateman, South Cerney Triathlon/Cotswold 113??, Lake Logic 3/4 Triathlon, Helvellyn

2012: 5K Swimathon, Stowe Sprint, Blenheim Sprint, Cotswold Sprint, Highworth Sprint

[Jan]

I am now back just doing sedentary work so still no Phys of any kind except a bit of walking. How I feel changes from day to day - good days & not so good days. On a bad day like today I have pain on breathing though of course nothing like when I first had it, an annoying cough, and today pain across my upper back below my shoulder blade on the bad side. I am still always tired. I have had a 2nd X ray and was told by the Receptionist at the Surgery my notes just said "satisfactory". Very informative - NOT. satisfactory could be many things.
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Cotswold 113
Virgin London Standard 2013
Iron Man Wales

[acidotic]