Last month had pneumonia and final check said lungs clear but broncitus still. Take steroid puffs morning and night.

This last week it feels like the pneumonia is back, difficult breathing, stuffy nose, not much coughing, feeling poorly.

Don't want to go back to the local hospital as last time they had no beds and put me in the stroke ward, 8 of us, very hot, got a heat rash and fairly horrible. Next nearest hospital is 2hr away. Also rice season and wifey is very busy.

So this time I decided to treat myself.

The only medicine I take is 8mg Urief for prostrate, but read it can cause upper respiratory trouble, so stopped that and just started a course of Arithromycin, 500mg today then 250mg. Also an anti-hystamine.

I do have Aerobidol which I try not to use, but it seems to improve my condition.

No temperature and drinking lots of room temperature water.

Just resting today and see what happens.

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

I would first see a doctor before self prescribing yourself with a medicine that might not help, and has side effects you don't want. Using any antibiotics without knowing why can have them not work well when you need them, although you possibly might now. You might have an underlying allergy also..............https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/azithromycin/side-effects-of-azithromycin/

You might want to consult a professional. 

34 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Last month had pneumonia and final check said lungs clear but broncitus still. Take steroid puffs morning and night.

This last week it feels like the pneumonia is back, difficult breathing, stuffy nose, not much coughing, feeling poorly.

As I said before 18 months ago I tried to fight off what I thought was a cold, turned out it was Chinese FluA that I neglected and it turned to double pneumonia, and ended up with a collapsed lung. 9 days in hospital with 2 in ICU.  

If I in anyway I thought that was coming back again I would be back at the hospital and doctor as fast as humanly possible. Go get checked again. They tend to know what powerful antibiotics and possibly oxygen are needed. Do no try and "google" just go get yourself checked. 

how do people get pneumonia in a hot country?

i don't get it. 

 

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

how do people get pneumonia in a hot country?

i don't get it. 

 

Wish I didn't.

11 hours ago, carlyai said:

Wish I didn't.

here's a tip from ChatGPT:

 

Extra tip:

Try doing some gentle steam inhalation (bowl of hot water, towel over head), 5–10 minutes a couple of times a day. It can help loosen mucus and open nasal passages, which may make breathing easier.

 

9 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

how do people get pneumonia in a hot country?

i don't get it. 

 

 

Well....

He got it.

 

Take the vaccine, I guess, is good advice.

 

You should go yo thd hosputal.

 

This is not something to try to self treat.

 

 

 

24 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

how do people get pneumonia in a hot country?

i don't get it. 

 

Pneumonia had nothing to do with temperature and is just as common in hot clmates as cold ones.

 

 

Please, Please go to Hospital.   Best Man at my wedding died on a barstool in Bangkok with  ‘pharmacy’ treated double Pneumonia.  It’s nothing to play with, he thought he could treat it with scotch on the rocks and antibiotics.  and I am not kidding.

Maybe worth getting a pneumonia vaccine in future years

If the intent is to create an antibiotic resistant infection, then you are going about it the right way. Pneumonia can be caused by a virus, or bacteria or a fungus. One should make an effort to determine the cause of the infection first before popping pills . If you have been on an alpha blocker as you have and  stop the medication, be prepared for your BPH symptoms to worsen. There was a reason why you were on the drug. An alpha blocker may  cause mild nasal congestion, but not  pneumonia.

You have a golden window in which to treat a lung infection before it impacts your kidneys and heart. If you do not clear the fluid from your lungs it will result in strain on your heart with a cascading effect. Don't tough it out. Go to the hospital, and  obtain treatment.There is a possibility that you never cleared the first infection and it has returned. The only way to know is to visit the health facility and have the appropriate tests.  If you are concerned enough to write, then you should be concerned enough to go to the hospital. It is unfortunate that your wife is busy, however,  I am sure she would rather the inconvenience of you in hospital than that of a funeral.

 

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

how do people get pneumonia in a hot country?

i don't get it. 

 

Streptococcus happens worldwide in any weather. Fungal, viral bacteria infection. Edit: I see others have mentioned the same thing. 

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Well....

He got it.

 

Take the vaccine, I guess, is good advice.

 

What vaccine?

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

You should go yo thd hosputal.

 

This is not something to try to self treat.

 

 

 

Yes you're correct. 

5 minutes ago, carlyai said:

What vaccine?

There is a pneumococcal vaccine available for that bacteria.

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You should go yo thd hosputal.

 

This is not something to try to self treat.

 

 

 

 

Correct.

This is the blessing of modern medicine.

We no longer need to live in a Dickensian world....

Unless, for some perverse reason, we choose to.

 

It's a miracle, the invention of antibiotics and vaccines.

 

Yet, some fools do shun these miracles.

 

And Steve Jobs was one.

And, just look were that landed him....

 

Truly smart people always remain true to evidence-based science.  

 

57 minutes ago, carlyai said:

What vaccine?

 

There are currently  4 types of vaccine available which each  address specific types of pneumonia. There remain other types for which there is no vaccine,  so it is not the case that anyone with pneumonia necessarily failed to get a vaccine.  For that matter, people can still get specific infections despite vaccination, but severity and risk of death will be much less. 

 

These vaccines are mainly or especially  recommended for the elderly  and those with underrlying risk factors like heart disease, diabetes, asthma/COPD. Some of them are also recommended for infants/young children (pneumonia mortality is highest in the very young & very old). 

 

1. Influenza vaccine: needs to be given annually.  There  is a special high dose version for the elderly. 

 

2. RSV vaccine: single dose for adults  aged over 70 or with rusk factors

 

3. COVID vaccine - once a year if new vaccine available

 

4. Pneumoccocal vaccine - schedule varies depending on immunization history

  https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/hcp/vaccine-recommendations/index.html

 

 

 

 

Travelling to the nearest other hospital about 100km today to check on my condition. 

Seems to be a bit better with the antibiotics. 

18 hours ago, save the frogs said:

how do people get pneumonia in a hot country?

i don't get it. 

 

 

Heat has no bearing on getting pnumonia or not.

 

In 2023 had severe double pnuemonia that resulted in Respiratory failure, I spent a lot longer in hosital than marin !

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Heat has no bearing on getting pnumonia or not.

 

In 2023 had severe double pnuemonia that resulted in Respiratory failure, I spent a lot longer in hosital than marin !

No good. Did you recover completely or did it come back?

1 hour ago, carlyai said:

No good. Did you recover completely or did it come back?

 

100% recovered.

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Heat has no bearing on getting pnumonia or not.

 

In 2023 had severe double pnuemonia that resulted in Respiratory failure, I spent a lot longer in hosital than marin !

 

So what causes it? 

I thought the cold caused pneumonia because people would get it in winter.

 

39 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

So what causes it? 

I thought the cold caused pneumonia because people would get it in winter.

 

Was some form of fungal pneumonia, my pulmonologist says she sees the same fairly often.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

 

So what causes it? 

I thought the cold caused pneumonia because people would get it in winter.

 

No, cold does not cause pneumonia. 

 

Pneumonia is an infection which can be due to   many different organisms: viruses, bacteria   fungi.

 

The influenza virus is one of many viral causes of pneumonia.  In temperate climates, influenza is most common in the winter months. In SE asia, influenza is most common in the rainy season. 

 

Yesterday went back to Ratchaphruek Hospital in Khon Kean to re-visit A Prof. Wachara Bunsawat (my translation of his name may be incorrect).

He said he thought I was having airways spasms making it difficult to breath.

Changed my inhaler to Relvar 100/25 powder inhaler.

I asked him if it could be heart trouble and lungs filling with fluid and he ruled that out.

Another appointment in a month.

I just can't go to the local hospital after last time. Even when you get there at say 0730 hr you get on a que then move from seat to seat and eventually get to see a very young Dr (lovely drs but not much experience as just starting out) then finish about 2pm.  So very close mixing with all these people coughing etc, probably likely to get sicker. 

I'm not rubbishing the hospital, that's just the way it is.

13 hours ago, carlyai said:

Yesterday went back to Ratchaphruek Hospital in Khon Kean to re-visit A Prof. Wachara Bunsawat (my translation of his name may be incorrect).

He said he thought I was having airways spasms making it difficult to breath.

Changed my inhaler to Relvar 100/25 powder inhaler.

I asked him if it could be heart trouble and lungs filling with fluid and he ruled that out.

Another appointment in a month.

I just can't go to the local hospital after last time. Even when you get there at say 0730 hr you get on a que then move from seat to seat and eventually get to see a very young Dr (lovely drs but not much experience as just starting out) then finish about 2pm.  So very close mixing with all these people coughing etc, probably likely to get sicker. 

I'm not rubbishing the hospital, that's just the way it is.

I dont like that the Prof thinks you only need a new inhaler - do you have asthma?  If it gets very serious then go to Bangkok Hospital in Khon Kaen - they are the best Hospital by a long way and the only place to go in KK if it is serious - but the most expensive.  The Wife is under instruction to take me there if the proverbial hits the fan - no matter the cost.  I have visited all the public and private hospitals in KK, including Ratchaphruek Hospital, and Bangkok have the best doctors and modern equipment (for tests etc.) and they are readily available in an emergency and if you need to be in a hospital. If you think things are improving and it is not urgent/serious now, then make an appointment (ring) to see a respiratory specialist at the Special Medical Centre in Srinagarind Hospital which is part of the KKU. Thai is the dominant language in KK, including the medical specialists, you have a Thai wife who can call? If not then go to Bangkok Hospital and get some treatment with Doctors that can speak English - this could be very serious. 

On 8/6/2025 at 8:27 AM, Ralf001 said:

Was some form of fungal pneumonia, my pulmonologist says she sees the same fairly often.

 

 

 

 

Common in Thailand - lots of very mouldy places because of all the rain and humidity. That black stuff all over the concrete walls here is a fungal growth. You gotta keep it out of the house - if it is in the walls it can make you sick.  The best use for AC units besides the cooling - they dry out the air really well. Never use those water based coolers here (evaporative) - they are only for dry air heat like in the arid and desert countries.