Post pneumonia - no appetite and muscle spasms suggestions please

[Renthead Mommy]

My husband had pneumonia last week. He caught what we thought was a cold/sinus thing on our cruise. The doc on board gave him an antibiotic (#1) on Thursday. We came home saturday. Sunday morning I took him to urgent care. They diagnosed pneumonia and gave antibiotic #2 and an inhaler. Tuesday he got in with our (brand new) pcm. He changed him to antibiotic #3 and differnt inhaler. Wednesday he was still doing so bad doctor sent him to ER. They gave him IV antibiotics over the next 40 hours plus nebulizer treatments. He came home from hospital on Friday.

 

He is breathing much easier. He is still pulling up phlem, but much less often, in smaller amounts and it is now clear. So I say the actual pneumonia is getting better.

 

Today he actually ate well. I worked it out and he's had 850 calories and we still have dinner to go today. However he still has no appetite. I keep telling him this is very normal. He's concerned because he's lost 12 pounds.

 

He has not slept well since Wednsday 9/15, so going on a week and a half. He can't get comfortable. His big problem now is he says he has muscle spasms in his neck and also his jaw which then just ache when not spasming. His chest and back muscles hurt before from the heavy and deep coughing but since the coughing has dropped off so much that is better, but I guess this is different.

 

Any clue what could be causing the muscle spasms ? I said it probably stems from exhaustion and the stress he's putting himself under worrying that he's not recovering fast enough, that he shouldn't be this exhausted, that he's not eating enough and that all this means he's got something other than just the pneumonia or something. He's a dentist, but now also an Oral Pathologist, so he has a lot more medical experience/residencies than average dentists and by the time they see patients, they have usually gotten pretty bad. (In other words, he knows too much for his own good sometimes!)

 

Could he be deficient in something? Could that be causing it? Or does it sound like stress. I made him take a multi vitamin today. I'm juicing carrots and oranges in the morning for more Vit. C. He's open to suggestions at this point. I've got heating pad on his back and neck now. He said hot showers where helping his back and chest (sore from the coughing) but not his neck and jaw.

 

I've gotten him out and walking every day except for the hospital days. He's hydrated on water mostly, but also Life waters and juice. Maybe he needs salt? Should I get Gatoraid?

 

I just wish he could get some rest. I think if he finally got some rest he's feel so much better.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[TravelingChris]

Every time I get either bronchitis or pneumonia, I lose weight. My appetite disappears until I am actually well. I think the body just responds that way to labored breathing.

 

About muscle spasms, has he been coughing? That can easily cause a muscle spasm. IF he is mending, have him talk to his doctor about Skelaxin. It is a non-sedating muscle relaxant so it may be okay with pneumonia. I currently have a prescription for this and it doesn't seem to adversely affect my asthma at all nor does it make me more than slightly more tired. The old muscle relaxants just knocked me out for hours and hours.

[flobee76]

he may be low in magnesium due to the illness and antibiotics. You could do a search online and see what types of supplements to use?

[kalanamak]

IME, it takes 2-4 weeks to feel human, and at least 6 to be back to normal after pneumonia. Patients often feel very depressed at their lack of progress, and feel they will "never be well". It is terrifying. Also, when you get better, you feel "normal" for 4 hours, and by noon you are ready to sleep another 18 hours. That can go on for weeks.

 

Chicken noodle soup, applesauce, Wheetena, whatever simple stuff sounds nice to him. Hot broth, drinks at bedside, a radio, quiet from the rest of the house, and a chance to sleep a whole lot, plus a wifely smile and the words "you have to give it time, dear" is what I would do.

 

:grouphug:

[Momling]

I had pneumonia one time and I have to say that it *really* knocked me out. I think I was out of work for 3 weeks, but it was actually months before I wasn't achy and out of breath.

 

The chest pain after pneumonia is probably pleurisy and lasted for about a month.

 

I lost 15lb from pneumonia.