Nicky was sick a couple of weeks ago, so we took him to the doctor. They gave him a prescription for some Claritin and an inhaler. Fast forward to the present, he’s still sick, getting worse, didn’t go to school at ALL this week. So we took him back to the doctor. Walking pneumonia. Lovely. So they tell us to keep him on the inhaler and prescribe an antibiotic. They tell us that it’s likely he’ll start vomiting in a few days, BECAUSE OF THE ANTIBIOTIC. I’m so not looking forward to this.
Watch the child very well! Walking pneumonia can get real bad real fast.
The same goes for both of you. Being older, you especially risk contracting it and it can turn quickly into regular pneumonia with surprising speed. If you’re not on the antibiotics, you’d best go see your doctor and get some.
There was some antibiotic I was put on a lot when I was a kid because I had a lot of ear infections; I normally got it in big yellow chewables that didn’t taste too horrible. I know it started with an A…anyway, for the first day or so, I could hardly eat because of what it did to my stomach, but it did work on the ears.
I’d rather get a warning about vomiting than the one I get now about yeast infections, really.
Excuse me? He most certainly does NOT need to be in the hospital. He has walking pneumonia. I’ve had that before, and it isn’t like full-blown pneumonia. He’s on antibiotics 3 times a day and they say he should be able to go to school on Monday.
Our doctor knows our son has it, and said that at this point he didn’t want to treat us with antibiotics. If we aren’t getting better in a week or so, I am sure he’ll adjust for that. At this point I’m more inclined to believe what the doctors say than random people on a message board–no offense. I do think we’re gonna end up on antibiotics, but I also think that Nicky will be fine on his antibiotics and won’t need hospitalization.
Actually Kelli, most cases of walking pneumonia are viral, which won’t respond to any kind of antibiotic. I’m sure that the reason their doctors placed her son Nicky on antibiotics is more of a precautionary measure to prevent any other infections from taking hold. A viral pneumonia will knock down your immune system somewhat, making you more susceptible to bacterial infections.
Anyway, hang in there Opal. I’ve got a household full of sick kids and adults too, so I can sympathize.
Best to you and yours, Opal. Sounds like the whole fam-damily (as my sister puts it) is down for the moment.
Hope Nicky doesn’t have the vomiting reaction. Did the doc give any further info on it? Sometimes it helps to eat, not eat, avoid certain things, etc. with medications. The pill bottles sometimes carry advisory labels but they aren’t always very instructive. (I found this one out the hard way by dutifully “taking with lots of liquids”. Too bad orange juice wasn’t one of the liquids meant.)
Actually I’m blithering because you have things well in hand and I can’t offer much more than good wishes. Would my favorite “sick day” soup recipe help? It’s a veggie version of Avgolemono soup; if you don’t eat eggs, omit 'em.
good veggie broth, heavy on the carrots and garlic
toss in a bit of rice; let simmer until done
whisk in egg yolks
squeeze in fresh lemon
Good comforting, healing stuff. Hope you’re all better soon.
walking pneumonia
n.
A usually mild pneumonia caused by a microorganism of the genus Mycoplasma (M. pneumoniae) and characterized by malaise, cough, and often fever
Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary, Network Edition 1997. Merriam-Webster’s, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated *
I hope you all feel better soon. Erythromyacin (sp?) always made my kids throw up. Is that the antibiotic he is on, by any chance? After a couple of times that was prescribed for them, I had it written in their charts that they don’t tolerate it well.
My youngest is now seventeen, and they seem to have outgrown most of that stuff (except for my middle daughter, who is asthmatic and smokes). But it is really scary when your little one gets so sick. My best wishes to all of you for a speedy recovery.
