So over the holidays I caught a nasty flu which left me with pneumonia, which has put me out of training for a few weeks. I’m starting to come around, coughing up less, sweating less at night, energy levels slowly coming back, and I’ve got around 2 days of antibiotics left to take. However, I can still feel a bit of a rumble in my lungs when I exhale, and wake up coughing a phlegmy cough in the morning. I hear pneumonia can be very stubborn and if you don’t really rest yourself and get rid of it completely it can linger or come back and just be a pain in the ass in general for a long time. I’m starting to get pretty antsy as I haven’t been able to work out for almost 3 weeks now and would love to get back out there and start slowly running or something.
Anyone have experience coming back after pneumonia? Would I be wise to rest up a few more days or am I being way too cautious?
I caught the nasty cold 4 weeks ago and it went into my chest. Stopped everything. Felt better so got back to exercise. Went back in to my chest. Stopped again.
I knew if I pushed it I would end up with Pneumonia.
Personally, I just know if I pushed it, then I would really be out longer than I needed to.
IMO, take a few more days off until it is totally out of your lungs. Then come back slowly.
I had atypical pneumonia for all of October, and it took 2 rounds of antibiotics to shift. I was out of shape anyway due to having had a few months off training after the arrival of my daughter, but even taking that into account it put me on my @rse. I’ve taken it very slowly getting back into training and only now feel like I’m achieving something. My particular pneumonia came after a few occurrences of a chest infection that happened every few months, and which in retrospect I didn’t give enough time to clear.
My advice - take note of how long until you feel ready to train, then take at least the same amount of time again. Build up very slowly and always, always err on the side of rest. Your lung function will be heavily compromised and you will just book yourself a place in the doctor’s waiting room if you jump into training too soon.
I can’t believe this is the only thread this season on pneumonia. I got sick in February and am just now getting back in the saddle. I also have asthma so maybe that made it worse. I dunno but I was a pill popping fool for a while. two flavors of abx, weeks of prednisone (Can I just GUSH about what a GREAT drug that is? I honestly think I would have ended up intubated without prednisone) and now I’m finally off all drugs and no longer flaring.
So for me (with well controlled asthma on daily maintenance med) it was 3 weeks to stop feeling like death, a week where I was unable eat, talk, etc without going into respiratory distress and then the 6th week I started thinking about training again. rode my bike for a week only (and kept having asthma flares which is uncommon for me) and now 8 weeks i’m starting to run. holey fuck. i can’t believe the weight I’ve gained and the HUGE fitness loss I’ve had after only 8 weeks.
pneumonia is an incredibly debilitating disease. how are you doing now?
I got pneumonia in the beginning of March. I caught it early so I only ended up taking about a week off but had to work back real slow. This was my second case of pneumonia though. I would say going forward you have to watch yourself because once you get it it is much easier to get it again.
All in all, I think it took me 6 weeks to start training again (VERY lightly… like 2-3k run, coughing half the time and coming back soaked in sweat…), and another 2 before I felt “normal”. In retrospect I probably should have taken 7 or 8 weeks before resuming training. As a strong, fit, otherwise healthy person in their early 30’s, i was amazed at how badly a relatively minor case of pneumonia railroaded me. Scary stuff!
All in all, I think it took me 6 weeks to start training again (VERY lightly… like 2-3k run, coughing half the time and coming back soaked in sweat…), and another 2 before I felt “normal”. In retrospect I probably should have taken 7 or 8 weeks before resuming training. As a strong, fit, otherwise healthy person in their early 30’s, i was amazed at how badly a relatively minor case of pneumonia railroaded me. Scary stuff!
I know!! I’m 55 this year and have never been so sick in my life. For some reason hearing you’re 30s and got as sick as I did was comforting. so thanks SO much for sharing that! I’ve had 2 runs now since I got sick and one was this morning. lungs are not flaring so i’m hopeful. now just have to get the muscles and ligaments on board. how are you doing now?
well good for you! i’ve been through the “too sick to care” mode and am now in the “i think i want back on the horse” mode. it is crazy to think of how fit i was in January and now it is like i had never done any sport in my life before. amazing. Good to hear you’re in the normal mode now!
how are you doing now?