Bronchitis part III

[prismpower]

So part three of my bronchitis drama story lol (I also have a health question if anybody knows....)

The coughing up mucus and body chills and sickly feeling are all completely gone. However, I still have chest irritation/discomfort throughout much of the day (especially in the mornings till about noon usually, and then it creeps back up in the evening) The only symptoms I really have any more is the chest irritation/discomfort and some minor breathing issues. My chest also sometimes will have this weird smoky sensation , idk what that is about.

Idk, since so many of my symptoms have improved I should be very thankful (and I am, don't get me wrong - I'm feeling so much better!) but tbh, the chest irritation thing is giving me anxiety. But the dr said my lungs were clear, and its just inflammation. The medicine he gave me for it though doesn't really help much, it mostly just seems to make my chest feel even weirder. Maybe I do breathe better on it, but this is cancelled out by how weird and tight it makes my chest feel. It is not intense enough for me to run to ER or anything, it's subtle- but still annoying. I debate on whether to take the medicine every night, as I trade being able to breathe a bit better for more weird chest sensations that can keep me up at night. I seem to do better without it. I took it tonight but now I regret doing so.

Some people have said it was mostly GERD (having GERD on top of getting a bad case of viral acute bronchitis) but I just don't know and it's confusing. Just want it all to go away you know lol. I can live with the chest irritation it doesn't feel life threatening or anything but it is very annoying. Another positive is the nexium I'm taking seems to really be helping me. Don't seem to have negative side effects with it like I do the other one.

Anyway my question is, is it normal - when you are getting over bronchitis for the coughing up mucus to stop but still have lingering chest irritation? (that is worse if I'm lying down or stressed) It feels maybe like my bronchial tubes were permanently scarred beyond repair. I read online that can happen... I am nervous about that being the case, but if it's true that this gave me COPD I'll just have to live with it I guess. Or maybe I hurt them so badly they are just going to take months and months to heal. I just don't know the answer, just now wish I didn't have any chest irritation.

See it was bad before fifteen minutes ago when I was lying down but now I'm sitting upright and I feel fine physically. It comes and goes a lot. So weird.

Thanks again to anybody who has given me advice/kind words/support. It means a lot to me. <3

 

[Hurt&Hopeful]

Hey there - you've have a tough few weeks, huh? I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better. Honestly, I would think that having your lungs feel a little inflamed and 'traumatized' after that much coughing would be normal. If you ran a marathon, your legs would be sore for a while. If you cough for three months, your lungs are likely to be the same, right? Try to trust your doctor if you can - I know that's hard when there is anxiety involved. Just give your body some time to continue healing, and pray for spring to come quickly this year. I'm glad that you're getting better, and I really hope the last of the annoying symptoms is over for you soon!

 

[triceps]

So part three of my bronchitis drama story lol (I also have a health question if anybody knows....)

The coughing up mucus and body chills and sickly feeling are all completely gone. However, I still have chest irritation/discomfort throughout much of the day (especially in the mornings till about noon usually, and then it creeps back up in the evening) The only symptoms I really have any more is the chest irritation/discomfort and some minor breathing issues. My chest also sometimes will have this weird smoky sensation , idk what that is about.

Idk, since so many of my symptoms have improved I should be very thankful (and I am, don't get me wrong - I'm feeling so much better!) but tbh, the chest irritation thing is giving me anxiety. But the dr said my lungs were clear, and its just inflammation. The medicine he gave me for it though doesn't really help much, it mostly just seems to make my chest feel even weirder. Maybe I do breathe better on it, but this is cancelled out by how weird and tight it makes my chest feel. It is not intense enough for me to run to ER or anything, it's subtle- but still annoying. I debate on whether to take the medicine every night, as I trade being able to breathe a bit better for more weird chest sensations that can keep me up at night. I seem to do better without it. I took it tonight but now I regret doing so.

Some people have said it was mostly GERD (having GERD on top of getting a bad case of viral acute bronchitis) but I just don't know and it's confusing. Just want it all to go away you know lol. I can live with the chest irritation it doesn't feel life threatening or anything but it is very annoying. Another positive is the nexium I'm taking seems to really be helping me. Don't seem to have negative side effects with it like I do the other one.

Anyway my question is, is it normal - when you are getting over bronchitis for the coughing up mucus to stop but still have lingering chest irritation? (that is worse if I'm lying down or stressed) It feels maybe like my bronchial tubes were permanently scarred beyond repair. I read online that can happen... I am nervous about that being the case, but if it's true that this gave me COPD I'll just have to live with it I guess. Or maybe I hurt them so badly they are just going to take months and months to heal. I just don't know the answer, just now wish I didn't have any chest irritation.

See it was bad before fifteen minutes ago when I was lying down but now I'm sitting upright and I feel fine physically. It comes and goes a lot. So weird.

Thanks again to anybody who has given me advice/kind words/support. It means a lot to me. <3

Hi prismpower. Both my wife and I have bronchitis. She's had it for over 2 weeks and I'm starting my 2nd week. Not fun. I think the very positive thing for you is that the Nexium is working and that your bronchial tubes feel ok when sitting up. You're just experiencing a normal recovery from a very lengthy bout and the inflammation should slowly keep getting better. Don't give another thought to COPD or any permanent damage.

 

[prismpower]

@Hurt&Hopeful

That does make a lot of sense. Sadly, my chest was always pretty weak even before this happened. I wasn't eating the best and it was already weak/flabby to begin with and I think that has something to do with my long recovery time. I was losing weight and eating smaller portions though before I got bronchitis and I now lost even more weight. I am kinda glad that I'm not so obese anymore (though my bmi is still in the obese range), and hopefully when I can I want to slowly buildup the strength in my chest and lose about another thirty pounds. I always had nice arms and shoulders but my chest has been crappy for years.

Today was slightly more pain than irritation but I managed OK. I'm worried now though cuz somebody in my house has a cold and I don't really want another one. Even if I do get it I suppose its not the end of the world, I am always tougher than I think. I made it worse before trying so hard to fight it, and it just put even more stress on my chest. Now I will do things to be healthy but I'm not gonna work myself in a frenzy only to make it worse.

@triceps

I'm really sorry man. Yeah 2nd/3rd week was so rough with me though everybody is different. Your advice in the other thread to not try so hard to fight it and just let it run its course was very good. Praying for you both you don't have it as bad as I did!

Spent way too much time one day last weekend scaring myself thinking I had all these serious health issues that I most likely probably don't. Ugh why do I do that when I know how dumb it is, and would tell another person to knock it off.

 

[Hurt&Hopeful]

@Hurt&Hopeful

That does make a lot of sense. Sadly, my chest was always pretty weak even before this happened. I wasn't eating the best and it was already weak/flabby to begin with and I think that has something to do with my long recovery time. I was losing weight and eating smaller portions though before I got bronchitis and I now lost even more weight. I am kinda glad that I'm not so obese anymore (though my bmi is still in the obese range), and hopefully when I can I want to slowly buildup the strength in my chest and lose about another thirty pounds. I always had nice arms and shoulders but my chest has been crappy for years.

Today was slightly more pain than irritation but I managed OK. I'm worried now though cuz somebody in my house has a cold and I don't really want another one. Even if I do get it I suppose its not the end of the world, I am always tougher than I think. I made it worse before trying so hard to fight it, and it just put even more stress on my chest. Now I will do things to be healthy but I'm not gonna work myself in a frenzy only to make it worse.

@triceps

I'm really sorry man. Yeah 2nd/3rd week was so rough with me though everybody is different. Your advice in the other thread to not try so hard to fight it and just let it run its course was very good. Praying for you both you don't have it as bad as I did!

Spent way too much time one day last weekend scaring myself thinking I had all these serious health issues that I most likely probably don't. Ugh why do I do that when I know how dumb it is, and would tell another person to knock it off.

It's not dumb - go easy on yourself. You don't choose the health anxiety, right? I don't have health anxiety, but I'm pretty sure you don't wake up and think, "what can I obsess over to make myself miserable today?" You CAN choose what to do with it and whether or not it will rule your life, but don't beat yourself up over the fact that you struggle with it.

I understand about the weight - I gained a LOT of weight in the past few years. I have lost some recently (not much, but hey, it's a start), and I was doing pretty well with eating healthy and starting to get back into exercise. Then I had this knee issue, and then surgery, and have been literally sitting for a month. So I get it - we don't always get to do the good things we want to do, right? You'll get there. We both will. I hope you don't get that cold - start with the disinfectant wipes and lysol spray now! My son's school has been starting each day by spraying down the whole classroom, and having kids wipe down their desks all the time....schools all over Arkansas have been closing due to a flu epidemic, and so far, we've avoided that. But I'm just kind of waiting for him to bring it home. LOL At the end of the day, we do what we can do, and we deal with the rest, right? So glad that you've been on the mend and feeling better...

 

[prismpower]

@Hurt&Hopeful

Yeah I got these off-brand disinfectant wipes from Lowe's. I actually like the smell of them better than the name brand stuff and they are about 40 cents cheaper too. A sad part of being sick for so long is it did turn me into a germaphobe. But I *was* a bit too careless before so maybe there's a happy medium that exists somewhere.

I think this day was my best day so far, as far as symptoms goes! So that's good... we lost power for awhile though and that was scary. Was only out for about an hour though. Had a nasty ice storm. This winter is just so cruel lol.

I also got this cool wedge pillow from amazon that keeps your back elevated a little while you sleep. I've been sleeping on it, and I think maybe that's why I've been getting up better. I also have been drinking cranberry juice as I've heard that's good for helping to heal inflammed broncial tubes. No breathing issues at all today! Just some minor queasiness/discomfort when I first woke up. Once I took my nexium I started to feel better.

The chest irritation is back again a little tonight, but I am having faith that I'm healing. This time of night it's always the worst.