Fitness after Pulmonary Effusion?

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Kaitlyn811
Kaitlyn811 Posts: 49 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Wasn't quite sure where to post this, but I've been thinking about it for a while.

Last year, I got way sick. WAY SICK. After 3 months of misdiagnoses, I ended up in the hospital for pneumonia and a pleural effusion, and resulted in surgery. (June 2013)

Pre surgery, I was slowly walking/jogging 2 miles a few times a week.

Post surgery, I had to take several months off.

Fast forward to September, I started training to for my first 5k.

Now, I am training for my first 10k next month (OMG!!!!)

However, I'm sure if it's because I'm fat (*ahem* 15 pounds overweight) or because I'm still "recovering" from this illness - but I can't seem to increase my mile times because so much mucus (I know, gross) starts forming when I push for faster.

I've read other people in different forums, have taken over a year to completely heal. Has anyone previously or currently experienced this?

Just curious :) Not looking for medical advice, just seeing if anyone else experiences this.

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  • crystalstinson7
    crystalstinson7 Posts: 101 Member
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    Last November I was hospitalized for severe pneumonia that wouldn't respond to the antibiotics. It eventually developed in BOTH lungs. The day I was admitted, I told them that my (right) leg was hurting. The next morning they did an ultrasound and found a DVT (deep vein thrombosis--blood clot). So, I was like, "Well, you know, my arm has been hurting too." Lo and behold, I had a DVT in my left arm!

    I was put on blood thinners and had a scope run to check my lungs because the specialist was thinking lung cancer. He didn't find any cancer, but I have a very nasty scar on my right lung. The specialist said that my pneumonia acted more like TB, and when I Googled TB x-rays, sure enough, they looked a lot like mine.

    I go back in June to have my lungs looked at again. I was just recently taken off the blood thinners (turns out I have two genetic abnormalities that make me prone to DVTs). I'm starting out slowly. I do seem to get winded quickly. At first, when walking a mile, my chest would actually hurt. I've been walking for a few weeks now and that seems to have passed.

    If I were you, I'd talk to your doctor about it. They might have you do breathing treatments or something.

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