[lynn P.]

I got my teeth cleaned on Friday and she used the cleaning device that scrapes tartar but sprays a fine mist at the same time. The next morning I felt some chest congestion and its been getting steadily worse. I had antibiotics from the time I thought I had cellulitis but it was hives. I know its not advised to treat yourself but I checked and yes its used for this problem. I think its all from the fine mist and this caused the problem. Its impossible not to breath some of the spray.

I have a fever and have a hard time taking a deep breath. I'm going to the doctors tomorrow and I'm going to ask for xrays. I've had pneumonia before and know what it feels like. I feel I'm congested but can't cough anything up...wish I could. Has anyone else experienced this problem after having this cleaning device used on them? I tried to find info online but most of them were downloads.

[Yoda]

Scaling and planing, is that what you had done? I never had any problem with that. I would hope they autoclave equipment but who knows?

Have you tried taking guafenesin (sp?)? That would help you cough mucus out of your lungs.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Scaling and planing, is that what you had done? I never had any problem with that. I would hope they autoclave equipment but who knows?

Have you tried taking guafenesin (sp?)? That would help you cough mucus out of your lungs.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

Thanks Yoda - I'm not sure what's the name..I think its called a prophy but not sure. Its cleans the plaque and squirts at the same time. I'll buy some of that syrup tomorrow.

[ECHOES]

lynn, those bugs are going around right now. Most likely you were already exposed when you wen to the dentist. It just seems connected. Respiratory viruses are airborne and travel fast, especially when someone sneezes. They are hard to avoid.

I hope you get good news at your doctor visit, and I hope you are feeling much better very soon.

Sorry you're sick. Hope you feel better soon.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by lynn P.

I'll buy some of that syrup tomorrow.

It is also available in tablets if you don't like syrup. I find tablets cheaper. When I use it I usually use 600-1200 mg once or twice daily. Walmart only carries it in combination with other drugs such as cough suppressants which is a problem for me because I take MAOI.

[likewater]

I have asthma and get upper respiratory infections often. I recommend oregamax supplement from the health food store and
drinking plenty of water. And i take the above too. Its brand name ia mucinex but i buy the generic guafenisin and i dont know how to spell it either. Feel better.

[Fresia]

Feel better soon, deep breaths as much as you can, and take it easy with warm/hot fluids. (((((((Lynn)))))))

[OurLadysTears]

It is possible that the spray caused some irritation in your mouth or maybe some irritation from the teeth cleaning. Either cause of irritation could have caused a passageway for the natural bacteria in your mouth to enter into your body and cause upper respiratory issues. Often it starts out as a sore throat, cold, etc. and could progress into more, such as pneumonia, if your immune system is unable to tackle it.

Often times I end up getting sick if I fall asleep with the heat up too high and/or if the air is too dry and I sleep with my mouth open/snoring. The back of my throat ends up getting dry and then I wake up with a sore throat, leading to being sick for a few days. It is a vicious cycle!

[lynn P.]

Thank you very much Yoda, Echoes, roseleigh7, likewater, Fresia and OurLadysTears for the advice and support. I didn't know I could get the guafenisin (spelled it wrong too) in tablets. Thanks liekwater for the recommendation of oregamax - that must be made from oregano and I know this has strong antiviral/antibacterial properties. I'm going to be on for a little while and go to the doctors mid morning. I have pain on the right back where the ribs are when I breath. I have a history of bronchitis after I had the pneumonia 15 yrs ago. The good thing is, I haven't been sick for 2 yrs. I'll post later on when I know more. Thank you all for the replies.

[lynn P.]

I finally got home an hour ago. I went to the clinic rather than the family doctor because they have an Xray clinic there. There were at least 30 people waiting. He sent me for Xrays and I don't have pneumonia but a bad case of bronchitis. He gave me zithromicin which is the best one for respiratory infections. I made the mistake of taking it as soon as I got home without eating and felt soooo nauseated, so I managed to eat a scrambled egg. Its hurts to cough on the upper chest and right back ribs - the doctor could hear the congestion.

I also bought some mucus thinning tablets with guafenisin and oregano oil drops. The dose is 4 drops - it has a strong oregano smell so I plugged my nose lol. For those who aren't familiar with oregano oil - it has excellent anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. I hope the mucus will start to loosen up so I can cough it out. I feel awful and hope I'll feel better tomorrow.

[Beholden]

Sending well wishes to you lynn!

I'm going to help you stamps out those old germs by stamping my feet on them.

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by Beholden

Sending well wishes to you lynn!

I'm going to help you stamps out those old germs by stamping my feet on them.

LOL - your post made me laugh Beholden. I like the nose picking green smilies. Honestly laughing would probably get the mucus to leave my chest. Thanks for the laugh and stomping on my germs.

[yellowted]

could be some bacteria being cleaned from your teeth got inhaled with the spray, if you were feeling low/unwell before hand it could possibly be your immune system could not cope with the newly inhaled bacterias. more likely is you cought whatever it is from droplet contact, cold and flu bugs can last for hours floating around in droplet form in the air, it can take a few days for these to show any signs once inhaled as your bodys immune system will try to fight them reducing their reproduction rate but eventually they will be so grate in number that the immune system gets overwhelmed as yours is at present

[lynn P.]

I think you're right yellowted. Usually the hygienist doesn't use that device except for one area. I think she had others waiting and that's why she used it all over my mouth. I could feel the mist all around my nose, so its makes complete sense if I breath this..... I might get sick. From now on I'm going to request the cleaning be done manually. Dentists also are supposed to check and clean the water lines and tubing of those instruments regularly. My dentist is a friend of ours and a nice man so I don't want to complain. I will mention I got sick the next time to the hygienist and request it be done manually.

[lynn P.]

Update - today the clinic called and wanted me to come back in to get further results after the radiologist read the Xrays. The doctor looked at them yesterday but he's not trained for that. So I just got back now and its turns out I do have pneumonia and he needed to give me another Xray slip to have them done again in the middle of next week...to make sure it gone.

I knew yesterday I must have pneumonia because its feels different than bronchitis. With bronchitis, its in the upper airways but pneumonia is in the lungs. With bronchitis you get constriction in the upper chest but I had upper and lower rib pain in the back. I know my body very well and told him yesterday I think I have it and he chuckled a little - not in a bad way...just like I wonder how she knows.

The mucous is starting slowly to break up and I'm weak from coughing. I can hardly get out one sentence before I start coughing. Last time I had it 15 yrs ago I lost 15 lbs because every time I tried to eat I would cough repeatedly.

[Beholden]

What a weight loss plan lynn!

Aren't some of those icons fun?

I don't get much chance to use the nose picker!

Well, I hope your doctor was feeling humble! Good to know you are the expert on how your body feels.

Still stomping on the germs as they come floating by cybermail

[lynn P.]

Last night was the worst night - I got the upper tummy ache of a lifetime. I think its from the mucous going the wrong way or it was my lower lungs hurting. The only thing that made the pain tolerable was putting pressure on my stomach. I felt so weak and shaky that I couldn't make dinner. My oldest made sandwiches and soup for her and her sister....I couldn't eat. Later on the pain got better and my oldest made me a scrambled egg with an avocado with tomato salad. I feel I'm a little better today and at least the build up in moving out, so I'm coughing myself silly.

[unaluna]

Hi Lynn. 1. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry I had to be "right" in our PM's the other day. What a bore I am.
2. Why do they not believe us when we tell them we have pneumonia?! It is an unmistakable feeling - feeling and looking like a cast member of the movie Night of the Living Dead. My chest doesn't usually make NOISE like that when I breathe; they're called "railes".

One time the dr at the walk-in gave me a scrip, but told me not to take it unless I felt a lot worse. Then he also ended up calling me back in the next day for a different med. I told him I had watched the TV show Friends the night before, and from the time the show started to the end, in just 30 minutes, I felt myself just get worse and worse. He said, "Well, watching "Friends" - that's not surprising! Jennifer Anniston, yuck!" Everybody's a freakin' comedian. My go-to remedy is hot lemon-ginger tea and a heating pad on my chest. And any kind of chicken soup.

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by hankster

Hi Lynn. 1. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry I had to be "right" in our PM's the other day. What a bore I am.
2. Why do they not believe us when we tell them we have pneumonia?! It is an unmistakable feeling - feeling and looking like a cast member of the movie Night of the Living Dead. My chest doesn't usually make NOISE like that when I breathe; they're called "railes".

One time the dr at the walk-in gave me a scrip, but told me not to take it unless I felt a lot worse. Then he also ended up calling me back in the next day for a different med. I told him I had watched the TV show Friends the night before, and from the time the show started to the end, in just 30 minutes, I felt myself just get worse and worse. He said, "Well, watching "Friends" - that's not surprising! Jennifer Anniston, yuck!" Everybody's a freakin' comedian. My go-to remedy is hot lemon-ginger tea and a heating pad on my chest. And any kind of chicken soup.

Thanks for the advice hankster - yeah once you've had pneumonia, its an unmistakable feeling. I have those microwavable bags that have flax seed in them and when heated it produces a moist heat....it does help. I have fresh ginger in the fridge but have been so unmotivated that I haven't made it but I will today. I remember as a kid they would routinely hospitalize people for this.

[lynn P.]

Update - I finished my last antibiotic Saturday. Its Azithromycin - take 2 the 1st day and 1 for 4 days but it stays in your body for 5 days after. Sunday was my best day so far -not as exhausted and the mucous was less / thinner. Today I don't feel as good so I made an appt with my family doctor to see what she says. Before I had everything done at a clinic. My worry is it may be getting worse and I shouldn't take chances with pneumonia. I will update later after my 12:40 appt.

[lynn P.]

I went to see my family doctor and she doesn't think the antibiotics I was on are good enough for my problem, which is probably why I feel worse today. She gave me a prescription for Biaxin 500mg 2 pills at once for 10 days and a Flovent inhaler which is a steroid for 2 weeks. She thinks I shouldn't have Xrays until I've had time to heal. She wants me to come back to her Dec 5 and get new Xrays 2 days before that. The lesson is this is listen to your body - if you were getting better and then start to feel worse, you need to go back to the doctor. Yesterday the exhaustion was better and today its back.

[Fresia]

Thank you for the update! When I had a bout of pneumonia, like you I was put on something else first with no improvement. Then when changed to Biaxin, it definitely helped. I hope it does the same for you as well. Good you went back in. Hang in there!

[tohelpafriend]

Originally Posted by lynn P.

I went to see my family doctor and she doesn't think the antibiotics I was on aren't good enough for my problem, which is probably why I feel worse today. She gave me a prescription for Biaxin 500mg 2 pills at once for 10 days and a Flovent inhaler which is a steroid for 2 weeks. She thinks I shouldn't have Xrays until I've had time to heal. She wants me to come back to her Dec 5 and get new Xrays 2 days before that. The lesson is this is listen to your body - if you were getting better and then start to feel worse, you need to go back to the doctor. Yesterday the exhaustion was better and today its back.

Thanks for sharing all that good med information. 'hope you are feeling better. I had a gut feeling to cancel a CT scan this week, as I've been recovering from a round of food poisoning; the body does need time to heal. So true, also about getting better; then feeling worse. I'm getting a pneumococcal vaccine to protect against getting pneumonia. I did some research on CT scans with contrast this morning: the normal daily dose we get from the environment is 3 msr's per year; with ONE CT scan, the body gets 30 times that, or 30 years worth of average radiation in one shot. Wow. And it can cause cancer. Anyway, I got onto a tangent, sorry. Hope all is well with you; thanks again for sharing. That info helped me.

[lynn P.]

Thank you ((Fresia)) - sorry you also know what its like to have this and had to be on different meds. I appreciate your concern.

Thank you ((tohelpafriend)) - sorry you had food poisoning ...we've had this too and its terrible. I sure hope you feel better soon. If you can, look into a good probiotic supplement which replenishes the friendly bacteria in your intestines. Yes people need to weigh the pros and cons of a test and it is scary the level of radiation. Of course if a person has a brain tumor then they don't have a choice.

I asked my doctor today about the pneumonia vaccine. She said they usually do this for people over 65 but I can have it when I'm better. If this will prevent me from this suffering again, that would be great. Thanks again everyone.