How getting sick recently affected my EDS symptoms
A columnist catches walking pneumonia from students at her school
This week’s message is simple: Don’t get walking pneumonia from your students (or anyone else).
A little while ago, I felt like I was coming down with a cold. I didn’t feel too bad, just a little tired and congested. I figured I’d be fine in a few days. I was extra busy at work and also taking care of a neighbor’s farm, so I didn’t have time to be sick. I kept plowing forward.
On day five, I started to feel really unwell. My chest was tight, which made me suspect I had walking pneumonia, which was circulating around the school where I work. I’d been exposed to at least one student who had it, so off I went to urgent care.
After a few hours there, the doctor said that while my chest X-ray was inconclusive, my symptoms and exposure had her convinced. She prescribed an antibiotic and sent me home to rest.
After about 36 hours on antibiotics, I started feeling a little better. But since I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), I don’t do well sitting still for long periods of time. My EDS symptoms tend to be more manageable when I keep moving. A hacking cough was wreaking havoc on my back, neck, and shoulders, and while the antibiotic was helping, it was also upsetting my sensitive stomach.
I already have enough trouble with tight muscles, thanks to EDS. Adding a cough that rippled through my body certainly didn’t help. Then, because I had a mountain of pillows on my bed, I ended up with a pain flare. My neck and shoulders were so tight and sore that I could feel the pain radiating from my trapezius muscle up my neck and over my scalp, ending above my eye.
I used to experience this type of pain frequently before I turned to physical and massage therapy to control it. Now I usually feel it only when my muscles are in bad shape.
I spent several days hanging out on the couch. I tried several times to do my daily chores around my farm, but my friends and family wouldn’t let me. I can be a little too stubborn to be a good patient unless others remind me to take care of myself. My dogs, Happy and Cinnamon, decided they were big fans of this new routine. They enjoyed the extra hangout time, which cheered me up.
It took a while, but eventually I started feeling like my old self again. I’ll probably need a few sessions with my massage therapist to unravel the physical consequences of getting sick, but I’ll be back to 100% soon.
Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.
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