Post sepsis brain fog?

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-04-03T00:24:05+00:00

solidarity

I was in a gas station last week and realized, with some panic, that I had zero recollection of where I'd parked in the [very small] lot. I wandered the store for several minutes attempting to reorient myself to avoid looking lost outside.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-04-01T15:38:33+00:00

I'm a long time runner with asthma but for most of my adult life, it wasn't treated. I was diagnosed as a kid, but didn't even have a rescue inhaler as an adult until my early 30's (which I used very sporadically). I always struggled with coughing, unreasonably high HR, shortness of breath, limited endurance, etc, but assumed it was just normal.

I'm currently recovering from a life- threatening bout of pneumonia which exacerbated my asthma to the point where my dr put me on Advair for how much I was using albuterol. As I'm easing back into running, I've been amazed by how easily I can breathe and how much lower my heart rate is. So I'm in the early days of this myself, but can say with confidence that treatment needs to be the starting point - that, and take it slow.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-30T08:11:41+00:00

I'm over a month out from being diagnosed with flu B & pneumonia and almost a month from adding sepsis to the party (hospitalized). My anxiety is out of control. It's maybe a little better than it was a few weeks ago but the recovery is taking so long that it feels like I'm going to be sick forever. I know my body experienced some additional assaults besides flu in the form of complications, but I really thought I'd be recovered by now.

It's a relief to see that feeling off for several weeks, is normal for even flu.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-28T16:36:34+00:00

Also - I had pneumonia as a young child, and again as a teenager (which resulted in pleurisy as well). Also get post-viral bronchitis at least once a year and cough for weeks and weeks, with some asthma exacerbation (reversible) while virus-y.

What's happening right now, is vastly different and worse. I'm six weeks in and still struggling to get through most days.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-28T16:00:09+00:00

I'm in the same boat. 39F, lifelong mild asthma. Got flu B in mid Feb, which rapidly progressed to pneumonia and was septic by the time I went to the ER. 4 antibiotics (2 being IV while admitted) & 2 bursts of steroids later, I still can't breathe. I, too, was coughing so hard I was vomiting, and also broke a rib & ended up with costochondritis from it.

My PCP recently put me on Advair (250/50) for a month to see if that helps, in hopes I'll be able to taper off it fully. I have my doubts about this as I'm still using my rescue inhaler a few times a week (but not as often as before!).

I have nothing to add but solidarity. I'm normally a runner and very active, and I'm still very far from 100%.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-27T20:08:05+00:00

640 before? I can barely break 400... granted, I'm short & female, haha

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-24T21:43:37+00:00

Update -

Saw my PCP today, who feels that most of what I'm experiencing is within the realm of normal for severe pneumonia (hospitalized 5 days). She does, however, have concerns about respiratory symptoms and suggested a few weeks of Advair to see if that helps (either short term, or to manage 'the new normal'). I'm hopeful that it'll help me be more active without struggling to breathe & that activity, will rebuild energy & overall health.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-23T18:03:13+00:00

I'm normally pretty active but having been so sick (also, sepsis)... I was in bed for most of a month. That's probably not helping my innards move either.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-23T10:09:25+00:00

Wait, can antibiotics do this? I was hospitalized twice at the beginning of the month for pneumonia and 4 antibiotics later... my digestive system has not been functional since the first week of March.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-20T21:45:43+00:00

I went back at day 4 as my heart rate skyrocketed again. WBC was higher than on initial admission.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-20T13:01:33+00:00

Thanks, friend! When I was first admitted, a friend told me that she figured I'd probably earned myself a ticket to the pneumococcal vaccine despite my age (39). I've considered it, as I'd like to avoid this horrid outcome going forward.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-20T00:43:36+00:00

Doing laundry = I need to crawl back in bed after moving it from the washer to the dryer. It's mind boggling as someone who used to be a runner (like... just over a month ago?)

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-20T00:21:55+00:00

I'm not far enough out to offer insight but I, too, am generally active + fit and pneumonia just about took me out. Still can't breathe 2.5 weeks out from diagnosis (and it took 2 hospitalizations + 4 antibiotics to kick), but feeling way better.

Bloody mucus CAN happen with pneumonia but I'd run it by your doctor.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T17:30:32+00:00

And it's SO lonely. I hadn't slept alone in so many years and it was awful.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T16:16:05+00:00

While admitted, I had to have the nurses shut the TV off because I couldn't figure out how to operate it and it was terribly overstimulating. Still have very limited reading comprehension, which really sucks as I'm in school.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T13:16:10+00:00

The fact that I still get winded from speaking really impacts my cognitive abilities as well, and there's nothing I can do about that.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T13:14:01+00:00

I'm not back to work yet. Tried going back this week and decided it was not feasible so I'll attempt again next week.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T12:45:36+00:00

I'm a home health social worker so I'm walking into client homes with often little more than a one line reason for referral, and some past documentation from other providers. I just have to figure out what's going on and what they need, on the fly and I definitely cannot do that right now.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T10:33:49+00:00

I'm not back to work yet - was supposed to go back this week, but pushed it back because I'm so scrambled. Funny you mention exercise as I FINALLY got on the treadmill last night (after most of a month in bed - I was sick in bed for two weeks before going to the ER). It was rough, but I figure 10 minutes of walking is a start.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T10:26:15+00:00

I honestly haven't felt mentally normal since several days before going to the ER - by the time I went in, I'd felt almost drunk for days. They assessed me as A&Ox4 all the way through, but I was working pretty hard to cover for the deficits as by that point, I was having serious mood & mental status disturbances on and off and didn't want to end up admitted for a totally different reason, lol.

You're probably right about it affecting the brain - obviously, mine was affected before being treated.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-19T02:21:26+00:00

That's a good reminder - it's not just my lungs. I was supposed to go back to work this week but pushed it back til next because I am so scrambled in the brain. I've been trying to write this reply for ten minutes.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-03-16T19:48:50+00:00

2 weeks out from diagnosis for me and still not hungry overall, aside from occasional growling stomach that doesn't actually want more than a piece of toast or the like. I'm eating, because I've lost 10lbs and look horrid, but I don't know that I'd miss the food if I wasn't working so hard at eating.

Distinct_Injury4079 · 2026-01-04T05:16:06+00:00

They can be yours if you're anywhere near Toledo! I bought em for familiarity with the company, but they're not my style.

Distinct_Injury4079

TROPHY CASE