You're not a doctor, and you're especially not my doctor because he's on holidays but you are maybe an ex-smoker and lifelong asthmatic who might have had mycoplasma (walking) pneumonia that won't quit and/or be anxious about being (considered) a hypochondriac, and three months into this illness (with the complication of a respiratory epidemic) have an idea what to do.
I acquired bronchitis immediately after Xmas, quit smoking 1/1/2020. The bronchitis didn't cure itself, so I went to the doctor in first week of January and was put on antibiotics. By the time they ran out, I gave it another week, wasn't better, back to doctor who sent me for lung x-ray (no cancer, yay) and I recieved more antibiotics and some steriods.
Still not better in February (coughing, fatique, fever), back again: blood test confirmed mycoplasma pneumonia. More antibiotics. Dr went on holidays. After he got back, and I had finished the antibiotics, I saw him again. He said (after listening to my chest) that mycoplasma can be hard to shift and gave me sequential antibiotics which will finish up on Wednesday. He's back in his office on Monday (more holidays, damn him) and I have the first appointment because I still have dry cough (& asthma with preventer as well as reliever), chest pain, chills & sweats, sore throat (and mouth), fatigue, breathlessness etc.
Dr Google (particularly Healthline) agrees with what he has prescribed so far, including: azithromycin, clarithromycin, doxycycline and prednisolone, but seems to think that the next step is intravenous treatment and I don't want to go to hospital because my local hospital is where Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson were hanging out. Healthline also thinks that long-term mycoplasma pneumonia is potentially damaging / fatal WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING this very long-winded reassurance question.
I self-isolated from my casual but very flexible work a couple of weeks ago, and for most of the last 3 months left the house maybe 10 times in total, either to go to work in my own office or to go to my doctor. I was never near anyone from a cruise ship - in fact, I rarely socialise anyway, so it's not COVID-19.
Despite Australia's government promised funding to people who have lost their jobs, I am not eligible as I still have my job, just no sick leave. My employer has generously offered some sick leave for casual workers but this only applies to workers who had regular schedules.
So also, I'm aspie and finally have a doctor I have a rapport with, who I trust. Because I have trouble with eye contact, I tend to find new doctors don't trust or believe me, plus I'm in that (un-credible) category of being female and over 50.
My flatmate has been collecting all necessities (once a week) to reduce likelihood of infection, and I'm quite comfortable at home (apart from the symptoms) with sufficient asthma medication and pain killers, and my life savings would see me through a couple of years at home, and when I feel well again, I will have plenty of work I can do from home.
FINALLY, THE QUESTION
After that wall of text, sorry, do I try to get an appointment with another doctor at same centre (who can see my records) before my antibiotics run out, go to the hospital or IS IT OK TO WAIT THE 4 DAYS AFTER ANTIBIOTICS RUN OUT TO SEE MY OWN DOCTOR? |
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