This does seem to be an issue, particularly in the winter that can go on, and on, and on....... I hope things are abating somewhat.

Consider This? I really don't think the anti-b's contributed to the PN per-se. I think that it was just such a long-term infection that my immune system programming went whacko. I was on 2-3 different anti-b's and it WAS a bacterial infection. I'd always had 'colds' as a kid thru adult and pneumonia only once before in my life; none lasting more than a week-ten days. I consider myself fortunate in that respect as I was pretty durn 'healthy' before that pneumonia! By that I mean, regular annual check-ups and everything was always disgustingly normal.

Honestly I would have preferred a penicillin type med at the time! While I'm allergic to SULFUR taken internally, SULFA is OK...apparently there is a chemical difference of only a couple of molecules and those seem to make all the difference. Some docs don't seem to understand this distinction in the chemistry....I do, and, I'm chemistry impaired!

In my case, I think it was the 'illness' combined with the liklihood of a cancer 'hatching' that set things off. Ironically, in the few years I've had the PN etc., Cancer is now being considered an 'IMMUNE" disease. Throw that into the mix and all possibilities change in terms of figuring things out.

Hate to scare folks? But I've been told that cancer[s] can be developing [I call it hatching] for 5-7 years before any real signs are found... To make things more awkward, testing-IF done- won't always show a 'positive' for it.

Our docs do the best they can [IF you have good ones] with what you tell them and what they can do for the symptoms. I really think it's up to US to do our homework and connect the dots-if they can be connected. Not that it matters after damage is done.

That is why NT is such a super resource for all of us! It gets us talking across medical problems lines and know that a-we aren't alone and b-we share a lot of the same problems!

Next time I get hint's of Pneu? I KNOW you all will hear from me! In that RED-ALERT state we all seem to get into when such stuff happens! Hugs and hope to all! - j