Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] My 20yr old daughter has been diagnosed with right basal pneumonia, she also has asthma, she has almost completed a seven day course of 500mg (3xdaily) of Amoxycillan, she has had a 3 day course of prednisolone (6x5mg) and is now two days into on a second course of (same dosage as before). She is not really feeling any improvement in her symptoms and has been getting chest pain and dizziness in addition to her difficulty breathing since around the third day of her antibiotic course, this happens even at rest. She has had blood tests and chest X-ray at the hospital which diagnosed the pnenmonia and started her on antibiotics. She did not seem to have any crackles, but instead advised she had reduced air intake/breathing sounds on the lower right hand lobe. She has lost her appetite and has lost around 14 pounds in weight over the last two weeks. She gets chest pain (possibly heartburn?) after eating and when taking her antibiotic tablet. How long is it likely to be before she starts to recover? Is her illness contagious?
[|AI|]  Hello dear, thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your situation and problem. In my opinion you should consult pulmonologist and get done sputum culture and sensitivity report to guide antibiotic therapy. And no need for prednisolone (steroid). As steroid actually lowers the immunity and flare up the infection. So unless strongly indicated steroids are contraindicated in pneumonia. So your daughter needs identification of causative organism and directed antibiotic therapy. If sputum is not available than bronchoscopy and BAD (Bronchoalveolar Lavage) analysis is needed to isolate organism. Since she is not improving with current treatment, stop steroid and consult pulmonologist for proper diagnosis and treatment.