To want antibiotics?

[QuestionableMouse]

I've got some kind of chest/throat/ear infection going on. Lots of green phlegm and snot, terrible congestion and I keep feeling dizzy. Totally exhausted (had to sit down halfway up the stairs ffs!)

I know it's probably a virus and I just need to ride it out but I'm so fucking miserable. I can't sleep because I can't breathe properly lying down, my chest is sore from constant coughing and my nose is so raw it bleeds when I wipe it. It's been nine days and I feel no better. I feel like going back to the doctors' and begging for antibiotics just to see if they'll shift it. (I'm not going to - I know that antibiotic resistance is a real and scary thing.)

Aibu to want a magic pill to fix me?

[RNBrie]

YANBU to want a magic pill.

Also YANBU to go to the doctors and check they don't think it's bacterial. Sounds fucking awful.

[QuestionableMouse]

I'm going to try to get an appointment on Monday. I'm so fed up of feeling like this.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

You poor thing sounds awful.

Antibiotics might not help. My son keeps perforating his ear. Basically he gets a hideous cold and the pressure makes his ear drum perforate.
He needs antibiotics for the perforation, each time his cold has remained as snotty, his cough as bad. Antibiotics probably won't help.

Some colds just take their time. There's been a horrible thing doing the rounds up north. Knocked me on my arse for two weeks and took me another 3 weeks to completely get rid of.

Get well soon.

[Boomingmarvellous]

After such a long time it's worth getting someone to listen to your chest for infection. It's probably just the after affects. If you develop a fever then I'd take it more seriously.

Most healthy young people need to just ride it out. I've been coughing for 2 weeks, there's a really nasty coughy virus going round with conjunctivitis and earache thrown in.

[Outmyself]

I had a terrible cold like
Yours. The phlegm on my chest was just mucus dripping down my trachea as I slept. Not an infection. I went on antibiotics for mastitis my cold stayed exactly the same. I then got an ear infection and another bout of mastitis. Was dreadful I felt terrible for nearly two months.
No energy and just felt rubbish. I did visit a steam room with some eucalyptus type oil that was fab for clearing the sinus. Hope you feel better soon

[AliceInUnderpants]

Have you seen the doctor at all and been told it's viral? I don't think there's any harm in a checkup after 9 days.

[peggyundercrackers]

Sounds like a bad cold more than anything, I've had it for about 3 weeks and our ds has had it for about 6 weeks - been to gp and they just say to ride it out after chest etc. There's s lot of it going about - gp said his family was also suffering about the same length of time and there was no end in sight.

[cannotlogin]

I had something similar a few months ago - it was dreadful. I struggled in to work but had to admit defeat. I finally went to the doctor's at that point and it was a chest infection. Even with the antibiotics, I was about 3 weeks before I felt normal again.

[QuestionableMouse]

I saw the nurse prescriber on Monday and was given meds for conjunctivitis and oral thrush. She listened to my chest but didn't really say anything about what was causing it.

Work are putting pressure on me to go back in but I don't feel ready.

[Alexa444]

You could have them check it out and ask if they think it is viral or bacterial. If its likely to be viral then antibiotics are pointless and will do more harm than good. Get some of superdrugs own brand bronchial mixture. Its brilliant, better than all the branded stuff I've tried. Might at least shift the phlegm. Cover your nose in vaseline and dot your pyjama top with olbas oil when you sleep, it will really help the congestion. Don't worry it washes out.

[giraffesCantReachTheirToes]

YANBU to want something to help.

I was on antibiotics on and off for 4 whole weeks then on Monday was taken into hosp with asthma attack. Still kept on antibiotics cos of temp, cough, wheeze, green gunk from lungs etc.

Yesterday on ward round consultant told me I have tested positive for parainfluenza virus. So all those weeks of antibiotics were doing naff all - although the nature of the illness has changed so could be I had something bacterial and now this too - who knows?. I have still to take them for another 10 days though?!

But viruses can be just as bloody evil. Be could if they could test for you?

Otherwise though I don't think it would be unreasonable to give antibs a shot.

[MeadowHay]

Would make a GP appointment seeing as you've been pretty ill for over a week. The GP can check your throat and things and get an idea of whether it might be bacterial or not. Hope you feel better soon

[GreenMarkerPen]

yanbu to want to be better
but most infections, bacterial or viral, are self limiting and will go away on their own.
imo antibiotics should be reserved for life threatining infections, not for trivial infections.
people need to rest, plenty of fluids and some more rest to get better.

[LBOCS2]

YANBU to want to shift it.

I had the same cold-flu thing that everyone had going around, for about 4 weeks. At the end of the 4 weeks I felt vastly improved but my sinuses were killing me, STILL. I presumed it was leftover from the virus, didn't see anyone for a further two weeks - just struggled on with the pain and the migraines caused by the pressure, and the nasal drip making me sick, as I know that most sinus problems are self limiting.

In the end I did get nagged to see a dr, who was happy to prescribe me antibiotics straight away, and told me to come back if they didn't work. They did, but only on day 4/5 of a 7 day course. I wish I hadn't waited for so long!