Would you ever get medical attention for a cold?

Did you have a cold that started to clear up before suddenly becoming much worse. Sometimes a cold leads to a secondary bacterial infection and sometimes you just think you've caught another cold. You really need to speak to a doctor. I've had it happen at least five times in the last ten years. One time my tonsils became swollen and white with a fever so high it terrified my husband who thought I was going to die after seeing how ill I looked. Another time, it went into my ears as well and I ended up deaf for three months. Last time, I had to have a fortnight worth of penicillin to get rid as I was riddled, eyes, nose, throat, ears, chest. The nice young A & E/out of hours doctor visibly recoiled, when he looked in my throat, at the sight of all the pus running out of my tonsil folds. The GP made out I was imagining all these and refused any treatment. All treatment eventually obtained at Out of Hours clinics. A different time, I was coughing as you describe and couldn't speak without going into coughing fits. Phoned 111, DH had to take over the call and call handler told him to get me to the hospital NOW. Do not underestimate how bad this can get.

Yes! I had a cold and felt a bit off, ended up ringing the OOH doctors who said come in, I was coughing constantly and she said I couldn't speak a full sentence

Sat in the waiting room watching them come speeding out with a nebuliser and stuff, being nosy looking around like you do to see who was ill

That would be me I had pneumonia. 6 nebulisers that weekend, steroids, 2 courses of antibiotics, my white cell count was so low they wanted to admit me

You've got similar symptoms to the ones I had recently. It was pneumonia! Get seen asap!

Yes, I would go to A&E for a cold if I needed to, and I have been in an ambulance before. If you're asthmatic you should be following your action plan from the GP or asthma nurse which is probably telling you to get seen!

You sounds like you have a secondary infection, I get them a lot with a cold (sinusitis or bronchitis usually) and end up at the doctors for ABs.

Trust me, a hell of a lot of people attend urgent care centres for colds.
But you do sound like you need to see someone, being pregnant does make you slightly more vulnerable to infections etc

i used to get bronchitis a lot - and once I'd had it, every cold would morph into a chest infection, so yes, i'd try and pre-empt that with GP & anti-biotics.

I remember going to an emergency drop in surgery between xmas and new year, receptionist was full of "no, of course you don;t need to see a doctor, or have antibiotics"

GP walked into the waiting room saw/heard me coughing & said to go straight through, she'd do a prescription right away.

That ain't no cold!

You should seek medical.care as you r pregnant and need to safeguard baby as well as yourself. Take care 💐

This sounds like me when I had a sinus infection in the summer. That or a chest infection. I went to the GP and got antibiotics. Definitely get yourself checked out, there’s plenty you take while pregnant if they’ve been prescribed.

Well you sound like you need antibiotics and there are plenty you can take when pregnant.

I’m wheezing when I breathe half the time, I’m struggling to finish conversations doesn't matter whether it is caused by a cold, or flu, or COVID, or pneumonia - here is the NHS page: www.nhs.uk/conditions/shortness-of-breath/

Your symptoms are worse than a cold and you’re pregnant. Please do seek medical advice. You’re clearly suffering and you deserve to be checked out in case it needs antibiotics or even if you just need reassurance. People see the doctor for way less!

I absolutely would if it had gone on for as long as yours has without improving.

In fact, it sounds more like you might have a chest infection than just a cold. I had a serious chest infection when I was 32 weeks pregnant with DD2 and was unable to inflate one of my lungs fully. It was awful and I did need a good course of strong antibiotics to deal with it. There was no choice as my breathing was getting so bad. Unborn DD was fine (kicking me in my aching ribs) but I definitely wasn't. It had started out like a cold, but a secondary infection set in.

You need to see a doctor as soon as you can.

I think you know really what the answer is? There are two of you to consider and also it's lingering and not fading away. Phone NHS111 and see what there advice is or try a visit the chemist to see a pharmacist

A cold as such, no. The side-effects and complications from a cold, possibly. I had an absolutely foul, rotten stinker a few years ago, which gave me a sore throat, laryngitis, styes, and turned me into a snot-factory on legs. It was more disgusting than actually worrying till it attacked my ears. At one point, I was in the centre of York, near the theatre and I couldn't hear the traffic. On another occasion, I was in a cafe, listening to what sounded like Amy Winehouse singing 'Moondance' on the overhead system. It was actually Van Morrison. And the snap-crackle-pop in my ears took months to ease off - I've never had ear problems like it and was sure the cold had damaged my hearing, so I saw a GP who recommended olive oil, which worked eventually.

In your case, given your medical history, your pregnancy and the fact that this monster has gone for your breathing, you would not be wasting anyone's time if you sought medical advice. In fact, you might avoid a hospital admission and save a lot of people, especially yourself, a lot of trouble.

Go to the doctor OP! It could well be a bad viral infection or cold or it could be something bacterial that needs antibiotics. Either way, the fact you are pregnant means you really must be more cautious than you would be normally, you have a baby to think of now as well.

The recent cold that ran round our asthmatic family bunch required oral steroids for one and increased use of combination/steroid inhalers for the others.

We must have used a whole tree of tissues to mop up the mucous.

So yes, a cold can often require medical attention. You could try 111. (online is fastest)

And you can take paracetamol there’s no point punishing yourself and making yourself feel sicker sticking it out with honey and lemon.

Because you’re pregnant I’d check it’s not a chest infection.

What you describe is not a common cold. Get yourself checked out ASAP! I think you have chest infection.

I would if it was making me feel very unwell and for a prolonged period.

That’s clearly no longer/not a cold, you need to get checked for chest infection and possible antibiotics.

Definitely a trip to the doctors with the breathing difficulties. Also they might prescribe you a nasal spray, there are a couple you can take in pregnancy. The gp prescribed me one when I had a very bad cold with dd2.

That is no longer just a cold OP. You need to see someone.

sounds more than a cold, my sister had a horrible virus during pregnancy it took so so long to go but she was very poorly. I’d get assessed by a dr for your breathing at least. I had kidney stones when pregnant and just suffered no bloody idea why, I was in agony, didn’t want a fuss but now I’m like why on earth did I not phone to be seen.
hope you feel better soon sounds v miserable