Doctor says there's no middle ground!

[Stupidcough]

Firstly can I say I'm feeling really unwell, so please don't flame me if you disagree.

I'm off work sick at the moment as I have a really sore throat and a nasty cough. It hurts my chest a lot every time I cough and when I speak my throat feels like I have swallowed razor blades. I am weak and tired, with a pounding headache.

I don't have a cold or any other symptoms of one, and this came on very suddenly on Saturday. I was absolutely fine in the morning, and by lunchtime I was in bed.

Rang the doctor's this morning, the receptionist said they don't see people for coughs and I should see a pharmacist. I told her I'm concerned it's a chest infection which is why I'd like to be seen. She grudgingly took my number and added me to her 'list'.

I've now received a text from my GP saying that chest pain is not a worrying symptom with a cough, and if I get chest pain when I'm not coughing I should go to a&e. Otherwise I should see a pharmacist. He includes a link to the NHS page on coughs.

I know it's unlikely to be life threatening, and I am not a person who goes to the GP with a cold, but I genuinely think it is 'something'. I find it hard to believe that there is no middle ground for chest pains between a common cold and a heart attack.

I feel absolutely rotten and now I feel silly having asked for help. I'm never off work so I feel guilty about that too.

Have a paracetamol and some lemon and honey in hot water

What about a nurse led walk in centre?
I think it very unlikely a pharmacist will listen to your chest.
Some horrible replies on this thread btw.

Chesty not sheet

Go to a pharmacist first. They really are more knowledgeable than you can imagine. In the meantime watch this video which is very cheery and offers great advice

It will be a virus. The vast majority of these infections are. They can be very nasty and make you feel very unwell. However, all a Doctor will do is send you home or to the Pharmacy. All a pharmacy will do is offer you stuff to soothe and relieve the pain.

Some Doctors can be railroaded into prescribing Antibiotics, which will do absolutely nothing for you. This will cost the NHS for an unnecessary drug, and cause greater resistance for people who genuinely need them.

I know it's tough, but go to bed, take some painkillers and a hot honey and lemon drink. Repeat. You will almost certainly feel better in a few days. If you still have a nasty cough (with blood) in 2 weeks time, then go to the Docs.

Hope you feel better soon.

I'd be worried about the sudden onset and that you are feeling so ill. I'd call 111 and get an OOH GP appointment.

You’ve only been ill since Saturday, it is likely a horrible virus, i’ve had many that leave me wheezy and chesty, also with pain, but given time and rest heal on their own. It’s normally after the week, 10 day mark that if I’m not improving and getting worse then I see the GP.

Half my group of friends, everyone at work and me have this at the moment. It’s a crappy cold that really lingers. I was in bed for two days last week and still coughing until it feels like I’ve broken a rib this week. Nothing to get excited/worry about!

The doctor really isn't saying there's no middle ground. He's saying you probably have a virus and to try and treat it yourself initially. He has to give you the advice on A&E because you mentioned chest pain. I hope you're better soon.

You can get a good medical assessment via 111.
Hope you feel well soon

Sounds like a viral illness - op this can be just as painful as having a bacterial infection and knocks you the same. Best thing to do is take paracetamol and ibuprofen as per packet and drink hot honey and lemon. Don't take the special drinks with paracetamol as it's an easy way to accidentally overdose. You can also get a spray from the pharmacist that numbers the throat but hot honey and lemon does work wonders

Yes, like PP I had this last week too. It was horrible and I was off sick for a couple of days with it which is very unlike me. I'm fine now though. Rest, paracetamol and lots of fluids :)

You can also get a spray from the pharmacist that numbs the throat

Difflam! Amazing stuff.

Normally I would just take paracetamol / cold and flu tablets for a week before seeing doctor. Chest pain is normal with a chesty cough and not that much you can do other than pain killers, cough medicine. Coughing up clear mucus is fairly normal, I think if it's green it means there's an infection but even then I think can be viral or bacterial and they tend not to give antibiotics early on.

Standard advice is to give it a week to 10 days and if it's no better then to go to the docs. Rest up lots of fluids warm or cold what ever feels best but not properly hot. Paracetamols and ibuprofen if you can take them.
A niceish cough remedy I used to make is
a thumbs worth of fresh ginger grated 5 or 6 stems of fresh thyme broken, 3tbsp of honey 2 unwaxed lemons sliced whack it all in a bowl add in 300 ml of boiling water and let it steep till its cold strain everything out and take a couple of tablespoons of the liquid as needed.

OP we have a 3 week rule at our gp (unless you have asthma/lung conditions) ie unless you've had the cough for 3 weeks or longer you won't get seen.
Believe it or not but you can bruise your lungs coughing and that really hurts, even just breathing.
Get a good cough bottle and some numbing throught lozenges and you'll feel much better.

Sore throat, cough, general feeling of shitness and a headache are classic cold symptoms

My doctor says that you should come to them if you have a temperature which doesn't reduce with normal analgesia. They'll only give you antibiotics for green sputum+very unwell+high temperature unless you are already less than healthy immune wise. They don't give it for all suspected bacterial infections.

Are you coughing up yellow or green gunk? If it's just clear mucus then it's highly unlikely to be an infection.

OP so sorry you're not feeling good. Sounds like a nasty case of the flu particularly if you are in bed. Flu can make you feel absolutely shocking. I would say if in the next couple of days the pain hasnt gone, insist that the GP sees you. Take care and keep us updated

Change GP. The receptionist shouldn't be deciding whether you're ill enough to see the doctor. I asked for an emergency appointment a couple of weeks back with very similar symptoms to yours and I had severe tonsillitis which needed a 10 day ourse of antibiotics.

There's an awful cold/virus at the minute, I'm 3 weeks in. I had a throat that felt like it was on fire, chest pain, cough, headache, sweating... all my colleagues have had it too

People always recommend pharmacists but unless for medication I have had crap experiences with them and would no longer trust their advice.
In the last six months or so -

Burn - didn't have the dressing they recommended first when realised sole me burn cream. Pharmacist didn't bother looking and sent an assistant over. Ended up not discharged from minor injuries until four trips later to have it dressed properly. Still scarred.

Wrongly diagnosed a verruca - not one.

Wrongly diagnosed verruca on my finger tips (was broken blood vessels as confirmed by dermatologist).

My doctor's text would suggest that it's either a virus or a heart attack

No, the dr was saying you really don’t need to see a GP & but if you feel chest pain without coughing then it’s more than the GP would like to deal with so A&E would be the place to go. They advised you to see a pharmacist as they could help advise what to take/use to relieve your symptoms.

Speak to pharmacy who will probably advise paracetamol/ibuprofen &something to ease the cough.

Have you a temperature OP? Shivering, anything like that?

I was admitted to hospital with what might arguably have been a 'virus'. I ended up with sepsis.

I knew when it started that it wasn't a cold as it didn't start off like a cold and get worse. Some version of bubonic plague, but I was a week in hospital on oxygen/antibiotics/IV antibiotics and every other concoction they could get into me. Just be wary with the lungs. If your temp spikes, I'd call 111.