When to contact GP about a cough?

[GiantJack]

Contemplating contacting the GP however I feel a bit of a fraud because it is only a cough with no symptoms of fever or indications of infection etc.

Around 7-8 weeks ago I started with a cough no other symptoms but put this down to a mild virus and it was in no way having any impact on my day to day life.

Recently in the last 2-3 weeks the coughing has increased a lot. The episodes of coughing seem to have a pattern of a lot in the mornings and at night and during the day when I come indoors after being outside I find myself repeatedly coughing sometimes to the point of vomiting.
Just before, during and after these episodes my chest feels very tight and my breathing shallower and almost like I can't take a nice deep breath. This goes on for quite some time after an episode and really requires me to completely rest for about an hour for the feeling to settle.

I know NHS advice is usually self care for coughing, can a viral cough last this long and present like this or should I be contacting my GP for advice?

You should contact the doctor if you have chest pain, shortness of breath ,if you are coughing up blood , feel very unwell or if the cough lasts for more than six weeks.

I think the latest NHS advert says 3 weeks? Sounds like you're be perfectly reasonable to check in.

There's a poster in the waiting room at my doctors saying contact doctor if a cough has not improved after three weeks.

Thank you for the reassurance, wasn't aware of the 3 weeks guidance now!
I did read the NHS website but it really makes it sound like if you are really unwell. I don't feel particularly unwell with this, more that it is just a bit uncomfortable and a huge annoyance and inconvenience more than anything else.

It's very hard to get to speak to a doctor in our area, mainly the process of justifying your need to the receptionist so I tend to avoid calling unless absolutely essential!

100% contact your GP. You are not a fraud. You are not wasting their time. This is what they are there for. And if it's nothing, and there's nothing you can take, excellent. But perhaps there's something that they can prescribe or something they need to investigate.

I totally get it but it's sad that you don't feel justified in making an appointment. You absolutely should.

3 weeks. I went after 8 weeks, had a chest infection and have given myself infection induced asthma which I've got still many years later.