Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Never-ending chesty cough - anyone else?

43 replies

Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:25

I've got a cough, I'm not 'ill' exactly, but from time to time, big old hacking cough. It comes and goes, it can be better for a few days, then back with a vengeance.

It's much worse at night, when on a couple of occasions it's 'got' me just as I drop off, leading to a proper coughing fit, and on one occasion actually being sick.

I've got a little wheeze, which seems to move between my chest, my through, and the back of my nose.

Occasionally I sneeze a bit.

I am so so bored of it.

If it wasn't for the fact that DH has it too (+ several of the school parents) I'd be worried about it being something serious.

Anyone else got the same? And does anyone have any magical cures?

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 22/01/2023 22:27

We had it here, me, husband and both children (baby and toddler). It lasted 8 weeks between us, a few trips to the doctors, inhalers prescribed which didn’t do much. Eventually it went but toddler needed a round of antibiotics to really kick it.

Was bloody awful. Irritating and annoying as none of us were really ill, just coughing a lot

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:29

It's so boring isn't it @ShirleyPhallus ?

DD had it first, then me, then DH - but it's the fact that it feels like it might be passing, then the next day I can hear my every breath as a high pitched wheeze and I'm coughing like I smoke 20 a day (I smoke 0 a day).

Thankfully DD seems to be actually recovered (touch wood), but DH and I are still hacking.

OP posts:
daisyjgrey · 22/01/2023 22:30

I have exactly the same!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
ShirleyPhallus · 22/01/2023 22:33

Yes it was annoying, and worse was seeing the dr who declared I didn’t have a wheeze (even though I could hear that exact wheezy whistle you’re talking about) but that it was just upper airway mucus basically. So no proper infection, just needed the body to kick it.

toddler got sent home a few times too as nursery still have some covid type rules hanging about

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:33

How long has it been going on @daisyjgrey ?

I am having trouble remembering, it just seems to have been coming and going for so long.

Usually it's a properly hacking cough, sometimes just a little tickle - sometimes my chest feels sore (but probably from the exertion rather than infection), sometimes my voice is a bit hoarse, yesterday I did over 20 sneezes in a row...it's just the gift that just keeps giving.

OP posts:
Cookerhood · 22/01/2023 22:34

Yup, for a month now (it's just going). No wheeze though. Coughing fits until I'm red in the face.

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:35

ShirleyPhallus · 22/01/2023 22:33

Yes it was annoying, and worse was seeing the dr who declared I didn’t have a wheeze (even though I could hear that exact wheezy whistle you’re talking about) but that it was just upper airway mucus basically. So no proper infection, just needed the body to kick it.

toddler got sent home a few times too as nursery still have some covid type rules hanging about

I had the same with the doctor and the wheeze, the wheeze came before the proper cough for me, so I took it to the GP who was like "nope you're not wheezing"... and I was like "I can literally hear it, and here's a recording I took of it at 4am last night"...

Maybe they don't care about phlegm wheezes, I guess they're the least worrying of all the wheezes.

Sometimes mine whistles, sometimes mine clicks, and it's much worse when I lie on my left side to sleep than my right side - it's so annoying!

OP posts:
Yesthatismychildsigh · 22/01/2023 22:36

Yes! I have it! I’m also snotty and my sinuses are on the cusp of going bad. This is after a chest infection that became pleurisy that I had antibiotics for. 20 days now. And I’m not usually ill.

Chickenkeev · 22/01/2023 22:36

I had this a while back, same with partner and daighter. I was flattened altogether. It's over a month later and am still not 100%. You're not alone!

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:37

Cookerhood · 22/01/2023 22:34

Yup, for a month now (it's just going). No wheeze though. Coughing fits until I'm red in the face.

I'm half-expecting a burst blood vessel in my eye at some point from the late-night coughing fits.

OP posts:
Yesthatismychildsigh · 22/01/2023 22:37

And I still feel like shit.

78Summer · 22/01/2023 22:39

Had it a week. Very exhausting.

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:39

Yesthatismychildsigh · 22/01/2023 22:36

Yes! I have it! I’m also snotty and my sinuses are on the cusp of going bad. This is after a chest infection that became pleurisy that I had antibiotics for. 20 days now. And I’m not usually ill.

You poor thing! I'm sure people will say it's because our immune systems are shot from lockdown, which I guess makes sense - though I tend to think there's just some bloody mean bugs going about at the moment.

Like you know that your sinuses are on the cusp of going bad, I can feel that my chest is on the cusp of a proper 'chest infection' - I'm going to guess it's viral at the moment (no fever, feel generally 'okay').

OP posts:
mrsfollowill · 22/01/2023 22:40

We all had it in this house - lasted about 8 weeks in total. Coughed up gallons of phlegm I swear (nice!) I did actually burst a blood vessel in my eye one day so looked fetchingly 'zombie like' for a couple of days. I hope you feel better soon - it's miserable.

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:44

@mrsfollowill - I have not 'expectorated' because it makes me gag, but I am relying heavily on my stomach acid to kill whatever it is I'm swallowing :-|

I'm sorry so many of you have/have had it too - it's so grim, especially the lack of sleep.

OP posts:
Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:46

ps I learned the word 'expectorated' from Beauty and the Beast about a week ago.

OP posts:
Couchpotato3 · 22/01/2023 22:49

I had exactly this for over a month around Christmas and only just getting over it - it took ages, much longer than usual. Felt as though it was all in the right side of my chest, hated lying down at night because of the sudden coughing fits. I've not felt so unwell since the first round of Covid (didn't test this time as I didn't want to depress myself). It has been grim but did eventually go. No magic cures, just gradually improved. Good luck!

Original poster
Todaynotalways · 22/01/2023 22:51

@Couchpotato3 I wonder if I triple-pillow tonight it might help, you're right that lying down is the worst.

I have done a few LFTs all negative (I know they're designed for asymptomatic cases, and I am fairly symptomatic) - so I've got no reason to think it's Covid. I was kinda hoping for a +ve just to give me an excuse to self-isolate, rather than drudging around in public feeling vaguely shit for weeks on end.

OP posts:
Noodlehen · 22/01/2023 22:54

I have had this since September or October. It went for a while when I went on holidays at Christmas and it’s back this week worse than ever, coughing to the point of getting sick or gagging/heaving.

no wheeze, just the cough and today an icky feeling in my throat (but I’m also a bit hungover so could be making it worse lol)

i wish it would just F off now. DH has a sleep app and sometimes it picks me up coughing for an hour. I also didn’t sleep more than an hour weds / Thurs because i couldn’t stop coughing enough to get to sleep.

RobinRB · 22/01/2023 22:57

Yep I have had that bloody cough for 6 weeks and it's only just started to ease off in the last few days. It was so bad that for a good few weeks I was coughing so badly that I was throwing up multiple times a day during coughing fits. It was utterly miserable. The only thing that would ease it at all was Bronco Stop cough mixture which tastes like liquid herbs but it was the only cough mixture that did anything at all.

Jazzy21 · 22/01/2023 22:58

Yep I’ve had it since the last week of November. Keep thinking it might be on its way out before it comes back with a vengeance. Often accompanied by a pain when I swallow, which disappears for a couple of days and then returns again for another 12 hour stint. It’s so weird, I’ve never had a cough last this long before, ever. DD also has it. I know a lot of people who are in a similar boat.

MimiArm · 22/01/2023 23:12

I have this now too (since Monday I think). Started with a really sore throat and general feeling of crappyness then turned into a head cold and horrible cough from Wednesday. Now I'm still bunged up but having non stop coughing fits and wheezing.

Praying my 6 month old baby doesn't get it too as I'm barely coping as it is without him getting it too!

Chickenkeev · 22/01/2023 23:18

MimiArm · 22/01/2023 23:12

I have this now too (since Monday I think). Started with a really sore throat and general feeling of crappyness then turned into a head cold and horrible cough from Wednesday. Now I'm still bunged up but having non stop coughing fits and wheezing.

Praying my 6 month old baby doesn't get it too as I'm barely coping as it is without him getting it too!

Mimi that's exactly how I was. Lemsips all the way and avoid the family as much as you.can. Hope you feel better soon.

MimiArm · 22/01/2023 23:29

@Chickenkeev Thank you! Hope yours passes fully soon!

DH leaves for work really early and isn't home until mid evening then falls asleep early so I'm literally holding the baby for most of the day and I've no family nearby to help. Fingers crossed if baby hasn't caught it yet from me, he won't.

I bought a Vicks humidifier in desperation today and have it blasting at me as I type this . It seems to help a bit so hoping a full night of it wafting on me might help?!

Chickenkeev · 22/01/2023 23:40

MimiArm · 22/01/2023 23:29

@Chickenkeev Thank you! Hope yours passes fully soon!

DH leaves for work really early and isn't home until mid evening then falls asleep early so I'm literally holding the baby for most of the day and I've no family nearby to help. Fingers crossed if baby hasn't caught it yet from me, he won't.

I bought a Vicks humidifier in desperation today and have it blasting at me as I type this . It seems to help a bit so hoping a full night of it wafting on me might help?!

That's so tough, I was absolutely stuck to the bed with it, definitely couldn't have looked after a child. Make vegetable soup, sounds ridiculous but it's good for you and you can make a big batch. Keep the feet up (after you've made your soup!) and don't try to rush your recovery.