Adult Whooping Cough

[Peachslice]

Hi
never normally sick, but for last 3.5 weeks I’ve had all the symptoms of whooping cough, with virtually no sleep and feel like I’m in h*ll! Relentless hacking cough followed by gasping, and clear mucus vomiting then sore ribs that feels like they’ve splinted whenever I cough. To now the last 3 nights waking up several times like something from a horror film where I’m suffocating with mucus and literally in my knees coughing and vomiting. I’ve contacted my surgery twice, first time saw GP associate at 1.5 weeks who said lungs clear and as it’s clear mucus no ABs indicated. Today spoke to a GP who prescribed a strong nasal spray decongestant. Anyone else been in ax similar situation? When does it improve?!

I'm sorry to tell you I had this from March and only just clear of the spasm coughing now. It's known as the 100 day cough and it was the most awful illness I've had in years and I had Covid 4 times!
I pulled some rib muscles too and was in pain from those. One time I had to slap my self in the face as I couldn't draw breath!
Things that helped were a lemsip and antihistamine tablet before bed
Lots of little sips of water
Cough sweets
Sleeping sitting up
Sorry it was just time in the end.

I had EXACTLY the same. After two weeks I went back to de and was bolshy about antibiotics and got them and things have cleared up a lot. I think you need them to knock it on the head. My pelvic floor was non existent during coughing. I slep sitting up with one of these cushions

It does sound like whooping cough. Sending you warm wishes and hope you get well soon. Don’t hesitate to take any painkillers to help with the sore ribs.

It sounds like whooping cough and from bitter experience once you're this far in there isn't any medication to help. Go to hospital if you're struggling to breathe. I genuinely felt like I was suffocating and drowning a the same time. I hope you get well soon.

I had similar recently...lasted about six weeks. I'm slowly getting better.

I had this for 4-5 weeks. I wore period pants to deal with the lost of pelvic floor muscles.

Lots of liquid, be careful when eating/drinking as well. I still get episodes and on Sunday sprayed DH and the hotel breakfast table with Cappuchino.

I found Chai tea helped me a lot, it was already during Covid when I drunk it by the bucketload instead of just during winter. It's soothing for the throat. The same with hot chocolate or good chocolate milk.

It does take a long time to shift. I didn't get anti biotics -& it took about 6-8 weeks.

I got some advice from a chest physician friend that did help; when you feel a cough coming on, swallow. It's not easy to start with but does get easier. I was left with an super sensitive patch on my throat here the cough seemed to start - it was weird, but swallowing did help stop the cough as it was about to start.

Thanks everyone for the kind words and experiences. I think unless you’ve been through it when you tell friends they just think oh it’s a bad cough. It’s a million times worse than a bad cough!!!

Yes it's really hideous. I was eating something when I started coughing and ended up choking. It was horrendous...I really was petrified. I also barely slept. Awful.

Thanks for the advice, I can’t imagine ever being safe eating or drinking in public, it’s a currently very messy noisy affair! I’m not normally sick but feel this has aged me 10 years!

Yes. It's really one of the most unpleasant things I've ever had. Uncontrollable cough and unable to catch breath. Gipping and feeling like you'll be sick, the terrible intake of breath. Just awful. I had two lots of antibiotics both of which I had allergic reactions to and I'm just starting to come out of it about 8 weeks later. Flipping awful.

I had that earlier in the year. It lasted for 3 - 4 months. Antibiotics didn't help. I had an inhaler and drank LOTS of water

You're right as well about the lack of sympathy/understanding unless you are diagnosed with whooping cough everyone thinks you must be exaggerating.
I said to my DH this feels medieval that there is nothing to be done for months on end. Genuinely the worst thing ever, and that was after some antibiotics and steriods.
I carried on working as well because it seemed like no one would understand but it's just a dreadful condition to be alone with.
Fainting/weeing and vomiting but oh well have a lemsip!

Sounds horrible!

I had exactly the same, 6 weeks ago and am still waking in the night choking/whooping and my throat/lungs are very sensitive to irritants eg a biscuit crumb seems to get stuck and set it off. The rib pain was unbelievable.

Seems ridiculous for what is supposed to be a fairly minor illness, I didn't have it as a child.

It's never been called a minor illness

I’ve had whooping cough for nearly 6 months now - antibiotics make no difference at all, they are only prescribed in the first 3 weeks to reduce spread, they don’t alleviate symptoms. It’s a vicious horrible illness. You have my every sympathy 😢

@Defiantlynot41 it kills children - it’s absolutely not a minor illness.

When I was a teenager a lot of younger children caught WC following a vaccine scare and drop in herd immunity ; it was awful. My DD had it at 9 despite having been vaccinated. She vomited from coughing from Easter to the summer holidays. It is a nasty illness.

My sympathy to all those who have gone or are going through this. I also had whooping cough fairly recently - it took me a while to realise what it was and initially put it down as a flare up in my asthma. Wheezing and trying to take a breath in between coughs was scary and I was bashing my chest to help take a regular breath.

I found sucking "chesty cough" pastilles helped a lot as well as lots of gargling with warm salt water, taking paracetamol (2x500mg) regularly and avoiding anything dairy really helped. I sipped fresh ginger and lemon tea as well as a very light diet.

I found a tongue brush (not scraper) really useful to remove the plug of clear mucus at the back of my tongue useful plus a Vicks vapour rub or tiger balm on my chest with a hot water bottle helped a lot, as did sitting in a hot steamy bath just before bed. I still get niggles weeks later but the worse is definitely over. 🤞🌹

Have you got confirmation that it's whooping cough?
It's a notifiable illness that the nhs take seriously.
I had it a few years ago and was back and forth to the doctors for antibiotics etc then when I coughed in the appointment he instantly said you have whooping cough (as the whoop is like no other cough)and need a test - I think it was a blood test but can't recall fully.
I'd been ill from October half term and it was confirmed by a phone call on Christmas eve.
I have never been so ill to be honest but I'm asthmatic so that didn't help.

A good friend of mine currently has whooping cough. She had it for about three weeks before seeking medical help but is now on antibiotics. Her doctor diagnosed it on the basis of the sound of her cough. Swab and blood tests can confirm the diagnosis but only in the first 3 weeks so it was too late for her.

There is a lot of it about at the moment (and I assume even more that hasn't been diagnosed and reported)

www.gov.uk/government/publications/pertussis-epidemiology-in-england-2024/confirmed-cases-of-pertussis-in-england-by-month

Coming back on here to add that, having thought a month ago that it was on its way out, it's back with a vengeance in the last week. Has anybody else found this? That it sort-of lessens and then comes back full force? I'm absolutely sick and tired of feeling rotten. My '100 days' is due to be up in a couple of weeks and I really thought it would be gone by now.

Yes mine seemed to come and go when it was it's way out. Nearly 4 months now and I just cough still occasionally but not the uncontrollable spasm coughing.
If you feel worse though with a temperature or anything maybe go back to the Dr to check.

@worriedgal I'm 90%sure dd had it and the doc couldn't have cared less, I mentioned whopping cough and he instantly batted it away