Coughing up thick yellow /green mucus :need antibiotics?

[RosesareSublime]

I've had intermittent cough and in am past few days and cleared gunk.
No major cold order anything but last night I felt I was coughing solidly for several hours.
Do I need to antibiotics?

What is your temperature?

Generally, go to a GP if a cough hasn't subsided within three weeks. So keep an eye on it, but for now, plenty of fluids and sleep. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen should deal with any headache and reduce any raised temperature.

Give your body time to fight it off.

Definitely not three weeks temp feels fine.
It was back to back coughing for hours last night.

Not necessarily. I’d give it a few days. If you are starting to feel better, it will clear itself. If you feel worse, may be worth seeing GP. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a GP just for coughing up mucus for a couple days. If you are genuinely ill, you will feel awful and not be improving.

Coupled with tmi: incredibly thick mucus

Try to get telephone appointment for Monday with GP or better still do you have a nurse practitioner who can prescribe antibiotics? If it's yellow/green and thick it's clearly an infection. If it's clear you won't need antibiotics.

@caringcarer thanks, that's what I thought :it signals infection.
I'm OK so far cough wise I will see how I get on tonight.

I wouldn't go for that FOR ME in such a short duration.

Depending on your health status body should clear it off without abs.

Manky- but I would try to keep coughing it up.

My husband has had a shocking cough / cold for about 10 days , coughing up green gunk , it’s just starting to get better . I got him Covonia for chesty coughs and the Beechams all in one liquid and that seems to be helping .

The colour of mucus / secretions meaning you either do / don't need antibiotics is an old wives tale.

That's not the case at all. It shows your body is fighting an infection but does not indicate whether that is a viral infection or bacterial infection. Antibiotics have no effect on a viral infection & should be used sparingly on serious bacterial infections that your body can't fight alone.
If you have no temperature or serious breathing difficulties & you are coughing up the mucus yourself then the best advice is rest & fluids & then seek advice if it doesn't start to improve in a couple of weeks.

I would wait a while. Your body will probably fight the infection itself. I have had similar and it's always cleared without antibiotics. But it depends on your health generally

Unlikely at this point. Your body is doing its job in coughing it out.

Keep well hydrated, maybe try to prop yourself up and on your side with a pillow against your back to keep you from rolling onto it in bed - if it's really bad, hug a pillow or three on your front as that'll help you expel the muck more easily without choking on it (and hugging the pillow tighter reduces strain on your stomach/gives something for your diaphragm to push against to expel more per cough).

Your body can fight this, even if bacterial, unless you are severely immunocompromised?
Keep the antibiotics for when you really need them. Antibiotic resistance is looming and could be a massive concern in the future.
Of course if you are continuing to deteriorate then speak to your gp

Yes I'll wait. I'm OK so far but last night I thought I was going into real trouble.

My now separated husband had this 3 weeks ago. He's now been told it's likely whopping cough and is still poorly. I've now started coughing too and been told I need antibiotics to stop mine developing

How are you feeling this evening, OP?

@AutumnalLeaves38 thanks for the enquiry.
Well that first night I thought I was in trouble but the next day I've been fine. Very odd cough and another fit yesterday day but that's it.
Touch wood it's not whopping cough that's also what I was worried about as dd had /has it. However I know wc doesn't necessarily have mucus and it's not chesty.

Glad to hear it's improving. Hope your daughter's whooping cough also soon improves.