Why did my Doctor do this?

[flowerlover1990]

I've had a persistent dry cough for 3 weeks. I'm exhausted with it. I can't finish a sentence without it turning into a coughing fit. My throat is sore too. I finally got a GP appointment today, he listened to my chest and checked my throat and I walked out the appointment with an Omeprazole prescription. What an earth?! He thinks I have acid reflux. I have no other symptoms of acid reflux whatsoever. Why would he not try me on antibiotics first? I was too exhausted to fight, so just walked out feeling very confused. What do I do?!

Probably because he is a doctor and believes that to be the cause of your problems. You don't need to fight, just listen to his advice.

My cough sounds like a bark. Is that typical for whooping cough?

Clear chest. I have no complaints with my chest. I didn't think it was a chest infection, but perhaps an upper airway infection. Who knows. My throat feels like it's half the size of normal.

No, not at all.

Reflux or post viral asthma exacerbation would be my money.

If chest is clear then unlikely to need antibiotics as no infection.

I had a dry cough for months, worse in the evening. I had a steroid nose spray in case it was caused by a nasal drip - that didn't work so next try was Omeprazole. Cleared it up very quickly which was a huge relief. I have halved the dosage now and some days don't take it all, but if I don't take it for a few days my cough starts to come back in the evening, so I take it then. I have always been quite acidy and had my gall bladder out a few years ago, but wouldn't have connected a cough with reflux. Very glad my GP did though!

Sounds like it’s necessary if the OP can’t finish a sentence without coughing?

It doesn't sound like a bacterial infection. Did he look in your throat and take your temperature? He has ruled out bacterial upper airway infection.
Viral coughs can take weeks to clear. Or it could be reflux. Sounds like the GP is being pretty proactive to me.

Its only necessary if she has a bacterial infection.

Not really because antibiotics will likely not help.

I lost my voice for 6 weeks - completely lost my voice. It was reflux

@Pippinsdiary" Sounds like it’s necessary if the OP can’t finish a sentence without coughing?"

No, not at all.

Coughing can easily be caused by irritation in the throat area.

This could be allergic, viral or caused by irritation of stomach acid in this area.

The Dr, who trained for some considerable time has examined OP and listened to her symptoms and has come up with a diagnosis.

It seems fair to at least try what they have suggested for a week or so.

After that if OP has had no relief they could return.

I really do wonder why people try so hard to get a GPs appointment and then assume they know absolutely nothing.

I had this problem, was even referred to an ENT and had a camera down my throat. It was acid reflux and omeprazole solved it.

He didn’t give you antibiotics because you had no signs of a bacterial infection.
A dry cough IS a symptom of reflux, frequently the only one.

It’s often unclear what the exact cause of a symptom is, so it’s a matter of trying different treatments to see what works.
And if you had an issue with the advice or treatment you were given why on earth didn’t you just ask him at the time. No need to be aggressive or have a “fight”, just a simple question.

"Why would he not try me on antibiotics first? "

Because he's got years of medical training and knowledge, giving him the skills and rights to diagnose and prescribe.

You on the other hand....

Antibiotics do not work against viral infections or a whole range of other conditions.

Bacterial infections have specific symptoms which it seems the Dr did not find.

Much better to try Omeprazole first, which has fewer side effects on the individual and on society.

I am a doctor, I would wake up with a dry throat and cough all the time. It went on years. My GP gave me omeprazole too. It worked! ( doctors can be a bit thick about their own health).. give it a go. If it doesn’t work GP will try something else.

Wow, people are so aggressive on this app. I just remembered why I don't come on here anymore to ask for advice. Thank you to the lovely people who have given me some sensible and non aggressive advice based on their experiences. I also never said I wasn't going to trial the Omeprazole, of course I'll take it and see what happens. I was completely unaware there was a link between a cough and reflux, how silly of me.
I'm also allowed to have another opinion to what the doctor thinks.
And yes quite rightly, I could have pushed a bit more, but I'd already had quite a battle to get the appointment in the first place. I also had a screaming poorly baby on my lap and just wanted to get out.

Anyway, All the best

If your chest is clear you don't have an infection. Giving abx when you don't have an infection is stupid and breeds resistance

Silent reflux is really common and coughing a chronic cough (the word silent means lack of typical reflux symptoms

Antibiotics do not work against viral infections or a whole range of other conditions

We should get children to recite this over and and over like the old way of learning times tables then maybe the next generation will understand better. The amount of times I’ve had this conversation with my parents, it’s like banging your head against the wall. Poor doctors.

Dry cough and sore throat is a pretty classic combination for reflux, so definitely worth trying the omeprazole.

"I'm also allowed to have another opinion to what the doctor thinks."

You do realise that these opinions are not equally informed?

Croup is typical barking cough (YouTube it) but its typically a disease of childhood not seen it in adults

He can only give you antibiotics if you have a bacterial infection. It sounds as though you haven't.
Why didn't you ask him to explain what the medicine is for and what he thinks the problem is?