In not wanting to go to the doctors?

[oppsthereshegoes]

I've had a cough for over three weeks now.

It's kind of chesty with phlegm but scratchy and dry now too as I suspect my throat is really irritated.

Dh is insisting I go to the doctors today as 'it's gone on too long and they need to sort it.'

I'll go an hour or so without coughing but then have a five minute coughing fit which floors me.

Aibu in thinking coughs are pretty much always viral so nothing they can give for it anyway?

I've got a prolapsed bladder so it is a bit of a nightmare as I'm peeing myself a lot when I cough. I don't want to pay £50 (not in UK) and haul my ass all the way (30 minutes each way) if they're going to give me the 'ffs coughs are clearly not able to be treated by antibiotics' spiel.

The prolapse has got worse I think. I was only peeing when I sneezed, jumped or got tickled before but now it's happening all the time.

Who would have my medical details? My last gp? I moved around so much would they have my childhood ones too? They were a busy London practice, how long would they have to keep them? Can I request them? Lots of questions sorry!

Yes it's morning and night that are awful.

I'm 41 and had whooping cough as a child. I was given all the usual vaccines and got it at an advanced enough age that I can remember it, so my expert conclusion is that they weren vaccinating at that time.

Ask the doc to give you a whooping cough vax while you're there. I had mine topped up a couple of years ago (am also in the US) because whooping cough is getting so common again.

I think I had it when I got my green card. I had all of the required ones (in one go ) apart from chicken pox because I showed them my scars.

That was in 2012 so maybe I'll check if I need a booster. I know they were pushing to five me the dtap when I was pregnant but that made me uncomfortable so I didn't.

U.K. Practice is that full records are transferred when you move to a new GP practice. I'm assuming when you moved to USA same happened.

I moved around a lot too (dad in army) but I was able to get my vaccs info for my nurse training and I was 20 at the time and I'd had 12 Gp's by that point.

I know my gp now doesn't have my UK records.

I think I had it when I got my green card. I had all of the required ones (in one go angry) apart from chicken pox because I showed them my scars.

Yes me too, that was 2007 so a bit longer ago than you. I'd think you're still covered if it was 2012.

U.K. Practice is that full records are transferred when you move to a new GP practice. I'm assuming when you moved to USA same happened.

No it doesn't automatically happen. You have to ask your GP surgery for a printout then give it to your new doc abroad.

They were a busy London practice, how long would they have to keep them? Can I request them?

They have to keep them for 10 years and yes you can (and probably should) request them.

Ok - did say I was assuming as I've only moved with the military where it's all very organised and I'm essentially still under nhs.

Happy to be corrected

Out notes here are all still on paper. It's about as organised as a piss up in a brewery.

Yikes that's not helpful. Must admit the USA healthcare system I find very worrying for many reasons. This is a new one to me though.

Out notes here are all still on paper. It's about as organised as a piss up in a brewery.

That's not good. Have you considered changing doc? Pretty much all our docs (we've seen quite a few in our time here) use electronic notes and many offer an app where you can find your medical test results, see your history, book appointments, and other stuff. Prescriptions are sent directly by computer from the doc to the pharmacy and are almost always ready within 20 minutes. I haven't seen a handwritten prescription in years.

No I live in the arse end of nowhere. The next nearest doctor is two hours away.

Everyone here still uses cheques and are horrified with the new chip and pin system in them new fangled credit cards.

If it’s lasted for longer than 3 weeks, go to the doctor. No ifs, ands or buts.

I went in and it's bronchitis and asthma. I only had half the lung capacity I'm meant to or something.

They gave me a nebuliser and inhaler and some lovely codeine to help me sleep.

Won't give anti bots for another week due to some sodding state rule.

Thanks all.

Good thing you went then - hope you're feeling better very soon

Thanks @Graphista the nebuliser makes me feel dizzy as hell but it's got me out of dinner and the washing up so not all bad!

OP I could literally be you right now! I have had a cold virus with a cough that has been going on for about 2 1/2 weeks now (I'm also in the States). It's going around. Mine is getting better but the mornings and evenings are still grim. I think it's just a virulent strain this year. My cough isn't chesty so to speak, but if I start a fit of coughing I usually end up coughing up a bit of phlegm. My phlegm has gone from nasty green to light green to yellowish-clear now.

BTW it doesn't always mean a bacterial infection when your phlegm is green/yellow - that's an old myth. The colour of your phlegm indicates that your body is launching antibodies to fight the virus and your snot contains dead white cells that sacrificed themselves for you!

Essentially I've turned the corner on this and the daytimes are mostly like I'm perfectly fine, it's just the nights and mornings still. Do you feel the same as you did a week ago? If you feel no improvement at all perhaps you should get checked out. I will say a friend just got diagnosed with walking pneumonia (not as bad as it sounds!) and she had gone about 3 weeks feeling no better at all.

Good grief @Rainbunny it's exactly the same!!

I feel worse than I did a week ago. I've got to go back in on Thursday as she wants to re-check my lung capacity and if it's not markedly better, put me on antibiotics.

It is a virulent strain. I haven't been this sick in years. I thought it was the flu for a few days. Maybe it was.

Ds's preschool have all had this for over two months now!

Good thing you're going to get checked out just in case OP. I actually feel pretty good today, this morning is the first time I've woken up without immediately launching into non-stop coughing/sneezing etc.... Much less phlegm as well.

This has been one hell of a cold! I haven't had a cold in at least 4 or 5 years and I'm usually the quietly smug one as my DH comes down with a few colds every season. Not so smug now!

Me too! It must have been about 4 years. And my cough is so much better today, nebulisers are amazing! Or the inhaler, whichever it was I'm hardly coughing. Still feel like shit but hopefully I'm on the turn, it's just SO nice not to be hacking up phlegm and peeing myself every five minutes!!!