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Original poster

At my wits end - Stinking Cold

76 replies

LMW1990 · 25/02/2019 21:46

So, I have had the worst cold I have ever had for the last 10 days it is not easing in anyway.

I'm pretty sure I have sinusitis due to the colour and texture (lumpy - sorry TMI!) of the crap coming out of my nose which is also bloody and when I cough. It's even coming out of my left eye which is red and sore.

I have a chesty cough which is driving me crackers.

It gets worse on an evening/night. I cannot breathe. It is unbearable. Both nostrils are completely blocked, my mouth is as dry as a bone and I keep panicking because I have episodes where I cannot swallow and feel like I'm choking.

I can't get a GP appointment for another week and I feel pathetic going to the Walk-in (which is connected to our local A&E) with a cold.

But I am wiped. I cannot sleep. I have tried:

Ibruprofen
Cocodomol - for when I feel like I've been kicked repeatedly in the face
Decongestants
Steaming my face
Vicks - which now just burns as my skin is raw
Drinking loads of water - did nada except made me constantly need a wee.

Any other suggestions? - in particular to help me breathe!!! I'm desperate!!!

OP posts:
vintagesewingmachine · 26/02/2019 11:28

I have only had this horrendous cold a few days but am at the end of my tether with the facial pain, congestion and constant cough. I have never tried Night Nurse but am off to buy some now as am so desperate for more than 30 minutes sleep in one go that I will try anything. There's an off licence 2 doors down from the chemist so I think I'll pop in there for some medicinal brandyGrin

Original poster
LMW1990 · 26/02/2019 12:19

I have an appointment at 2pm! Praise the Gods!!

Next door might think we have a new dog with all the barking I'm currently doing - once I start I cannot stop.

OP posts:
HeronLanyon · 26/02/2019 12:37

Well done op. Good luck.

SurgeHopper · 26/02/2019 12:41

Roll on 2pm

Lozz22 · 26/02/2019 13:14

@LMW1990 yeah she's ok now, came home last Thursday but still very weak. Definitely on the road to recovery though because she's moaning about my choice of foods lol healthy eating went sailing right out the window. She still doesn't believe she was as poorly as what she was or the fact she was hallucinating. She kept asking me and my Sister why the dr had pinched her foot, we had to keep checking to make sure it was still there and report back to her. I was able to leave around 5:30am to drive back home to start work at 7am. My Sister said once I'd gone it was the longest few hours ever until she was able to leave as well

medusawashere · 26/02/2019 13:25

Oh you poor thing! That does sound worse than a "normal" cold and colds are bad enough as they are! You definitely need to get some better meds and be cared for, poor you! Sending love and healing vibes.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 26/02/2019 13:35

Thank you all for being so kind!!!

I'm off now to snot and cough all over the Dr!

Will keep you posted! x

OP posts:
Original poster
LMW1990 · 26/02/2019 15:23

Well...

They swabbed me for flu - which was positive!! I have secondary viral bronchitis and sinusitis - so antibiotics will be useless. I'm to rest and do as I'm doing - which means shite sleep for a while!!

They noted that I am well overdue an immunology check up (for my allergies) so I possible just have a pretty weak immune system that has turned what should be a simple cold virus into something more nasty.

OP posts:
nutellalove · 26/02/2019 15:28

Get well soon! Maybe get your vit D levels checked as I was very deficient and since taking tablets a year ago combined with probiotics I get maybe 1 mild cold a year (previously used to get terrible colds and tonsillitis at least a few times a year)

Original poster
LMW1990 · 26/02/2019 15:30

If I'm no better in 3 days they want me to go to the hospital for an x-ray too

OP posts:
Fullofregrets33 · 26/02/2019 17:25

I've just had identical. Tbh I don't take anything because nothing seems to work. Paracetamol for high temp at the start. It's just worked its way out of my body now and left behind a horrible loose cough. The doctor is highly unlikely to give you antibiotics

wontletmelogin · 26/02/2019 17:30

I'm the same OP. Since Friday though, no energy, today is the longest I've been awake - still had 3 naps of over an hour though. Sweating through clothes and bedsheets, coughing up and blowing out disgusting huge things, burning sinuses, my throat keeps closing up and I can't breathe like you said. Very rubbish! I got antibiotics today. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 26/02/2019 21:00

Anyone any home remedies for a tickly cough? Will eating honey directly from the jar help?

OP posts:
ememem84 · 26/02/2019 21:33

I’m on honey lemon and ginger in hot water.

Usually I’d also add a splash of whisky. And wash down some ibruprofen with it but not right now. Haha!

Someone I know suggested hot roasted garlic on toast with black pepper. #soundslush

appointmentsaretheworst · 27/02/2019 01:18

A bottle of brandy, genuinely

SurgeHopper · 27/02/2019 01:22

Bloody Nora, LMW, you must feel rough, flu is awful Brew

I guess you're off work for a while, rest up and get better!

Original poster
LMW1990 · 27/02/2019 07:26

I feel like I've been kicked from here to next week but it's becoming the normal feeling IYSWIM? I'm functioning albeit at a reduced capacity to normal. Advised to be off for 2 weeks from when the symptoms started (so until Friday)

OP posts:
sulflower · 27/02/2019 10:40

You poor thing Flowers. I suck boiled sweets which help a bit with the coughing. Jakeman's honey, lemon and menthol at the moment. Hope you start to feel better soon and definitely go back in 3 days if you still feel as bad. Flu can be really serious.

Original poster
LMW1990 · 27/02/2019 11:41

I'm feeling a little less death warmed up this morning but last night I was so sweaty it was awful.

The mucus has become less lumpy but not less in volume (where is it coming from?!) I can easily fill a large tissue with bright green sometimes bloody mucus every 10 minutes. I can about 3 seconds of relief and then I can't breath again. No headache thus far today though.

My eye is driving me scatty. It's gritty and sore. The surrounding skin is chapped. Working in Ophthalmology I have some drops luckily so I am using Chloramphenicol drops as a precaution in case it turns into an actual eye infection as opposed to sinus related.

Cough is chesty and productive but a little less painful today. The tickle inbetween is like Chinese water torture though!

OP posts:
HeronLanyon · 27/02/2019 20:52

Opmsounds as though you
May have turned a tiny corner albeit still on crap street - I am so sorry.
I was looking after someone with similar last night and can report that hot lemon honey with fresh chopped ginger steeped in it and eaten worked well. Worked even better apparently when I topped it up with some rum. Helped sleep. Good luck recovering.

Missmother · 27/02/2019 21:03

I’ve currently got the flu and I’ve had it for 2 weeks this Friday, it’s horrendous and it’s affecting everything, right now I have a very cheery cough, the mucous has stopped coming up at least but my coughing fits are lasting for 20 mins a time, and now I keep getting these weird pains in my stomach, sides and back, everytime I go out to the shops, a food run, etc, then when I come in the pains in my body are horrendous, it’s like dull aches all over my body, I had to take my jacket off the other day on the bus as I thought the heat was going to make me pass out, I had a vest top on underneath my winter coat and I was roasting, I even got off the bus early as I couldn’t stand it anymore. This is only the 2nd time I’ve had the flu in my life and it’s fucking awful, next time I’ll pay for the flu jab, I honestly thought I was dying, everything tastes off too.

Missmother · 27/02/2019 21:03

Chesty cough not cheery

Missmother · 27/02/2019 21:04

It’s the flu you have OP not a cold!

Missmother · 27/02/2019 21:05

Ha funny it’s been 2 weeks with you too this Friday! How odd, definitley something going about, a horrid virus and I’ve been told that the coughing part of it has been lasting 3 weeks!

Original poster
LMW1990 · 01/03/2019 16:42

Hope everyone who was down with this nasty virus is feeling better!

I'm feeling a little more human! I can breathe!! Hurray!! Still got the awful barking cough though.

And the fatigue!!! I think I feel pretty much better until I stand up and try to do anything as simple as getting dressed. Even getting out the shower is an effort and I'm sweating like a pig within five minutes.

Hopefully this is the end of it now though!!

OP posts: