Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To assume my cough is because I have a cold

293 replies

Redsquirrel34 · 20/09/2020 08:55

So since Thursday I've been absolutely full of cold. Streaming nose, felt a bit rough. No temp and no cough until today. I've woken and feel alot better in myself but can feel the phlegm at the back of my throat and it's making me cough! Not horrendously, just a short cough. I've been awake an hour and coughed 3 times. The cold was caught from my nieces, who passed it onto my daughter, then to me. And now my husband and son are all extremely snotty too.
Isn't this the reason why there's no tests? Because technically I have a cough I should get tested but common sense says it's a cold. I just feel it's stupid to attempt to test in these circumstances. If I had a cough out of nowhere or a temp it would be different. Aibu to put the cough down to a cold?

OP posts:
Hiddennameforever · 20/09/2020 09:52

So this is all gonna be now. Any cold/ cough, sore throats, runny nose..
Everything is now a Covid.
All other illnesses gone.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 20/09/2020 09:53

'I’m in exactly the same boat. It feels 100% like any other cold I’ve ever had. I am now coughing but to get the gunk out of my throat - is not a “dry cough” As Covid is. No plan to test but my kids are now getting it which worries me.'

The symptoms between mild covid and a cold are very similar. Some with covid describe it as like a cold.

I wouldn't suggest anyone with a runny nose gets tested, but once there is a new cough whether it is dry or productive then people should isolate and get a test. Reading this thread it's no wonder infections are soaring.

vanillandhoney · 20/09/2020 09:54

@cricketmum84

Same thing here. DD started first, then DH and then me. I'm bunged up, runny nose and chesty cough with mucus.

My mum and sister keep pushing me to get a test but I don't fancy a 70 mile round trip to either be told there are no tests left and to find out my cold is just a cold... I'm 99.9999999% sure I do not have Covid!

If you can't be bothered to get tested, I hope you're all self isolating and staying home then.

Honestly. What's so difficult to understand? If you have symptoms - get a test, and until you get a negative result, stay home!

ItsGoingTibiaK · 20/09/2020 09:54

*persistent cough. Not continuous - but meeting the NHS criterion.

2pinkginsplease · 20/09/2020 09:54

my Hay fever makes me cough, I do get strange looks if I cough when out but I’ve always had it throughout hay fever season I do not have a coughing episode, I just randomly have to cough throughout the day.

I work in childcare services and bosses are fine with my cough, others have been sent to get tested but I haven’t.

Leafbeans · 20/09/2020 09:54

I had the same last week, I was in the fortunate position of being able to work from home and my DH was off work to look after DC anyway, I stayed in but didn't take a test because it was productive and following a cold.

Lindy2 · 20/09/2020 09:55

I have my normal seasonal cough that starts in September and runs til February. As I have had this every year since 2001, when I started teaching, do I bother with a test?

If a person who teaches my children had a cough I would like them to get tested, as set out in the Government guidelines and I'm sure the school risk assessments.

You might get a cough every year. However, in past years there would not have been the risk it was Covid. This year there is that risk.

Do the right thing a get tested. You work in a school for goodness sake!

vanillandhoney · 20/09/2020 09:55

@Hiddennameforever

So this is all gonna be now. Any cold/ cough, sore throats, runny nose.. Everything is now a Covid. All other illnesses gone.
Well, noHmm

What people are saying is get a test to make sure it's not COVID-19. If you get a negative result, then continue to go about your life, but until then, you don't know for sure, so don't take the risk.

Infections are soaring and still people can't be bothered to test or think they know better than the health experts. Bonkers.

Leafbeans · 20/09/2020 09:55

And there are no tests around here.

Leafbeans · 20/09/2020 09:56

@Lindy2 so they're supposed to do a test every 14 days or whatever, despite knowing what's causing their cough? No wonder there's no bloody tests.

tabulahrasa · 20/09/2020 09:56

The whole point of getting the test for a cough is to see if it’s Covid, or something else... you’re not just supposed to get one if you’re sure it is Covid - what would be the point of that?

ItsGoingTibiaK · 20/09/2020 09:57

@Hiddennameforever

So this is all gonna be now. Any cold/ cough, sore throats, runny nose.. Everything is now a Covid. All other illnesses gone.
Not at all. It's really simple. If you have any of the three symptoms, you must isolate and get a test. The three symptoms are:
  • a high temperature
  • a new, continuous cough
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

No mention of sore throats, runny noses or any of the other hundreds of symptoms people get from other infections.

I wish this country wasn't so full of people determined to act like stroppy, rebellious teenagers at the slightest sniff of being asked to act in a socially responsible manner.

PurpleDaisies · 20/09/2020 09:58

@tabulahrasa

The whole point of getting the test for a cough is to see if it’s Covid, or something else... you’re not just supposed to get one if you’re sure it is Covid - what would be the point of that?
How can you be sure it’s covid?

A positive test gets you into the track and trace system so your contacts can be isolated.

DeliasDinner · 20/09/2020 09:58

The trouble is with the lack of availability of testing, is that people are relying on guesswork. The reality is that no-one on this thread can really know with any certainty what their symptoms would be if they had covid.

My DD and her flatmate both currently have covid (tested). They started with a sore throat for a about 24 hours. DD then developed a raised temperature. Her flatmate didn't. At that point, there was nothing to really make them think this was covid. DD then suddenly and completely lost her sense of smell and most of her sense of taste. Her flatmate lost just her sense of taste and has had no other symptoms since.

DD then developed a persistent headache and some breathlessness. At no point has either of them had a cough.

The problems with testing need to be resolved urgently. As poeple develop colds and flu this winter, it's going to be almost impossible to self diagnose with any certainty.

walksen · 20/09/2020 09:58

I had the same issue last week but being a teacher decided to get tested. We are all expected to follow the national guidance and didn't want to risk passing anything on to pupils or colleagues.

Doubt parents would have been happy to have a coughing teacher teaching their kids either tbh.

Hotmilkandhoney · 20/09/2020 09:59

@tabulahrasa

The whole point of getting the test for a cough is to see if it’s Covid, or something else... you’re not just supposed to get one if you’re sure it is Covid - what would be the point of that?
Well no, there is specifically a distinction about coughs in the guidance. It says a continuous cough, and goes on to define continuous (1 hr + of coughing, or 3+ episodes of coughing). I’ve not had any episodes of coughing. I cough once, occasionally. Thus it’s not a continuous cough. I’m following the rules to the letter.
Scantilydoesit · 20/09/2020 10:00

My daughter started with a stuffy nose and sore throat on Thursday after school. She developed a cough and low temp on Friday. She got tested yesterday so waiting for results. Fingers crossed! We haven't socialised at all with anyone as I work from home (and don't really have any friends here as such) so the only place she could have picked it up is school. My other kids have started sneezing. Luckily for us, it was very easy to get a test (S.Wales). I'll post back here when she gets them. I feel awful for her as I'm trying as hard as possible to distance my other kids as one has asthma just in case. I'll be very surprised if it is covid though.

Sugarhouse · 20/09/2020 10:01

I have a cold and developed a cough which was dry and tickly to start with. I was sure just a cold but got tested as I couldn’t risk going to work in a customer facing roll just in case. Luckily was negative. A close family member had cold symptoms runny nose and sneezing and a temp so got tested she tested positive for Covid.

cornflakecritter · 20/09/2020 10:01

Nobody here is going to be able to overrule NHS or government advice. A continuous cough is three times in twenty four hours. You need to self isolate and book a test.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 20/09/2020 10:04

'Honestly. What's so difficult to understand? If you have symptoms - get a test, and until you get a negative result, stay home!'

This thread is so depressing. Numbers rapidly increasing, hospital admissions increasing so deaths will too yet people self diagnosing their new coughs!!

I bet the same people will complain about restrictions and then wang on that the government aren't doing enough.

If you have a new continuous cough (as in more than 3 times in 24hrs, not literally), dry or however you want to describe it then isolate and get a test!!!

tabulahrasa · 20/09/2020 10:04

“How can you be sure it’s covid?

A positive test gets you into the track and trace system so your contacts can be isolated.”

That’s my point...

All the people going, well yeah I’ve got a cough, but I think it’s something else so I’m not getting a test. You’re not supposed to just decide for yourself, you’re supposed to get a test so you know definitely.

“I’ve not had any episodes of coughing. I cough once, occasionally.“

Then I don’t mean you, do I...

I’m not saying, cough occasionally and go get a test. I’m meaning all the people saying well yes I have a cough that fits the criteria for testing, but I’m not going to bother because I’ve decided I know whether it’s Covid or not myself.

ithinkiveseenthisfilmbefore · 20/09/2020 10:05

YANBU.

All my DCs had colds last week. Clearly colds.

But I kept them home for a couple of days because I didn't want to deal with any potential idiocy from their schools. Normally, unless there's a fever involved, they go in when they have colds and schools have always said they should, too.

My own school is the same: there are many children clearly incubating colds last week. Some came in; some didn't. My class had at least 4 children with colds. And we're being sensible about recognising that.

I wish all schools were.

jessstan2 · 20/09/2020 10:05

It certainly sounds like a cold.

I hope you feel better soon.

OhDear2200 · 20/09/2020 10:05

Wow it’s amazing how many people can distinguish between a cold and an illness they have never had!

There needs to be common sense but the government needs to increase testing and make it much more smoother so that everyone on this thread saying ‘I’ve got a cough but I know it’s a cold’ can be certain it’s a cold.

It’s a royal pain to go through the whole testing system. That needs to change because otherwise everyone will just say it’s a cough.

OhDear2200 · 20/09/2020 10:06

Cold!