To go to A&E over this cough

[tothinkimhaving]

I know this sounds ridiculous and if I saw this thread title I would tell them they are being ridiculous to go to A&E for a cough, but hear me out (though fully accept I will probably be told that I am being unreasonable and will accept that!).

I caught my son’s cold on Monday and had a cough accompany that. I am over the sniffles but this cough has remained and is worsening by the day!

I can’t breathe in without the overwhelming urge to cough and when I do it’s a full on coughing fit happening every 5-10 minutes to the point my chest and tummy is in pain and I’m at the point of vomiting. Every time I cough it’s like it’s not enough and it won’t stop!

i haven’t slept properly in days because I am waking up constantly in a coughing fit and it’s led me to having problems breathing properly during the night so I’m currently having to sleep sat up.

I’m getting breathless doing simple things like walking up the stairs or even just drinking for longer periods of time, and where I’m coughing so much I’m getting bad head pain and feeling as though my breathing is very light afterwards and I’m really having to try my best to breathe properly.

I’ve had a lot of pain under my rib cage and no appetite at all.

I went to the doctors today for something completely unrelated and while there she took my obs and my resting heart rate was very high (120 she checked minutes apart because she was concerned that it wasn’t going down) and my oxygen levels were low but ‘acceptable’. While this isn’t overly worrying generally, because of how I’m feeling it has made me worry.

I have had a collapsed lung before due to bacterial pneumonia and while I know it hasn’t happened again, I’m worried there’s something wrong and want to get my lungs x-rayed.

Would it be totally stupid to go to A&E for this or should I just wait it out and hope it goes away? I’m feeling awful in myself and no amount of Lemsip or cough meds is helping.

again, fully accept being told I’m unreasonable because I partly know I am being

I was going to say covid and YABU but with your history I would ring 111 and ask…. Hope you feel better soon .

Sounds like whooping cough, drs don't like diagnosing it because it's a notifiable disease. With your history I'd absolutely get advice from a medical professional

Have you done a covid test?

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have done a Covid test which is negative. I called 111 and I’ve got to wait for an out of hours GP to call within the next 2 hours.

I didn’t mean to leave it until a Friday afternoon, it’s just only now that I’m feeling at the worst point before seeking advice. I’d put it down to just a cough beforehand, realise it’s not the best timing.

I don't understand why you didn't get the doctor to listen to your chest it's probably an infection. A and e is for emergency.

This is a GP appointment. They’ll ask for a sputum sample and then it’s either antibiotics - not usually helpful because it’s usually a virus, or oral steroids, which can be a magic bullet.

Its not an A&E thing. See your GP.

It's tough because when I had pneumonia/flu I went to my gp in the morning and was sent home with steroids for my asthma and by evening I was in a&e fighting for my life, so going to see the gp doesnt always mean you get the care you need. See what 111 say but if you get to the point you cant talk from being breathless go straight to a&e

I want to get my lungs x-rayed.

I don't understand why that would be appropriate.
OP sort of reminds me of when DH had pneumonia, but he could barely stop coughing. Each visit (3 over 2.5 weeks) he coughed nearly constantly so his chest was checked & initially he had no diagnosis, then chest infection, then the pneumonia. His Xray only came long after he recovered to see if he had lung damage.

At moment, I think OP is describing a fairly crappy cold.

Get well soon OP, hope we get an update on what's happened with you

Could be pleurisy.
Could also be a nasty chest infection, there is one doing the rounds right now, I'm on day 10. Still coughing a lot. Already had a round of anti biotics which have helped some. Any walking has me coughing worse than before. Think only time will help. I've had pleurisy before, had intense stabbing pains when breathing and a crackly wheeze type when not coughing. Probably not an A&E job but defiantly get some 111 advice.

Newest strains of covid are not being picked up well by lateral flow tests as they are still the same tests that were created for the initial strain. Even PCR tests are not picking up all of the cases (later determined to be positive through repeat testing) You probably have Covid.

Any update?

The GP refused and told @tothinkimhaving to make another appointment. Most of the time it's impossible to get another appointment at short notice.

Breathing difficulties absolutely is a reason to head to A&E. As is chest pain. And yes, that includes pain like the op's.

Advice like this is bad and it's going to kill someone one day.

It isn't your place to gatekeep who goes to A&E.

Wonderful.

Where did you get your medical training and your magical glasses that let you see through the Internet?

Hope you feel better soon, OP.

It isn't your place to gatekeep who goes to A&E.

No one on this thread is gatekeeping for OP. OP asked for opinions. She will actually do as she pleases.

Where did you get your medical training and your magical glasses that let you see through the Internet?

Same question to you, @QuestionableMouse

I don't have medical training, which is why I'm advocating for the op to seek proper medical advice.