Whooping cough

[Barleycat]

My sons, both teenagers, have whooping cough. The oldest has been coughing for 5 weeks now and has had two trips to a and e in that time. Youngest been coughing for three weeks and is in the whooping and coughing up thick mucus and vomiting stage. We dudnt realise until last weekend that's what he had and none of the health professionals have done either. Saw a gp on tues this week who was v dismissive despite the whooping in the surgery and disease progression for both boys being text book. I asked about school as its v contagious for up to three weeks but thr gp said it was fine to go in, luckily he's been too ill but there was last week, as was my older son who now has several coughing friends. Asked about swab, Gp said they don't do it... Its a notifiable illness! So aibu in thinking that the gp should be taking this more seriously and that health professionals have forgotten how whooping cough presents and how bad it can be? We're in South London so would be interested to know of any other cases.

Both have had all vaccinations, apparently it wears off about 10 years

Mine also had it as teenagers and I had it in my 40s (all vaccinated).

It can be really dreadful, can't it? I had it about 15 years ago and I was coughing violently for literally months. I was exhausted and at my wit's end with so many bad nights' sleep.

I visited my doctor who initially said it was a textbook case of whooping cough and that of course my vaccination would have worn off years ago. I had definitely got that impression after months of coughing until I vomited.

He later changed his mind and I got no help with it, though, to be fair, I'm not sure what could have been done. I hope your sons don't have half as bad a time!

It's a dreadful illness. I had it when I was about three, can remember whooping. My brother was about 6 weeks and v unwell, that was in the 70s.. I'm hoping I've got some protection as do not want this. I feel so bad for my poor boys. Luckily they're quite stoic, youngest is having to carry a bucket around with him for when he coughs but he's ok ish in between coughing bouts. It's the most ill I've ever seen them. They have asthma but that is unaffected by this thankfully.

My eldest DS had it at 4 months old. It took weeks to get diagnosed, he was going blue from coughing so bad. I was a young mum and dismissed as such. Eventually took him to A&E, even they sent him home, but the doctor I said actually rang me the next morning and said she’s been thinking better of it and bring him back in. He was diagnosed with whooping cough and bronchiolitis. He had it 10wks in the end, what really annoyed me was I later found out the GP’s own DD had it at the same time and he still misdiagnosed it on 3 occasions. Hope your DS’s are better soon, it can take a long while to go and should definitely be taken seriously

I'm sorry your ds was so ill zanatdy and that you were dismissed too. 10 weeks poor thing! Its so frustrating isn't it. I am not young (50!) but the gp was v snooty when I said I'd read thr symptoms on NHS website and was sure that's what my boys have.

It's horrible, isn't it?

I was fully vaccinated, but think I got a mild case when there was so much of it about in 2011. Not too horrible, but I was coughing for about 6 weeks

Yes, the GP should be testing to see if something is a notifiable disease (not least as prevalence informs public health campaigns). But it's easier to nothing and hope enough of the herd is immune (through vaccines that haven't worn off or actual exposure)

But there isn't much that can be done for the afflicted, other than ride it out.

I've had it in the last few years. Awful thing, but health professionals weren't really interested. I recall it used to be called the 100 days cough and that turned out to be about right.

I had it earlier this year (despite having bad it as a child). It was horrible, coughing until I vomited/wet myself. Took at least 3 months to clear. GP did a blood test to confirm, as I was going to be in contact with vulnerable groups (pregnant women, young babies etc)

Very dangerous.

My 6 week old caught whooping cough.

He use to make a loud wheezing noise and just turn blue. It was so scary.
Initially they thought he had meningitis, did lumbar puncture put him on medication for it straight away.
It still continued.
They did heart scans, brain scan etc

It was a terrifying time then they did a test and found out he had caught whooping cough.

Any coughing in a baby younger than 4 months is a serious sign.

When DH had it he was given antibiotics and had to stay off work for 3 days. Public Health rang to speak to him to try and establish where he might have caught it but he had no idea.
As your DC have now both passed the infectious stage there's no reason for them to stay off school if they are well enough to go. Antibiotics will only be of use now if they develop a secondary infection.

I had it about 20 years ago when I was about 5 months pregnant. I told the GP I thought I had it as a colleague had been diagnosed. I was swabbed and given antibiotics - apparently that stopped me being infectious. The coughing was awful for months - still coughing when I gave birth. I've been prone to coughs ever since.

Ooh this sounds absolutely horrible. I'm so surprised they aren't testing. In terms of treatment I don't think there is much they can do if someone has had it for over 3 weeks as the antibiotics used to treat it aren't recommended past the 3 week point...

I started this thread back in June. Both my sons were coughing for over three months in the end, it really is a 100 day cough. They each infected two other people that we know of before we realised what they had. I think i said in the OP that no one in A and E realised what it was and the GP was also dismissive. I'm not surprised it's spreading, there is little testing and little awareness. Apparently teenagers are second most likely group to get it as the vaccine protection starts to wane. Only good thing is that there were in years 10 and 12 when they had it, not years 11 and 13! Sorry for long post but just echoing others concern; it's a horrible illness.

It can wear off quicker than 10 years, my child had it at 9 and passed it on to a friend's younger sibling. We were both removed from the waiting room to an empty room before being seen, swabbed and given antibiotics when my child's result came back as positive. My child went back to school after 5 days of antibiotics even though he'd had it over three weeks so was no longer contagious anyway. He coughed for three months, I never caught it.

I think my child was given antibiotics as they couldn't rule out that he may have had a cold first, it started like a cold. I took him to the GP when he started whooping after three weeks of what I thought was a post viral cough.

Child in my year group disappeared from school in the Christmas half term and didn't return until the second half of spring. We were told not to ask her about it because she'd been off with Whooping Cough and her newborn baby brother died of it.

DP has just got over it. He works in Education, but hasn't been able to access any vaccinations other than flu - his father was an antivaxxer.

GPs aren't equipped for middleaged adults saying 'I never had my childhood vaccinations and I spend my entire life surrounded by young people and students'.

That's really interesting DrDougJ. I was worried about catching it but thankfully didn't. I had whooping cough when i was about three and can remember the whooping so i did wonder if having had it had helped protect me.. My pregnant work colleague has recently been vaccinated and was very grateful to have the opportunity to be.

@DrDougJ I've just been reading your website...I have 12yr old twins who I now suspect have WC. One is about 4 weeks in and one is almost 3 weeks in ... numerous Drs visits and steroids, increased inhalers etc with no improvement. If I approach the Drs asking for a test and with the information on your pages, do they have to do the test?

My dd got it at 11 despite being inoculated. It was her first week at big school and she coughed herself sick several times in assembly. I was back and forwards to the gp until I suggested it might be hooping cough., After swabs it turned out it was. This was 25+ years ago.

@Barleycat

I am in South London and have had it since August.

No NHS medic spotted it - despite numerous calls to 111 citing breathing problems after coughing and vomiting after coughing.

eventually through work I saw a BUPA consultant who said it was likely Whooping cough and I was the 3rd case he’d seen that day (November).

he said it is on the rise steeply.

Ah sorry I see this is an old(ish) thread

My eldest (now 30) got whooping cough at 4 months old, misdiagnosed for 2wks even though GP’s own daughter had it at the same time. It was awful, the coughing was so bad he could hardly breathe. Took to A&E, sent home, only for the A&E doc to ring me next morning to say she had slept on it and bring him back. Finally admitted for 5 days (in isolation as yes it’s contagious) and had bronchitis too. He coughed badly for 10wks

I caught it from diagnosed son, 6. The miserable elderly GP said grown-ups didn't get it, stop making a fuss!

@DrDougJ - could you help me? I got it final days of August / v early Sept.

Because I’ve had colds and a flu over winter the cough has continued and I’m still coughing now (no whooping).

Do you have any recommendations about what I can do to get rid of the cough finally?