Would you phone GP for crackles in your throat following flu symptoms?

[29andLost]

I feel like I'm making something of nothing atm but I woke up with flu symptoms 10 days ago and now I've started hearing crackling in my throat when I'm breathing.
It's kept my partner awake at night
Other symptoms are cough with yellow phlem, general feeling run down, headache that doesn't go away, stiff neck.
Negative covid tests

• also realise you aren't Dr's but I've nobody else to ask really. My partner thinks I should ride it out and usually I would do but the crackling is a new symptom I've never experienced before

I work in a gp surgery and saw 24 patients today, you sound more unwell then all of them!! (For the persisting breathlessness I think it would be quite reasonable to visit the GP for a checkup).

I was quite adamant about leaving my crackling wheezing chest alone on Monday to ride it out, but my dm who is an ANP gave her marching orders to see gp.
GP sent me to a&e where I ended up in majors on a Nebuliser and a drip, and sent home with a course of steriods and antibiotics as chest x ray showed pneumonia

If you're short of breath op don't fuck about and get seen, go straight to a&e if you can't get in with gp, out of hours, or urgent care

GP here… if you are breathless and cracking please see your GP .. phone after hrs service… you may need to be seen tonight.

I just want to cry and have a sleep (4 children to look after so unlikely)

I know you've said that your "crackling" is disturbing poor diddums of a partners sleep, but why isn't your partner looking after the children?

Sounds like me this last year. Pneumonia and repeated bronchitis through the year . Back to GP again in the morning as I’m rough again.

Because he is at work

For anyone still here, I relented yesterday and got an appointment, diagnosed with a viral lung infection
Got antibiotics and an inhaler. Not sure if it's the ABs or just time but the crackling has definitely improved which I'm glad about, I've had covid and colds but never ever has my breathing done that

Why are they giving you antibiotics if it's viral? Bloody ridiculous.

Mine lasted 8 weeks after flu it's nothing to worry about unless it's on your chest

I’m on week 3 of this awful crackly cough with crackly breathing - like rice crispies popping. I’ve just finished my second lot of antibiotics - how long did this last for everyone else? X

Did they run a sputum test to confirm bacterial/sensitivity for antibiotics? It's not unusual now to find infections that are resistant to either of the commonly used amoxicillin or doxy so you might have a resistant strain. It could just be however that if you've not felt any improvement at all that it's not a bacterial infection at all and more of a viral chest/bronchitis or even reflux which wouldn't have any improvement with antibiotics and not unusual to last around 3 weeks before improvement.

Fo what it's worth my advice would be if you get to 4 weeks without a good noticeable improvement of your symptoms you should recontact GP for reassessment/consider chest xray/sputums if not already occured - can still be viral/something else but warrants more indepth examination at that duration.

I had this op. I opened my mouth and didn’t breathe and you would think I had eaten popping candy. Was so strange. I had pneumonia. I would get checked out. Hope you’re ok x

Of course, you did the right thing going to the doctor. If you are getting breathless and a crackling chest.
Glad you are on the mend. Our Drs always say they prefer to see you and get things checked.

Doctor may think there is a secondary bacterial infection caused by the initial viral infection and so antibiotics are needed to treat this secondary infection or OP is at high risk of developing a secondary bacterial infection which would cause serious complications given she's already been unwell for a prolonged period in which case they'd be prophylactic. Those would be the two most common reasons antibiotics would be used for a viral infection.

how long did it last? I still have popping candy noises when I open my mouth and breathe! It’s been 3 weeks! Confirmed lung infection - pneumonia. 2 lots of antibiotics and steroids - although now finished the course. X

I still have popping candy crackles 3 weeks in and a cough - 2 rounds of antibiotics and steroids - how long did it take to clear up for you? It’s one crackles that worry me l.

spoke to the drs today and they are booking an x ray and also took a swab of saliva x

How long did the popping candy last?

Hi, I still have it
My cough has settled down but it's when I become breathless that the crackles come back

@Misscbu17 I’ve just finished a course of steroids, along with antibiotics for another couple of days. I’d left mine for a week before going to the GP. As an over 70 I’ve had flu and pneumonia vaccines, as well as a COVID booster. I thought it would just go, but it got worse, crackling and whistling, diagnosed as bronchitis. The meds have made a difference, I’m over the worst, the coughing has subsided. It was pretty nasty for a few days, lucky I could have lots of rest.

So I'm pretty unwell again 😪
Got a cough back which is making me vomit.
My ear is immensely sore. Feels like it is filled with pressure.
Every time I breathe I crackle, I'm exhausted to my bones. Everything hurts
Any remedies for getting rid of this?
I was very unwell last Christmas I don't want the same this year.
Unfortunately I work in retail so seems every one has the same symptoms and we are all passing it around but I've not worked there long enough for sick pay so I'm feeling like I HAVE to go in😖

Call 111 if your breathing is still this bad. Take your inhalers as prescribed and prepare to be told to go to hospital. At the very least get back to your GP in the morning.

It could either be that you’re just phlegmy or it could be pneumonia, which is more or less dramatic depending on circumstances honestly. Keep an eye on it and if there’s another worrying symptom (chest pain, shortness of breath, high fever) call your GP. I get pneumonia reliably every year (except when I get bronchitis) and it’s nasty but it passes. The other exception is if you’re very medically vulnerable. Hope you feel better soon.

OK wait I just read the OP before replying. Yes, I’d be pressing for an urgent GP appt. Antibiotics can start clearing pneumonia quickly.

I've been diagnosed with a chest infection 😪😪

You'll feel much better once the antibiotics kick in, hope you feel better soon 😊