Horrific dry cough & feeling rough as a badger's bum

[MummyNic]

Hi.
2.5 weeks ago I had quite painful tightening in my chest (ex-asthmatic - 19 years from birth but attack free for 19 years now) I also had a fever and felt fairly pants.
1.5 weeks ago I started coughing, off my food, aching all over but no chest pain. Not coughing up anything at all but often cough so much that it makes me sick.
Saw GP yesterday, chest is clear, gave me a note and told to stay at home, in bed. Said it was probably. Viral or real / genuine flu.
I can't sleep for coughing (worse when I lie down) and am living on Night Nurse and a cough syrup. Nothing helps.
Now getting chest pain but think its from coughing but chest feels slightly tight again.
Had pneumonia twice as a child: 6 weeks old and 5 years old.
I believe it sometimes doesn't have obvious chest mucus / rattling - is that really true?
I feel so unwell that I'd quite willingly take myself to the vet and ask to be put down... If only I felt safe to drive after taking Night Nurse...
Plan to go back on Thurs if no better. I'm wondering if antibiotics + steroids would sort it?
Thoughts / advice would be welcomed xx

When DS had pneumonia he had no noticeable rattle, he had a high temp and tummy/chest pain.

Can you go back to the GP to request a chest x-ray?

Pneumonia can be hard to diagnose, often the doctors hear for a rattling but if the lungs are very tight there is very little to actually hear. I'm sure you know this. My son had a terrible chest infection + pleurisy this year and it was undiagnosed by the gp though eventually an xray showed the problem.

In your shoes therefore I would call nhs direct and explain with a view to being seen at a and e. Is someone there to look after you?

Antibiotics didn't touch my son, though iv anti-bi's did - 3 days in hospital.

Don't muck about with a chest infection, you need proper advice and help.

Yup, DS needed IV antibiotics too. Get it checked.

Thanks ladies. Might try & see GP tomorrow and ask for X-ray.. Will feel a fool if I'm wrong but something is niggling in the back of my head.
Almost wish I had an inhaler to take - just want relief!!!

DH works and thankfully DS is at nursery for the next 2 days. Can't even tolerate him for long which makes me feel awful

Yes to getting an inhaler! `Go to docs tomorrow...

Got antibiotics even though chest was clear still. She said they'd break down any mucus if there was any so fingers crossed... Says the struggle to breathe is down to inflammation, which is quite bad today. Said she'd had someone in yesterday with the same thing and she thought of me. Lovely GP. Thinks I might be the first in a long line of this illness and it might be the illness of the season... Always wanted to be a trendsetter