At what point do you stop being stoic about a nasty cough/cold and go to the doctor to see if you need antibiotics?

[zipzap]

just wondering really if there is a point at which you can tell that your common cough/cold has changed into something worse that you can do something about?

I used to get coughs that turned into nasty coughs on a regular basis so would only go to the doc if it really wasn't going after 6 weeks or so. Then they would either say go away amd come back if you still have it in a week / fortnight (fine by me, I hate taking tablets but frustrating when you do go back at the prescribed time and they tell you you should have gone in much earlier ) or they say it's turned into bronchitis/ pneumonia/ secondary infection etc and give you something.

I've now got the nasty cough cold that's going around and had it for 3 1/2 weeks. Still mega coughing but figure it will still take a good 2-3 weeks to clear so mot that worried.

However dh is now trying to get me to go to the doctors now as he's fed up with all the coughing. And because at the lunch we're going to on Xmas eve there's going to be someone who's had a transplant (I hadn't realised they were going to be there until now) so I obviously don't want to be passing on bugs. (hmm. Wonder if this could be good way to get out of mil's lunch... :o but then that would mean dh driving loads by himself and with the kids so would worry about them. No easy answers)

I'm just not sure that antibiotics will do anything at the moment and I'm also very wary of going to the doctors just before Christmas as I always seem to pick up a bug (usually d&v) after going and I so do want that now!

So - if you've got this far! - thank you. And what do you reckon the turning point is for going to the doctor with a nasty cough/cold. Are there any symptoms or signs that are good markers over just having it for a long time?

my rule of thumb (for myself, different for DCs) is if i don't want to go to GPs because i can't be bothered going out of the house, it's time to go.

but what i mean is, if i'm feeling too ill to go about normal day to day stuff, then it's prob not going to go by itself

i take it you're doing all the steam inhalations and honey/lemon drinks etc? they can really help loosen the gunk

Well, antibiotics will do nothing for a virus so I don't go unless there are signs of bacterial infection, eg. brown or yellow snot (infected sinus), brown or yellow phlegm (chest infection), white spots on throat (throat infection), bad earache (ear infection)...

I had the long drawn out coughy cold thing a few weeks ago, it's exhausting isn't it? I found the breathing exercises on this site useful for clearing my chest (don't do them in polite company though ). I hope you feel better soon.

I go for coughing up green/yellow gunk, and feeling breathless when I walk up the stairs. If I'm tired, but can get on with things, I wouldn't go

This cough is a pita though - I've coughed myself sick for 5 days now, but no sign of a bacterial infection at all

I am on my 12th week......................truly, started off on the 15th Oct travelling back from a holiday. Sore throat, temp etc..............then it turned into a full head cold and I have been gunged up and coughing ever since. Went to the gp two weeks ago and she wouldn`t prescribe anything, said its viral. Olbas oil on my pillow really helps at bedtime, plus hot hot drinks!

I had this cough for weeks too but reluctant to go to drs as no sign of infection. Got some cough medicine reccommended by pharmacist to help get rid of mucus/phlegm and it does work unfortunately by making me cough it up not pleasant or i cough until i am sick. Feel better knowing i am not the only one suffering.

Go to the doctors after 10 days. I left it for a while once, turned out it was pneumonia. I ended up quite fucked for 6 weeks and a bit fucked for a long time. You know that saying: that which does not kill you makes you stronger? That doesn't apply to pneumonia. It messes you up for a long time!

Fed up now just had prickling in throat making me cough and sick again. Couple of times I've burst blood vessel in throat scary at first. Was actually thinking i was a lot better today now feeling sorry for myself again.

My rule of thumb is coughs that make it difficult to even have a conversation, over the whole day & over at least 3 full days. DH had that & turned out to be chest infection that turned into pneumonia & took 3 lots of antiBs to clear out.

I still tense up when he gets any sort of persistant cough.

Thanks everyone, you've kind of confirmed what I thought.

I'm doing all the usual stuff - olbas oil on pillow and inhalations, cough mixture to loosen chest, gargling brandy at night (or is that just my mum's excuse for a whiskey at night?), lots of hot lemon and honey drinks etc. And will definitely check out those chest clearing exercises.

And at the moment I still think I just have a virus. I did feel a bit breathless today but no pain or rattling in my chest so I think it's just because my lung capacity is reduced. And I've been caught by pneumonia (luckily caught early so not as bad as it could be) and bronchitis in the past so I really do want to avoid them!

If it wasn't just before Christmas I'd happily kick back and curl up for a few days and take things easily to get better. But unfortunately it's wiped me out for December so I now have far more to do in the next 24 hours than I wanted as I'm so far behind. Hey ho. But at least I haven't got an extra bug acquired at the doctor's surgery to add to the fun!

And hope everybody else feels better for Christmas too...

A cough over about three weeks should be reviewed by a doctor, especially if you have ever been a smoker.