Whooping Cough in Adults

[kid]

DH has just been diagnosed with whooping cough.
Has anyone else had this and did anyone else in the household catch it?

DC (13 & 10) have been vaccinated but I haven't so am a little worried about catching it myself. He is just coming to the end of the contagious stage the dr said and has advised him not to go near any small babies.

My BIL has it at the moment, and is quite ill. I had it about 5 years ago, although vaccinated. DH didn't get it, although not vaccinated, DS and DD didn't ether.

The vaccine protection can wane over the years in some people. I had it redone as I childmind and some of my clients do not vaccinate against anything.

A very useful site here www.patient.co.uk/health/Whooping-Cough.htm

Thanks for replying alibubbles, its such a horrible thing to witness and I truely hope my DC and I don't catch it.

Sorry to hear about your BIL, I know how rotten it can be after watching DH. The dr has signed me off work to care for DH so I am guessing its quite serious. So far, he isn't showing any signs on improvement at all and its been 9 days since he was taken to hospital by ambulance as he was unable to breathe (before they diagnosed whooping cough)

I had it 4 years ago. Not as bad as your DH by the sound of it, but I ended up signed off work for two weeks and I then had another two weeks off on holiday, as I actually got married. When I went back I was still not 100%.

The worst thing I remember is lying in bed unable to breathe in the middle of the night. Took me about 4 months to feel completely well again.

Nobody else in the house (2 adults) caught it - but I think they had the vaccination. I thought that I had been vaccinated, but speaking to my Mum after it turned out I hadn't, due to a scare about the jab at the time when I was due to have it.

Kid, I didn't like to say that BIL had actually gone into respiratory arrest. He is really unwell 6 weeks on, and is not a malingerer, but work is impossible. Fortunately he lives in warmer climes, but the sand and dust get to him easily.

I hope your DH makes a good recovery.

The Dr had to convince DH that he couldn't go to work. He has been off for 1 week and signed off for another 2 weeks. If he needs more time off, the Dr said he can just phone for another note. He has some good days and some bad days, today has been quite bad.

Do you think he needs someone with him all the time? I don't actually know what I am meant to do while he is gasping for breath, apart from just be there ready to take action if he were to pass out. I have even told DC what to do if he passes out, I have told them that its really, really unlikely to happen but I do want them to know what to do just incase I wasn't there. I have been with him every day since it started and plan to be there every day for the next 2 weeks but I'll have to go back to work eventually.

I've had it and was quite ill for a long time. No way I could have worked with it as I regularly couldn't breath. I suspect I'd have had people calling ambulances or sending me home as I stopped breathing/ had coughing fits every 20-40mins.

I would have loved to have had somebody with me the whole time but as it happened my husband had to go back to work within a few days and I coped as I guess I learnt that it would be ok and just to get through it even though it was terrifying each time. It lasted 3 months but it wasn't as bad towards the end. I think the chinese (?) call it the 100day cough.

However, very sadly, my daughter had it at 3 months old. In her case it was absolutely terrifying (and I suspect why I wasn't as worried about me having it. We were home alone most of the time just the two of us). We were in and out of hospital with her and I am obviously so lucky and glad she survived.

It makes me very wary around anti-vaxers, especially with my second baby I was scared to go out. It is so much worse for a baby than an adult.

It is also highly contagious. Usually the whole household gets it if they are not vaccinated or haven't previously had it. It is very important he stays in while contagious.

I do wish him well. It is such a horrible disease.

I had it as a baby and as an adult.

My mum said I was vaccinated BUT she is notorious for not remembering stuff and there was a scare about the vaccination when I was a baby...

Vaccination is also only 80% effective afaik.

Am so sorry for your dh...its awful. I was ill for a long time (just after a mc too!) I was terrified dh and ds1 would catch it (both asthmatic) but they didnt...

...and apparently there has been a bit of an epidemic of whooping cough in some areas...

I have had it for the past six weeks.

Several episodes a day of blocked airways and it is restricted and noisy every time I cough. DH only called the paramedics once. After that I learned that I wasn't going to die and just needed to keep calm, wait until the spasm passes and then start breathing in very gently through my nose. The room goes black now and then but if I sit down and keep calm it does sort itself out.

It took the GP three weeks to realise what it was by which time 15 year old DD1 had caught it too. We are taking it in turns to throw up out latest meal during coughing fits.

GP has given us both antibiotics which are not expected to reduce our own symptoms but should stop us being contagious.

DH and DD2 (9) have not caught it so far thank goodness.

It is a vile disease and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I am desperate to have a night sleep and to be able to lie down for more than 2 minutes at a time.

From what I can work out things should start getting better soon which is good because I can't socialise or even go shopping without people wanting to hit me on the back or call an ambulance.

If I'd known that the vaccine induced immunity wears off after 10 years I would have asked for a booster. There's probably no point now.

DH had it when he was younger too so I guess he has been quite unlucky.
Today has been the first day where he can cough without gasping for breath. He still has the gasping for breath but he hasn't been able to cough at all without the horrible gasping sound at the end. He is starting to be sick more though with the coughing.

Timandra, I know what you mean about wanting to sleep through the night. DH wakes up every night and I always get up with him as I don't know if he will be able to catch his breath. I do hope you are feeling better soon, 6 weeks is a long time to be suffering.

Alibubbles, how is your BIL?

kid you're clearly much kinder than my DH who simply stops snoring for about 10 seconds when I dash out of the room coughing! He doesn't even remember it in the morning.

The throwing up phase seems to be coming to an end for me which is a relief but DD1 is still losing most of her meals. It is quite an effective weight loss programme but I know it will go back on because I can't exercise at the moment.