anybody have/had a very lingering chest infection/cough (virus?) atm?

[Hervana]

at my wits end here.. have been unwell for nearly four weeks now. Started off with odd symptoms dizziness, tiredness worried for a short while that I was pregnant (even though this was impossible) this moved on to quite a bad chest infection, usual stuff tired, cough, phlegm (yuk).

Went to the drs in the middle of the chest infection prescribed antibiotics which didn't help. Chest infection eased off a bit but still there and still feeling v v ill so went back to drs wondered could it be anything else? Nothing she can do she said

two days later suffered (i think) with a migraine couldn't move out of bed etc etc (never suffered from them before) now here nearly one week later I'm still so unwell - sneezy horrible hacking cough that once starts won't stop and can lead to me retching (sorry), trouble breathing at times. The gland on my right feels quite swollen

I've really never been this unwell before and am starting to worry it could be something else a lot more serious...

Could this really just be a bad chest infection that is lasting forever? I'm at my wits end, have been off work lots, am really starting to worry about it. sorry to sound such a drama queen

writing it down i imagine some will say go back to drs? but I know what drs will say - sorry nothing I can do, virus. If it does need further investigation what would they investigate? bloods chest X-ray? could it be pollen/hayfever/asthma etc ???

sorry this is now a bloody essay and all very garbled

Whooping cough is on the increase, and often goes along with retching/vomiting. There are other symptoms listed here.

Nothing like as bad, but I've had a productive cough and gummy sinuses (sorry) for 3 months. When I blow my nose I sometimes have to sit down as I'm so lightheaded. Had a chest infection and ABs in Feb, but I think this is the same infection popped back up again, or a close relative. I've had a chest X-ray. Someone has recommended steroid nasal spray??

thank you both for answering

just feel so down about it (and unwell!)

and worried

etc etc !

going to have a look at whooping cough link now ty :)

oh my goodness i haven't even finished reading the article and i have most of the symptoms

there is now way in the world I could ever get my dr to believe that I could have whooping cough

going back to read

I had something similar, two lots of antibiotics and steroid tablets were needed to shift it. Go back to your GP and ask for different antibiotics and steroids. Insist. If they refuse, go to a walk-in centre.

I had to see 3 GPs at my practice before I got sorted and it took 3-4 weeks.

It also turned out that my asthma had got worse, so they put me back on a daily steroid inhaler which helped no end.

There is a very nasty tonsilitis bug going around, FWIW. We've had it and I know so many people IRL and on MN ho have had it too.

thanks for replying poppy - that's exactly why I'm reluctant to go to my GP as it is. I've already been twice and told it's a virus. Had the same issue with DS and was seen about seven times with recurrent ear infections told it was just one of those things etc etc nearly had to lodge a complaint (and cry, shame) to be referred to ENT

but have just read that whooping cough page and listened to the sound of the whooping cough and the symptoms/cough are exactly the same. Which depresses me in some way as it may last quite a while with no way to treat (if this is in fact what I have) but on the other hand i know there is some light at the end of the tunnel and (hopefully!) I don't have TB or something v sinister

thanks for the link dolly

Yes, me! I have similar symptoms to you, and feel just the same. I'm on week five or six now, have lost count. I am pregnant too so can't take bugger all for it. Read the whooping cough link, very interesting. I am coughing until I choke every day just as it describes. I have been putting off going to my doctor again as I felt it was a bit silly for a bad cold but I now think I will make an appt tomorrow.

wow me too chutes

I just can't believe it (I knew mumsnet would have the answer) - I have all of the symptoms it mentions - coughing til sick/clear phlegm and after hearing the video of the whooping cough that is definitely what it is!

trouble is though I don't think the dr can prescribe anything. From reading that webpage, they can only prescribe antibiotics which should stop you spreading the infection but unfortunately won't clear the infection

hope you get better soon - must be awful to be this ill AND pregnant

I am completely convinced that dd1 has had whooping cough - symptoms like yours. She is 14. I asked the GP about it and she was not keen to agree but she gave dd the recommended antiobiotics for WC anyway.

It is a bit crap! Will you go to your gp tomorrow? I hope you get a good nights sleep. thankfully I stopped waking myself up with coughing fits about a week ago, must be on the mend

At least if it is whooping cough then there is a time frame for getting over it which helps slightly.

sorry to hear about your dd northerlurker - to be a young adult/child with this must be terrifying (well as a mum of child with it as well actually). I can only be grateful that my two are both under five and should therefore still be immunised?? Hope she gets better soon

Yes I think I am going to go to the dr tomorrow chutes (although I have a busy day so will if i can get an appt). Have been looking at some other sites and a lot suggest that actually a blood test can show WC even after a few weeks. I've had these symptoms for about nearly four weeks now

But you are right - if it is whooping cough I would almost feel better. You can see how desperate my OP was I just couldn't work out was what going on. Yes if it is WC it will be a pain in the arse for the next few weeks but at least I know it will go at some point!

are you going to go to the drs tomorrow or do you feel the cough is fading slightly?

I genuinely don't know if it's fading. It is definitely not as bad at night as a fortnight ago, but the chokey, retchy cough is still horrific. So I will see gp. Saw him last three weeks ago and told chest clear and to wait it out. So I thought, it's a cold, get on with life. Am prepared to be told the same again tomorrow tbh. Happily I feel a lot less down about it now than I did an hour ago.

I didn't realise children were vaccinated against whooping cough, so 2.10 ds should be ok? As I am currently having a mild panic about his cough, although it is quite infrequent.

Same! I just feel better knowing it could be WC (I am 99.9% certain it is anyway). At least I know what it is, at least I know it (should!) go away.

Exactly what my dr said - no wheezing/rattling - she must have thought i was bonkers telling her i had a chest infection

and again I am exactly the same have had many near panic attacks about the cough (of course esp when unable to breath) and on probably two nights was very seriously contemplating a trip to the hospital. Am dreading going to bed tonight to be honest

Yes as I understand it the whooping cough booster is given at 2/3/4 months old and then again at pre school age - apparently it lasts 10 ish years. This is another reason why drs don't diagnose WC so quickly as they just don't see it anymore. Yes, hopefully your ds will be ok - my two are at the moment (5&2) fingers crossed!

Have made appt at drs will let you know how I get on

Hervana, your GP may not be able to diagnose, unless he has seen it before so perhaps take a print out with you? It was another helpful mums netter that gave me the link, both my children have got it.

Things we have found that helped are eucalyptus oil on a burner (my DS wouldn't do inhalation) but steam inhalations with some sort of menthol would be good. Other than that, just try to boost your immune system as much as possible. I hope you start to feel better soon.

Thank you for the link about whooping cough dollydrowser, I hope your children are on the mend.

Well I have seen a doctor this morning. I still have clear chest, no temp, however she agreed I was clearly unwell so I have a course of antibiotics to take and a follow up appointment in a week. I feel 100 times better for not being dismissed with a cold again!

I hope you have a similarly productive appointment Hervana.

Hi all

Well I went back to drs weds and she agreed that the symptoms sounded like whooping cough (although whether she actually diagnosed it and noted that on my records is another matter)

Sent me away with no real advice or medication as nothing will treat it

Rested completely Thursday and Friday (without children so a real rest!) and felt much better, coughing attacks certainly less frequent

However now looking after both children and had quite a bad attack this morning and am contemplating going to hospital. It's so scary looking after two children and struggling to breathe (am a lone parent) surely there must be something they can give to help me breathe?

Anyway can't thank you enough for posting the link dolly. Hope are feeling better today chutes?

If you have difficulty breathing again, go to a&e. If someone has been admitted with acute trouble breathing they won't discharge you until they have got to the bottom of what it is so they will probably do chest x ray and blood tests etc. do you have fever etc? I guess there's a chance you could have pneumonia but you would probably be very poorly.

Sorry just read last couple of posts!

Thank you for replying-you see the thing is its only me that had diagnosed whooping cough, it could well be something else (although I'm 99% certain it is).

But yes that is my worry I am on my own with two children under five and when I have a coughing fit I am struggling to breathe-hopefully there is something they give to help me???

May go down this afternoon when mum can look after children-I hope it is the case that they won't let me leave until they get to the bottom of the problem it's very scary

My dh has very similar - and we have diagnosed whooping cough ourselves

He has been to the dr's twice in the last fortnight (he hasn't been for xxx years) First time he saw the emergency nurse who diagnosed asthma and yesterday the dr said there was nothing he could do - if he's still got it in a week, come back and he'll organise wc test.

Dh literally chokes when coughing and can't breathe - it even happened in with the dr yesterday as he asked him to blow into one of those air metre things and the dr said nothing.

It's very scary listening to him and ds said it sounds like dh is going to die

Like you say - at least if it is whooping cough it's nothing more sinister - but it's nickname is the 100 day cough so dh might have another 2 months of it.

Sorry to hear about your dh furball-can't believe dr saw him choke and didn't really say anything-you must have seen your dh have a coughing fit right? It's really really scary!

I honestly think that has been the hardest part for me getting drs/people to understand how unwell I am-because the coughing fits are sparodic and mostly at night people don't see how bad it is, or at all. My dr wasn't at all interested as my chest wasn't wheezy/crackly-well that's the point it won't be as I have whooping cough not a chest infection!!

It's been about four weeks now and I can say I feel better today-still have the odd coughing fit but not as many as before. What I think has helped is rest rest rest rest (seriously) and inhaling the steam from Olbas oil in hot water

I hope your dh gets better ASAP-how long has he had it? Are you ok? Apparently its very contagious although I've yet to meet anyone that has it yet (apart from my boss who gave it to me!!!)

Thanks hervana Glad to feel you are starting to feel better today

I believe the dr didn't want to say anything as a) he can't do anything about it anyway, but b) he didn't want to say it was as he would have to report it?

apparently testing after 3 weeks makes it probable to test negative. so saying to dh come back next week if you still have it and we will test makes him fall into the 4th week and a deffo negative.

I'm clinging on to the hope that my immunisation jab (from 40 odd years ago )is still doing it's thing.

Ds' most probably is.

But yes the cough is scary, really scary. and so violent. Dh's whole head goes bright purple with it and he's gasping to breathe. and it just happens out the blue for maybe a few minutes then goes back under it's stone. odd, very odd.

Glad you are finally on the mend Hervana, my children are much better too but they started with it at the end of May. The inhalation was one of the things that helped them as well. Hope your DH is getting better too Furball.

i came off holiday two weeks ago&the day after got tonsilillitis and had tablets for that at this pount my chest wasnt crackly so i went home and took them for 2 days and chest got wheezy and crackly at this point i went back and they put me streight on steroids and tonsilitis and chest infection tablets 5 days later i was no better if i got worse so my mum took me to a&e and they said your oxygen levels are the fine so no need for an xray which i think they should of done anyway but they didnt....becausse ive suffered from phumonia so i no when my oxggen levels drop.....anyway they gave me a stronger dose of amoicilin 500mg!im only 13 and more steroids so ive been taking them 1 week later they still havnt worked! went back to the doctors and they gave me diffeent ones and still to this day now 3 days ive been on the new ones im still no better what should i do go back to the hospital?