Is there any point going to the doctor with a cough?

[Horispondle]

It's more the on and off fever that's upsetting me than the cough. How do they tell of its viral or a chest infection? Not sure if I have any chance of getting a GP appt tomorrow any way!

I think you should go if your symptoms are not eased with paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Not sure how they can tell if its viral or bacterial.

I know they listen to see if the infection is on your chest or just ear, nose throat.

How long have you had it?

If you go to the doc they will listen to your chest - if you are "chesty" then you will prob get anti-biotics otherwise thew will most likely leave it to your immune system, which should do its job anyway.

The thing with coughs is that the airways get irritated and sensitive so they tend to last for ages, what are you taking to help with it?

I went after a cough had lasted three weeks in the autumn. Wasn't so much the coughing as the facts that a) I felt like death warmed up and b) was making quite a use of dh's blue inhaler. Apprently my chest sounded ok but she gave me antiobiotics and a blue inhaler of my own. It cleared up after that.

Thank you for taking the time to reply! I've only had it 3 days, would be happy enough to let it run its course if it wasn't for being shivering freezing one minute and boiling hot the next! Making me think it's fever, making me think it's an infection. It does get better with paracetamol but as soon as the 4 hours is up the fever starts again! I really didn't want to bother the doctor at this busy time of year but don't want to end up stuck for days till it opens again.
What are your views on cough medicine? I'm sure a GP once told me not to take it as it suppresses the cough and could lead to a worse infection...

I think you would be wasting your time going to the doctors to be very honest unless you feel it is a chesty cough - i always used to assume a cough that produced phlegm was chesty but apparently its all snot and mucus from the back of your throat (ewwww).

You are right about the fever and you are right that you have an infection, but chances are its viral and as you know, that wont respond to antibiotics. You can take ibruprofen alongside paracetemol to help you feel less shitty. Drink lots of fluids and try and get some rest (yeah, i know!). As far as the cough mixture then it depends on the sort of cough you have - cough suppresants are no good, the Dr is right about that, but if your cold is "productive" (you are coughing stuff up) you can take cough mixture with "guafenisin" in it. I think benylin 4 flu has this, and has decongestants and parecetemol. If its a tickly cough you can take glycerol based cough mixture, soothing.

I hope you feel better soon

For me the general rule is if I still have a fever by day 7 or symptoms get worse instead of better I will then trot off to the doctors. I think the non productive cough with fever is the dodgy symptom but I'm not 100%