Lingering chest infection - seven weeks and counting

[HJBeans]

Hoping to hear some positive stories / advice from people who have been in my boat. Headcold with severe cough at end of Feb. Next week GP said it was probably bronchitis. Since then 4 lots of antibiotics, 1 short run of steroids (bad side effects), and a clear chest X-ray. Symptoms have waxed and waned but now back feeling very grim. Have a three week wait for a chest specialist. Very anxious, can't cope at work, can't do my share of looking after two small kids. Feel desperate and discouraged. Would love to read some 'this happened to me and I was fine' type comments. Just not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

DH had something similar actually, horrible cough real shortness of breath. Clear chest xray, various bloods done, antibiotics didn't make a dent. It lasted from January to March but seems to have vanished of it's own accord now.

Thanks. Really good to hear that - you just assume these things last a week or two at the most and its bewildering, depressing and frustrating as the weeks keep rolling by.

Did anything in particular help him to recover - or just patience? Feels there's no upward trajectory here so easy to imagine it will never end.

Nothing really helped he just stopped feeling unspeakably grim one day. I would say he's a real push through it type and the joint pressures of needing to work and a young family meant that he was relying on lemsip and ibuprofen. He was very convinced it was something serious by the time he went to the GP (eight weeks in). I think it might of been a vicious cycle of feeling a bit better and playing catch up with the gazillion things that need to be done and knackering yourself so the germs take hold again to the point that your body forces you to rest which puts you further behind so you're even more inclined just to try and keep going.

I do hope you feel better soon!

Some infections, like pneumonia, can linger for a long time. Or rather the after effects can, which it sounds like has happened for you. The infection itself is long gone but, like with flu, the effects can hang around.

I feel for you OP

I had pneumonia/recurring infections from mid November. I was married at the beginning of December and it ruined our big day

After 4/5 courses of antibiotics and a LOT of steroids it eventually cleared up. Although still feeling the after affects even now and using a steroid inhaler.

I suppose it takes time. My lovely DH stayed home from work to look after DC's so I could get plenty of rest, which made a difference. I thought it would never end, and had forgot what it's like to feel "normal"!

Fingers crossed you're feeling better soon and you get some answers from the specialist.

Thanks, and so sorry to hear about your wedding! I was feeling sorry for myself that our anniversary child-free evening had to be cancelled and that's put it right in perspective!

I do wonder if I might be picking up additional lurgy from the kids - who have constant streams of goo from their noses - and these are fast-tracked to uncomfortable levels due to existing irritation. Definite nose to throat to under sternum / between shoulders action now, with less productive cough from the chest. I think. As you say, I can't really remember feeling 100% or accurately judge if things were better or worse a few weeks ago.

One of the hardest bits for me is working out whether to push on doing stuff or to rest. Want to do as much as possible at home and work and if infection's gone as Dotty says, rest won't help as much as building up my strength. But when doing stuff leaves me feeling worse I worry I'm prolonging things by not resting enough. If I had a better idea what was happening it would help with anxiety about ia being something serious and even more so with working out what's for the best day-to-day. As it is, I feel completely at sea day-to-day and unreasonably scared.

You're right that it's hard to know what's best. There should just be a fail-safe regime! Resting will still help too, even if you push on a bit before resting, because the body needs that rest to rejuvenate (wish mine would rejuvenate!)

Sinus rinse things or saline nasal sprays are good for keeping the nose as free of irritants and germs as possible, which in theory means they don't get into the body and so add to things.

Had it over Xmas and new year
Lasted 9 weeks
Sorry

Sorry should have said:
Humidifier at night
Soluble co codamol
Paracetamol
Night nurse!!

I'm just going into week 4 of my cough and still debating whether to go to GP - they always say don't go with coughs from colds, don't they?

It seemed to start getting better last weekend but got worse again on Tues. bloody miserable with it. I don't have a temp, just awful cough that has muck that's so hard to get up (tmi). Reading your post I felt OK I'm not alone, but now thinking omg I've got ages to go. I guess I will have to go to go next week if it's still bad. Feel your pain, OP!

The antibiotics do seem to help while I'm on them, then t yes worse again when I'm off. Probably worth seeing the GP though - good luck, it's bloody miserable.

I had two lots of abx and they did nothing
I was coughing til I was retching and bringing up vile green gunge
I ended up being signed off work for a week in jan
I was still coughing at Feb half term...
I started mid December....

I have had a chest infection since 2nd week of February. Off work for 3 weeks but 1 was half term, 4 lots of antibiotics have done little for a very productive cough, but relieved the fever at the time.

Had 2 chest X-rays and have been referred to the chest clinic, but that's it he end of June .

Just not sure where all the phlegm is coming from and so tired of coughing. So similar to you but never been ill for this long before.

Just about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after 6/7 weeks. Flu symptoms for two weeks then the horrible cough that is so exhausting & depressing. I'm normally fit & well but this just wiped me out. I've got two more days of a 2 week course of 500mg Amoxicillin.I thought I'd never feel well again. Hope you feel well again soon.💐

Sorry to hear you're all suffering, but really helps to know this seems to be relatively common. Hope things turn around soon, Cahu58 - must be hugely frustrating to have such a long wait for the chest specialist.

This is my life, I've had it since end of October. Thursday GP finally gave me some stronger ABs as amoxicillin was useless. Within 24 hours my phlegmy cough and sinus problems have stopped.

I can't believe it's taken this long and many appts, chest X-ray to get the proper stuff.

He only gave it me cos I finally got a fever.

It's awful, you can't sleep and you can't rest not with little ones. I hope it don't come back!!

Me too...adenovirus is possible cause....so...thyme tea helps as does ribwort plantain so look it up and pick some..make tea or if you can find enough juice it. Castor oil pack on chest help.

Yes my Dr suspected adenovirus too
It was awful

Docs started me on a week's doxycycline and 5 days of steroids today. X-ray if cough not gone and breathing improved in a week. Had a coughing fit tonight that was really scary - I could literally not get air in or out of my left lung for about a minute, it was solid.

What the hell is this thing?

That sounds terrifying. Hope the ABs and steroids help quickly. (FYI - I had terrible sleeplessness on the steroids and was only told afterward that I should have been taking them first thing in the morning.)

Yes, sounds like the recent adenovirus outbreak. I had it for about 5 weeks, no secondary bacterial infections for me thank goodness, but severe stomach muscle strain from all that whooping, and exhaustion the like of which I've not experienced since childbirth.

DF had it for nearly 8 weeks and did have to go on antibiotics twice.

Hi all, so docs said mine is walking pneumonia on Friday - went for chest X-ray and got put on steroids for longer. Tbh they seem to be making the most difference, I notice them suddenly kick in after about 2-3 hours and feel very clear and only cough on exertion. Last dose of them and the doxycycline tomorrow so will be interesting what Monday brings. Hope you are all feeling better

Hi I’m experiencing exactly the same ! It’s really getting me down now I’m into week 7 . Feel flu like symptoms again today after thinking I was better ,had steroids antibiotics and clear chest X-ray but just never felt properly better and now worse again 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️😒😒x