Any gps or experts on here? Persistent cough.

[HappinessAhead]

I've been coughing for 2 months. Don't get me wrong, it was worse a while back, but it's still here.

I've been to the GP twice as I have another condition. He checked out the cough 6 weeks ago (made me blow in a tube & listened to my chest) and said it was a chesty cough but he wasn't worried. I went again this week for my other condition and mentioned that I still have this cough and now feel full of phlegm. He said at my age (28) he'd start getting concerned if I still have it in another 4 weeks. I didn't have cold symptoms with it initially but I now feel like I've had the cold for the last 10 days (head feels full of fluid if I bend over, runny nose etc). I think I've noticed that I have a little coughing fit when I come back in from being outside (walking, which I do a lot of). I suffer from anxiety so my doctor's reassurance hasn't really reassured me. Just wondering if anyone here can shed any light and give me a second opinion which will hopefully put my mind at rest. Thank you.

What's your other condition?

What's the cough like? Are you coughing a bit frequently or is it spasmodic and infrequent?

Other condition is chronic hives. Cough was frequent initially but now seems to be spasmodic. Doesn't seem to keep me up at night at all which is good. It feels like my body is trying to get rid of phlegm but I'm struggling to cough it up, if that makes sense.

The cough sounds chesty/mucus. It sounds like a sore cough I'd say.

We've all had an absolute fucker of a bug last year which left me coughing for almost three months. I've also had whooping cough as an adult and that lasted months too. So it can happen with several bugs.

However, Any persistent cough needs checking, so I think you're dealing with it well - GP is aware. If he's only done a peak flow and a listen that's quite basic follow up - if you're still coughing in a few weeks you need a culture done on anything you're coughing up and also a few bloods.

If you worsen, go back to the GP. Try some steam inhalation in the meantime to loosen it a bit. It does suck but no otc cough meds work at all...

Was causes the chronic hives? Have you got a weakened immune system? I would definitely go back to your GP about the cough.

We don't know exactly what causes the hives but I've suffered from that for two decades. It comes in waves.

I've been very stressed lately. When I first started coughing, I thought I had a virus, that's when the hives started to appear. The cough began to improve a little, as did the hives, then I got this cold but I have 2 young DC and no doubt they've passed it on to me. The only thing is, the cough still seems to be lingering. I think my immune system is a little low ATM. The doctor did bloods (due to the hives, not the cough) about 6 weeks ago and my iron was a little low as was another vitamin. He advised I take a multivitamin which I've only just started taking so I'm hoping that may help. Do you think I should go back to the GP even though he told me to come back in 4 weeks time?

I should add that when I got the cold, the hives reappeared.

It seems in this instance, the hives are linked to me being run down, although I also get the hives when I'm 100% well so that can't be the only trigger.

I think your GP should investigate further, sounds like the hives could be from something underlying. Maybe do other blood tests.

Even although I've suffered with them for 20 years?

I've had lots of investigations done into the hives. They believe it could be down to things like stress, vitamin deficiencies & stress but hard to say for certain.

That should say stress, vitamin deficiencies and a result of viruses etc.

I'm worrying now that the GP is wrong and it's something sinister stupid health anxiety 😥

I had just what you're describing, started in May. I had several courses of antibiotics and at times it seemed to ease a little but was constantly battling phlegm and coughing to clear my chest.
My GP sent me off for a x-ray (I've previously had cancer twice so was slightly concerned) anyway came back clear and it's now cleared altogether , I thought it'd never go at one point , it spoilt going out for a meal on holiday and I was conscious of my constant hacking around everyone.
GP said any cough that doesn't clear after 3 or 4 weeks needs a trip to the doctors.
Go get it checked OP but could well be just a nasty virus like I had. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Hi magic, thanks for your response and sorry to hear you've battled cancer twice. Doesn't seem fair! I've already been to the GP two days ago though. Do you think this isn't good advice?

happy not sure whether it's good advice or not from your GP to wait another 4weeks but if you're worried then I'd ask for further investigation.
Take heart though that I was pretty convinced at one point there had to be something serious wrong to have such a awful cough for so long and it turned out to be nothing.
I'm not convinced it wasn't somehow aggravated by a allergy of some sort as I didn't get it at night , I've also been told it could be silent reflux which we don't always know we have and can cause coughing and throat clearing

Big mistake posting on here. My anxiety is winning yet again and now I feel sick to my stomach about it all. Thanks for your post magic hopefully what I have turns out to be similar to the cough that you had. Lesson learned though, the internet is unlikely to be the place that will completely alleviate my fears.

I find looking on Dr Google is the worst thing you can do, it's always the worst case scenario no matter what it is wrong with you.
Happiness it's great that your GP has examined you and isn't concerned, but if thats not elevated your worries then tell him and hopefully he'll do further tests that will give you peace of mind.

'alleviated ' its my phones fault honest!

Thanks magic. I think I'm just going to wait the four weeks. The gp knows I have health anxiety and I just don't want to be a time waster. I could barely sleep last night with worry but that's the anxiety

I've been suffering with this for 9 weeks. Started with a simple cough, turned into a chest infection that Amoxy didn't shift. Two weeks in got a cold which went fairly quickly but made the cough worse. Second round of antibiotics which then turned into a third lot which finally cleared the infection. Had a chest xray that didn't show anything untoward. Bloods normal. Peak flow wasn't normal but then I couldn't take a deep breath at that point due to the infection and the fact I'd pulled all my chest muscles.

I'm still coughing but that now seems to be about clearing the nasty phlegm that's in my throat.

Its driving me up the wall but I can only think its a very odd virus. Which is what the GP thinks too.

I'd actually head back to the GP before 4 weeks as that feels way too long to me. Not in a scary way but because I'm impatient

There is such a thing called "100 day cough" google it. Doctors don't know why it happens. My fiancé had it. For exactly 100 days. Woke up one morning and it had completely gone. It's a mystery. It could be that? If they have ruled out other things it could be.

I would go back in two weeks if there's no improvement.

Don't be anxious about it (I know, easy for me to say) but a prolonged cough needs checking. If it's viral it's a case of waiting it out, but if it's bacterial it can be treated and they need to do a few follow ups as well just to rule out the (very very small) likelihood of other stuff.
There are also things like reactive forms of asthma that can be treated and some viruses need to be reported (whooping cough for example.)

It's HIGHLY UNLIKELY to be anything sinister - step away from dr google, boost yourself as much as you can with rest, sleep, healthy eating etc, and make an appt in two weeks if you're not better.

When you're there, ask them to investigate the hives again. Chronic ones can be benign (I know someone who gets them when cold, annoying as hell but no underlying pathology) but they can also signal issues with thyroid for example as well as coeliac disease.

I think you need a good workup. Something is a bit awry, unlikely anything awful, and probably something that can be treated simply and easily. Worth a good MOT anyway.

Anatidae - I've had the chronic hives for 20 years though (on & off) and countless tests/investigations into it. They believe that to be something I get as a result of things like stress/virus/vitamin deficiencies. I do think my current boIt is due to this cough/virus along with stress (most probably).

I'm really hoping a gp might see this. Would love a response from someone with a medical background as I'm worrying myself sick.