Cough, incontinence & vomiting

[Bouncingbelle]

I dont know what advice I want, I think I just need to moan. I've had a really violent cough for 4 weeks and it's got to the stage I'm coughing up frothy phlegm, peeing (a lot, uncontrollably) every time I cough, vomiting during the coughing fits cos they are so bad, and tonight during a coughing fit (which resulted in vomiting) my lips went numb & felt like I had pains & needles. Is this normal????
I've had a course of antibiotics which didnt work, a chest x ray (clear) & waiting on the results of pertussis blood tests.
But I'm having to change my clothes umpteen times a day cos they are wet, I'm peeing on the furniture, I'm terrified I smell of wee at work. Has anyone ever had smyths g similar and how long has it taken to clear up??

No of course it's not normal, I'm not sure you should be at work . What is doctor saying?

Sorry I meant to say something sympathetic too, you must be exhausted! Can you take time off?

You should not be at work. I would get some incontinence pads and be back at my doctor.

Luckily I only work 2 and a half days a week. I was off just after xmas (viral infection, then sickness bug, then straight into this cough) and will be put on a formal absence review thing if I'm off again so soon. I actually feel ok, it's just this cough!
I have been using tena lady pads but they're just not enough any more . Dr says chest is clear, but its getting worse. The tingly lips thing really scared me tonight.

It sounds like whooping cough (pertussis ) OP. My DD had it as a baby - hideous long coughing fits during which she would cough up white foam and go bright red. But pretty much fine in between episodes. She wasn't given any medication as wasn't diagnosed until it was too late. It lasted a looooong time and she was/is prone to nasty coughs afterwards. Hope you feel better very soon - if it is whooping cough you're probably coming to the end. They call it the 40 day cough...

I agree that it sounds like whooping cough.

DH had it . It was horrendous for 6 weeks with coughing fits but fine in between but very frequent coughing very little sleep.

Gradually got better but you dont want to know how long it lasted..

If it is whooping cough you need antibiotics (no help to you) but will stop you from being infectious to others.

@jinxpixie please tell me it didnt last any longer than 4 weeks, I'm really starting to lose the plot with it now and am coughing till I vomit several times a day. On the us side, my non-verbal child now does an excellent fake cough from copying me!!

@BlackInk 35 days and counting.....!

I had pertussis 3 years ago, I had the cough for nearly 6 months on and off. It was bad the first 8 weeks then mainly at night after that.
I would definitely see a dr, if you’ve had it less than 3 weeks you should have antibiotics

Whooping cough, aka 100 day cough

My friend had this 100 day cough she was off work for weeks. Has your GP not suggested this?

Buy the Tena pants. It must be horrible but if you had the pants there’s lesser chance of any leaks. People use them post birth so they must be good?

I feel for you, OP.
I'm off work with a cough at the moment. Last week I was having to rush to the ladies loo when I felt a coughing fit starting, then spent the next 20 minutes in there coughing and throwing up. Horrid.
Like you, I've had "leakage" when coughing. I've resorted to using tena lady - and also making sure that I use the loo frequently so that I never have a full bladder.
Another very embarrassing side effect is that I also fart a lot when I cough! I have no control over it, as once a coughing fit starts, I'm not in control of anything - the cough is.
I've been using my facial sauna as a steam inhaler. Not sure if it's done any good long term but it does give some temporary relief. Actually, I've decided to buy a small portable nebuliser, which I hope will help better than the sauna.
I haven't been to the doctors yet, as they say only go if you've had a cough for 3 weeks. Mine's been about 10 days so far.
I have started to get a bit breathless and my chest feels very tight, so I hope the nebuliser will help with that.

Coughs are horrible! I do hope that you find some relief from yours soon. It might be worth trying steam inhalation, if you haven't already.

I'll definately try the steam inhalation! And have moved onto tena lady pants .... what a godsend (cant believe I'm typing that!!). My cough is horrendous tonight. I'm amazed work haven't sent me home yet, if it wasnt for having a few absences in a short space of time, I would definately be off. Poor babies having this, its horrendous. If I find it scary goodness knows how they feel!