Toddler in hospital, DH with him, I'm getting progressively worse at home

[Yebbie]

My toddler is in hospital with a fever of 39.8, a cough and drowsiness/unresponsive. I also have a fever and a cough so DH had to take him in. We are all waiting for covid results. I keep having extreme coughing fits where im coughing so hard that this horrible deep sound comes out and it feels like my chest is ripping open. Im coughing so hard im being sick and my throat and stomach are throbbing from how hard my body is coughing and throwing up empty stomach by this point so it's killing me. Im so worried about my little boy but im getting worried about myself too and I don't know if I need to go in to? I have 5 minute periods after throwing up where im ok but I can already feel the deep in my chest need to cough again and I know in a few minutes I'll be back over the toilet. No nausea just coughing that hard. What do I do im in bits and can't get hold of dh to check on my baby or get help for myself

I think you need to be seen too OP. My first thought tbh was not covid but whooping cough.

You get sick when coughing with whooping cough.

The coughing sounds terrible and with covid the cough is bad but unless you are unable to breathe there isn't much that can be done. Keep on top of paracetamol to keep temp at bay and drink plenty of water. If you become worse phone 111. No wonder ambulances are mad busy when people are saying call for a cough.

You sound very unwell. If your coughing so much your vomiting and of you feel you can’t catch your breath at the end of a bout it could be whooping cough. It could also be covid or pneumonia or other chest infection. Whatever it is you need checking out especially if you don’t have a pulse ox because you can’t see what your oxygen levels are up to. I agree 999.

As another poster stated it could be whooping cough, my husband and daughter had it (despite being vaccinated), symptoms were high fever, flu symptoms and coughing so hard to the point of being sick. Neither of them made the ‘whooping’ noise associated with the cough. Hope you and DS get better OP

Phone 999.

Please call for help for yourself, so you can be checked over. Your toddler is in the best place right now, so focus on getting an ambulance out to check you over.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/whooping-cough/ - mentions when to call 111 and when to seek urgent help

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pneumonia/ - mentions when to get urgent help and includes the symptom of vomiting

How are you doing OP?

Oh mate, that sounds brutal.
Might the cool air outside help, or lying prone?

I’m pretty sure I had covid in Feb 2020 and was exactly as you describe. The worst cough ever, utterly relentless, and intent on coughing the berry bottoms of my lungs up. Hope you feel better soon.

I would call 111 but don't hesitate to call 999 if you think you need to.

I hope your husband is not ill. Your toddler will be in the best possible hands. Small kids can scare us by going downhill quickly but can bounce back quickly too. I took my son to A&E in a panic when he became unresponsive once. By the time he was seen he was sat up grinning at the doc.

Please seek medical assistance for yourself. Your child is in the best hands and I hope you hear from them soon. Big loves op. Hope you're OK.

Thinking of you both I would let paramedics check you over sow999

I hope your ok love, I hope your getting some help xxx

Are you breathless as well? I think that would be a huge indicator that you need help. As previous people have said if you can check your oxygen levels that would be the best thing. From what I hear just now you can wait forever for an ambulance - apparently locally just now it's hours. I also waited an hour a few weeks ago to get through to 111 but I would definitely phone for advice. Your son will probably get some calpol and bounce back, that's what kids do, it's adults that suffer the most. Hoping that you are both ok. As previous posters have said, have you been double jabbed? If so, you will probably be fine.

Hope you've phoned and got some advice / help / ambulance

İf it helps you to feel any better i was exactly the same way a couple of weeks ago. İ was really panicking because of everything you hear on the TV but the intensity of it did pass after a couple of days. This is what I did- when I was pregnant and due to give birth someone gave me the advice to drink as much water until it feels as though you're going to throw up. So I did that when the coughing feeling was on a break. İ just relaxed and let my body retch as much as it needed to and I tried to breath calmly to meditation music and just let myself feel the discomfort and pain so that I could relax enough to let my body heal. İ think stress can make it worse. İt was really horrible I feel you and what you're going through, but İ just want you to know it did pass and my toddler was sick too and she also got better. Most of it is just the mind making you focus on the symptoms more than you would when usually ill, because of everything we are being told, and I'm not saying that to make you not be checked out if you need to, cos maybe you do need to, but just try to relax. Bodies are amazing and can do amazing things when we are calm and let them.

DD at age 8 was hospitalised and nebulised for "athsma" which turned out to be whooping cough without the whoop because she been fully vaccinated. People all over the hospital came to look who was making the awful coughing noise. The diagnosis came later from a blood test, and well after she'd infected some unvaccinated classmates. 😕

Don't delay seeking help if you're struggling to breathe!

My toddler’s temp went up to 41.3 when he had covid and he was much the same, delirious and couldn’t speak/stand let alone drink. 111 told us to stay home, give calpol and try to get as much fluid in him as possible, which was impossible. In the end we gave a lukewarm bath and then put damp socks on him to bring it down. It was a horrible 48 hours but got better quickly. I hope your little boy gets home soon and gets better fast too.

As there’s no update from op I’m hoping she has called for help and is being seen to!
Even without covid i would be advising calling 111 or 999 if breathing got worse!
Keeping my fingers crossed you are all better soon x

How scary.
Really hope you and your dd are ok and make speedy recoveries

Hope you are all OK and you get the help you need

Hope you are okay op

Oh OP you poor love. I hope you're being sorted. Sounds so horribly for you.

Hope you've only gone quiet because you're getting some help OP. I've suffered with quite poorly controlled asthma for many years, with really severe coughing that lasts for weeks. I'd recommend trying to sit as upright as possible, even to sleep - get some really big pillows or cushions behind your back to prop you up - it's not exactly comfortable, but it's a lot better than coughing every 20 seconds & just getting progressively worse. Also, I agree with the recommendation to sip water. It will calm your throat a bit, & if you are sick, it is considerably less painful to vomit water than to be just dry heaving. Get a bucket by the bed, & recommend you wear some san pro as this level of coughing is brutal on your pelvic floor.

Also, if you can manage it, sometimes steam inhalation can ease really inflamed breathing a bit. My coughing seems to calm down a little bit when I have a long shower.