I think I have whooping cough

[Mustardfan]

I’ve seen several doctors in the last week about the cough. I’m slightly ashamed at my persistence. (But it’s a REALLY bad cough, with no fever, day and all night) None of them suggested whooping cough. I’ve just looked at the symptoms and I match them, I find it hard to get a breath after coughing. And sometimes make a weird sound after coughing as I try to breathe in. Is my GP going to be interested - will they test me for it? I work for the NHS (mental health). I’m on antibiotics, is amoxicillin the right antibiotic for it? It started 10 days ago.

I was just told that there's a lot of the '100 day cough' around when I was at the Dr. I think they don't want the hassle of a reportable disease and the paperwork. And even if they do diagnose it, if you have had it for 3 weeks it's too late for the antibiotics to be any use. They are not really proven to help the symptoms, just stop the spread. And from what one friend said they are truly horrible antibiotics which just make you feel worse with side effects. I guess there's not a lot of incentive to do the test if there's no treatment for the symptoms anyway. I had penicillin but for an associated chest infection, not the whooping cough itself. I am on week 4 and just starting to feel slightly better.

How long did the test take to come back please? My DS did a swab a week ago but it hasn't come back yet. Thank you.

Dd has had a cough since 16th Jan, it’s got less over the 3 weeks, but now when she’s having the coughing fits, they are very aggressive and she almost stops breathing. She’s totally okay in herself otherwise, no other symptoms, she’s fully vaccinated. Thy tell you to only to call doctors if it lasts longer than 3 weeks which if it is whooping cough, you’re not contagious or the antibiotics won’t work. Trying to get through to the doctor Is impossible.

My DS is on week 5 now. He seems to be turning a corner. I hope you get through to the doctors. We did a test but they haven't given us results so not sure how long it takes.

How did they communicate the result please? Sorry you were positive :( hope you feel better soon. I was surprised they didn't test my DS in hospital. They test for covid still but not whooping cough 🤔 Hopefully they will develop a better vaccine 💕

Ah ok my sons doesn't show anything. Thank you

Had in confirmed 6 weeks in now so hopefully he's through the worst of it. Still getting the violent coughing fits.

Sorry if this is a dead thread. But I swear I’ve had this too. Not tested or anything. But I work in a school and four weeks ago I started becoming really achy and sore (like flu) or so I thought. Then I started to feel better, but had developed a cough inbetween. I then started to slowly feel worse and worse until mid week on my second week of symptoms I felt like I needed to cough and sneeze but couldn’t and my eyes felt like shutting all the time. I then rang in work sick as I couldn’t get out of bed for a fever and coughing. I spent a whole week, coughing until I couldn’t breath and being sick because of it. Then last week, I gradually started to feel better. Aches were slowly going, cough was still there but not waking as much every night and by the end of last week the only thing thats still there is the cough and the whoop sound. I can kind of control it now though. I still bring clear flem up. But its no where near as bad. I’m the type of person who glides through a cold. But this knocked me off my feet something rotten.
I do believe I’m on the road to recovery now.

My 10 year old DD had this over Christmas. We were dismissed for about 5 appointments before the first blood test came back borderline and the second was positive. My DD did not ‘whoop’ but retched after coughing. She is vaccinated.

I am sharing my bed with my 11 year old thinking she has this too ☹️ She had a “cold” 3 weeks ago, I took her straight to the GP as she has asthma and another long issue, and they immediately prescribed antibiotics and steroids. We thought she was getting better, then the cough persisted so I took her back to the GP who listened to her chest and said all was fine. 3 days later she started vomiting with the cough.

I had whooping cough as a child (don’t think the vaccine was common in those days) and so the vomiting with the cough did make me think of that, but as she had all her vaccinations I assumed it couldn’t be. I’ve now read about it on the NHS website and see that the vaccine can wear off and doesn’t stop you catching it ☹️

After cleaning sick off the carpet at 4.30am this morning I am really hoping for a quieter night! I’m hoping that the early antibiotics, the vaccinations and bring propped up with 3 pillows will help.

Does anyone have any info on how long it lasted in their vaccinated, medicated tween?
Sorry to all those suffering.

@SuperSue77 My daughter started with a cough late November. She is also asthmatic. She seemed to get better and then got worse. The bad cough went on regularly every night until after Christmas. She was diagnosed with whooping cough on 23rd December and started the antibiotics then. She was still having bad coughing fits well into January about once a day. It has not completely stopped even now. I am sat up with her now as she has just started with another virus and a rash and is coughing more regularly. You need the right antibiotics for whooping cough so ask them to do a blood test. We had 3 courses of steroids before they tested her. We kept being told it was an asthma exacerbation but they were wrong and I was getting very frustrated and scared.

@Lovemybunnies thanks for sharing your experience and I’m sorry your daughter is still suffering. I’ve just been sat with mine too while she coughs and vomits - it’s so cruel. She had amoxicillin really early on, so I’m hoping that has helped stop it from being too bad, and her childhood immunisation. Sounds like it could go on for another few weeks or so. She just said to me “I don’t think I’ll be going shopping with my friends on Saturday” - they had a lovely trip planned, I feel so bad for her.

@SuperSue77 I do feel for you and your DD. We did nothing over Christmas and it was her birthday too. Please do ask the GP to test so you can get the right antibiotics as it can damage their lungs. I hope you get some sleep x

Thanks @Lovemybunnies your user name makes me smile as my daughter loves bunnies!
She was up 5-6 times in the night, but it wasn’t as bad as the night before. I feel pretty crap but that’s life as a mother! I’ve contacted our GP practice this morning and they are really good at seeing children, so hoping they get back to me soon. Really hoping we don’t have too many more nights like this.

My DD had it at age 4 - she is 40 now and still has chest problems. It is an awful illness. She was not able to be vaccinated - if you have a child who has not been vaccinated then get them to the doc for a jab pdq!

@SuperSue77 I am slightly embarrassed about my username but I do love them! Let us know how she gets on with the GP.

I am pretty late to this thread but wondering how you are all doing?

For almost 4 weeks now I have had a productive cough. Coughed so much I have injured my ribs. After a coughing fit where I made the classic whoop noise and thought I was dying I saw a GP. She reckoned it was a one off and prescribed antibiotics. For a few days I coughed a lot and then developed a cold too but did not have breathing issues but it is back the last couple nights although my cold has mostly cleared up. Last night I woke up 4 times with a coughing fit and struggling to breathe. Always ending in wretching. I cough lots in the day but not such classic whooping cough sounding fits. Could this be whooping cough?

Going to call the GP again tomorrow.

I’m wondering if I might have this too. Have had a cough since mid January, it’s sporadic but violent when it comes. See the doctor 3 times. Apparently my chest is clear (although had chest cray last week which am still waiting for results from). For the past 3 weeks I’ve been really congested too and have sore glands in my neck and blocked ears. I don’t tend to suffer with my chest so this has knocked me for 6, and I am prone to health anxiety (which I usually manage by swimming, running, yoga etc all of which I’m unable to do because of the coughing and exhaustion) which is really ramping up now. I’m ruminating all the time on why I’m not getting better.
i asked my doctor about WC last time I saw her, but she felt that as I had it as a child it would be very unlikely that I would pick it up again. Could that be wrong?

i heard that vaccines for whooping cough wear off so perhaps the immunity from catching whooping cough couldn’t wear off? But I do not know.

I’ve posted upthread that I have had it since November. I am only just starting to have whole days where I don’t cough. Going to somewhere tropical in a couple of weeks, I hope that will clear up the last vestiges as I’m so sick of it.

Do you have the classic whooping cough symptoms in the day? I sound like I have it at night but like I have a bad cough during the day. I only get really bad coughing fits at night.