I don’t know at what point I’d be admitted to hospital with this cough or even how that would help

[Mustardfan]

I think I have Whooping cough. I’ve had several GP consultations in the last 2 1/2 weeks, including one earlier this week. I always feel a bit of a time waster. The coughing seems to have worsened in the last two days, and my sleep has too. If I go and see the GP again tomorrow I’ll feel a complete time waster. I’ll sit there, probably not coughing, and will be sent home again. My lungs are so uncomfortable I’ve had perhaps 1 hour of sleep so far tonight, despite taking two co-codamol (up until today the codeine in this has helped suppress my cough and helped me sleep, but not tonight). I’m probably not at the point where I’d be admitted to hospital. But I don’t know what they’d do in hospital anyway? The GP gave me a subutimol inhaler which I’ve gone back to using tonight, but it hasn’t eased the cough or discomfort. I’ve had a course of antibiotics. I don’t have any fever. I don’t know how I’m ever going to get better. Please help.

Surely they would try antibiotics before admitting you to Hospital ? It would be a macrolide (something ending in mycin) for pettusis (whopping cough)

That sounds awful I'm sorry

I would ask for a chest x ray or scan for a persistent unexplained cough .

My understanding is that the antibiotic for whooping cough is only effective if taken in the first 2-3 weeks and is not very effective anyway, but perhaps I should see the GP tomorrow and ask about that. Thanks.

How long have you been coughing ?

Hi, here is the NHS page https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/whooping-cough/

It says phone 111 or get an urgent GP appointment if your cough worsens. Has the GP diagnosed whooping cough or is this just your suspicion?

Do not go to the surgery without mentioning whooping cough unless you are past 21 days since the cough started - have to try not to spread it.

I think you should phone 111 now. You do need checking to see if you have a chest infection or other infection.

What symptoms do you actually have now - temperature? Vomiting?

Here is the NICE info
https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/whooping-cough/management/management-of-whooping-cough/#managing-people-with-whooping-cough

It sounds like the 100 day cough

Look it up

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2C3VyjIS8n/?igsh=MWJxZTd1dTM1bDZyZw==

Look at this. It says about it and the stages of it

You can get prescription cough suppressants called benzo..something or other. Maybe that would help since it doesnt sound like you need to cough to clear your lungs of gunky stuff

There is an outbreak of whooping cough in adults at the moment. We've been offered vaccination for it.

Is the vaccine offer confined to your local area?

My two cousins have had this, it can last eight to ten weeks and one of my cousins said she's never felt so ill, also there's the one hundred day cough going around x

Did you check for covid when it started? I had it for the 1st time recently and had a cough for weeks- waking me from sleep, couldn't catch my breath etc.
When you say you think its whooping cough, is that what the Dr said they thought it was, or just you think it? Did you ask what next steps were, if the inhaler isn't helping. Are you coughing anything up?

Any reason you think you might be admitted to hospital at this stage, rather than them trying other treatments/supportive measures at home? If you have gotten worse in the last 2 days, and are taking the meds as prescribed- then I'd go back. You might need a chest Xray or blood tests to look at your infection markers.

Have you got a sats probe? Is your oxygen and heart rate ok?

Why do think WC and not bacterial pneumonia ?

Not helpful, I know- but I have never felt worse than when I had whooping cough. The doctor diagnosed me over the phone by the sound of my cough and cheerfully said there was nothing really that could be done about it- I just had to wait it out. That was a few years ago though- things might have changed. The ONLY thing that helped was sipping incredibly cold water. I think the worst was over in about 2 weeks- but it was a long time before I was properly better. Sending sympathy.

Why would you expect to be admitted?There’s nothing in your post to suggest you’d need hospital treatment, is there? (Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional)

If you’re worried the GP won’t hear the cough, could you record yourself coughing and show her the video / voice note? I’ve had to do that with my son before.

If you didn’t cough on your last two visits, is there anything about the visits you could replicate to try to help the cough? More moving around? Fresh air? Warmer / cooler atmosphere? Sitting upright?

I had whooping cough in the last 5 years. They essentially prefer you to ride it out because the drugs aren't very good. See 100 days cough. In reality, while it's uncomfortable, it does get more manageable after the first few weeks. Drink loads and loads. Sit up to cough if you can. Big sympathy.

I had it a few months after giving birth 15 years ago and it was truly awful.

At the time I was told to just ride it out. Similarly we called an ambulance at one point for my baby as her lips turned blue when she coughed before the intake of breath.... I'm still amazed she wasn't admitted and I was terrified at the time. It was just before the vaccine.

Unless you have poor oxygen saturation they won't be admitting you to hospital. There's stronger cough meds, I find Vicks helps too. Sleep sitting up too. Plenty of coughs can last weeks. You have my sympathy, coughs are horrible (I had a six week one last winter)

I have no idea. I'm a nurse and my hospital is offering it.

Unless you have low sats levels they wouldn't admit you and 2 weeks isn't a long term cough.
When was the last time you had your chest listened to and observations taken?
Using steam helps with coughs. The heating and dry air worsens them. Sleeping propped up also helps.

Thanks for all your replies. I did manage to get some sleep after I posted last night, in an almost upright sitting position. Whatever I have is truly horrid, I’ve previously discussed whooping cough with my GP, the test they did on Monday was rejected by the lab for some reason. I’m holding off returning to the GP for now, I’ll see how the next few days go. Last night I managed to pee in the bed slightly, despite wearing tena (from all the coughing). This morning I’ve vomited on the duvet cover.

The NHS advice is to get an urgent GP appointment if:

you or your child have a very bad cough that is getting worse

If you're now vomiting, you're getting worse.

Sats are not the only determinant of whether someone with respiratory symptoms needs to be in hospital. Their correct interpretation needs some physiology knowledge (and they’re fairly unreliable as a monitor). In someone young and generally healthy sats dropping may be the very last change that happens before collapsing and people sit at home ignoring their respiratory rate of 40 for hours because of guff like ‘if your sats are normal they won’t do anything’.