Back to back coughs, getting worried

[lunggggs]

I seem to have been getting more respiratory (lung) issues for the last 3 or 4 years. All fairly minor individually but they're getting more frequent. I'm just shy of 50.

Right now I've got a chesty, mucus-producing cough and have for last 4 weeks or so, and it just won't seem to shift. I don't feel ill at all, no fever, no tiredness, no nothing - I still do quite a lot of exercise. I'm just producing lots of gunk. I also feel a bit more out of breath going up stairs.

In January 2024 I had covid, just a cough and not much else. Didn't feel that ill at all, except for the coughing.

In September and October 2023 I had what I now think was probably whooping cough, coughing to point of vomiting etc. Didn't go to GP as thought it was just a cough but my child caught it in January this year and it was pretty much the same experience.

January 2023 I had a respiratory infection and partially collapsed lung. Antibiotics sorted it out and I forgot about it at the time.

I'm obviously going to go to the GP next week but I'm feeling uneasy. I don't normally suffer from health-related anxiety of any sort and never had anything like this till I turned mid-40s.

Stupidly, I did smoke quite heavily for 7 years or so in my 20s, and grew up in a (very heavy) smoking household. I also had second-hand asbestos exposure as a kid owing to my dad's job.

I'm worried I'll sound like a paranoid fruit loop if I share this with the GP.

Vitamin D, which most of the U.K. are low on, can help with respiratory health. There is also a lot going around at the moment, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is anything sinister underlying, although as an ex smoker myself I do understand your concerns.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fda2d15d3bf7f40d2f0a672/SACN_December2020_VitaminD_AcuteRespiratoryTractInfections.pdf

https://www.who.int/tools/elena/commentary/vitamind-pneumonia-children#:~:text=Overall%2C%20there%20was%20a%20significant,0.96%3B%20P%3D0.003).

Absolutely do share everything with the GP: all the points you've raised in your OP are very relevant.

Thanks both for your responses. I might be Vit D deprived, I work indoors, am usually not exposing loads of sun, and don't take supplements even though I know I should.

I'll see the GP this week and see what they say. Probably another chest xray and some antibiotics I'd think. I'll mention my concerns about my history.

How did you get on OP? Are you in better health now?