At what point do I see a doctor about this chest cough?

[Atwhatpointdo]

Or do I just leave it?

Symptoms since Friday: chest pain, phlemgh, no energy, no voice, occasional fever, very sore throat. Painful cough!

Now I also have a blocked nose.

Is this something I bother the doctor with? Only asking in case it’s an infection and I need antibiotics.

I always feel like I’m wasting the doctor’s time!

Please take him to a GP today. It could be pneumonia.

First point of call would be a pharmacist really, but if you are having any trouble breathing, then it is time to contact the GP surgery, and to tell them you are having breathing difficulties when you call.

Just back from the GP. Chest infection confirmed. Antibiotics and steroids prescribed. The GP said that chest infections were usually bacterial which I was surprised about.

I've had this. Started on the Monday and by the following Saturday I was on the phone to 111 with a full blown chest infection, a heart rate between 98 - 128bpm and unable to speak without taking a breathe between words. I knew at this point it was a doctor situation. I still have the cough 4 weeks later, but can at least breathe and talk.

Yellow with slight green tinge indicates viral not bacterial, @Atwhatpointdo . There are some viciously nasty viruses doing the rounds.
Unfortunately a GP is unlikely to be able to help.

Dose yourself to the hilt, keep your liquids up and - despite the pain - take a few properly deep and slow breaths every hour to fill and empty your lungs.

One of the things that can lead to pneumonia is not taking deep breaths. It’s a real risk when people break ribs, for example. The same is true with a painful cough where you only breathe shallowly.

I’m sorry you feel so awful. Adult DD was the same last month. It’s rotten.

That’s good to know. I will try and get an appointment tomorrow if I can. Feeling absolutely dreadful today - can’t get out of bed! I’m definitely feeling worse each day rather than better.

Did they say how long recovery would take now that you’ve got antibiotics etc?

Also - how did they confirm it? Just by listening to your symptoms or could they tell?

He was quite thorough.
Listened to my chest
Took BP
Took SATs
Took temp

Listened vis the symptoms. Headache, bit hit and cold but no temp, bit breathless, slight twinges in chest, exhausted, v phlegmy and second episode in 4 5 weeks.

Said he felt it was a chest infection. Steroids because my Sat's were a bit down.

I nearly talked myself into cancelling and glad I didn't.

Recovery time hmm. I said I had to be fit by Weds as I'm due in Court (not me interested dock!). He gave me a hard Paddington stare and said not if you don't feel well.

DH insisted I call the surgery because I look so ill. A doctor called me back and now I have an appointment at 1pm.

Thanks everyone - so hard to know what to do Don’t want to waste the doctor’s time or spread this around, but equally don’t want to make it worse / take longer to recover if it does require antibiotics!

He’s already had a course of antibiotics as his ear was inflamed inside and he was deaf on one side. He seemed back to normal Fri/Saturday then last night it was back. We’ll keep an eye on it today.

I had this last week and I can’t remember the last time I felt so ill. I rarely go to the GP but my chest didn’t feel right and he gave me antibiotics. 24 hours later I finally felt a bit better and 48 hours later I felt fairly fine. Now a week later I’m back to normal. 100% I had an infection and the relief when you Daniel the antibiotics working is immense. I honestly thought last week I would never feel normal again

Just got back from the GP. I have a 39 fever and, he said, a nasty chest cough but my breathing sounds clear so no antibiotics. Which makes me feel kind of sad because I would much rather have had something that could be solved easily! Even though I don’t like taking antibiotics.

He said if I feel the same on Wednesday, to go back and get reassessed. So it’s paracetamol, oranges and bed rest until then apparently!

I feel incredibly guilty but am going to have to tell work I can’t go in. I work with children so calling in sick is always the last resort.

@Atwhatpointdo to be fair you sound as though you feel more ill than I do. My consultation notes said crackling on lower left and reduced air flow (or something like that). However, I've no fever. Feel exhausted though.

Because the Sat's were a bit low, he prescribed a short course of steroids. Am to go back next week if not feeling better.

I was surprised there was an apt for this morning on the website when I looked on Saturday!

A cough being 'chesty' or 'phlegmy' has absolutely no bearing on whether or not it is bacterial, that's just an urban myth.

If you're not short of breath/dizzy/coughing up blood and there's no underlying lung disease like asthma/COPD I'd give it 2-3 weeks and go then if the cough isn't gone/nearly gone. It's virus season and the GP can do nothing for viruses.

Given how awful you feel, it's unlikely to just be a cough/cold

People feel really awful with viruses/

Omg I have this cough. Absolutely awful!

It is exhausting. Started Thursday.

Apparently 25% of those swabbed last week had Flu. It is in my bones so I wouldn’t be suprised.

I wasn’t short of breath, dizzy or coughing up blood but the Nurse said I had a ‘crep’ in my lung as was glad I had come in so it didn’t get any worse. DH has just come off a phone triage and the GP thinks his original course of antibiotics wasn’t quite enough so he’s got a 7 day course. His resting heart rate is 126bpm right now. He had to remove his apple catch last night as it kept showing a warning.

I’ve been told to not go out to work for the rest of the week if I can. I don’t have a job I can do from home! So I have to tell work I can’t go. Tbf, nobody wants to catch this from me.

Just had a long nap but woke up feeling the same. Can’t believe how awful it is!

Poor you. Get well soon.

Yep - me too, and I'm only on day 3. I feel horrible!

What @Tubetrain said.

I hope you feel better soon @Atwhatpointdo

But people really need to stop seeking antibiotics so quickly. Resistance is such a serious issue

I don’t think one set of antibiotics in 15 years is indicative of taking antibiotics too quickly. I had an infection and a crackly chest. The fact I literally felt the antibiotics kick in and work suggests it was the right call. I was not going to sit around feeling dreadful for weeks if the dr could confirm an infection

My point is that people are too quick to go to the GP for coughs and viruses. It spreads the virus, takes up appointments and results in needless prescriptions for antibiotics