When to see GP about a cough?

[User415373]

To start off, I don't have great form when it comes to knowing whether I'm ill enough to see a GP. My mother is extremely health anxious and diagnosed us with all sorts when we were younger, some of which we've found out isn't true. This has messed with my ability to know whether I need help. Anyway I'm now the complete opposite and deny illness until it takes me out.
Last year I had viral meningitis (again, I played this down massively as I was worried about looking silly in the Drs with a headache) and ended up in hospital for several days. Since then I'm always ill, cold sores and styes all the time, couple of utis etc so obviously run down. Jan 1st started with another virus, fever and chills leading onto horrible cough. I was in bed for a couple of days. I feel much better but I still have the cough and if I breathe in very deeply it hurts. I tried a gentle run last week and was very short of breath. I feel like I haven't improved for a couple of weeks but I'm not really poorly if that makes sense? Very tired and no energy but also have 2 toddlers so, figures. My husband keeps telling me to see the GP but I feel silly. He thinks maybe I need some blood tests or just a chat as a follow up from the meningitis (no support after being discharged).
I just don't know whether they would see me for that and I would feel terrible for wasting their time.
I'm 32, healthy weight, don't smoke, eat lots of fruit and veg, exercise regularly.
Sorry if this sounds pathetic I just have a weird block with health stuff after the way my mum was.

I would say gp.
Could be a chest infection and maybe need antibiotics to see it off.

I'm just getting over flu, floored me. The cough went on for ages, turned out it was bacterial pneumonia. Go to the doctor.

If your cough is no better after 2 weeks then I would ask to see GP to get checked out, especially if your chest hurts when breathing in, you may need antibiotics, a short course of steroids, inhalers or a chest ray, but sounds like you need something sorted.

Thanks all. I'm presuming not bacterial as nothing green or dark coming up. I did call earlier but no appointments so I will try again at 8am tomorrow.

Update: I managed to get an appointment after ringing 3 days in a row and saw a lovely paramedic at my surgery. I was feeling a bit better but thought I would go anyway. She could hear some slight crackling and suspects I probably had a nasty viral chest infection that I've managed to fight off. She said to go straight back if it worsens but that antibiotics wouldn't help which was fine by me and I felt reassured.
She also highlighted that my immunity does seem to low since the meningitis and noticed my coldsores currently on my mouth and inside my nose, a positive HPV smear as well which could indicate low immunity at the moment. Also 2kg weight loss since October which I had noticed but hadn't thought might be linked.
She said to give it a few months into spring and to go back if I'm still not feeling myself or if weights loss continues without trying.
Glad I went so thanks for the reassurance.

Glad you got checked out, it’s no wonder you’ve lost weight after all you’ve been through.