Any ideas?

Last week I posted about having a bad chest and having gone to the docs they said it was just a virus. 

Well, it's got a whole lot worse since then. I have totally lost my voice, but worst of all are the awful coughing fits I'm having. I cough and cough and cough until I am literally gagging. I had one so horrible at work today that I literally couldn't breathe and felt like my airways were closing up, my eyes were streaming and it just wouldn't stop, it was terrifying... 

They're the worst at night and I haven't had a full night's sleep for a week now as I just keep waking up, having these horrible coughing fits and then it takes a while to calm down and fall back asleep...

Do any of you think it could be something else? 


I'm inhaling steaming water with olbas oil in and trying to sleep propped up. I'm also sipping plenty of hot drinks and have a bag of boiled sweets to suck as that seems to help a bit. 

If I'm no better by Thursday I think I'm going to head back to the doctor

Hi there,
Do you cough up any sputum? If so what colour and consistency?
Do you feel short of breath when not caughing?
Any pain? Is so worse on movement or when breathing in or out?
I agree a viral infection shouldn't carry on for such length of time. Problem is that if you got a viral infection its very common to get a bacterial one on top of it.
Hope you get some rest tonight sending vibes to you   

Yes there is sputum, it varies - it is sometimes clear and sometimes darker. It is very thick. 

My chest feels tight and bubbly when not coughing but there's no shortness of breath. When I'm moving there is, I got very dizzy/light headed this morning walking to work as I was out of puff quite badly. 

Thanks for the vibes

Have you done the nhs symptom checker? - http://www.nhs.uk/nhsdirect/pages/symptoms.aspx

It can help you decide what to do. With coughs it can be difficult to work out when it's appropriate to go to the dr. They will not want to see you unless it has developed into a chest infection as they can't do anything for you and you will infect everyone else in the waiting room. You could also try speaking to a pharmacist at your local chemists as they will be quick to tell you to see the G.P. if they think you have more than just a cough.

Hi fluffs lace I have sked to questions bearing in mind you had a recent infection. Has you GP done any test on you called peak flow, you are supposed to breath in than out through a tube repeatingly three times. Of course I can't give you a diagnosis but it sound like it could be a form of asthma or COPD.
Cheryl's idea of the link to check symptoms is good. Do this and then decide, but if you are getting short of breath between the coughs you need to be seen by your GP.
Keep us updated and get better soon.

Thank you both

I am going back to the doctor this afternoon and am off work today as I just feel totally rubbish and they told me to come back if I felt worse, which I do!

Hope they are able to give you some meds that will help. Get well soon vibes being sent xxx

I hope you get to the bottom of it love, you do sound really poorly. Please let us know how you get on at the doctors. Loving and healing vibes are on their way.

Hugs

JO xx

Lots more vibes, I am sorry you are having such a rotten time. Let us know what the doc says     

It sounds like Asthma to me too as my brother gets really bad with his when he gets chest infections and is having attacks. Chest infecitons can be bad but they should not be stopping you breathing or gagging and feeling like your airways are closing. I agree with bolduan , if you breathe in the peak flow he can see from that, my brother has bad asthma and had to keep a record and use these a lot when younger and I used to have it but grew out of it and I had to use one of those and jot down the results on a chart too. If it is that you have to be very careful with a lot of meds and antibiotics too as they can trigger an attack so I would definately have this checked out hun.

Let us know how you get on, poor thing, I do hope the chest infeciton clears and you figure out what else is wrong.

Well the doctor couldn't hear an infection and thinks it might just be a particularly nasty virus. 

I'm not sure if that's all it is?   It seems like if you go to a doctor and complain of these symptoms, if they can't hear an infection you are just 'shrugged off'. They've told me to come back if I'm not feeling any better soon. 

I am just down with it all. I've had no voice since Monday, hardly any sleep, all of my tummy muscles are pulled from constantly coughing and I'm still having the horrible coughing fits  

I will have to go back to work tomorrow, so will drag myself through the next couple of days and then rest over the weekend and see how I feel then. 

How long do viruses last as a rule does anyone know? I hate feeling like I am wasting the doctor's time but I really do feel rubbish. 

Sorry for moaning guys, thank you for all the vibes and support

Sorry to hear you're not feeling any better

It's so frustrating not being able to sleep for coughing, the body really needs sleep to recover so you end up stuck in a rut.

I hope you start feeling better real soon

Well you see Hun, usually a virus is only active for a few days, let's explain it on the example of a snuffely cold that happens.
You catch the bug without knowing.....
Your nose starts running clear stuff, you sneeze a lot that's the virus doing his thing, now your immunsystem kicks in dealing with the virus and lots of bacterial get free entry because your immun system is preoccupied, they settle on top and the runny nose disappeared, instead you got a blocked nose, woozy head feeling generally crab thats the bacterial infection. The saying of 3days to come, 3to stay and3 to go is valid. The first 3days are viral the rest bacterial.
In your case what virus is the GP thinking of? Do you need to be more persistent and ask for a chest x ray?
Sorry to hear you feel rubbish but in some cases when dealing with NHS you need to be a pain somewhere and consistent with this. Hence if you don't feel better by Friday make another appointment.
Until then lots of antiviral, make me sleep and muscle relaxant vibes for you.!!!

Bless your heart!  You need a chest x-ray.  You also need the gp to do a peak flow as was suggested.  You said your chest was/is bubbly.  I'm thinking you have bronchitis or pneumonia. Of course, without listening to your chest and examining you by tapping various places & listening and several other things I can't be 100% sure.  

Pneumonia can be viral.  An x-ray would show if it was pneumonia.  I know your health system is greatly different in the UK, but I'd demand an x-ray.  He also needs to do several blood tests.  They would show if you had a bacterial, viral or inflammatory response(a possibility) going on. This is just advice from a retired Respiratory Care Practitioner. I don't think the UK has respiratory therapy as a separate occupation or it's specialties.

I hope you get better soon. Gargle w/ salt water for your throat if you haven't!

                   

Thank you so much guys  

I will see how I go but if I'm feeling no better soon I will definitely go back. My mum is excellent at kicking up a fuss when needed, so I have no worries there

The problem being there is no treatment for the virus. I would recommend that you don't go into work as you will give it to everyone you work with and really what you need is down time to recover properly. Last year one of my colleagues came into work too soon after a cough which turned into a chest infection. She infected all of the rest of the team and one of us ended up with pneumonia. So we were all off at the same time causing havoc.

I hope you have not gone to work - you need to be at home looking after yourself.

Loads more get well vibes being sent xx

Thank you guys

I only did half a day today. I will have to go in for the whole day tomorrow as I really have no choice - I need the hours. We have to gain 800 hours experience over the two years (I am in the first year) and I am already waaay behind because of the college messing up when I started the course.

I have told my supervisor that I'm not feeling well all week but she is a bit "no illness", and has made a few comments about me not being there which have upset me as I genuinely am ill and I haven't missed any other days there (only the other day she was complementing me on how I'm the most reliable work placement student they've had, attendance and punctuality wise). She's obviously not bothered about me being there with a virus and is actively encouraging me to come in. I've only got a couple of weeks left there.

I did manage to sleep better last night thank goodness, I think it was out of total exhaustion though

You are in the wars sweetheart but I agree wth Gentl, you need a chest xray. Doctors like "Virus" the way they like "stress" to put everythng down to but as you are feeling so wretched I wouldn't hesitate to go back. I am sending lots of warm comforts to you love and hope they do at least a little good and lp if only a little.

You are not moaning, that's what we are here for, plrease keep us updated.

Lots of love
Jo xx

Thank you so much Jo

I'm going to see how I go over the weekend but if I'm not feeling better next week I think I will go back. I'm pretty sure a virus couldn't make you feel this poorly, or make you cough to the point I am...

How are you today? Sending vibes and saying a prayer or two.          

Thank you Holly

I'm not brilliant

I still have a nasty, hacking cough which is making my chest painful. The coughing fits aren't as bad through the day but at night they are awful. Does anyone know why they're worse at night (I'm talking about just before I go to bed, not in the middle of the night)?

It's simply because you are a)lying down so the mucus sits differently b)it feels worse because you are trying to sleep. If you prop yourself up on pillows you may find your coughing overnight reduces.

I have tried to prop myself up and I really can't sleep that way - I'm difficult!

Hi,
Yes it is because mucus is shifting but also your lung capacity/volume is reduced when lying down. Other organs are moving upwards and there is less space for the lungs. Less space=less oxygen=body tries harder to get rid of any stuff that obstructs the airway.
If you can't be propped up to much try an armchair position. Two pillows build a v shape upside down the third one goes in the middle on top of the corner of the V. This way you are mor propped but the side wing help the lungs to get a little more space. Patients usually feel comfortable with this.
Do you do you nebulisers with lobs just before bedtime. Oblast is quite harsh and may be better used during the day. Try some camomile tea before bedtime and use the a bit of the tea as inhalation fluid. Pop some honey in your tea. Honey is soothing for coughs. And then night night and sweet dream. Sending you snoozy vibes for tonight