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Big Bad Cold, Or Something Serious? Feel 10x Worse After 1wk.

Posted , 4 users are following.

aryn396
aryn396

Heyy guys, feeling very run down and hoping maybe one of yous knows what this could be! 

I came down with what I thought was just another cold, maybe 5 days ago? I've been around sick people constantly. Day 3, it became difficult to breathe and I had on-and-off chest pain. Normally a red-flag-situation but I have frequent unexplained chest pain and doctors keep telling me all my tests are clear and I'm fine and it's likely just anxiety (I have panic/anxiety disorder) and inflammation, so I thought it might just be costochondritis or something. The chest pain has stopped, the breathing issues haven't. 

I've taken a Ventolin inhaler a few times (only have one, it was given to me when I was in the hospital a month ago, and my primary doctor won't prescribe it to me...), it only works for maybe an hour at most. It's extremely hard to sleep because my nose blocks up completely and it feels like my lungs are being crushed... I woke up from a light sleep last night feeling like I was about to vomit any second. rolleyes It takes up to 5 hours, in the past few days, to finally fall asleep. I'm exhausted.

As of today, my sore throat has come back and it's worse than before. Salt water gargles and hot liquid aren't doing anything. I saw a white dot on my throat, but it's gone now. My nose is slightly less congested but it will not stop running (and it's fairly thick, mostly clear mucus now)... I have to blow it every 5 minutes. The lymph nodes in my neck and around my ears are swollen and very sore. It feels like there's a ton of pressure in that area. My ears hurt, my head hurts, my sinuses/face hurts. I was wheezing when I woke up, feel completely exhausted and like I shouldn't even be awake right now, and my occasional dry cough has turned slightly productive. 

I am prone to bronchitis and have had it many times in my life, the last time (last winter) being the worst it's ever been... but I haven't been coughing much at all, so I don't think it's that. I was worried it was pneumonia, but I haven't had a fever and haven't been coughing up mucus and my chest pain is gone now. It feels like my heart is constantly pounding though.

I haven't been eating much of anything for a week, I didn't know if it was because of this "cold", or if I have a stomach virus, or if it's because of my medication (Cipralex, went up in dose a week ago), but I've had no appetite whatsoever. I'm eating more now but it's hard, especially with a throat so sore and tight it feels like I'll choke. 

I've stuck to expectorant medicines this time (Benylin Mucus&Phlegm and Buckley's Mucus&Phlegm... yuck, lol) instead of cough-suppressing ones to try and force my lungs to get any mucus/liquid in them out, but they haven't done anything.

I don't normally rest/lie around in bed for days when sick, but right now, that's all I want to do. Which to me says something's wrong. I can't get to a doctor, they're completely booked up, and my next appointment for something else isn't until Jan 12th. Even my usual go-to remedy of garlic milk/tea (started using water instead bc I know milk creates mucus) hasn't helped me. sad Thoughts? Could this just be a really bad cold, or has it turned into something worse? Aside from constant bed-rest, I've been following all the typical "at home guidelines" for treating respiratory infections... and it just feels like it's getting worse. 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest aryn396

    Posted

    Hi Aryann,

    I’m sorry to read about what you are going through. Please relax. Take it from someone who is constantly paranoid about everything. The common cold virus is not what it used to be. We are dealing with a mutated strain that just lingers for months. My advice is not to read too much into this as you do not seem to have any of the usual troubling signs. Do not self medicate and this tends to make things worse. If you wake up feeling like you cannot breathe, please go to the ER. Apart from that, your anxiety could be making things a lot worse, so relax. I would love to know when you’re feeling better. Warm wishes for this holiday season.

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy aryn396

    Posted

    It does sound like a bad cold. Have you talked to a pharmacist as they are well trained and knowledgable?
  • helena1971
    helena1971 aryn396

    Posted

    Hello I would go and get checked, I’ve had pneumonia now for 6 weeks, the pain in my shoulder was horrendous. I was being sick had no energy and breathing was so bad. I thought it was flu but got worse and ended up calling nhs 111 they sent an ambulance and I was rushed in blue lights and that, turns out I had sepsis to so I was lucky I guess to have got treatment so quick. Because if I had left it I may not of lived to tell the tale. Go and get checked out good luck

    Helena x

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