Productive Cough for 6+ Weeks.
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hey everyone,
For the last 6 weeks I've had a cough, and been coughing up phlegm now and again with it. Some days worse than others, some days I don't cough up any phlegm, other days quite a bit? It's mostly clear and/or white.
I'm not sure if this cough is new or connected to a cough I had in July time. I coughed up what appeared to be bloody phlegm and I panicked, but then that didn't happen again at all. If the cough is connected, then it has been a 3-4 month cough, rather than a 1 1/2 month cough.
As well as that my chest has felt strange for months now. Since March time. I remember even saying 'it feels like my lungs aren't working properly.' I had a few months of breathlessness but thankfully that seems to have passed. I don't get the odd feeling in my lungs.
Anyhow I've been to the doctor maybe 3/4 times, been to A&E once when the pain got really strange. They refused me an x-ray or any kinda' scan. They listened to my chest instead, every doctor says it sounds clear. I've also had a blood test that was clear for anything except slightly elevated urate levels. I have paniculitis but I don't know if that's related.
I recently went back to the doctor and she booked me a... spirometry? And had me send off a sputum sample so I'm waiting on those now. I can't get in for the appointment for over a month.
My question is: Is there anything this could be that ISN'T terrifying? Because, naturally, the internet says it's probably lung cancer, TB or COPD, or another slightly terrifying disease. I just want to know if it's possible it could be a chest infection that has lingered or---anything else?
And if it is one of those things, am I going to die or have it slowly get worse until I can't live properly?
i am extremely worried.
What makes it harder is having anxiety, so if i get panic attacks now I won't know what is panic and what is actually threatening for me.
0 likes, 6 replies
Pnut91 Pandacake
Posted
My daughter and I spent the entire summer, four months to be exact, with pertussis. We went to five different doctors between us including an emergency room at the hospital. When she finally started vomiting, someone decided to check if we have pertussis. Sure enough there it was. It's a very long cough, more like gagging and choking then really coughing. If you haven't been checked, I would recommend it. Even if the bacteria is dead it's possible to do a DNA footprint to gather information. It doesn't seem to matter what treatments are offered for this disease, it just last a very long time. I wish you well and please message me if you want to chat! Pam
Anonymous111 Pandacake
Posted
If you have a bad viral URTI it can take a long time before you return to normal, i.e. the cough and mucus stops.
If you don't smoke - you wont have COPD.
TB would have made you phenomenally unwell by now. You'd feel like you were dying.
How old are you? - lung cancer is very rare in anyone under 50. You'd also be rapidly loosing weight.
With regards to Pertussis - most people have been vaccinated against this - Its part of the DPT vaccine.
Pnut91 Anonymous111
Posted
Hi Ben
Are you aware that the pertussis vaccine does not last forever? Both my daughter and I had been previously vaccinated. There are hundreds of cases of people who have been vaccinated and we're surprised that they have pertussis. The newer vaccines are even worse and only last approximately 3 years.
Anonymous111 Pnut91
Posted
I wasn't aware of that.
Pnut91 Anonymous111
Posted
Neither was I! Rude shock to say the least. I'm somewhat disappointed that there isn't more education available to physicians and the general public. You would think it would be a priority.
Pnut91 Pandacake
Posted
Hi again Pandacake
I forgot to mention that the pertussis vaccine wears off over the years. I noticed that you're only 26 years old when I visited your profile. This means that you would have had one of the newer vaccines that don't last very long and you are definitely at risk. Even if this doesn't turn out to be whooping cough, you might consider having a booster shot. It's a nasty bacteria and there can be some serious complications for survivors.
For some reason, Physicians don't seem to consider pertussis as a diagnosis most of the time. Even my ear nose and throat specialist said he had never done a culture for it.