Cough that Won't go Away

beebz

Member
I hope you are getting better. I was very very very sick once with pneumonia and it felt like I had a knife in my ribs; pleurisy possibly. At any rate, I remember the Dr giving me pain pills, I needed relief and NOTHING was working. Suppressing the cough was not a good idea but the screaming pain was debilitating also. So, the Dr had to give me some relief. I had to take the hydrocodone for relief but had to be very careful because they suppress the cough to the point of it being non-productive and you do not want that. Coughing is good to get the mucous out of your lungs, nothing but air belongs in your lungs ! But coughing so hard that you break ribs or scream in pain needs relief of a pain pill every now and again. Too bad they are so widely abused for those of us who really need them from time to time.
I have also found that prescription strength ibuprophen (Motrin) 800mg really helps for a cough. Motrin is an anti-inflamitory and often we have a hacking cough due to inflammation and this might just do the trick.
A single 200mg for my grandaughters quiets their cough when they are coughing every 12 seconds with a dry hack hack hack hack and they need relief. It was an accidental discovery. I gave one of them Motrin for fever and noticed from then on, their allergy related seasonal hacks were quieted as a welcome side effect bonus.
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Have any of you or anyone in your family had a cough that Won't go away, and it's been nearly a month? A wet cough that goes and goes and makes you feel like you're going to suffocate.
Gosh Crayola. This is sounding like Coronavirus. I know it's a few months ago you wrote this, but the only difference is wet vs dry cough. How are you feeling? Did these symptoms go away? I pray you're okay.
 

ksm

Well-Known Member
Another home remedy for sore throat and cough. About 20 years ago we had a Russían exchange student. When I got sick she made me a hot drink snd I did feel better.

Use a smaller size coffee cup, fill with milk, about 1" from the top. Add a teaspoon or two of butter, about a tablespoon of honey. Heat in microwave. Stir in about 1/2 tsp of baking soda and stir. The drink will foam up some. Drink up! Repeat every few hours.

She's a doctor now in St. Petersburg's! A plastic surgeon...I could use a little touch up! LOL. Ksm
 

Crayola13

Well-Known Member
I was diagnosed with bronchitis in Dec. I went back to the doctor four times over the next six weeks. The chest xray didn't show pneumonia. The cough finally went away after six weeks and four rounds of antibiotics. Everyone here had it.
 

BusynMember1

Well-Known Member
My husband and I were both very sick around Thanksgiving. My husband was worse and had pneumonia and I, who never get sick, had a milder version of this and could not shake it.

One of my sister's had bronchitis right before Corona hit hard. She works in a daycare and told me the teachers and kids were sicker with things lasting longer than anytime in her forty years of working in this environment.

We.just wonder if Corona has been around a lot longer in the U.S. than we knew or were being told. And did we have it? And my sister's charges and co-workers?

My husband, who has diabetes, was totally knocked out for a few months. Antibiotics definitely helped his cough though.

They know do little.
 

Nandina

Member
I recently read that there were cases in China as early as November, so who really knows when the first cases hit here? A doctor friend of ours had patients coming to her in November who would present with flu-like symptoms, but would test negative for the flu.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
It did cross my mind as that cold I had 12/31 was hideous. There was a kid on the plane (we went to a nearby US state) coughing a lot. All four of us got colds. However, mine was very difficult. I was tested for flu...no. I had a chest X-ray and no pneumonia. And a z pac did not help. It was a powerful virus. My cough was wet and productive. Otherwise o would be more suspicious of covid 19. I had a stubborn fever, fatigue and a stubborn wet cough. I can tell you it scared my husband and I into never wanting to fly again in the winter months. Period. Down the road when things calm down , I might see if I can be tested for antibodies. Scary...as I actually don’t think it was covid 19... but some other powerful virus. Creepy.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Well...
I have a friend that thinks my symptoms might mean I had covid 19 on 12/31. I have another who thinks no..it was too early and doesn’t fit the description.
I’m in the middle. I think it’s unlikely, BUT possible.
Thoughts?
My GP was out of town at the time and she had a fill in person care for me. He is either a PA or an RN. I spoke with my Dr over the phone a few times when I was sick. She never saw me. She won’t have any recollection to speak of.
At some point I would like to get tested fir antibodies. I’m just wondering when it’s appropriate to ask my doctor who I suspect is extremely busy now.
I don’t think that test is readily available now anyway.
I was thinking of asking her in 2-4 weeks. I don't know. thoughts?
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
It seems they can tell immediate by a chest xray - at least I've seen that. There is a TON of information and hard to know what is legitimate.

If you have symptoms and feel bad I would definitely get it checked out ASAP!
 

Crayola13

Well-Known Member
Christmas Eve we went from forty degrees to seventy-five. Anytime we have a major temperature change it messes up my chest or sinuses. I was diagnosed with bronchitis in Dec. It took six weeks to stop the non stop coughing up of phlegm, but I felt fine otherwise. I'm still coughing a little. I've never had bronchitis that lasted so long. I'll take that over the sinus part any day.
 

Crayola13

Well-Known Member
My husband and I were both very sick around Thanksgiving. My husband was worse and had pneumonia and I, who never get sick, had a milder version of this and could not shake it.

One of my sister's had bronchitis right before Corona hit hard. She works in a daycare and told me the teachers and kids were sicker with things lasting longer than anytime in her forty years of working in this environment.

We.just wonder if Corona has been around a lot longer in the U.S. than we knew or were being told. And did we have it? And my sister's charges and co-workers?
My husband, who has diabetes, was totally knocked out for a few months. Antibiotics definitely helped his cough though.

They know do little.

My sister in law got bronchitis, but developed pneumonia last month. Mild case, thankfully.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
For clarification...this was way back on 12/31/19 for me ...New Years Eve. I’m fine now. It’s just curious. As I noted at the time before I even heard of corona virus that the fever and cough were unusually stubborn. It’s probably not related. Just curious. This is months ago. Last day of December 2019. I am over it completely.

And I think the original poster ended up diagnosed with bronchitis.

Eventually, I’ll mention it to my doctor. I’ve heard end of Dec and much of January there was a difficult flu like virus going around. Of course, in retrospect it’s hard not to wonder if it was the Covid 19 and this whole mess started at least a little earlier than people realize. Again, probably not...but a weird curiosity.
 
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JMom

Well-Known Member
Have any of you or anyone in your family had a cough that Won't go away, and it's been nearly a month? A wet cough that goes and goes and makes you feel like you're going to suffocate. I'm so sore and exhausted from coughing. I just finished my antibiotic. Maybe I need to get it refilled. I'm going back to the Dr today. It's keeping the whole house awake.

Did you have a chance to get tested for the antibodies for Covid19?
 

Crayola13

Well-Known Member
No, I'm pretty sure it was a bad case of bronchitis. Christmas Eve, the temperature increased by forty degrees, which probably caused it. I'm still coughing a little. Opening windows, allergies, almost anything can get my cough started. My sister-in-law, on the other hand, plans to get tested. She had walking pneumonia, but only missed four days of work. It was just a mild case.
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
Keep us posted.

I had walking pneumonia and it was worse than regular pneumonia. I was in my 20's and it knocked me on my butt for at least ten days!
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Please get it checked out again. A cough was Hubby's first symptom. Less than 3 months after his first doctor visit for it, he was dead. Now I am trying to work out if any of it was caused by his time working at a radioactive Superfund site. If so, my lawyer will figure it out.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Took my Covid antibody test yesterday. My bad virus was all the way back on 12/31. On the early side for Covid...although I understand some are saying it was here in Dec. Bad cough and fever. Bad fatigue a good three weeks. I’ll keep you posted.
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
Took my Covid antibody test yesterday. My bad virus was all the way back on 12/31. On the early side for Covid...although I understand some are saying it was here in Dec. Bad cough and fever. Bad fatigue a good three weeks. I’ll keep you posted.
Oh yes, let us know. I do not know anyone personally that has contracted the virus. Our friend, who was with us in Florida last week, is a speech therapist and a few parents asked her to not visit their child for 2 weeks (quarantine).
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
My antibody test came back negative. Some say since many months have elapsed, it might not be accurate. I’m satisfied though.
 
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