Dr. Hive: who knows about ADULT whooping cough?

[1bassoon]

Anyone?

 

Back story, including what I've picked up from the internet (dangerous, I know!):

 

I started coughing last Tuesday while on vacation. For quite some time, I've had a short, brief cough - just maybe one cough in the morning, one or two when I bed down for the night. By some time, I mean - at least a year. (I know, I know - should have gone to the Dr. No health insurance. Unemployed-under-employed dh. Don't flame me, k?)

 

But Tuesday, I felt run down and coughed all day. Not bad, just persistent.

 

Wednesday - drove home from vacay. Feeling worse, still coughing but not severe.

 

Made it through co-op Thursday. Still feeling yucky. Yesterday the cough gets severe - I have these spells where I just cough and cough - not productive, it's up high, starts with a tickle in the back of my throat. Eyes hurt, muscles hurt from coughing, head hurts, no vomiting but just - wow. No fun. No classic whoop, and I never feel like I can't breathe. (oh, yeah. And the incontinence. SUCH fun)

 

It's worse at night. I wake up feeling HORRIBLE. But not too bad during the day. After I have a bad spell, I'm usually ok for 30-45 minutes. Then another one. Worse in the evening.

 

Today, still bad. No fever - haven't had one. Called a dr. friend here, she said there's no pertussis outbreak she knows of around here (she's a pedi). She says b/c I have no fever, give it a day or two, then call her. She also said there's a nasty coughing virus going around, they've all had it.

 

So. What says the Hive? My choices are: wait it out and hope it gets better, or call my reg. doc (or my friend) on Monday for an antibiotic.

 

Any advice or btdt??? :bigear:

[Jennifer in MI]

I think that the "nasty cough virus" they have going around is whooping cough. Probably. That's what I had a LONG time ago. It was horrible! No whoop. Just a horrible awful cough that made me feel like it was going to throw up, but I didn't (much). I felt fine during the day, except during these episodes.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I hope that's not what it is and that you'll be fine in a day or two!!!

[1bassoon]

Thanks Jennifer - I saw how you all had it, and I was hoping you'd chime in. . . . .

 

I'll bet you're right (and that's what my sinking feeling is)

 

But - is there any point in my getting an antibiotic and/or getting tested for it? Will it make any difference? (Does that make any sense?)

 

Urgh. I have this tickle in my throat again. . . . I just am really HATING this. :(

[Tap]

Typical Whooping cough starts as a cold. After the cold goes away, you get a cough. People feel completely fine, except the cough. They can go about a normal day, fell totally fine but then when they start to cough they can't catch their breath. Coughing fits come and go, but in between the person feels fine. That is part of why we are having an epidemic right now. People are out running errands, doing every day things, spreading the bug.

 

What your have, sounds like a nasty virus to me.

[momto10blessings]

I had whooping cough 2 yrs ago and it started off as a mild cold that lasted a few days. Then coughing started. When I had the cough I didn;t have any other symptoms- no fever or anything. I would cough and cough and cough... In fits. I was in the middle of the store before I knew we had it and just couldnt stop coughing. It lasted about 3 weeks. I had mucus towards the end. Plus short periods where it was hard to breathe. But no whooping. I did not get an antibiotic.

[1bassoon]

See. . . . .that's the stumper. I've not had a cold (that I can remember - you know how it all just blends together?) So no sneezing, fever, etc.

 

I think I might go with the virus-cough thingy, and see how I am on Mon/Tues.

 

Thanks for the help!

[Jennifer in MI]

Thanks Jennifer - I saw how you all had it, and I was hoping you'd chime in. . . . .

 

I'll bet you're right (and that's what my sinking feeling is)

 

But - is there any point in my getting an antibiotic and/or getting tested for it? Will it make any difference? (Does that make any sense?)

 

Urgh. I have this tickle in my throat again. . . . I just am really HATING this. :(

 

Last year when my kids had it, a couple of adults on my ds' baseball team had a "cough." They insisted it was allergies. A couple went on steroids and antibiotics. Lo and behold, a couple of their kids got it. And, then my ds got it and the rest of my kids got it. (None of them were tested for whooping cough!)

 

If you get tested now, you may test positive and you may be able to tell many, many others with whom you've had contact to get an antibiotic. Their cases may lessen. If you get antibiotics, you won't test positive and it may not help you, but you won't be contagious after a couple days.

 

It is SUCH a horrible disease. I would definitely get tested so you know for sure - BEFORE you go on antibiotics. After antibiotics, you won't test positive, even if you are. And, then get your kids on antibiotics in the hopes that you can lessen their cases. Really. It is horrible, if this is what you have.

 

PM me and I can send you a video of my ds and his whooping cough. He woke up every morning and would cough and whoop and vomit and turn purple for two months. it was horrible. Dd's case wasn't as bad. Still SCARY and horrible. And, honestly, my 16 yo's case was the mildest. But, he was still up coughing multiple times at night.

 

Look it up. Here is a link I found helpful: http://whoopingcough.net/ Listen to the sounds of whooping cough. See if it's what you have.

 

:grouphug:

[Jann in TX]

I had WC a few years ago. Mine was the typical "100 day cough" (actually lasted more like 110 days!).

 

I do not remember having a cold... I just remember the day the cough began (Thanksgiving day at a family reunion). Luckily no one caught it from me (I DID contact all family members to let them know I had it).

 

If you have been coughing for a year, I suspect that you have adult onset asthma. Asthma is not 'what you see on TV'. It is primarily a cough (especially at night). When it gets bad it can be hard to 'catch your breath' -- and yes, the incontinence issues!

 

The cough you described warrants a trip to the Dr. It is probably too late for an anti-biotic (as far as WC goes)-- but they might be able to do a culture to see if that is what you have. They can also do a breathing test to see if asthma might be the culprit.

 

I hope you find relief soon!

[Perry]

Please go get tested. If you do have pertussis (and I'll bet you do) antibiotics will keep you from being contagious. They probably won't help your symptoms at this point, but you really don't want to be spreading the germs around.

 

People rarely have a fever with pertussis.

[Perry]

Please go get tested. If you do have pertussis (and I'll bet you do) antibiotics will keep you from being contagious. They probably won't help your symptoms at this point, but you really don't want to be spreading the germs around.

 

People rarely have a fever with pertussis.

Just reread your post and realize you've only been coughing since this Tuesday. Antibiotics will decrease symptoms if started in the first week or two. Please go to urgent care tomorrow if possible. If you have pertussis, you definitely want to get started on antibiotics ASAP.

 

And that other cough you have had for a year might be from reflux. Is it worse after eating?

[Rebecca VA]

This sounds crazy, but I had whooping cough for almost a year. That was about five years ago. It finally stopped -- abruptly -- when I got the whooping cough vaccine.

[fourcatmom]

I do believe there is a lot more WC going on then people think. I had it in the Oct of 2010 (tested positive) and then again in Sept of 2011. I had to be reported to the health department, my kids had to be taken out of school (they were in PS at the time). All my immediate family had to go in for tests and go on antibiotics and stay home until the 5 day course of antibiotics was done, even though they tested negative.

 

It is horrible. I do believe mine started with a cold both times. I don't remember a fever. A bad cough, so much that you vomit and can't hold your bladder. It does come on fast. I could go to the store and be fine and go into a fit and have to leave the full cart in the store and go home. Mine lasted for at least the 100 days, if not more.

 

After this second time I never fully recovered from it or the affect of having it. I had it in Sept/Oct/Nov and in December my health really went downhill. I was taken off work in early January and have been out since. The doctor has already written a note for the rest of this year to be out. I have restrictive lung disease, sleep apnea and I have shortness of breath with any kind of activity. I don't think my lungs will ever be the same and I do think the WC is part of that. My last lung function test was 70% and taking the test I was near passing out.

 

Getting tested is no big deal and it will help to determine what paths for others to take. My doctor never believed me at first but then finally tested me. The symptoms were exact the second time around as well. It really is a cough like no other cough. I kept telling the doctor, "I really have never had this kind of cough before."

 

I hope it's just a virus and not WC. :001_smile:

Edited August 12, 2012 by fourcatmom

[1bassoon]

Does anyone know - would I be better to wait til tomorrow to go see my "regular" doc? (I say "regular" - haven't been in over 2 years, due to no ins., but they do have a file on me) Or if I go to a doc-in-the-box, will they do a wc test?

 

I've used doc-in-box before, for stitches, with GREAT results. . . . . just wondering.

[TranquilMind]

Anyone?

 

Back story, including what I've picked up from the internet (dangerous, I know!):

 

I started coughing last Tuesday while on vacation. For quite some time, I've had a short, brief cough - just maybe one cough in the morning, one or two when I bed down for the night. By some time, I mean - at least a year. (I know, I know - should have gone to the Dr. No health insurance. Unemployed-under-employed dh. Don't flame me, k?)

 

But Tuesday, I felt run down and coughed all day. Not bad, just persistent.

 

Wednesday - drove home from vacay. Feeling worse, still coughing but not severe.

 

Made it through co-op Thursday. Still feeling yucky. Yesterday the cough gets severe - I have these spells where I just cough and cough - not productive, it's up high, starts with a tickle in the back of my throat. Eyes hurt, muscles hurt from coughing, head hurts, no vomiting but just - wow. No fun. No classic whoop, and I never feel like I can't breathe. (oh, yeah. And the incontinence. SUCH fun)

 

It's worse at night. I wake up feeling HORRIBLE. But not too bad during the day. After I have a bad spell, I'm usually ok for 30-45 minutes. Then another one. Worse in the evening.

 

Today, still bad. No fever - haven't had one. Called a dr. friend here, she said there's no pertussis outbreak she knows of around here (she's a pedi). She says b/c I have no fever, give it a day or two, then call her. She also said there's a nasty coughing virus going around, they've all had it.

 

So. What says the Hive? My choices are: wait it out and hope it gets better, or call my reg. doc (or my friend) on Monday for an antibiotic.

 

Any advice or btdt??? :bigear:

 

I never wait for something like that. Experience has taught me that nipping it in the bud with an antibiotic is best.

 

PS. I've been a LOT better about not catching things since I started on probiotics.

[TranquilMind]

Does anyone know - would I be better to wait til tomorrow to go see my "regular" doc? (I say "regular" - haven't been in over 2 years, due to no ins., but they do have a file on me) Or if I go to a doc-in-the-box, will they do a wc test?

 

I've used doc-in-box before, for stitches, with GREAT results. . . . . just wondering.

 

You don't need a test and anyone will do if he will give you a prescription. Just tell him you have bronchitis symptoms since you have been coughing so long and you need your regular antibiotic (if you have one - I can only take certain ones so I specify it).

[TranquilMind]

I do believe there is a lot more WC going on then people think. I had it in the Oct of 2010 (tested positive) and then again in Sept of 2011. I had to be reported to the health department, my kids had to be taken out of school (they were in PS at the time). All my immediate family had to go in for tests and go on antibiotics and stay home until the 5 day course of antibiotics was done, even though they tested negative.

 

It is horrible. I do believe mine started with a cold both times. I don't remember a fever. A bad cough, so much that you vomit and can't hold your bladder. It does come on fast. I could go to the store and be fine and go into a fit and have to leave the full cart in the store and go home. Mine lasted for at least the 100 days, if not more.

 

After this second time I never fully recovered from it or the affect of having it. I had it in Sept/Oct/Nov and in December my health really went downhill. I was taken off work in early January and have been out since. The doctor has already written a note for the rest of this year to be out. I have restrictive lung disease, sleep apnea and I have shortness of breath with any kind of activity. I don't think my lungs will ever be the same and I do think the WC is part of that. My last lung function test was 70% and taking the test I was near passing out.

 

Getting tested is no big deal and it will help to determine what paths for others to take. My doctor never believed me at first but then finally tested me. The symptoms were exact the second time around as well. It really is a cough like no other cough. I kept telling the doctor, "I really have never had this kind of cough before."

 

I hope it's just a virus and not WC. :001_smile:

 

That's awful. Antibiotics haven't helped at all?

[fourcatmom]

That's awful. Antibiotics haven't helped at all?

 

Not one bit. I was on Prednisone (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) for about a week and got some relief but I could not function on that stuff. That was more for the breathing problems that I am having now not the WC. I actually tried driving one day (on the meds) and ran into the carport backing up. :001_huh: Needless to say I went back in the house that day.

 

I don't remember if I was on Antibiotics with the WC or not. I am guessing they gave me some but I don't remember it helping. I think you have to take them at early on set to be effective in shortening it? It seemed to take a few follow-up appointments for them to even test me, even though I kept asking about it. I work with special needs kids and I honestly think that is the only reason he even tested me for it. :confused: