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Avatar universal

When has it been too much?

Only a handful of people here know that I've actually been sick since Monday. I've been sick with the weirdest thing I've ever been sick with. So here are my symptoms:

Monday- started coughing, dry unproductive cough
Tuesday- cough became very intense but still dry, felt like my chest was compressed, headache, unable to take deep breath without coughing fit
Wednesday- started getting earaches but no drainage, more dry coughing that left me breathless, chest did NOT feel compressed anymore
Thursday- on top of the ear problems and coughing I started getting ALLERGY symptoms (really watery eyes, runny nose, tingly sinuses and nasal cavities), low-grade fever
Friday- cough becomes more productive with phlegm, still having allergy symptoms, low-grade fever
Saturday (today)- cough is not as intense but still dry and sometimes phlegmy, feeling weak and tired, eyes are puffy from watering for the past few days

The only thing I've taken is Tylenol for headaches and fever. Throughout all of this I haven't been able to stand for very long without feeling lightheaded and weak, difficulty sleeping. My husband and kids are also sick. Their fevers have been worse but my cough as been worse (I almost can't talk anymore, though no sore throat). My lungs don't hurt, my chest doesn't hurt. I just don't get what's going on.

So when is it too much? I don't want to go sit at the ER and expose myself to other things (or expose others to this) for HOURS only to be told there's nothing they can do and write me an RX for something I can't even take while pregnant.

Any insights on what I could be experiencing? I will probably end up calling the doctor but I know they're just going to tell me to go to the ER.
10 Responses
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349463 tn?1333571576
Joy, right around 22 weeks or so I got horribly sick with a head cold that turned into some type of chest cold. I feel your pain. It must have lasted for two weeks. My ob told me about mucinex and also did you know that you can take claratin. Claratin and tylenol can be taken at the same time although the tylenol only seems to help with the fever and nothing else. I also did two sinus washes. You can buy those at any drug store for about $6 to $15 depending on the brand and number of packets. It's disgusting, but clears all the goop out of your head.

Feel better!
Helpful - 0
363110 tn?1340920419
Joy I feel your pain! I've been sick for about 2 days now with a cough that gets so bad I puke. I'm not taking anything because it's not an all day cough, and it's a dry cough. :) But I've had headaches, and upset stomach also.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sweetangel- he may just get desperate enough! I know I did. Tell him he'll get better faster if he does take it!!! I don't have asthma and the doctor asked me about that when they called back.

She also told me I could take Sudafed or Robitussin DM. So if you have any of that your hubby might be able to take it to relief his symptoms.
Helpful - 0
435139 tn?1255460391
We have regular mucinexi have been trying to get  him to try BUT he's being stubborn!  Personally, with my husband  I think he has a cold AND his allergies are acting up...and he does have asthma...soi think it is just a terrible combo!  Anyway...Hope you feel better!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks spade! Bronchitis seems like the most likely suspect but I'm trying the Mucinex stuff first. Since I've already taken one of the regular I have to wait until tomorrow to get the DM version.

I am losing my voice, probably from coughing so much.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
ugh!  Im sorry to here you are feeling so sick.  I'm not a medical doctor but here is my opinion on some of things things you mentioned you could possibly have:

pneumonia:  its possible, but pneumonia is relatively uncommon
influenza (flu) -  unlikely.  You would have rapid onset of symptoms w/ high grade fever
common cold - definitely possible
bronchitis - not sure
emphysema - not sure
asthma - this would be secondary to a primary illness.  Asthma constricts airway but doesnt cause fever, running noise etc. etc.  Its possible that your illness could induce asthma though.
laryngitis - this is a "symptom" and not a "cause".  Laryngitis is inflammation of voice box or vocal cords.  If you have lost your voice then you probably have laryngitis but the question is what caused laryngitis in the first place.

I would suggest you have the Mucinex w/ DM as suggested by your doctor.  It shouldnt cost a lot and will make you feel much better if you can suppress the coughing.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
DM has a cough suppressant. We've spent so much money on meds that I'm trying the regular Mucinex first.

Tell your husband I sympathize... greatly! This is absolutely miserable. There were times I couldn't even open my eyes or move. I've coughed so hard I've peed myself, too. Ugh! I'm ready to be better.
Helpful - 0
435139 tn?1255460391
Call a pharmacist to see what the difference is...Hope you feel better!  DH is going through something similar since Tuesday =(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Okay on-call doctor told me to take Mucinex DM to see if that dries the cough up. I have regular Mucinex (no DM). Does it matter?

The reason I didn't ask her is because all of a sudden she said, "Oh, I have a delivery. Take the Mucinex DM and see if that helps!" before she had to go. Obviously a baby coming out is more emergent so that didn't bother me. But now I'm wondering what to take!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I used a symptom checker thing and some of the things that came up are:

pneumonia
influenza (flu)
common cold
bronchitis
emphysema
asthma
laryngitis

Great. Calling my doc now.
Helpful - 0
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