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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
URI--anything I can do?
Answered by
MN
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URI--anything I can do?
by Kat03, May 21, 2008 03:22PM
I have had asthma since childhood, and after several years of having no issues with it, I am now taking Advair for asthma symptoms and have been taking it for about 2 months now.
About 3 weeks ago, I started feeling short of breath and had my usual postnasal drip along with it. Last week Sunday, I developed a very sore throat, pressure in my ears, nasal congestion, coughing, chills, fever, etc. I went to the doctor on Wednesday, after having a 103 fever x2 days. Doctor said it was a URI and I had bilateral ear infections, gave me a prescription for Amoxicillin 875, and told me to start taking it if the fever lasted for another 24 hours.
I started the amoxicillin on Thursday. No relief of symptoms at all, other than the fever is now down to a low grade of 100.0. Still coughing, but it's a dry cough with congestion that feels deep and is not coming up. Still have nasal congestion. I'm having shortness of breath when I'm coughing and when I move around too much. Throat is better, but still sore, but most likely from all the coughing. Still having body aches. I'm extremely tired and just moving around wipes me out completely.
I called the doctor back yesterday since it had been almost a week of being on antibiotics and no relief, and they told me to start taking Robitussin DM until I am feeling better. No relief with Robitussin other than my heart is racing now and I feel like I can't stop moving, which is what happens when I take things like that.
So...basically I'm wondering if there is anything else that might work better that is over the counter. I don't have health insurance, there are no "free" clinics around here, and I really can't afford to pay another $150 to see the doctor again unless it is an emergency. I'm also wondering if this sounds more like a viral thing than bacterial, and how long the average URI lasts? Thanks in advance.
About 3 weeks ago, I started feeling short of breath and had my usual postnasal drip along with it. Last week Sunday, I developed a very sore throat, pressure in my ears, nasal congestion, coughing, chills, fever, etc. I went to the doctor on Wednesday, after having a 103 fever x2 days. Doctor said it was a URI and I had bilateral ear infections, gave me a prescription for Amoxicillin 875, and told me to start taking it if the fever lasted for another 24 hours.
I started the amoxicillin on Thursday. No relief of symptoms at all, other than the fever is now down to a low grade of 100.0. Still coughing, but it's a dry cough with congestion that feels deep and is not coming up. Still have nasal congestion. I'm having shortness of breath when I'm coughing and when I move around too much. Throat is better, but still sore, but most likely from all the coughing. Still having body aches. I'm extremely tired and just moving around wipes me out completely.
I called the doctor back yesterday since it had been almost a week of being on antibiotics and no relief, and they told me to start taking Robitussin DM until I am feeling better. No relief with Robitussin other than my heart is racing now and I feel like I can't stop moving, which is what happens when I take things like that.
So...basically I'm wondering if there is anything else that might work better that is over the counter. I don't have health insurance, there are no "free" clinics around here, and I really can't afford to pay another $150 to see the doctor again unless it is an emergency. I'm also wondering if this sounds more like a viral thing than bacterial, and how long the average URI lasts? Thanks in advance.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish Health, May 28, 2008 05:20PM
, May 28, 2008 05:20PM
This sounds more like a bacterial infection. The persistent cough and fever, along with shortness of breath, suggest that you may have a bacterial pneumonia. If it were viral, it should have been gone by now. We would consider this an emergency, for which you should have a physical exam of your lungs, a chest x-ray and a culture of your phlegm. This could well be a bacterial pneumonia and the bacteria may not be sensitive to amoxicillin. If this were going to clear-up on its own, it should have by now.
Please look around some more for a clinic for the uninsured because you probably do need to be treated before the infection worsens and requires hospitalization.
Please look around some more for a clinic for the uninsured because you probably do need to be treated before the infection worsens and requires hospitalization.
