Is it time to be worried?

[RebootJive]

I caught a cold on the 1st that didn't clear up. The malaise of the cold went away, but I got a really bad, fitful cough and I'm having a hard time breathing, especially if I do any sort of physical activity. Even just walking a couple blocks winds me so badly I feel like I may pass out if I don't slow down.

I decided to go to the doctor, who told me it may be whooping cough or walking pnemonia. She gave me Azithromycin and an inhaler for short-term symptoms. I'm on Day 4 of the Azithromycin and it hasn't helped much. Most of my coughing fits are now when I wake up or when I go to bed, but they're still very much there, and I'm still having a hard time catching my breath. The inhaler doesn't help a whole lot either.

I was a smoker for less than a year (I'm 19) and just quite a few days ago. I haven't noticed any change in my symptoms since then, for better or worse. I also had a chest X-ray, which my GP said looked normal, but was sending to a radiologist to confirm. I never got a call back, which I assume means it was fine. Ideas?

[National Jewish Health]

It was good that your doctor considered whooping cough (Pertussis) as a possibility because there has been a great increase whooping cough in adults, in recent years and Azithromycin is the treatment of choice.  You may have to take more than one 4 day course of the drug to get maximum benefit.  Also your description of a cough lasting several minutes is most typical of this disease.

It is worrisome that you are short of breath and it suggests that, despite the initially clear Chest X-ray, you could have pertussis pneumonia, which would explain the crackling and wheezing.  If so, this is a more severe form of the disease that could place you at significant risk and might even require hospitalization.  I strongly suggest that you arrange to be re-examined by your doctor, without delay, and have another chest X-ray. When you see the doctor, stress how short of breath you have been.  You could be having a lot of bronchial spasm, in which case you might benefit from a long-acting bronchodilator.  

Whatever the diagnosis turns out to be, you have a serious disease and, should it worsen, you should not hesitate to seek immediate assistance at the nearest Emergency Room.

Good luck

[RebootJive]

P.S. If it makes a difference, the coughing fits can sometimes last several minutes. I do cough up gunk, but it's not a particularly odd color - it doesn't look infected. My doctor heard a lot of crackling and wheezing when she listened to my lungs. My blood pressure is fine. Strangely, my throat isn't even sore. The cough seems low down at the base of my throat.