Chest infection

[Babbela]

Recently suffered from a chest infection which effected my airways as I was away self medicated with numerous over the counter meds getting to the point my cough was so bad I had sharp pains across my chest frightening me , anyone else had these coughs and can it damage your lungs .

[Thomas45]

Before the pandemic I regularly had one or two colds a year that would linger, my sinuses would become bunged up, I'd be getting green mucus from my nose, and before I knew it, my breathing would become difficult and I'd start coughing up green mucus. When I was nearer your age I'd have a "rescue" pack of antibiotics and steroids, because I had more lingering colds.Oddly since the pandemic struck the world I've been clear of lingering colds, that is until a week ago, when the sneezing started. A friend said that I probably had Covid. I looked at the latest symptoms and they aren't what I have. I'm 77 and have Permenant though asymptomatic Atrial Fibrillation as well as asthma. A week before I caught my cold I had a colonoscopy which failed to find any polyps. (Hooray).

I'm single and because of one other ailment, right foot drop, I've been in virtual lockdown for two years. I generally don't socialise, but do go out for the barber, the podiatrist, to collect repeat medication and for medical appointments. Food is bought online..

Because I've had foot drop for two years, an annoying condition caused by a fracture of my right fibula, my peroneal nerve which should lift my foot off the ground when I want to walk has disappeared. My foot stays firmly on the ground, unless I consciously pick my leg up from my knee. A year ago I was issued with a carbon fibre orthotic which fits around my leg and under my shoe's insole which is a great help when walking, although outside I also use a stick. I walk or catch buses. I can no longer drive.

Getting back to the cold, it's lingered. I've tried steam and Lemsips type drinks, and gargled. I've followed a suggestion of my GP about the use of my brown inhaler and I'm breathing almost normally but I'm sure I have an infection. I'm can't smell but can taste. I have a productive cough now and again. I feel better but need antibiotics which will clear up the infection. Tomorrow I shall hopefully see a GP, or they may prescribe antibiotics without seeing me, which they have done in the past. Or I may have to take a lateral flow test. In the last year I've had 9 face to face hospital appointments without ever needing to take a test. I don't mind taking one. It's just the logistics of it all

[Keisha192001 in reply to Thomas45]

You sound like you’re going through it all right now. I would get that covid test because if it is covid they can get you on antiviral treatment if it isn’t out of the small window they have.

[Gwalltarian in reply to Thomas45]

Hi Thomas! I had a productive non stop cough initiated by a viral lung infection - I wasn’t at all feverish but couldn’t stop coughing. It went on through three courses of amoxicillin and the actual infection cleared with a course of clarithromycin. The phlegm turned clear but I kept on coughing. I saw a utube video where an Israeli doctor has a conversation with a British Doctor saying that he recommended all his patients to take a daily 4000IU dose of vitamin D to boost their immune systems -none of them got covid. He said that though he swims in the open air daily, in Israel, he doesn’t get enough vitamin D naturally. I started taking 6000 IU vit D initially and within a day, after 7 weeks of it, my cough was gone. That was last November. After a few months I reduced my dose to 3000 IU daily.