Cold lasting three weeks

[catandasthma51]

I have asthma. I got a cold 16 days ago and it's still going. I've only used my blue inhaler three times. I'm coughing day and night (hurts my chest for a few seconds afterwards), runny nose and congestion, pain in sinuses and ears, headache, sore throat, hurts to swallow and my glands are up. I have no chest pain, pressure or breathing issues. My mum has the same cold for almost the same amount of time. Now two family members are saying I can't still have a cold and I'm making it up to avoid stuff. For context I have multiple disabilities so the only things I'm not doing is going for walks, tiding my room and visiting family. I'm able to watch tv, use my mobile and computer as usual, eat and drink as normal and look after the cat. Anyone else had this and what should I do?

I've seen my doctor. It's a viral infection.

[Mandevilla]

"Anyone else had this and what should I do?"

Apart from moving far away from your family?! What an unsympathetic bunch!!!

There's not really much you can do with a cold except rest and stay hydrated. And take pain relief for any discomfort. It might be worth ringing your surgery if you can get a telephone appointment, just to check there's nothing else going on like an infection of some kind, but if your mum has the same symptoms and for about the same length of time, it sounds like a particularly vicious cold bug.

[Gareth57]

I had a similar cold, not much in the way of headaches though but I did end up with chest pain and tightness which lasted a month until I finally managed to get some pred out of my GP.

[fraid]

Have you tested for Covid? My colds take over 3 weeks to clear as have M.E so my immune system is rubbish, most people only have colds for few days/7, but so many new bugs around these days. If you're worried I'd phone gp. And breathe on your critical family, see if they get it and for how long, call it 'research'. 😂If you can get out for some fresh air though it would help, open windows let some bugs out but stay warm. Hope you have meds to help with symptoms. Get well soon. 🤗

[Superzob]

I had the so-called 100 day cold earlier this year. With me the cold symptoms lasted 2 weeks, but then I got post-viral fatigue syndrome for 2 weeks, which was worse than the cold. I have known people with this for over a month; the theory goes that isolation due to COVID has weakened our immune response to things which normally clear up quickly - don’t know whether that’s true, but you’re certainly not alone!

[peege]

'Long colds' can be a thing, like long Covid

There you go, it's official. Hot from bbc news website today