Fatigue quite bad and chest pain and back pain for 3 weeks after catching a cold5 weeks ago

[Sunflower2323]

If anyone can help with these symptoms what to do. ? Please. Chest pain and back pain at the level of the heart and fatigue feeling very exhausted. Little coughing. Blood test showing infection but nothing on the X-ray. Dr prescribed only co-codamol and codeine. Please tell me what to do with this exhaustion ? It's not Covid, done the test, but this is how I feel in the last 3 weeks and it's not getting better. When taking a deep breath I'm coughing and feel the pain in the chest. Thank you everybody and my best wishes of health and get better all of you.

[Poobah]

Hi Sunflower. I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with the effects of a virus, without much additional treatment. If you weren't asthmatic, I can see why the Dr has been cautious in their treatment. However, you're clearly experiencing respiratory issues in addition to viral fatigue, aches and pains. The fact that an infection has been identified through a blood test, but the Dr has relied on a chest x-ray to withhold additional respiratory treatment does seem unsatisfactory to me (just thinking if I was in your shoes, I would be disappointed).

Looking back at your post from some time ago, I personally think you're being under treated. And how you described your Dr's approach to primary asthma care wasn't something I recognised.

I think that you could talk with the Asthma helpline nurses first thing Friday and run them through your normal asthma treatment and your current symptoms, asking if they would advise you seek additional treatment above what your Dr has provided. I'm wondering if it's worth considering if you can be referred to an asthma clinic, just so you have regular access to a specialist and how do they recommend going about that?

You then have the option to talk to the 111 service, armed with information from the Asthma Helpline nurses, and explain you're struggling to access suitable treatment from your GP for asthma during a viral infection and could they give you access to an urgent treatment centre. They have various options and will take into account what you tell them.

Viral fatigue is difficult to deal with. I had a short, but intense, virus last spring and the fatigue lasted for months. I had to really pace myself, just doing a bit every day and I didn't undertake any travelling. But my GP was very supportive, as my asthma had really taken a hit, so I had additional treatment that suited my circumstances. It didn't help the fatigue, but it helped the asthma flare and the aggressive phlegm.

To me, your ongoing aches and pains are signs that your muscles are exhausted from inflammation and mucus. Laboured breathing takes its toll on our bodies, not just our lungs. So you're not being unreasonable in seeking further advice and treatment.

The Asthma Helpline is open from 9.15am and closes at 5pm. Phone: [phone]. Closed at weekends, so don't put it off.

In the meantime, if your asthma does decline where your asthma inhaler doesn't help, seek help from A&E and phone 999, if you're unable to get yourself to A&E.

[Sunflower2323 in reply to Poobah]

Dear Poobah thank you very very much for the very helpful input. My fatigue got better today and I need a lot of rest but a lot, I still need to get back to work next week. Can't afford to just wait and get better, but reading everybody's post I'm thinking that I have to take all this what I'm going through very seriously. Year by year after catching a cold the fatigue and cough is lingering longer and longer. There are people here who have very serious conditions. I try to keep myself fit and eat healthily but sometimes it's just not enough. Nature has it's own ways to deal with our body. I called yesterday the asthma nurse and talked to a very lovely lady but finally she was more worried about me not using the spacer and why do I need to use the Ventolin as long as I have the Fostair 100 ml ? I'm just waiting for the GP's appointment next week to talk more about the blood results let's see what infection is there. I'm just thinking as long as there is an infection in a blood test it needs to be treated, simple as that. I learned awful lot from everybody's posting on how to manage my lungs but there are always new symptoms which raises questions and not sure what to expect. I'm not young anymore but not old enough just try to keep myself active for as long as possible. This weather is just not helping. Thank you Poobah again I'm very grateful for your input.

[PW_R]

bad lungs and fatigue go hand in hand. If oxygen isn’t getting in and out properly we suffer. Iv been fatigued for years now. It all started after a vicious spring bronchitis infection.

[Sunflower2323 in reply to PW_R]

Thank you PW_R for your contribution to my post. The problem currently is that the fatigue is just not going away and the sweating, Coughing is slightly better, maybe also because I use the nebulizer, wasn't recommended by any health care practitioner but I told them about it and they said they don't recommend it. The nebulizer I use only when the cough is bothering me and nothing helps. I don't use anymore with saline but clear water boiled and at room temperature. Why can't we use some oxygen to help the lungs ?

[Patk1]

I'd get an urgent appointment at drs today,or ring 111.if you may very well have an infection secondary to the virus - it often happens with lung diseases and asthma x

[Sunflower2323 in reply to Patk1]

Thank you Patk1. I have an appointment but it's only for the next week. If I got unwell I call 111. I feel like taking Co-codamol and codeine for coughing I'm just hiding the symptoms. Wonder what infection the blood test is showing.

[Patk1 in reply to Sunflower2323]

Do u have salbutamol x

[Sunflower2323 in reply to Patk1]

Yes I have and use it when I cough and I have these flare ups. But yesterday the asthma nurse wasn't happy to find out about it. She recommended the Fostair. Though in our forum here somebody a while ago said in a comment Fostair is not recommended to replace Salbutamol to be used that often because it affects bone density if I well remember.

[Patk1 in reply to Sunflower2323]

On the mart regime( maintainance and reliever therapy) fostair will be use morn+ nt + when needed.if it doesn't help,I'd be using salbutamol. too. See how u manage & speak to 111 if need to. Gp left u with untreated infection (( Has salbutamol been helping x

[peege]

Just to add, any GP should be able to hear an infection via a stethoscope and treat you appropriately before an infection worsens (if there is an infection) i second everything Poobah says and if I were you I'd see another GP in the practice.

[Sunflower2323 in reply to peege]

Thank you peege. I have an appointment for the next week. Wonder what the blood test is showing. I can't take a deep breath because it's followed by coughing. Whenever I have these symptoms the GPs in the past couldn't hear anything and all they could say was: " Crystal clear". Same with my current condition.

[Patk1 in reply to Sunflower2323]

Have u got peak flow meter? If so I'd use cpl times a day + keep daily diary of how you are,symptoms etc so they have a picture.xxxx

[Sunflower2323 in reply to Patk1]

I use it more often when I'm having a cold, and the reading is less, not much but it shows clearly that the volume of air is not the same as when I'm without cold symptoms. I don't keep a diary but I'll start one, it's helpful. Something is not right also with my blood pressure because it's higher than usual and the pulse is quite high between 81-92 since the 9.01 when I started with these symptoms. I have high blood pressure medicines and it's better after I take it in the morning , but I'm sure it's because of the infection in the body. The whole system is changed. Have a wonderful weekend full of sunshine and health. Thank you very much for you input.

[Patk1 in reply to Sunflower2323]

I'd include yr peak flow & obs in yr daily diary,as it'll give dr a clearer picture of how you are feeling; include fatigue,breathing problems,palpitations etc x

[Butterfly2honey]

If you carry on feeling like this go back to your GP and ask him to run lots of blood tests. If they come back all clear ask him if he could refer you to see if you are starting with ME/CFS. There are no tests to find out if you have this , its a process of elimination, but the sooner a person gets diagnosed they have a much better chance of recovery. I’m not saying you have this condition as there are other symptoms as well.

The reasons I’m giving you this advice is because I had a virus and became so exhausted. I was working part time and I was spending the rest of the time in bed sleeping only getting out of bed to go to work. I was aching and in pain with many other symptoms. Plus I kept pushing myself until I was ready to collapse. It took 4 years to be diagnosed as there are no tests it a case of eliminating things.

When I started to be ill over 20 years ago people thought the condition was all in peoples heads, but thanks to Long Covid which symptoms are virtually the same people are more aware of ME/CFS and they can help you get on the right course.

If you go on to Action for ME there are lots of resources. Please don’t jump to conclusions that you have this but it’s better to be aware of it so you don’t make yourself worse and end up with something like this.

actionforme.org.uk/get-supp...

[Sunflower2323 in reply to Butterfly2honey]

Thank you very much Butterfly2honey. I will look into this. I also push myself to do things and then I feel completely exhausted. I feel like sleeping all day. Of course I can't afford that. Have a wonderful weekend full of sunshine and health.

[GoSport]

Hello Sunflower, I do feel for you and hope you are feeling better soon. Flare-ups from a cold virus and fatigue do tend to last longer the older you get. Night sweats indicate that the virus is still in your system by the way. I’m 70 and I dread catching a cold as it will knock me back for 5 weeks now. I think you just need to be kind to yourself and take the rest that you need and be mindful when you are well not to burn yourself out. The 111 service is very helpful so do use that service when other service providers aren’t taking you seriously. All the best to you x

[Sunflower2323 in reply to GoSport]

Hi GoSport. Thank you for your very kind reply. Indeed I noticed that as I grow older, though I don't like this word, I didn't use it even for my parents, after recovering from a cold it takes longer and my mind is still anchored in the good old days when after a couple of paracetamols or lets say 1 week of antibiotics I was up and running again. I'm sweating also because of weakness, I guess, and some years ago I heard I can sweat after a bad cold because of lack of calcium. Today I only have the back pain, it looks like very slowly something is improving but I need to get back to work and it's been weeks since I didn't work so I can't just lay back and watch something nice on the TV to recover. Otherwise it's not me. I'm an active person I used to ice-skate and cycle. I won't give up I just need same as all of us for the weather to be kind. Miss the sunshine which all need desperately and slowly nearly everything gets better. The 111 service helped many times and there are very nice nurses with awful lot of patience. I thank them here as well for their dedication. I'll start some Buteyko breathing exercises, I'm confident it will help and some exercises generally not much just slowly to preserve the energy for the body to recover. I'm so grateful to everybody here who understands each others' suffering and with their own experiences contribute to our wellbeing. Thank you again GoSport and wish you a wonderful weekend full of sunshine and health.