Hi all.
Can anybody help me please?
I have a rather annoying cough at the moment,and I'm producing gunk off my chest.
Do I need to take my rescue meds yet? Or wait and see if I get any worse.
I'm very reluctant to take them unless absolutely necessary.
Thank you.
Hi if you don't usually cough up anything I would say start your rescue pack, get an appointment with the doctor and arrange to do a sputum test as well.
Good luck, hope it clears very soon.
polly xx
Hi I agree with Polly, especially if your gunk is yellow or green. Best to be on the safe side. x
If it was the weekend, Id advise starting the rescue meds now to be safe. But if it was me mid-week, i would phone surgery, explain problem and ask for a telephone appointment to discuss it.
Sputum test is a good idea. The trouble with having a rescue pack is that the AB you've been given could conceivably be one which doesn't deal with the particular bacteria that your sputum test might show, and no-one wants to take ABs unnecessarily. The BLF helpline would advise too. Click on red balloon top right.
My advise is take them - we were told if two of the following symptoms worsened take them: more coughing, more gunk and/or change of colour of gunk. We have learnt by bitter experience not to wait!! Especially as it is nearly the weekend and if it isn't much better by Monday make an apt to see the Doctor. Hope you get better very quickly. Lots of love TAD xx
Thank you!
I've started the meds as my chest was 'itchy' too,when that happens I know I'm in for a flare up.
My gp surgery is not very good with the sputum testing
Hi Fantasy 3
I notice you say your chest is itchy I have a very red itchy patch just underneath my right breast and along the side towards my back. I have spent money on E45 for itchy skin and also tried sudocrem but it makes no difference i wondered if that was caused by a chest infection. I have Asthma and IPF so have a cough all the time and don't bring up much mucus although it is yellow.
I put them off for too long and then suffered much over last month. Am also wary of taking when not needed and had made right judgement call not to take a few months before. Next time i will pay far more attention to my gut feeling and if i think even a doubtful yes to emergency nebs I will take them. Remember weekend soon too ... so best go or ring docs for advice today.
Fantasy3,
if you have not begun to take your rescue meds yet the do start taking them! I have over the years learnt that when symptoms begin and I think 'should I start my rescue meds ? ' then that is the time when I should start taking them! 
if I think about it too much then I begin thinking up reasons why I should not start them, so go with when you have symptoms it is time to start. hope you feel better soon.
Hi Fantasy3 me again I have got an infection and been put on usual antibiotics so apart from itchy inside it must be itchy outside for me Haha the redness and itch has all cooled down now. It takes all sorts to make a happy ending hope your o k now.
I,m like you Fantasy ,in that I don,t want to take antibiotics unless absolutely needed but if the gunk is heavy or a funny colour take them for sure,hope you feel better soon.D.
Hi Fantasy3 I too have my rescue pck waiting and now have to make this decision, when I was last at the clinic I said I normaly wait b4 I start my pack to see how it going to develop and she told me never wait start as soon as symptoms show but have still waited few days naughty me : - ). Hope this helps and feel better soon x
what colour is the gunk ?
Hi sorry you've got this nasty cough ,,,,,,, but please don't start your rescue antibiotics. ,,,,,,until you've sent in a sputum sample to be tested ,,,,,if you start the medication ,,,,,they could mask the infection ,,,,,I was told that by my copd nurse specialist ,,,,,as I used to panic ,,,, start the medication ,,,,then send a sputum sample in ,,,,,always do a sample first thing in the morning if possible ,and send it in straight away ,,,,,however ,,,you can do a sample at night ,,,but it in the fridge over night and send in the morning ,hope you feel well again soon ,
Hi fantasy3 ,I have Copd , bronchiectasis , Obstructive sleep apnoea and a few more health problems, but the good news is after sending my DLA / PIP form off, from start to finish it took 4 months, I received my notification this morning for both enhanced components of PIP it seems a long time to have you hanging on this long, but to anyone in this position I wish you luck. please fantasy3 don't give up take it to a tribunal you have come this far don;t give up
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