hacking cough = problems breathing = docs dont care!!!

hi,

last week i had flu type symptoms with a hacking cough. over the weekend the fly symptoms went but the hacking cough has remained.

i am not able to lie down as i cough and cant breathe, so am having to stay propped on pillows. i am coughing if i talk for too long, as get short of breath. i have used a whole ventolin inhaler since wednesday, as this is helping me to breathe abit better. when i am coughing i am coughing up yellowy-green phelgm (sorry). and the coughing got so bad 3 times last night i was sick because of coughing so much. when i breathe out i have a whistle, my chest feels like its burning and tight, my ribs feel as though they are going to crack.

i went docs this morning and told them all of this, they checked my chest and said it was clear, said i'm not not wheezing and dont have a whistle! said its a normal winter cough, go home and take paracetamol!!! she did tell me i had used TOO MUCH ventolin and i could end up with a sore throat or thrush as a result! she did a peak flow which i got 250, 220, 210 and normally its between 460-480, but still not concerned. lastly if i get worse go back or ring an ambulance!

has anyone got any ideas what i can do??? also IF i do end up with an ambulance what will happen to my 3 children as my husband is over 3hrs away on a course and i have no family nearby.

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forgot to say i cant get an appointment with asthma nurse for 3weeks as she fully booked!

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If you're still like this go to out of hours or a&e. A peak flow of around 50% and coughing up yellow/green muck is not good.

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Whenever my sister has issues or goes away for family holiday she uses sitters.co.uk

Maybe if its an emergency they might be able to help. My sister always recommend this service to her friends.

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I really think you ought to try and get hold of out of hours or failing that a and e. Green gunk and a peak flow less than 50% of normal really means you need to be seen especially with using that much ventolin.

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amy, can you see a different doc at your ptactice?

or like others said, call for an out of hours doc, green phem sounds like a chest infection

hope you get the medicine you need soon

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Take your children with you to a and e the staff are well trained and crb checked and it will not be the first time it has happened to them. Your health is very important to your family !

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That is awful! Your doctors are rubbish. You must just ignore them and get to a&e- with or without the kids it won't matter. I had a nasty experience this week but at least my doctors care - The doctor I saw at A&E on Sat said that you can take 2 puffs of blue inhaler every 2 minutes, up to 10 puffs and if it is having no real effect after 20 mins dial 999. That means if your peak flow is under 48-50% and stays under you need an ambulance. I have now found that very helpful and hopefully won't ignore how bad I feel next time. Hope that helps!