I went to the doctor’s yesterday for the sixth time in 2 months, and he doesn’t seem too concerned that I’ve made so many trips for the same problem. He thinks I’ve been infected by several different strains of flu, and quite possibly, with H1N1 as well.
I’ve been on three courses of an antibiotic called Klacid to try to treat a throat infection that produces green-yellow phlegm mixed with blood, but that obviously hasn’t worked that well, since I’m still getting these spasmodic coughing fits which are driving me insane.
The doctor said it was probably the same thing – seasonal flu, and explained away my concern that I (and Naomi) have been sick since December by saying that “flu season is from December to February”. And although he did not discount the possibility of my having a mycoplasma infection, he gave the usual drugs to ease the symptoms, and a new antibiotic to try to kill off the bug in my throat that’s making it itch so bad I cough till I think I bust a rib:
Have you had those (click on the links) drugs before? Have they worked? Are you still coughing?
Hi,
You can try the following:
1. No cold drinks
2. No coffee
3. No chicken – some how generates a lot of saliva, well at least for me.
Drinks lots of water, hmm 1 cup every hour or more.
No chicken? Goodbye Popeye’s! Kidding. I’ve heard of the no-chicken for cough therapy.
Be careful with that cough. Mine turned into bronchitis 2 years ago.
HI Ben, Sounds like you’ve got a bad post viral cough… in the UK the GP’s here will tell you it will last 6-8 weeks and not bother them again. If you’ve got other worse symtoms then Clarithromycin is the best antibiotic to use, and if that doesn’t work then its probably nothing serious. Especially if other people have it too! The only thing to rule out would be pertussis (whooping cough) but I think most people in singapore are immunised, its only a problem in Australia with all the hippies!
Pharmacists will be much more help to you than spending more money at the Doctors. They know the better cough medicines.
Simple things like not smoking and light exercise are probably best, Modern medicine hasn’t cured post viral coughs yet!
Your Cousin Ed
Thanks Ed! Always good to have a doctor in the family that leaves comments on blogs. Yup, been on Clarithomycin (Klacid) and it hasn’t worked either. I’m really suspecting pertussis, cos I get coughing spells that make me see stars. In any case, hope it clears up soon. Been close to 100 days already anyway.
Hey, was just wondering whether you got better from your cough yet.
I had a really bad one that went on for about 2 weeks and then I had a glass of champagne and it went away!
Oh well.
I’d like to think the red wine we’ve been having nightly is helping cure our cough. Our symptoms are easing up. So, yeah, maybe the champagne, and the warmer weather’s helping.
I also got the bug before Chinese new year, and suffered runny nose, sore throat and cough for almost a month. Visited the doctor 3 times in 2 weeks, was prescribed antibiotics and the meds you listed above. It got so bad that I self- referred myself to the ENT dr, had much stronger meds given, which gave more relief. In the end I saw a total of 4 doctors, including the A&E, before finally getting my symptoms under control. Turned out I had sinusitis, needed nasal steroid sprays and inhalers to stop the persistent nose drip, congestion and cough. My advice? Bug a specialist if you have to, cause the regular doctors sometimes make money from your continued misery!