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Suspected Whooping Cough

(5 Posts)
Coppernob Mon 23-May-16 16:17:03

Since having a flu jab last November I've had an almost constant deep hacking cough. My last lot of antibiotics was in March and it did clear a bit but a week ago it came back with a vengeance. I finally managed to get an appointment to see a doctor this morning. It wasn't my usual one but he was very thorough and he suspects I have whooping cough. I've had a chest X-ray and have to go for blood tests on Wednesday before a final diagnosis and decisions about possible treatment can be made.

Having been on google since I got home (fatal I know) it seems that more adults than children have whooping cough these days. Does anyone else have any experience of this? Any advice gratefully received.

TriciaF Mon 23-May-16 16:34:17

That's interesting, Coppernob, because last winter there was an epidemic of that kind of cough here (France) and I think it was around in the UK as well. It was mentioned on here, there's a thread somewhere.
I had the cough from Dec. 2014 to March 2015. I asked the doctor if it could be whooping cough and he said possibly, it's all over, with older adults.
I never had it as a child, and wasn't vaccinated against it.
It finally cleared up and this last winter I've been ok (TG, fingers crossed.) Hopefully I've built up a resistance to it now, if that's what it was. Sorry, no advice, except usual cough remedies didn't touch it.

Badenkate Mon 23-May-16 16:56:38

I don't know what it's like where you are Coppernob but most people round here seem to have a cough that just won't go - or comes back if it does. Someone heard me coughing last week and said 'Oh, you've got the hundred day cough ' which cheered me up immensely sad.

Coppernob Mon 23-May-16 20:10:23

Just to cheer you up a bit more Badenkate, the doctor told me this morning that whooping cough is now sometimes known as 'the hundred day cough'.

There certainly have been a lot of people with persistent coughs around here - West Yorkshire - this winter.

M0nica Tue 24-May-16 19:37:31

A few years ago I had a persistent respiratory infection that lasted nearly a year. During that time I developed a really racking cough. I had episodes of extreme coughing, lasting minutes and leaving me exhausted and dizzy. I came close to both whooping and being sick several times. Once the bout of coughing was over I was cough free for several hours then would bout.

I was told informally by someone whose medical judgement I trust, that I almost definitely had whooping cough. It cleared up after a month, although the respiratory complaint, include mild coughing, continued.