Had a cold since December

[CAPP0]

December 23rd, I woke up to cold symptoms. Ah well, I thought, shame it's Xmas but I haven't had a cold for a few years, I must be due one.

Fast forward to today, and …..I have a cold. Quite a heavy one. Yes, the same cold I've had since 23rd Dec. I've actually wfh this week rather than go in and subject everyone to my coughing and spluttering and germs.

It has varied in intensity over the 5 weeks, a few times I've thought it was on it's way out but then it comes back. This time, last weekend, it came back with a vengeance. I'm tired all the time, and I'm producing copious amounts of (green) snot. During January I had a really irritating dry, hacking cough which also wouldn't go away.

I don't believe I've ever been to a doctor for a cold. Do I just continue to man it out and wake for it to bggr off, or do I need to do something else to get rid?

[H6CJF]

Yep, that's what this winter's virus has been like. Mine lasted a tad longer than that but thankfully seems to have just about cleared up. Like you say, a particularly 'snotty' one

[motco]

I am told that green (specifically green rather than clear, grey, or yellow) snot can indicate a serious infection. Check with a pharmacist at least.

[andy118run]

I have this, too. Been hanging around for a while. My 7 year old has had it even longer, mainly in the form of an annoying cough though he had one day off school with a high temperature.

Doubt you would benefit from a visit to the doctor unless you really start to suffer. Wouldn't worry about the phlegm too much, may have a bit of a chest infection as well but things will hopefully clear up in their own time.

[CAPP0]

Thanks all. I did call the surgery in the end and they asked me to go in. Doc says, as many people have mentioned, that it just seems to be typical of this year's cold virus, he's seen a lot of it, some people get over it in a week, some take several weeks. He gave me a prescription for antibios but said up to me whether I take them or not, he suggested giving it a few more days to see if it starts to clear up, which I'll do.

I said to him, I wouldn't normally trouble the doc for a cold, but 5 weeks in it's starting to get to me!

[coopedup]

I had one that started at the end of October and I did not feel *right* until new years eve, I had genuinely forgotten how *normal* felt!!

[smashy]

This year has been a nigntmare according to the people who know. its been the adenovirus the one that can also give you pneumonia ,,,its the hacking cough that goes on for weeks .... i think you need antibiotics even just to make sure it doesnt develop into something very nasty

Edited by smashy on Wednesday 1st February 23:25

[Johnny]

Same thing here, since Christmas Day. Had gone a bit, came back with a vengeance last week and I had to take a couple of nights off work I felt so rotten.

Now back to work but still don't feel right.

[Enda78]

I've had the same, got it in September and it finally went in December. It's back again the last 2 weeks.

[DSLiverpool]

After ignoring it 3 years ago a coughing fit made me pass out and crack 2 ribs - horrendous .
Now I get antibiotics if I feel a serious chest / sinus issue coming on

[karona]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

My other half had a cold for weeks, hacking cough that eventually caused muscle spasms mimicking a heart attack.
She tried steam inhalation, menthol evaporators on the radiators, weapons grade decongestants, without success.

Someone suggested Vic on the feet (with socks on) and the cold cleared inside a week.

[CAPP0]

I've spent the whole week wfh in an attempt to keep indoors and take a bit of physical strain off. By Weds I though things were improving, today I'm back to square 1.

May as well take the antibiotics the GP gave me I guess, and see where we go from there. I certainly can't wfh for another week.

[HappyMidget]

I think it is down to how damp the air has been this year as I have had the same since about October, cleared up for the 10 days I was in Iran (sub 20% humidity), then has come back quite strongly at the weekend.

[smashy]

Can I say if any GP gives you Clarithomyacin Antibiotics ask for something else 4 days in christmas eve my heart started racing and thumping out my chest at around 140/150 Beats per minute....it was really frightening knew instinctively it was the antis...googled while im going through this found other people had same problem and instant death can occur because it effects the electrical system of the lower heart chambers.....40 minutes it lasted....

I think my fitness saved me from just popping off. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/110430...

[Humpy D]

Can anybody recommend something I can get over the counter for this?

My OH has been rough pretty much since Christmas, was getting over it last week and now it's come back again over the weekend.

She is very congested and has a hacking cough. I wouldn't call it a cold as she doesn't need to blow her nose constantly.

She has been to her pharmacy and all they recommend is Night Nurse and whilst I am sure this is decent stuff, I can't help thinking that some sort of cough syrup/linctus would help more.

Thanks.

[WinstonWolf]

Humpy D said:

Can anybody recommend something I can get over the counter for this?

My OH has been rough pretty much since Christmas, was getting over it last week and now it's come back again over the weekend.

She is very congested and has a hacking cough. I wouldn't call it a cold as she doesn't need to blow her nose constantly.

She has been to her pharmacy and all they recommend is Night Nurse and whilst I am sure this is decent stuff, I can't help thinking that some sort of cough syrup/linctus would help more.

Thanks.

I have the juice of half a fresh lemon, a teaspoon of raw honey and a soluble paracetamol tablet in hot water. It's very settling...

[Hugo a Gogo]

Humpy D said:

Can anybody recommend something I can get over the counter for this?

no

none of them work any better than placebos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cough_medicine

however

wikipedia said:

Heroin was originally marketed as a cough suppressant in 1898

[Johnnytheboy]

OP: silly as it sounds, try cutting the odd thing out of your diet if this genuinely doesn't go away.

A few years ago I got a cold that wouldn't go away, but bizarrely it cleared up at weekends. After some experimentation found out it was caused by drinking too much coffee!

[motco]

Hugo a Gogo said:

Humpy D said:

Can anybody recommend something I can get over the counter for this?

no

none of them work any better than placebos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cough_medicine

however

wikipedia said:

Heroin was originally marketed as a cough suppressant in 1898

Pholcodine - it's an opioid and does reduce the involuntary coughing.

[Myles Peraua]

Pleased to say that mine does seem to have finally receded, mostly - still the occasional little cough but nothing like it was and the streaming eyes etc have stopped.