How long should a cold last???

[robbie3982]

I''m going on week 4 of coughing, runny nose-congestion (it switches back and forth). I think my cough is getting worse, but I don''t really feel sick enough to go to the doctor. How long can a cold last? I can''t remember ever having one this long! At what point do you say, "Hey, this isn''t a cold" and go to the doctor?

 

[Mara]

go to the doctor.

seriously, you are on week 4 of a cold and you have to post on a brides message board to ask about it?? i can't imagine it feels good to be sick for 4 weeks, just make an appt. you could have walking pneumonia or something.

 

[tiffanytwisted]

I agree with Mara. Go to the doctor. If it were viral it should have run it''s course in less than 4 weeks.
Hope you feel better soon!

 

[diane5006]

Hi...4 weeks is a bit long...however depending on your symptoms...you may be having an allergic rhinitis type thing going on...then the stuff in your nose irritates the bacfk of your throat..and you cough...did you just move to a new town/state...it is fall and that can be a bad time

You should establish with health care provided and be seen...

Best of luck

 

[ephemery1]

I am RIGHT there with you.... I've been dealing with a 3-week cold that has been driving me insane. It was intense for the first few days, then faded away for about a week, then went right back to miserable again for another week or so, and is now slowly fading away again... mostly it's just a cough hanging on now. But the cough almost always gets worse at the end.

I think for me a lot of it was exacerbated by bad allergies this fall... all that phlegm can just sit up there and turn into an infection pretty easily. But since most colds are just viral, taking antibiotics does nothing but contribute to an eventual super-bug. The best medicine is just rest, fluids, and maybe some extra zinc or vitamin C. I think the rule of thumb is when things start turning colors (yellow or green), it's an infection that could be bacterial... although I disobeyed my own rule and didn't go to a doctor then, either. But I knew it wasnt' a sinus infection because I wasn't having the intense pain or fever, so I took my chances!

Anyway, just thought I'd commiserate... feel better!!!

 

[robbie3982]

Thanks everyone. Guess I better find a doctor out here. I moved at the end of June, so I don''t think it''s an allergic reaction to anything (I''ve never had allergies before at least). Yuck. I hate finding a new doctor.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Usually 2 weeks. I would go to your dr.


ETA: you could have developed new allergies. That happened to me last year.

 

[diane5006]

Definately a good idea to get a health care providerr...as for allergies...you can definately develop new ones...as I mentioned fall is a bad time...and different parts of the country have different trees and molds...spring can be bad too...so if you moved in June most of the trees would have already been fully bloomed...and now that fall is here...your body might not be happy with the new spores...and is getting congested...best to go to doctor and get checked...just to be sure

Best of Luck

 

[sumbride]

Your body has an amazing ability to find new things to be allergic to! Definitely sounds like allergies. Cold usually last 2 weeks, 14 days with treatment...

 

[larussel03]

I feel ya...I''ve had a cough that''s lasted about 2 or 3 months now. Granted it''s getting better slowly though...I think I may have gotten an infection in my tonsils and never treated it, and this is def the wrong way to go b/c it''s been so long. I''d go to the dr but I dont have insurance yet, so unless I''m on my deathbed I am not going

 

[firebirdgold]

Apparently if you have a virius like a cold and are then exposed to a new possible allergen you''ll develop an allergy to it. I guess your immune system gets confused.

Or you''ve got walking whatcha-ma-callit.

 

[robbie3982]

Well, I took everyone''s advice and I called the dr. I''m waiting for him to call me back and set up an appointment. The first place I called wanted a $50 deposit and to have me fill out a bunch of forms before they''d set an appointment. I almost didn''t think that was weird w/ all the deposits required for wedding planning stuff, but then I remembered that this is a doctor and that it''s really weird, hence I called the second doctor.

 

[sumbride]

Ha, I can see "ok, here''s my life history..." and then "wait a minute!" That is weird. glad you found a place that didn''t require a deposit! I went to the ER on Saturday, filled out 1 form and didn''t even pay on site. I''d say if the ER can do that, a dr''s office can too!

 

[robbie3982]

Everyone, thank you for making me go to the doctor! Turns out I have bronchitis. I''m now on anti-biotic and some crazy cough medicine w/ codine. Seriously, thanks for watching out for me

 

[Mara]

Date: 10/11/2006 7:19:40 PM
Author: robbie3982
Everyone, thank you for making me go to the doctor! Turns out I have bronchitis. I''m now on anti-biotic and some crazy cough medicine w/ codine. Seriously, thanks for watching out for me

My Mom had a cold for 5 weeks and had a minor cough, nothing seemingly serious. Just wouldn''t go away. Turns out she had bronchitis and it scarred her lungs. She now has allergies she didnt have before and has to get shots to keep them in check. Another friend had walking pneumonia after a cold for 4 weeks. So yes it can be serious, I''m very glad you went.

 

[jas]

Oh Robbie, I''m so glad you are on meds...

October must be respitory issues month...I had the same symptoms as you, only it turned out I had whooping cough. No fun.

Take it easy...antibiotics only HELP your body heal...you still need lotsa rest.

Hugs!
Jackie

 

[JessesGrl]

I have been sick with a cold for 2 weeks....same symptoms. Last week I felt like I had the flu, not I feel better but still runny/stuffy nose and cough

 

[diane5006]

Glad you went to the doctor...even though 90% of bronchitis is viral...it usually resolves in 7-14 days...they probably gave you phenergan(promethazine) with codeine it works well for cough but can make you sleepy...if you don''t see some inprovement in 5-7 days you need to go back and be seen again..

Hope you feel better soon

 

[RoseAngel04]

Glad you went to the Dr. and hope you start feeling like your normal self soon!

 

[susi]

I''m so sorry you don''t feel well, but am happy you are under a doctor''s care now.

For years, I always seem to have a cough and lung congestion....always several times a year. One year, it lasted 4 weeks. Turns out, it was aggravated by yeast which can grow, of course, anywhere in the body, in me it was my lungs.

I also had the not uncommon yeast infections that ladies sometimes have.....

Once I stopped eating suger, the colds/cough/lung congestion and other yeast problems stopped. I have not had a cold or cough in so long, I don''t remember the last one. It''s been years and years. Also, occasionally, since my body just loves to make yeast I do take anti-yeast medication. Maybe once every 10 days or so. And I stay off the sugar....

I am trying to convince my grown daughter to stop eating heavily sugared foods. But, she''s an adult, and likes her sweets. She also has lung congestion & coughs, it seems, several times a year....for weeks at a time.

Maybe there''s no connection, but I thought I''d just let you know my story....just in case it might help someone?

 

[robbie3982]

I don''t think I really eat too much sugar, but maybe I should start checking labels to find out for sure. Thanks for the advice!

 

[FireGoddess]

I missed this thread before. Good thing you went to the doctor. Could have started out viral but then you got the bacterial infection on top of it. Happens sometimes, and only some antibiotics will fix it once you get the bacterial infection.

Don''t wait so long next time!!! After a week to a week and a half, I call the doctor!

 

[JCJD]

Glad you went to the doc robbie. I had a "cold" that lasted 5 weeks a couple years ago. After several doc visits to rule out infection, I went to an allergist. Turns out I had just developed an allergy to dust mites.

 

[robbie3982]

I''m starting to wonder if that''s maybe what this is. I''m pretty much fine for most of the day, but then in the evening the coughing starts again. I''ll call the dr. on Tuesday if it''s still going on.

 

[Mara]

Date: 10/15/2006 7:18:36 PM
Author: robbie3982
I''m starting to wonder if that''s maybe what this is. I''m pretty much fine for most of the day, but then in the evening the coughing starts again. I''ll call the dr. on Tuesday if it''s still going on.

most of the time when i have an infection or cold, i feel way worse at night including coughing more, because my body is tired. so this could be happening to you as well. make sure to get enough rest as your body needs to heal.

 

[JCJD]

robbie - nighttime coughing can also be a symptom of asthma.

 

[robbie3982]

JCJD, that''s interesting because I''ve never had any asthma symptoms before, but a few years ago when I was getting my scuba certification they made me a do a lung capacity test and i kept "failing" no matter how hard I tried. They said that I had the results of someone with severe asthma. They never followed up on it though and I figured there was just something wrong with the test since I''ve never had an asthma attack or anything similiar.

I actually called the dr. earlier this morning because the coughing was really bad last night and much more frequent this morning than it''s been so far. I''m waiting for him to call back. I''ll think I''ll let the doctor know about the breathing test when I get a hold of him.

 

[belle]

coughing at night can also be a result of drainage irritating the back of your throat. either way, it should be checked.
hope you feel better soon!

 

[robbie3982]

The nurse just called me back. The doctor wants me to get a chest x-ray

. I have to stop by the office to pick up the Rx for it after work. Why does this have to happen the week that I''m moving??? I think the stress of everything must be getting to me because I rarely get sicker than having a cold.

 

[AmberWaves]

Robbie, I''m sorry to hear about this! I hope you just have bronchitis, after all won''t it take a bit for the medicine to kick in? As an asthmatic, I''ve never had coughing at night, and I''ve had asthma for 24 years, go figure. It really sounds like a bronchial thing, I''ve had pneumonia, the flu, and bronchitis, the worst coughing I ever had was with bronchitis. And a lot of the coughing comes from the drainage and the fact that you''re on your back. When I''d have asthma attacks I always had to sleep propped up, maybe that could help. Good luck with the x-ray. As for asthma, do you wheeze a lot? that''s a huge symptom.