Cough = Bronchitis? - Taytee/nurses, come in!

libbyann

I got sick last weekend with a pretty bad cough - mild fever (101 and under) and congestion, but the cough is what knocked me out. I was feeling much better by Tuesday, but the cough is still lingering. I'm having trouble breathing (not so much that I'm worried about it, but it's def. not normal) and feel like my lungs and throat are coated with mucus making it hard to breathe, but when I cough, it doesn't do anything to relieve that feeling or produce much, if any mucus.

My mom is convinced I have bronchitis (I had it a lot when I was younger) and that I need to go to the doctor ASAP. I'm not really sure what I think - I feel fine in general except for the coughing. I'm not wheezing or anything, but the feeling that I can't get a good breath in IS annoying. I really hate to go to the doctor, especially if it's just something I probably need to wait out...do you think that this is something that needs to be seen? My mom tends to panic (hmm, wonder where I get it from? ), but more often than not she turns out right.

Would love input from anyone in the medical field!

Nessia

I'm not I'm the medical field nor do I have experience with bronchitis. But it does sound like your mom has some experience. I would go to the Dr if I were you not only because of your mom's intuition but because you've had the cough for a week. You may not have bronchitis but you may have some other infection. 

texasbeachbride

It could definitely be bronchitis, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need antibiotics. Appx 80% of bronchitis cases are viral and just have to run their course. Bronchitis just means inflammation of the lungs. It it not uncommon to have a cough for up to 2 weeks. I would load up on mucinex and fluids. If you are short of breath, sometimes an inhaler will help which you would need a prescription for. Also if you start running a fever again over 101, I would be seen as that can be pneumonia.

Taytee

I'm in the texasbeachbride camp Usually Viral. Inhaler can help. Fevers are more worrysome but a low grade one isn't all that bad. Urgent care will usually prescribe antibiotics "just in case"  and may also recommend a steroid (like Prednisone) but neither are usually needed to clear up straight forward bronchitis.

But you know, if your mom ran to the doctor everytime you coughed when you were young, you probably got multiple courses of Amoxicillin etc and you may in fact have developed some resistant strain of God only knows what in your lungs.

Humidify your air, keep very hydrated, try an expectorant like Mucinex. If you're taking Mucinex or anything else like it, definitely keep up with fluids or the drying it creates can make the cough worse.

libbyann

Thank you guys so much for the input! I'm not running a fever anymore - that broke late Monday night and since then I've just had the lingering cough. I'll wait through the weekend, keep up with the Muinex/fluids and see if it's improving at all on Monday.

sarahtops1029

I'm a RN and I've also had bouts of bronchitis myself recently. My advice is if you're still having the cough after the rest of the cold symptoms have resolved and especially if you feel like you're wheezing or out of breath, then go to your PCP so they can prescribe you an inhaler and possibly a steroid. Take mucinex (make sure to drink lots of water with it) because that also helps. I had a cough/bronchitis for a month and the only thing that finally kicked it was Dulera (steroid inhaler). Once your lungs get inflamed it can be hard to get rid of a cough. The doctor will know whether you need a chest xray or not and maybe prescribe antibiotics. Good luck and I hope you feel better!