Wol

We both got it about six months ago. Not for nothing do the Chinese call it the 90 day cough - it does take three months to get rid of completely in an adult. Nasty

Cheetah7

Mr PP has been coughing for almost 7 weeks now, doctor said his lungs are clear and the 'wheeze' is coming from the front. But his cough doesnt sound like croup or anything.

He has his chest xray on Monday. What does whooping cough sound like in Adults? Mr PP said he has no problems breathing.

jad n rich

Whooping cough, several cases in the high school last couple of winters.

So many people are not vaccinating kids against Whooping cough etc now, its making a comeback.

Must get some booster shots, last time I was vaccinated was a child. Several years ago then

Japonica

Most adults don't have the characteristic whoop...that's usually kids.

It's a paroxysmal cough, so cough-cough-cough-cough-cough that kind of thing, often with gagging or retching at the end. My husband would cough for about a minute or 90 seconds at a time, gag, and then feel completely knackered afterwards. Often doctors just call it bronchitis or atypical pneumonia, but it's really pertussis.

A friend of mine had it back in May. She was describing her cough and symptoms and said the docs had told her it was suspected pneumonia. She mentioned being totally incapacitated by the cough and vomiting afterwards. I told her it sounded more like pertussis to me. Sure enough, the culture came back positive for whooping cough.

I found this online, if it's any help. Can't stand the show it's from though...

http://www.5min.com/Video/The-Differ...ough-326711283

JAMFC

I'm into week 8 of it now - gradually starting to get better - less coughing fits each day but when they come they are still nasty - my back/ribs are causing more problems than anything else!

Hope you get well soon TP

TiddlyPom

It starts as a bronchial cough. She should really go and get her throat swabbed... otherwise she risks passing it on to other people.

She'd know if it's wc... no matter how much you cough, you can't do a 'good' cough... like the lungs are filling up with crap every few seconds and you throw up sometimes.
Also due to lack of O2 in the system, you get tingling skin and hands... something akin to a heart attack.
Over 3 weeks, they don't bother to give antibiotics apparently.

66% of children with WC have been given it by a parent or grandparent.

TiddlyPom

It's like a chest infection cough... picture the worst one you've ever had and then quadruple it.
Constant mucus production, clear... horrible. You cough, lungs fill again.
Cough until you gag and then throw up and until your lungs haven't got any more air in them...
I have got the 'whoop' occasionally when I am gasping for air.

By 7 weeks, there's nothing anyone can give him. Under 3 weeks is antibiotic treatment. By 7 he won't be infectious any more.

TiddlyPom

Japonica has very kindly pointed me to a really good PDF for anyone who has WC or is recovering or whatever.
I'm using this - I've done similar in the past.. so far so good. Worth having a go for anyone who's got a lingering cough too.

http://www.whale.to/a/The-Vitamin-C-...ping-Cough.pdf

Cheers J.

daunted

Get well soon TP
I work in a hospital and we have regular infection control 'immunisation meetings'. The official word (in my place of work at least) is that adults should get a booster when they are starting to get to the age when they could be grandparents - guess thats me then

Japonica

No problem. Just want to point out that I never got it from that site though...just in case anyone says, "Oh, whaleto, figures...that explains a few things..." LOL ...I found it on a different one, but whatever link takes you to the same document is fine. It's written by an MD, so it seems reasonable and she gives a rationale for it. I also used the protocol in this household and we saw a definite improvement in the cough from it.

Sending get well wishes to whoever needs them.

TiddlyPom

Ohhh, is a nut job site?

I just googled it. Seems to be repeated all over the web.

Sausage sizzle

Does anyone know how much it is to get the vaccine for an adult? I am in WA

Japonica

Yeah, whaleto is.

If someone wants to find it elsewhere, search "vitamin C treatment for whooping cough." The thing it, it will probably show up on anti-vax sites because, well, someone who abstains from that vaccine may increase their chances of getting pertussis (duh) and people are then looking for means of management. Since western medicine cannot do anything to treat the disease (after antibiotics to prevent spread, which do nothing to ameliorate the course of the illness or lessen the cough), if there is a way to help mitigate that wretched cough, it's worth a try. It did work for us, but we were very conscientious with the dosing, 4x a day.

If you're a parent or grandparent with a newborn in the family, it's free. You'd have to ask your GP about the cost otherwise.

http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/2...fact_sheets.pm

TiddlyPom

Well first day on Vit C did do something... cut down the coughing a lot...
Other changes too I won't put here to gross you out.

Japonica

Those of us who have done it are familiar with what you are talking about.

That means you're getting the optimal dose. Okay, so the next task is to taper down the vitamin C somewhat to find the balance between cough relief and the er, unpleasant side effects of excess vitamin C. It's a balancing act really.