To go to the GP for a cold?

[Coughitycough6]

just not sure what to do and I feel absolutely rubbish which isn’t helping either!

basically I’ve got a really nasty cold- im actually over the blocked nose and typical cold symptoms but instead of going away it went for my throat and I’ve completely lost my voice. I went to the pharmacist who said it was laryngitis and to rest my voice, but over the last few days it seems to have gone to my chest now too. Im not coughing anything up, it just feels so tight and dry and I can’t finish a sentence without having to cough. I’m not breathless but everytime I take a decent breath in it makes me all tight and sends me coughing again so it feels like I can’t get a proper breath because of that

I’ve got asthma and have been using my inhalers a lot more than normal- it’s helping the chest tightness temporarily but obviously everything else with my throat and voice I’ll just need to let it heal itself

im just a bit unsure what to do because in my asthma plan I was told to go to the doctors if I ever get any chesty symptoms after a cold, but last time this happened (around 6 months ago) it was a locum GP who basically gave me an annoyed lecture about wasting their time for a cold and said I need to give it 6 weeks to heal? At that point I had given it 4 weeks and was getting worse, I was up all night coughing up brown sludge and couldn’t finish a sentence without coughing and once she actually listened to my chest she gave me steroids which helped, but it definitely confused me and got me a bit worried about wasting their time for a cold even though I thought it was meant to go for that?!

anyway, sorry for ranting, just feel a bit crap and unsure what to do. I’m not coughing up the brown sludge like before, and I don’t think im as wheezy as before, but everytime I breath or talk it feels like my chest is tight and I keep having to dry cough (just not sure if that’s purely the cold irritating my throat or my asthma flaring)

just don’t want to be that person going to the gp for a cold and to get a lecture again! If anyone has any advice or knowledge I’d be really grateful x

Just in case it’s relevant- for my asthma I take montelukast, symbicort and I have an extra blue inhaler for if the symbicort isn’t helping enough

I think if it's affecting your breathing at all then you should ask to be checked. I think a nurse practitioner appt would suffice

Ah sorry when I said GP I was actually meaning either a GP/nurse/literally anyone at the practice who can help, im totally not fussed who sees me! It’s just appointments are like gold dust and I was just so worried to be that person wasting their time with an cold after the lecture I got last time 🫣 just feel utterly crap x

Do an econsult or similar, the GP practice will decide if you need to be seen

Yes ask to see the asthma nurse Hope you feel better soon.
My asthma nurse said to take an antihistamine daily April to September. Seems to help me.

You should be seen.
It's not just a cold with your history of asthma etc

GP here -i think you need to be seen - i would be very happy to see you.

Asthmatic here. Please go to the GP! You are not going because of a cold, but because of an asthma flare up, which can be serious

If you are using your inhaler more frequently than usual and it isn’t helping you need to see a doctor. Ignore the locum’s comments.

So last time you got a lecture but then actually needed treatment - maybe they had just had a bad day and were taking it out on you - if it had really been a waste of time they would have just sent you packing. Go with your gut - if you feel you are struggling it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Definitely GP visit- not for a cold but a cold in the context of asthma. That’s very different.

I’m not sure if all surgeries do now but many use an online system for patients to request an appointment. They then triage and will offer an appointment if deemed necessary I believe. Any chance yours does this? FWIW, it doesn’t sound like you’d be wasting their time. If it’s in your asthma plan especially, you’re doing what you’ve been told to do

Doctor 100%

You had a cold. It’s now something more. You need to be seen without a doubt.

With asthma you definitely need to contact them. I had similar. I filled out the online form and attached a photo of what I was coughing up. Disgusting I know but it did the trick. About three hours later I got a text from the GP saying they'd sent a prescription for antibiotics to my local pharmacy. Can you upload a photo when you fill out the form?

Worsening asthma? Definitely see GP.

Forget that this started with a cold. The issue is your breathing difficulties. Make an appointment with the information that you have a tight chest are struggling to get a breath and are using your inhaler x amount of times per day and as per your asthma plan you need an appointment.

I just want to say I think it’s fucking shocking that a member of the clinical team at your GP told you, an asthma sufferer with breathing difficulties, that you were wasting their time. You fund the NHS, it’s not free, no-one is doing you a favour by providing you with medical care. Please insist on seeing someone. I hope you feel better soon.

I’ve had the exact same as you! I’m now 4 and a half weeks in and I’m down to just coughing a lot, croaky voice, breathless at times. I don’t have asthma. In your shoes, I’d be going to the GP.

Defo GP. Also might be worth seeing the practice manager and mentioning what the person said as it’s helpful feedback for them when they do training/culture/manner with patients. What they said made you reluctant to go and that’s not good, so would feed that back to the practice manager so they can address it. FWIW I’m always so quick to go to the GP, nip it in the bud. Pain in tummy last week, v weird sensation, considered urgent appt, ended up second guessing myself and getting one in 2 weeks - and was shingles. Which can be far better if you treat straight away with antivirals and not treatable after a few days. For me my hesitancy was am I overusing the service, is this ridiculous to go at the drop of a hat for tummy pain? When a Gp would have spotted the symptoms right away and helped me when I needed it. Lesson learned! Just get yourself to the GP! Hope you see a good one and get better soon xx

It's no longer just a cold as it's gone to your chest . I wou ll d definitely see someone at your practice , they will know if you need antibiotics.

Ring your GPs in the morning and get a telephone appointment with your asthma nurse - they'll go through everything with you and can advise you or decide that you do need to see your GP.

When I read the title of your thread I thought no, it's only a cold but given your asthma zi think you need to go and be checked. Hope you feel better soon.

You have as much right to see a GP as anyone else and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It sounds like a perfectly reasonable GP visit. Hope you feel better soon.

Medical professional here - go see your GP. I always say to patients you've not wasted my time when I've done something for you. The last Dr gave you steroids so you did not waste her time at all.

Why would you not see a GP????