Should I get this checked out?

[nurturebaby]

I've had this chest cold now for almost 2 weeks - no real symptoms except for a very productive cough (with yellowish junk) that also sounds very croupy.

I really don't want to go to the doctors office if it's not necessary because I don't have anyone to watch the kids and it is alway absolute hell when I have to take them with me (that, plus they always pick something up while we're there).

It feels like it's down in my lungs, but it's probably just in the bronchus portion, right? Wouldn't I have a fever if it were in my lungs? The only thing that is now worrying me a little more is that I have noticed that I feel like I have to take a deep breath frequently today - like possibly a bit short of breath, but barely noticeable - or even in my head...

I did call tham and the nurse said that they have seen a lot of this lately - like it lasts forever and just hangs on... I have an appt for next week when I take the baby in for an appt and have sitters for the other kids, but just wondering if anyone thinks I should be seen sooner...

[Marnica]

I wouldn't make a special trip if I were in your shoes.

Yellow gunk does not signify a bacterial infection (very thick green gunk usually does). These things can hang on. What supplements are you taking????and have you made any dietray changes?? Avoid all dairy and sugar until this clears.

[nurturebaby]

Interesting that I eliminated all dairy and most sugars and grains just a few days prior to this presenting itself... I wonder if it could be some sort of a 'flushing' of my system or something? Or reaction to the change in diet?

[nurturebaby]

Originally Posted by Marnica

I wouldn't make a special trip if I were in your shoes.

Yellow gunk does not signify a bacterial infection (very thick green gunk usually does). These things can hang on. What supplements are you taking????and have you made any dietray changes?? Avoid all dairy and sugar until this clears.

Oh yeah - as far as supplements - it's been a little hap-hazard lately, but *ideally* I take a multi, fish oil and probiotics and vit D3 as my levels are borderline low.

[New_Natural_Mom]

My Dh and I both have this too. He is going to the doc today b/c it sounds Sooooo bad. Mine sounds croupy and is in the lungs....this morning really started the cough being productive. Yellow gunk here too. I read that the color of the gunk does not indicate bacterial or viral infection. It said that yellow indicated the beginning of the illness and green actually indicates the end because some of your good bacteria is being expelled with the bad. I wish I knew how they can tell between bacterial and viral.

I am taking lots of C, fish oil, D3....steam....

Today I am starting to feel a little run down and tired. A light headache too. Whatever this is is going around.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by nurturebaby

Oh yeah - as far as supplements - it's been a little hap-hazard lately, but *ideally* I take a multi, fish oil and probiotics and vit D3 as my levels are borderline low.

I would suggest taking large doses of SA....Also herbal formulations can be very helpful for what you are describing. I love dr. Christopher's stuff and native remedies stuff. I have good luck with both

http://www.nativeremedies.com/ailmen...-remedies.html

[swd12422]

I had similar symptoms a few months ago (croupy cough only, no fever, no gunk, no other symptoms) and it turned out to be bronchitis. I ended up on antibiotics and it still took several weeks for the cough to go away.

[Mommyintraining2]

The ONLY way I got rid of mine, after four weeks of straight coughing, was to add whole cloves of raw garlic and apple cider vinegar throughout the day. After three days of that, it started lifting. I was already doing all the other stuff (supplements, SA, probiotics, herbs, etc.). It was such a relief!

[Starflower]

Bronchitis can last for weeks at a time. It sucks. I hope you are feeling better soon. If you start having more difficulty breathing or get a fever, I would see someone, or at least call the nurse-line back again.

Sleep with extra pillows or something to raise you up so that the stuff doesn't keep draining into the lungs. Also, you can take marshmallow root to help thin the secretions. You can get it in capsules or powder form. I sometimes mix it with hot water, lemon juice and honey.

You could also ask someone to give you a percussive massage. (The kind where they wham you on the back in your lung areas with the sides of their fists. It actually feels kind of good and it can help loosen up any gunk that may be forming.)

I have asthma and allergies so I cannot take chances with this type of thing. I have had pneumonia and that does usually cause fever. Also the sputum could be greenish or brown. If yours turns brown (indicates blood) or green (bacteria) I would get to the doctor.

Last time I was lucky and did not end up with pneumonia, but I did end up with a very nasty bronchitis and still had no energy and coughed non-stop for 2+ weeks. It was awful. My ND made up a tincture for me that included cayenne, but I have no idea what else was in it. I have a cold now, but my asthma is under much better control now, so hopefully this will just be an annoying cold and go away. But thanks for reminding me to drink some more lemon-honey tea.

Good luck. I hope you feel better soon.

[nurturebaby]

Originally Posted by Mommyintraining2

The ONLY way I got rid of mine, after four weeks of straight coughing, was to add whole cloves of raw garlic and apple cider vinegar throughout the day. After three days of that, it started lifting. I was already doing all the other stuff (supplements, SA, probiotics, herbs, etc.). It was such a relief!

Okay - so let me ask this - I've tried the raw garlic thing before as I'm aware of all of the benefits, etc... however.... I could not bear to eat much of it at all - it was just so so so strong (might I add that cooked garlic is one of my very favorite things to eat in the world - I frequently roast a whole head of it and can just eat it like that!).

I ran it through my juicer with some other veggies, but just couldnt' bear it - it also gave me a belly ache. Any tips on how to actually consume raw garlic? Maybe I should do a whole separate post on that!!!

Thank you all for the tips and insight... what's SA though?

[WorldsBestMom]

I saw some one mention garlic you could try making some garlic tea. Its could for the chest area when I was younger my grandmother would make some for me when I had bad coughs. I hope its not a slight case of pneumonia. If it purists, go see a doctor and find some one who you can trust to watch your kids while your at the doctor.

[Mommyintraining2]

Originally Posted by nurturebaby

Okay - so let me ask this - I've tried the raw garlic thing before as I'm aware of all of the benefits, etc... however.... I could not bear to eat much of it at all - it was just so so so strong (might I add that cooked garlic is one of my very favorite things to eat in the world - I frequently roast a whole head of it and can just eat it like that!).

I ran it through my juicer with some other veggies, but just couldnt' bear it - it also gave me a belly ache. Any tips on how to actually consume raw garlic? Maybe I should do a whole separate post on that!!!

Thank you all for the tips and insight... what's SA though?

SA is Sodium Ascorbate.

Garlic is tough for me, too. In fact, I just did it five minutes ago as I am getting a sore throat. Here's what I do:

Chop up a clove, or even half a clove. Put it on a spoon and drown it in raw honey. Put it in my mouth and if I can, chew it up while holding my nose. Then run to the couch and lay down taking deep breaths until the feeling of needing to vomit passes. Takes about five minutes. It's intense. DH and DS can do it just fine. Not me. But it's sooooo worth it!

[nurturebaby]

Originally Posted by Mommyintraining2

SA is Sodium Ascorbate.

Garlic is tough for me, too. In fact, I just did it five minutes ago as I am getting a sore throat. Here's what I do:

Chop up a clove, or even half a clove. Put it on a spoon and drown it in raw honey. Put it in my mouth and if I can, chew it up while holding my nose. Then run to the couch and lay down taking deep breaths until the feeling of needing to vomit passes. Takes about five minutes. It's intense. DH and DS can do it just fine. Not me. But it's sooooo worth it!

That sounds like a lot of fun... can you imagine how the people who eat like 2 cloves a day do it? I might try to find a way to put it in salad dressing or something. My first experience with raw garlic just left such an impression on me that even the thought of doing what you explained makes me need to go lay on the couch for 5 minutes until the need to vomit passes

[Mommyintraining2]

Originally Posted by nurturebaby

That sounds like a lot of fun... can you imagine how the people who eat like 2 cloves a day do it? I might try to find a way to put it in salad dressing or something. My first experience with raw garlic just left such an impression on me that even the thought of doing what you explained makes me need to go lay on the couch for 5 minutes until the need to vomit passes

LOL!

My mom used to sandwich pieces between cheddar cheese. I remember kind of enjoying that.

[New_Natural_Mom]

I dice the garlic very fine, cover with honey, and just swallow without chewing. You don't taste a thing.

[Ruthla]

I chop up raw garlic and swallow it whole, like pills. And I don't do it on an empty stomach, otherwise I'd get nauseated from it.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

I chop up raw garlic and swallow it whole, like pills. And I don't do it on an empty stomach, otherwise I'd get nauseated from it.

I have to say though, when it comes to something trying to settle in my lungs, I prefer horseradish to garlic. I did a self-study of herbalism some years back and there are properties specific to treating the lungs in horseradish.

[Starflower]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

I have to say though, when it comes to something trying to settle in my lungs, I prefer horseradish to garlic. I did a self-study of herbalism some years back and there are properties specific to treating the lungs in horseradish.

That's really interesting! I'll have to look that up.

I know I have been eating a lot of spicy foods in general lately just because I can't taste anything else! lol

My cold started giving me some phlegm like the OP described, but I started on the marshmallow root and have been sleeping propped up a bit and with a vaporizor. Also, I've been using my neti-pot before bedtime. This seems to have helped, because the phlegm is a less icky color now and there is less of it. I am hoping I'm on the mend, though I did need to use my inhaler a couple of times.

OP - How are you doing? I hope you're feeling better now.

[nurturebaby]

I'm feeling a bit better now, thanks - actually, I'm still coughing up junk, but I started getting much worse over the weekend - I think I developed a sinus infection - I couldn't get to my doctor because my poor little bub had to be admitted to children's hospital We'll hopefully be discharged later this week - she's doing okay, just trying to get a diagnosis now. Anyway, so I asked my doc to call in some antibiotics for me and thank goodness he was willing to do it without seeing me! and they have helped a lot with the chills/sinus stuff. still coughing like a sea lion though

[Starflower]

Sorry to her you've been sick like this while dealing with a kiddo in the hospital. I hope your child is released soon.

And glad to hear the doc could help you over the phone. If they are helping, then it must have become bacterial somewhere along the line. Best wishes for healing for you and your little one.