Hey, I am just wondering what anyone's opinion is about this... I checked the calendar and I have been sick for over a month now. I went to the Dr at the end of December because I was having major pressure in my ears and thought I had an ear infection. I didn't, they sent me home and told me to wait it out. A week later my ears still hurt a lot and I was growing icky stuff in the back of my throat, so I went back to the Dr. They tested me for strep, I didn't have it, they gave me some Sudafed and told me to rest. I did. I felt a little bit better, the throat cleared up, the ears never did... and now it's all in my chest, I've been coughing for about 4 or 5 days now, nasal drainage, pain in my chest, feeling like I'm out of breath just walking around.
I tried to clean up the house make sure I'm not reinfecting myself. I have been cleaning my toothbrush. I use hand sanitizer every time I sit down at my desk at work. I keep my area clean. I drink a ton of water, I've been drinking Emergen-C packets, and have been using OTC nyquil and the like...
I am at a loss. A month of being sick. Any suggestions? Do I wait it out or go back to the doctor for a third time? I don't want to be a pest and they already are acting like I am a drug grubber which is not the case. I just want to feel better.
Thanks!

You shouldn't have chest pain!
What about allergies? I think winter is the worst. The furnace blowing all the dust and crap around. Do you get outside lots? Vitamins, fresh produce, echinacea?

vitamins. zinc. no echinacea...

tried allergy meds thinking that was the problem, but it didn't help.

the chest isn't painful, necessarily... just tight and filled with gunk.

Sounds a lot like an upper respiratory infection to me. I used to get them a lot, and I would engineer my own little humi-hood. I would run the hottest water possible in the sink for a few minutes, then lean my head over and throw a big beach towel over my head, locking all the steam in. It helps unstop my ears and my nose, and helps me breathe easier.

If you really feel like something is wrong and this is more than a cold or a virus, I'd say maybe see another doctor. Sometimes second opinions can be drastically different. Other than that, Vicks makes this little contraption that you plug in and put these menthol strips in, and it fills your whole room with the smell. Works wonders. Lots of water and rest.

Sorry you haven't been well!!! It sounds like you're doing everything you can, and the extra suggestions from the others are really good too....oh yes and did you know, Vicks also makes now a tablet you can dissolve in the shower to inhale?

I just wanted to add that my drug of choice is MUCINEX, or Mucinex DM, I almost NEVER have to go to the docs anymore for cold/chest/head symptoms. I'm so happy it's available OTC now, in fact, that was all they used to prescribe for me anyways. I like Sudafed too, though I always chose "severe" cold formula even if my cold was not really so "severe".

I really liked the suggestion to check your furnace filters, our allergies really kick up from that too, my DH always remembers to fix that....also we dust our fan blades in our room weekly or so.

OMG one of my comfort things growing up was, hot tea sweetened how you like, with a cough drop dissolved in it.....sounds so gross, it probably is, but my mommy always made that for me and it still comforts me. Plus that little hanky with VapoRub all over it...or the vaporizor tent my brother and I used to play in...LOL if you put yourself in a vaporizor tent, PLEASE take pics and post them...feel better soon...xoxoxxo Michelle

Well it took a month, three doctors visits, about $60.00 ... but I finally got something to make me better. It's a miracle.

I am kind of annoyed by the Dr. though... he just looks at me, cuts me off when I'm telling him my symptoms and says "I give up, this is your third visit, we'll give you antibiotics..."
I don't like being treated like I'm grubbing for drugs. What a tool.

By the way, thanks for the suggestions... I really like the sound of the tea with the cough drop and the steam tent. I am so trying both of those...

hehe. I look bad enough when I'm sick, and you want pictures of me bent over a steam bath?

Try some fresh pineapple too. It has a natural compound that thins mucous.

I didn't know that! Why does pineapple work instead of something like grapefruit or oranges?

I find that so annoying. You aren't there because you feel chipper!

I'm glad something is working for you.

Thanks! I have had the worst time with doctors since I've been an adult. I understand that they are busy and important and all... but a little bit of respect is all I'm asking. I mean, I do pay them and my insurance pays them, so I don't see how it's too much to ask that they let me finish a sentence or ask a question.
I guess it's time to start looking again.

Because pineapple contains a compound called bromelain that grapefruit and oranges don't. Bromelain is made up of protein-digesting enzymes that, among other things, can reduce inflammation and break down mucous. For the greatest effectiveness the pineapple should be eaten alone between meals or its enzymes will be used up in digesting food.

It's possible that the doctor wasn't frustrated with you, but with the symptoms not clearing up. Doctors are much more reluctant to give antibiotics than they once were (which is as it should be, as antibiotics don't work against viruses, and giving them for minor bacterial infections only helps breed stronger bacteria). By "giving up," and prescribing the antibiotic, he may just have been admitting that it was finally time to resort to antibiotics.

If you have an extremely annoying "tickle" in the back of your throat, along with the tons of gunk, and your chest hurts from the tightness/pressure of the gunk (and from coughing), your respiratory infection probably has become bronchitis - which can easily take a month to clear up. I used to get bronchitis and other respiratory infections several times a year (sinus surgery finally reduced the number and severity of respiratory infections). Mucinex is great, drink a lot of water with it, though. If you take any other medications regularly, even over the counter, ask the pharmacist before using DM products, though (I can't take them with the blood pressure meds I'm on, and it can interact with other drugs too).

Throw OUT your toothbrush when you have been sick....

....and get your flu shot.

Liz