does anyone know

[emmie]

if you have a chest x ray that's doctor says is clear, you could still have a chest infection.

[Sqad]

Extremely unlikely.

Acute bronchitis, lobar and bronchopneumonia would show up.

I suppose in the early stages, very early stages of bronchiolitis, particularly in children, then the X-Ray may not show, but in answer to your question, in 99.9% of cases....normal chest X-Ray.......no chest infection.

[daffy654]

If you are concerned there is infection present the guaranteed way to find out would be a sputum sample.

[emmie]

then perhaps something else is going on, blowing my nose ten times a minute, producing clear liquid and some mucus, it keeps on running, nasal passages are clogged with gunk and coughed again this morning, so deep that lumps of mucus came up. Sorry if it's gross, but being into a 6 week illness and no nearer to any answer i have, and am imagining all sorts. Belly keeps rumbling, swishing noises for the best part of 4 weeks, and the pain goes around to my sides, and have on and off pulsating pains there and middle of my should blades. Add in liquid for want of a better word seems to come out of the urethra when i cough. Last evening was the worse as felt my upper body full of air, and couldn't sleep and dispel it, so you see perhaps why i am tad overwrought. Can't breathe through my nose as it's too blocked. GP stumped as to why i have had this so long, but then they don't know what this is, except original diagnosis of a viral illness.

[daffy654]

Have you had a sputum test (spitting mucus coughed up into a jar which is then tested)? If not then I would suggest you ask your GP if it is possible to have one to identify which virus it is that is causing your symptoms, or in the case of bacterial infection they could target with a different antibiotic.

[emmie]

daffy will do, it hadn't been suggested. feel so out of sorts that everything is a major effort. Eating but no pleasure or desire to do so. Just about managing to drink but everything seems to stick in the upper body, have a ring like a rubber type under breastbone, and somewhat distended lower abdomen. I am not the most patient patient, but this has been driving me to distraction. The original reason i went to gp was a bad earache, and cough, so who knows what's happening. Human body is a major design fault.
I am aware of others around not just on AB who have some form of illness and wish them better.

[daffy654]

Your GP sounds a little ineffectual to be honest, with a persistent cough a sputum test should be one of the earliest tests performed. Is there perhaps a different GP within the practice you could see instead?

[emmie]

daffy, i have seen more than one, one of them is very thorough, one seems impatient, and that's not the first time i have noticed, it's in her voice, inflection, bit like school teacher with an unruly pupil. As though she can't wait to get you out the door, and to be asked a number of times what do i think it is, seems a bit strange. The only reason i can see for them asking me, is if i think it's something serious. There are things which go through the roof when i get these illnesses, tinnitus which increases a lot, and only abates when free of a cold/virus, and the vertigo which makes me off balance.

[emmie]

i just feel a wimp and no amount of tv, radio, music distracts me. Can't sleep so that exacerbates everything. I want to be back to my normal, cheery self, well not the last bit, but at least into a functioning human being.

[Eve]

I had similar after I had a cold in early December, I carried on coughing up stuff(clear liquid and mucus) for a fair while afterwards though as I kept having a runny nose I figured it was because I was still producing mucus which was then going on my chest and setting off a coughing reaction to clear it. The cold weather doesn't help as I find it makes my nose run more. I did find that some fresh air helped to clear my system and head a bit.

My ears were bad with it too. Still not returned to normal (menieres accepted) hearing but the symptoms have all calmed down so they aren't that bothersome.

By liquid from the urethra, could that be more just loosing a bit of wee from coughing?

With the pain, when you say both sides, whereabouts in your abdomen (lower, middle, upper, round ribcage)? Could any of it be muscular, especially if you have been coughing?

Do you think there is any kind of allergen around that you could be sensitive too which could be continuing irritation like coughing and production of mucus type stuff, especially if your system was sensitive after a virus?

What is your diet like at the moment, especially as you are feeling so unwell and have been for a while? If your diet has been up and down with feeling crap and the feeling crap on top of it your digestive system could be reacting a bit, especially with the acid/reflux etc... causing problems too.

Have you been taking any NSAIDS like ibuprofen and how is your diet as regards any foods which might aggravate acid/ulcer type conditions?

What meds and what dose are you on for the reflux you mentioned before? Have you trialled meds before to find what best helps with the acid in your system, especially if you are getting more air in maybe by taking in more air with coughing, breathing through your mouth if nose blocked etc...

I've had to take a proactive approach with my reflux/air generally and from gallstones and coughing up, if it wants to come out then get it out so it's more comfortable (for a bit at least). Omeprazole (40mg) has helped me get the air out - so glad I'm single, it's like freaky burping central here sometimes :)

Have they ever tested you for an ulcer? Helicobacter pylori or any kind of scan?

[boxtops]

The virus which is still going round and affecting people's chests does last some six weeks, em, and it's pretty nasty. It could be "just" that.

Your wee might just be stress-related when you cough - happens to me sometimes if I sneeze violently.

[emmie]

Jenna, not sure you are up and about so early, started a diet last year, cut out or down any number of things on advice from dietician, to lower cholesterol and bp. This is the third bout, admittedly over 18 months, but it's knocked me over again. Had been taking the omeprozole, but it didn't seem to be helping, perhaps i should take it for a lot longer, who knows.
Can't tolerate some meds, they mess up my stomach big time.
The coughing was only brought under control after some medicine from the doctors, as i had tried any number of over the counter cough medicines. I can't believe i have spent 6 weeks feeling as bad as this, floored me, and i am not fully back up. Had gall bladder removed some years back as i was taken into hospital with acute pancreatitis.
also have vertigo, and tinnitus which goes through the roof when catch the slightest cold, and for most of the time lost much of my hearing, i have tried the nasal sprays but they don't seem to be effective.
I have a ENT appointment in early feb, though i did ask if could be seen earlier if they had a cancellation.
the leaking doesn't seem to be wee, and as i recall someone else asked about this, and sqad gave his opinion.
I had been out for short walks, but energy level non existent so back home for rest. Not sleeping well at any rate, and so it makes everything much more difficult to handle. Pain around kidney area, and left side of abdomen, don't know what that's about, but it's been going on for 3 weeks. Doctor is going to have a prod around to see if there is anything suspect, and send me for a scan if need be. Had this reflux for years, tried to do a test recently to determine level of acid but funked it, can't abide anything that makes my throat tight, clogged, and so will have to find another way to sort that.
I had wondered about a hiatus hernia, and don't know how they determine that, but a friend had similar and it took the doctors 4 years to discover that was causing his problems.