Any ideas?

[tigwig]

My OH originally had a cold and bad cough which we have all had. Unlike us though after it had gone on for 4-5 weeks he didnt go to the docs and wouldnt get antibiotics. We did and ours cleared up. So after 6 weeks have passed and he's got worse and worse and developed a bad pain in his chest/ribs area he eventually goes to doc. Gets antibiotics and told if it doesnt improve he has to go for xray. Its now 7 weeks of horrendous coughing and the pain is worse than ever. He had the xray yesterday and has to wait 7-10 days for result. In the meantime he is on more antibiotics. His mum died of lung cancer 4 yrs ago and I cant help but think the worst. Is there anything less morbid it could be?

[milly143]

If it's something you all started off with I wouldn't worry too much. It's probably just a bad chest infection that he shoul have got treated when you did.

[Sqad]

Certainly is.......plenty of things less morbid.

Respiratory viruses can produce hacking coughs and chest pains for weeks before they settle and this in my mind is the favourite.
Pleurisy....100-1 outsider.
Bronchitis 100-1 outsider.
Malignant disease.....10,000-1 outsider.

[tigwig]

Thanks for the reassurance guys. God if its not one thing its another!

[atalanta]

Viruses cause colds. They cannot be affected or cured by antiobiotics. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. Chances are that you had a secondary ( bacterial ) infection which did respond to antibiotics, but he has probably got something else. Does he smoke ? How old is he ?
Does he get pink spots in his cheeks which he didn't have before ? Does he get night sweats ?
Those last 2 symptoms might suggest TB. An Xray would show up either TB or cancer.
TB can mostly be treated, can mostly be cured. Most lung cancers will end up fatal.

[Sqad]

atalanta....bloody hell, that is a bit OTT.

[tigwig]

He doesnt smoke but due to having the worst boss in the world spends 6 hours a day (travelling to and from Birmingham working) cooped up in a van with up to 4 other people all smoking. His boss doesnt even open the window apart from to flick the fag out. He is 34 and I cant say I've noticed any pink spots on his cheeks. I am aware that lung cancer is usually fatal, we did both witness his mum slowly die of it.

[SMP]

I may be wrong but isn't it against the law to smoke in a works vehicle since the smoking ban came into effect?

[tigwig]

Of course it is but his boss is not bothered about the law!