Coughing up blood in morning

[Round in circles]

Hi. I don't know if anyone will read this, but going to write anyway.

Basically, I've had the flu at least twice since September, plus some bad colds and now a possible chest infection. The most time I felt well between each illness was 2 weeks and the whole time I've had post nasal drip coupled with a bad sore throat. I feel like I'm never going to get better.

Anyway, I got antibiotics a few weeks ago that did nothing to help so I self medicated with raw garlic which seems to have been helping me slowly get over this latest virus I have. All my symptoms seem to be getting better little by little.. except for a new, worrying symptom. Coughing up blood. It only happens in the morning. I wake up feeling so wheezy that it feels hard to breathe. I spend the next 5 or so minutes coughing like a maniac till I get the phlegm free. For the past 3 or 4 mornings it's had bright red blood in it. I'm still coughing a lot throughout the day due to the cold I just had but I only get the blood in the mornings after waking.

I saw the GP yesterday and she took a spit sample and sent it off to get tested. She also told me to go get a chest x-ray, which I'm doing tomorrow and prescribed a different antibiotic for me to try.

I'm so worried about all of this. In the one hand, the GP said I could wait for the results of the spit test before I took the antibiotics if I didn't feel worse. On the other hand, she said that I needed to see her again if I got any worse as I might need hospitalised! So of course now I'm afraid to even go to bed incase something bad happens. She kept stressing how coughing blood was not normal. I'm so freaked by all this. I haven't even had the chance to freak out over having to get the x-ray!

Urgh..

[WiseMonkey]

Hi
This is common during a cold or post viral illness. The blood is most likely from a broken capillary in your throat or nose caused by the straining to get mucus up. If it was anything serious it would be all the time not just in the morning!

I've had this lots of times, but depending on your age, a chest X-Ray would be appropriate.

[Round in circles]

Hi WiseMonkey, thanks for your reply.

I hope you're right and that it is just a burst blood vessel though the blood appears at the start of the coughing fit rather than at the end, but who knows. I just wish it would go away so I can relax.

I had the chest x-ray done today though I won't know the results for a few weeks. It was the GP's idea to get that done. She was very insistent actually as I absolutely hate hospitals. Still.. It's done now.

I've since looked up info on the new antibiotics I've been given and decided that unless the spit test shows I have something really bad, I'm not going to take them. Having a giant red FDA warning notice on drug info page doesn't exactly fill me with confidence.

They don't recommend people with heart problems take this drug (clarithromycin). I have issues with my heart rate dropping when I get funny turns. The lowest I've recorded with my smart watch was 41bpm, but the time I got measured with a holter monitor, it only dropped to 53 so no one takes it into consideration unfortunately. Seems like I just have just up my garlic intake again and hope for the best.

[WiseMonkey]

I had the chest x-ray done today though I won't know the results for a few weeks. It was the GP's idea to get that done. She was very insistent actually as I absolutely hate hospitals. Still.. It's done now.

If there is anything serious going on you will know much sooner rather than later!

However, I'm sure the X-ray will be normal

[ankietyjoe]

This happened to me a couple of years ago too when I had a really bad cough, all the medics I spoke to (paramedics and Doctors at the hospital) said it was almost certainly a broken blood vessel from the coughing.

I actually found it makes little difference how hard I coughed, so I just coughed less and tried not to force it.

You may find if you do a steam inhaler (bowl of boiling water and a towel over your head) the phlegm comes up much easier anyway.

And yeah, raw garlic is supposedly a wonder cure, but it has to be fresh and you have to eat loads of it. Not something I ever managed to stomach!

[Round in circles]

Thanks very much for the replies. Sorry for the late reply. I've been taking it easy, trying to nurse myself back to health. I'm not coughing up blood anymore, though I got hit with sinusitis and laryngitis which was not fun!

Anyway, I finally feel like I've turned a corner and am getting better.. maybe 80% well or so. Or at least I was until I got a call with the results of the chest x-ray. I have pneumonia. Now I'm really worried, and confused too.

When the doc sounded my chest, she said it sounded ok. Then she tested my phlegm which came back clear for bacteria. Now she wants me to take the antibiotic that was previously prescribed (but not taken due to the phlegm test being clear). Surely since I tested negative for bacteria, an antibiotic is pointless?

I have been going nuts with the garlic.. when I was feeling at my worst, I was taking 4 raw cloves throughout the day. I'm now down to 2 cloves. I'm going to try and see the doc again to see what I should do. I've never knowingly had pneumonia before so this all seems big and scary right now.

[ankietyjoe]

Diagnosis isn't an exact science, literally.

Take the AB's and let them work.

Pneumonia is only dangerous if you're seriously at risk, being very young or very old with an impaired immune system, for example.

You'll be fine.

[Round in circles]

Thanks ankietyjoe for the sensible reply. I got in a bit of a tailspin yesterday. I needed reminding that you do this thing.. you get better.

I'm a lot calmer today thankfully. I hate it when I start spinning out. Being sick for months has drained my coping skills. I have a doc appointment this afternoon with my regular GP. The one I saw last time was so blunt that she made me feel like I was going to kick the bucket any minute!

[Scooter86]

I was going to suggest pneumonia - as I had basically what you’re describing about a year ago. My doc also didn’t hear anything in my lungs but the chest X-ray showed pneumonia. Take the ABs that’s why you have them. Make sure to take them to the end, even if you start to feel better. ABs aren’t going to hurt you, they help.

The doc was stupid for saying blood shouldn’t be coming from your throat - that just adds to the anxiety. If I were you I would request a different doctor from now on. Matter of fact doctors don’t work well with those who suffer from anxiety.

You most likely have walking pneumonia unless you feel so tired you can barely get up (though I’m not a doctor so i couldn’t say for sure). I had it and got through fine. Just be gentle with yourself, don’t rush through and try to get better. Don’t force yourself to go back to work early just because you feel you need to. Take the time to heal and think of it like time for yourself to enjoy some low key rest and relaxation. Binge a few of your favourite tv shows or movies, drink tea and enjoy!

Oh and Don’t be shocked if you need to go back to the doctors for more ABs, I had to do two different doses to clear everything up.

Best of luck!

[Round in circles]

Hi Scooter, thanks for the reply. I managed to see my regular doc today and she was so much better than the other one I saw. She took the time to explain the x-ray results. She said it could just be infection rather than full on pneumonia which made me a lot less panicked. She also agreed to let me switch antibiotic to doxycycline.

She said that as I had no fever, had no crackles etc in my chest and my heart rate was practically keeping time with the clock on the wall, that I was most likely well on my way to recovery. 2 weeks ago, I couldn't get out of bed nevermind walk around so I've definitely gotten a lot better! She even said I was ok to exercise if I don't go overboard which is great news as exercise helps my anxiety so much.

I'm going to take the full course of tablets and cross my fingers that I don't get yet another relapse.