In lieu of googling - slight rattle in lung after flu

[Henrik]

Hey guys

Earlier this year - feb-april - I had a serious bought of Health Anxiety coupled with stress and my sort of usual general anxiety (I've had GA for most of my life in some shape or form). A nasty cocktail. My main concern was lung cancer (out of breath, shallow breath, chest tightness, back pain and so forth), but obviously nothing was wrong and after a few months of feeling mildly to severely distraught it let up, and the past six months have largely been ok. I used this site a lot, btw, and it was hugely helpful and made me feel way less alone. Funny (not funny ha-ha) to see how the same symptoms I attributed one condition, users in here attributed a variety of other possible ailments.

Anyway, that was a short intro. Here's my current predicament:

I just got off the back end of really bad cold/flu with loads of coughing and snot. Yesterday I started feeling a slight rattle from the bottom of me left-side ribcage after inhaling and exhaling. It's not constant and is very faint, but non-the-less I constantly focus on it to the degree of trying to force it (that's what we do, right? :-) ).
So, I have long ago stopped ever googling symptoms because that is the surest fast-track to the hellish depths of my subconscious.
And while I do appreciate that few or none of you in here are doctors, I'd still like to ask you, if this is something that you've experienced after a cold/flu?

[hanshan]

Back end of a really bad cold or flu, you're going to get all sorts of lung rattles and the like. If you are under fifty or so, there is unlikely to be any problem, but please do not hesitate to see your doctor.

[Henrik]

Yeah, that sounds sensible, but with my particular attention to my lungs this past year, it's pure gasoline on the fire. I'm 31 and in reasonably good health. Mostly I just can't stand the idea of once again going down this road of of completely irrational rationalizing and everything in its wake.

Again, thanks and if anyone else wants to reassure me, please feel free to do so :)

[hanshan]

Chances are that you are healing from the flu, and will be getting better over the next few days. Remember, the flu virus has evolved to make you cough as much as possible to send lots of virus particles out to infect more people.

The irritation can make you keep coughing for some time, even after the flu has gone. I've had this before. I'm fine until I start talking and then I start coughing. I think the doctor can prescribe an inhaler to calm things down. It all settles eventually.

The other small possibility is that a bacterial infection may start up. Again, this is also a reason to see the doctor if the cough / rattle persists.

Treat it sensibly. Don't get worked up about it, but don't ignore it either, and see the doctor if it keeps going on.

[Speranza]

Yes, absolutely. This is one time when it is not irrational to be a little worried. Having said that, I have been struggling a little to breathe lately and I have no idea whether it's because I'm fighting a cold or because I have had a lot of job-related anxiety this week.

I do feel quite breathless when I get a cold, and I've been checked and reassured it isn't asthma but just very normal.

Flu can leave you with little problems for a while, I would take control of this one by making a chart and checking your rattle every two hours and rating it 1 - 10 on noise/your anxiety etc.

I used to listen to my kids' chests for that little rattle and use it to know whether to see the GP, and I was only ever wrong once (went and they didn't need it). So you are perfectly reasonable to be wondering about it. Monitor it til Wednesday, rememebering that its intensity MAY be a reflection of your anxiety rather than the lung, and then decide whether to see your doctor. Obviously, if in the meantime you become feverish or find it harder to breathe again, go straight away. Not because it will kill you but because you don't want an infection to set in.

[rockoo]

Just seen this. I swear its like me writing this. I hope all sorted out for you. But for me it is the same thing.... Lung cancer fears. Always something even tough been to xrays, doctors, etc. numerous times I'm still obsessing over this.

Caught a flu have rattle here and there now and I'm freaking the f**** out. :( I hope all good with you

[scaredsick]

I'm sure this is just an overflow from having the flu/cough keep smiling I'm sure these things can linger for a while but i would have thought will rectify itself soon enough your imagination will make it worse than it is!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Are you coughing anything up? If so, is it yellow or green?

I've had asthma for over 25 years and I used to always get chest infections after colds.

My rule has always been to ignore any rattling until I either see the colour of anything coming up changing or if it is persistant since cold after effects should clear up fairly quickly.

[.Poppy.]

Did you see a doctor when you were sick with the flu? My thought is that you have mucus in your lungs and maybe had another illness *other* than the flu. Since you're coming out of it now, it would be natural for the mucus in your lungs to be "loosening", which would cause a rattle and potentially may cause you to cough more junk up.

I'm with the others - a doctor wouldn't be the worst thing. They can listen to your lungs and be sure they're clear.

[Henrik]

Just seen this. I swear its like me writing this. I hope all sorted out for you. But for me it is the same thing.... Lung cancer fears. Always something even tough been to xrays, doctors, etc. numerous times I'm still obsessing over this.

Caught a flu have rattle here and there now and I'm freaking the f**** out. :( I hope all good with you

Hey, sorry for never getting back to this, which is not fair - especially when you (as in me) instigate the whole thing. Anyway, it naturally turned out quite benign with symptoms disappearing within a few days or so of writing this. Not to worry, I'm on to new and bigger things...:doh:
Hope you had your worries laid to rest as well.