A cold, cough, & body aches

[so jems like]

So I started to feel sick about a week ago. I had a nasty phlegm cough, achy body, stuffy nose. I thought I was getting better when I suddenly started getting the achy sensitive body feeling back. I feel like I just got worse within a short period of time. Now, my back hurts (neck area/shoulders too) whenever I cough. I kind of understand, since the pressure of me coughing probably has an effect on the muscles. My chest doesn't hurt as much. But sometimes I can't breathe in as deep without wanting to cough. There's just slight discomfort around the chest area I guess. But I'm convinced I have pneumonia or something .. Temperature/Fever - wise I don't think it's too bad. I've been taking ibuprofen and it's been doing its job. I've been sweating it off and cooling down. I did get the chills before too. But that's better now. Has anyone ever experienced pneumonia?? How did you guys feel?? I haven't gone to the doctors yet because I'm actually out of the country studying, and it's complicated here to get an appointment. I heard that they don't have that much cold medicines or anything like the U.S & that they would just recommend rest. I hear it's really pricey too. I'm just freaking out. Because I feel like if I don't find out soon if I have pneumonia or not, I'll just die from it or something. Can someone reassure me that I'll be okay?

[countrygirl]

I know so many people who are sick right now with a really bad cough and cold - loads of people with chest infections so its going to be a long nasty winter I think. Unless you turn into a hermit there is no chance of avoiding these nasty viruses.
If you are like me every cough or tight feeling in chest is incipient pneumonia :blush:
Try and go by what my Dr told me - if you are couging up anything coloured or are very breathless at rest or you have a temp then go and see them as you may have a chest infection.
I had a terrible cough and cold last xmas that took 3 weeks to go away - I felt as if I was breathing though glue and had no voice and went to the Dr three times in three weeks convinced I had chest infection but every time my lungs were fine it was all in my windpipe and throat and my upper chest below neck ached horribly when i breathed. I amazed myself when I got better on my own:)

[trev1234]

had bad chest and cough now for four weeks..its slowly going...theres tons about at the moment..it has really made me worry tho...still deaf in one ear...argggg!! chin up !!..

[Viggen]

Going through the same thing! The day after my birthday (Oct 3) I started coming down with a cold (probably did a number on my immune system from all the drinking the night before, haha). After a week it had not gotten any better, and I started to cough up blood, talk about a scary moment! I got put antibiotics, and had multiple blood tests, and chest catscans done. At the end of the day it came back that I have bronchitis, and I just had to fight it off. My chest is a lot better but it has traveled to my head and my ears are completely clogged. It has been nearly three weeks and tomorrow I am supposed to go to Las Vegas for vacation. In my head I've convinced myself that I need to be better before my trip, so my stress level is in overdrive as I feel like I have not got any better. Lastnight I had a little bit of a fever for the first time, which has me a bit uneasy. On top of this, I am really worried about the pressure in my ears during the flight.

As far as pneumonia, I have had it. Think of the worst chest cold you've had then double it. Ton's of weezing even at rest. It sounds like what you have currently is just a bad cough. Make sure your drinking tons of fluids, enough to the point that you think your stomach will burst. If it gets substantially worse, or does not improve, I would head to the doctors because you may have a bacterial infection and need some antibiotics to fight it off. I am not saying this to alarm you, because your body will fight it off without them, it will just take a longer time! G'luck!