Son, cough, GP. *sigh*

Hobbes

My son was sick about two months ago with a bad cough. I had it at the same time. both of us couldn't stop coughing.

After a week in brought to the GP (as it was getting worse). Doc gives him Exputex. That helps him sleep. Over two weeks in, he is still coughing only it sounds worse. So to the GP again who tells us he is fine. Doesn't really do anything while we are there. Says if it is progressing for more then a week we should worry, I mention it has been over two weeks already. So he says give it a week. We pay a follow up fee.

His cough got even worse again. This time started to sound like whooping cough while he was sleeping. Phoned D-Doc who listening said it sounded like the onset of Pertussis (which is whooping cough). Said I should bring him to the doctor the following morning unless it gets worse during the night.

So we bring him to the GP again, This time doctor gives him some medicine. Says it won't stop the cough but will stop the infection. Well that medicine ran out and he is still coughing.

Last night was the worst, actually sounded like he was choking. At one point couldn't breath at all for sometime while asleep (panic'ed us). It lasted worse for about 10 minutes then waking up during the night at multiple times. He didn't enjoy it at all.

So the wife brings him to the doctor today and the GP says "There is nothing wrong with him", yet he is still coughing (although daytime is not bad). Then made us pay full price.

I'm absolutely livid here but can't get in contact with the doctors. At this point I am tempted to bring him to another doctor and bill the first GP.

Coming on two months now with this cough. :mad:

Nevyn

How old is he ?
Can you get a referal to a hospital ?
Have you looked at going to a differnet dr ?
Have you tried steaming the bath room and sitting with him in it ?

Dizzyblonde

Insist on the GP testing his Peak Flow if he hasn't already, he might have asthma.
A second opinion certainly sounds like a good idea.

Hobbes

yea looking at a new doctor. Yea steamed the rooms helps a bit but can't do it all night.

He's 3 in december.

Nevyn

Ring your local healt clinic ask for the baby nurse get her/him to look at him or at least get a referal to a different dr.

BostonB

Hobbes wrote: »

yea looking at a new doctor. Yea steamed the rooms helps a bit but can't do it all night.

He's 3 in december.

We had a cough in house that sounded similar. Nighmare, none of us could sleep. I didn't get rid of it till I took a few days off and stayed inside. For the toddler we bought a humidifier that you could leave on all night. Though we found if we put it on for 1~2 hours after they went asleep that was enough to ease the cough. Once the cough was eased, they rested and got better in a week or so. Now when theres a start of a cough/cold we use the humidifier and it nips it in the bud before it gets started.

The one we had could be set to turn off after x amount of hours or keep the room at a certain % humidity.

kelle

Bloody hell, there was one time you'd visit the doctor once and you'd get better - now you need to make several visits and you still don't get cured - plus it costs you a bloody fortune. Sorry for bad language, went through the same last July/August. Same problem - my baby daughter had a cough that got worse and worse, made 4 visits to doctor before an antibiotic was prescribed (btw, 4th visit was to a different doctor). Cost - a whopping e205!!!!!! And my daughter (only 7-months-old at the time) only started getting better when she was on the antibiotic. You can't afford to be sick in this country.

Khannie

2nd opinion. No question IMO. Coughing for two months....nothing wrong? Get out of it.

BostonB

I had mine for 3 months. Was very sick with it. Antibiotics couldn't shift it. I was worse than the baby.

Talliesin

Hobbes wrote: »

At this point I am tempted to bring him to another doctor and bill the first GP.

Tempted?

Just do it.

l3LoWnA

Myself and my 3 yr old had the same cough (well, sounds very similar!) Brought her to the doc and doc precribed anti-biotics for me (augmentin duo) & ventalin syrup also for me and told me to give daughter exputex. I did and the meds worked (although I did give my daughter double doses of ventalin one day by accident and she was better the very next day - cough completely gone!) I was very very careful not to let daughter get any sort of chill during the day though, scarf, hat the works (even though it wasn't very cold out) and kept her well wrapped up at night-time too with chest well covered. Hope you can get rid of the little fellas cough soon, it's horrible seeing them going through that, coughing and spluttering and choking and the sleepless nights take their toll on everyone involved

Your GP sounds like a greedy so-and-so!

nesf

Change GP tbh.

themadchef

Your situation is just awful!

i brought my daughter (almost 3yrs old) to our gp with horribly cough that she had for over a week.

There were times when i thought she would just stop breathing. its truly terrifyling to lie there and listen to your child wheezing and waking and crying and youre totally helpless!

Any way, GP said it was doing the rounds and that he felf an anti biotic wouldint help so he gave us a porta neb with saline (and a steroid once evey 12hrs), worked a treat, within 24hrs noticably better.....within a week normal again.

i cant believe how they have just left it at that, so unfair on the parents, i would go so far as to change GP if thats the treatment you can look forward to!

Huggles

Hobbes, is there anything smelly in the house or room? I mean, flowers, those plugin air freshner thingys etc....

My nephew was having the same trouble and it turned out to be lilies his Mother had received off someone.

Just a thought...

RIRI

The poor wee man!

I understand you're very frustrated with the GP & tbh if it was me I'd be livid.

Have you tried removing all dairy form the little lads diet for a few days? Dairy products can "create" lots of mucus and sometimes taking all milk, yoghurts etc out of the equasion, along with using a humidifier & checking for flowers / air freshners etc can give enough relief for the immune system to fight off the infection by itself - always better than an anti-biotic. Still doesn't excuse the GP though.

Hope he's feeling better soon

undecided

Id go to the er at night when its at it's worst.

I have a child from very young would get a cough 2-3 times a year would be croop. I went through 7 GPs in two years as none would listen to me. During the day would not be too bad but at night would be desperate so hence GP would give anibiotic and send us on our way. We would usually end up in er would be put on nebuliser and steroids. For 2 years ended up in high dependancy for 3-5 days at a time as the GP would let it progress so far. Was really frustrating because i would see the early signs of it coming but the Gp was happy to let it progress.

OP you know your child and if something isnt right. If it means sitting in er half the night so be it. Not nice but at least you might get more results.
hths

anxie

Hi Hobbes.

I have no answer but a near identical situation. we have no idea where my daughter gets her awful coughs from.
In our case the doc told us to tell her to stop coughing.....

kelle

anxie wrote: »

In our case the doc told us to tell her to stop coughing.....

:eek: If only it was that simple....

ironingbored

I lived in Italy for years and have been back in Ireland just over a year. The health system here is an absolute joke compared to continental europe. GPs here do not have a clue. Mine couldn't diagnose a cyst on a foot, couldn't diagnose allergic reaction to penicillin and said it was a viral infection. Said impetigo could be chicken pox although my child had only one spot on his face which was classic impetigo. As for health insurance and understanding excess/no excess/receipts/entitlements. It is disgraceful.

In Italy every child is assigned a pediatrician a week after birth; not a GP a pediatrician! There are 60 million people in Italy whereas in Ireland, a country which has had an economic boom for 15 years, we cannot provide a first class health service to just over 4 million people. I never had to pay a penny in an Italian hospital and was always seen almost immediately. I went to A&E with chronic gastroenteritis. Was seen by a doctor in about fifteen minutes and immediately put on a drip. Blood tests taken also. Incredibly efficient and FREE!

What do you expect I suppose when we have an obese minister for health and had a minister of finance without a bank account (well, one of his own that is).

kelle

Hobbes, how is your son's cough now?

*Page*

My daughter had simular cough was worse at night time,
doc said it was nothing for a month then said it coubl be asthma,
so this went of for 9 months (inhalers the lot)
I wasnt convinced so brought her to a different doc, he listened to her chest and rang an ambulance, she had silent phnumonia. with in two weeks with the right medication she was right as rain

di11on

I was in France and had an Athsma attack... went to doctor's clinic. They had someone specialising in accident and emergency and I was seen pretty quickly. Doctor gave me a very thorough examination and I was really reassured.

Cost me 22 yoyo.

I'm telling you, we're being ripped off in this country. You pay through the nose and get contempt for it. There's no value for money in this country.

wanabehome

Go into your nearset ER. Our daughter has a tooth infection and the next time it acts,thats what we are going to do.Its just unacceptable to feed a child antibiotics after antibiotics until they make an appointment in 6`months.

foxinsocks

My GP charges full price for the first visit, but there are no follow up costs for the same illness. This makes sense to me, and keeps the costs right down. This applies to both me, and my daughter. It doesnt seem to matter how many visits occur. She even phones you if any blood test results seem abnormal... Sounds like I'm pretty lucky.

Fox_in_Socks

nesf

wanabehome wrote: »

Go into your nearset ER. Our daughter has a tooth infection and the next time it acts,thats what we are going to do.Its just unacceptable to feed a child antibiotics after antibiotics until they make an appointment in 6`months.

With a cough? One of the reasons people with genuine emergency cases are stuck waiting in emergency rooms is because people fill them with children with tooth infections or mild coughs. Seriously, if you don't think your GP is doing enough find a new GP, taking it to the ER is just irresponsible for something minor that doesn't need to be seen in a hospital.

foxinsocks wrote: »

My GP charges full price for the first visit, but there are no follow up costs for the same illness. This makes sense to me, and keeps the costs right down. This applies to both me, and my daughter. It doesnt seem to matter how many visits occur. She even phones you if any blood test results seem abnormal... Sounds like I'm pretty lucky.

Fox_in_Socks

Ours only charges a nominal amount, a tenner or so. Making it free would be risky, you'd get people abusing it, coming back with a mild head cold etc. Charging a small amount stops most of those people.

BostonB

nesf wrote: »

With a cough? One of the reasons people with genuine emergency cases are stuck waiting in emergency rooms is because people fill them with children with tooth infections or mild coughs. Seriously, if you don't think your GP is doing enough find a new GP, taking it to the ER is just irresponsible for something minor that doesn't need to be seen in a hospital....

Always good to get a 2nd opinion, in fact a doctor should offer you one.

Mistakes happen...

nesf

BostonB wrote: »

Always good to get a 2nd opinion, in fact a doctor should offer you one.

Mistakes happen...

Going to an ER over a tooth infection or a cough is not just getting a second opinion, it's taking the piss. If you don't feel comfortable with your GP as an arbiter on your child's health then get a new GP. If after trying several GPs you can't find one you can respect then the problem probably isn't with your GP.

BostonB

nesf wrote: »

Going to an ER over a tooth infection or a cough is not just getting a second opinion, it's taking the piss. If you don't feel comfortable with your GP as an arbiter on your child's health then get a new GP. If after trying several GPs you can't find one you can respect then the problem probably isn't with your GP.

Depends on the cough. A cough can be a symptom of something else more serious. Someone I know had a cough, that turned out to be something far more serious, and the GP let it go on for months before sending them for X-Rays and other tests.

nesf

BostonB wrote: »

Depends on the cough. A cough can be a symptom of something else more serious. Someone I know had a cough, that turned out to be something far more serious, and the GP let it go on for months before sending them for X-Rays and other tests.

Do you honestly think that you or I would have a better idea than a GP on whether someone should go to an emergency room? I agree completely with getting a second opinion, I just object to people taking it upon themselves to add to the queues in our emergency rooms while simultaneously complaining about said queues.

BanzaiBk

From someone who used work for the A/E service in CUH, any and I mean any class of tooth issue will not be dealt with in the A/E unless it is very severe and out of Dentist hours (by severe I mean teeth hanging on my a milimetre to the gum, head trauma). Just a heads up for the poster with child w/ tooth infection. Almost 9/10 times the triage nurse will instruct you to go and see a Dentist. I myself rang on two separate occasions last Christmas day for two children with tooth/gum infections for appts. with the emergency dentist. A/E will get you nowhere.

BostonB

You'll be referred to a children's hospital with children, not an emergency too. But lets not that get in the way.

nesf wrote: »

Do you honestly think that you or I would have a better idea than a GP on whether someone should go to an emergency room? I agree completely with getting a second opinion, I just object to people taking it upon themselves to add to the queues in our emergency rooms while simultaneously complaining about said queues.

Have a known a doctor to be wrong, and me right. Yes. More than once, and with more than one doctor. In some areas you simply won't get to see another GP. Most of their patient books are full and simply won't take any more patients. So you can't just find another GP that easily. If theres doubt the GP's are often referring people to emergency. The alternative would to see a consultant or specialist. But the waiting times can be months and months. So often the GP's send their patients to emergency instead.

Or you could just wait and see what happens.

BanzaiBk

BostonB wrote: »

You'll be referred to a children's hospital with children, not an emergency too. But lets not that get in the way.

Not the case in Cork I'm afraid. I am totally unsure of Dublin however. OP I would definitly consult another GP in your area if you are not happy. It's bad enough when you feel short changed for your own healthcare, never mind that of your child. Best of luck.

nesf

BostonB wrote: »

You'll be referred to a children's hospital with children, not an emergency too. But lets not that get in the way.

We don't qualify for children's hospitals or anything fancy like that down here in the sticks.

BostonB wrote: »

Have a known a doctor to be wrong, and me right. Yes. More than once, and with more than one doctor. In some areas you simply won't get to see another GP. Most of their patient books are full and simply won't take any more patients. So you can't just find another GP that easily. If theres doubt the GP's are often referring people to emergency. The alternative would to see a consultant or specialist. But the waiting times can be months and months. So often the GP's send their patients to emergency instead.

GP's referring people to emergency when there is doubt is a whole different ballgame to some random parent taking their kid to the ER over something minor that could wait until tomorrow. We're not talking about kids coughing up blood being told that they're fine here tbh.

tallaght01

you should also bear in mind, BostonB, that the doc you see in A+E is more likely to be far more junior than your GP.

I used to do paeds A+E as a junior, and I wouldn't have even seen a tooth problem unless it was a dire dire emergency. And even then all i would have had in my arsenal would have been painkillers and antibiotics.

The OP should also realise that medicine doesn't always have the answers. Your doctor can only go on the clinical findings and the history. I do appreciate your concern though. But, as a paediatrician, I see this all the time. Grumbling cough/snotty nose/rash whatever. The mum decides it's not good enough that it lasts this long and someone has to sort it out.

These parents get very upset when I tell them that children often have symptoms that go on for an eternity. Like I said, doctors don't have magic wands. I saw a kid yesterday who's "had the flu since august". His mum is rageing because I could offer no treatment. I know I did the right thing, and I know he'll get better. Mum thinks I'm a quack,a nd wil tell her friends/family/boards about the ****e doc she saw in the hospital. It's all about the perspective from each side of the fence.

It's tough having a sick kid. But it's also tough being a GP. Some of the posters above have suggested that you change GP. I think that's probably fair enough, if the relationship is breaking down. But going to A+E to see an overworked junior who won't be interested in a chronic problem is unlikely to result in any joy for you. But do make sure you get it followed up if you think your kiddy is unwell.

Hope it all works ou for u.

undecided

Tallaght101 I appreciate where you are coming from but from experience some GP just dont give the required treatment even when they are told that it is something more serious. Its like they just want to give antibiotic and get on to the next patient. Unfortuneately it seems to fall back on the over worked staff in ER.

As I said in previous posts My child would suffer severe croop n asthma and doc would always pawn me off with antibiotics instead of listening hence would end up in er with sick child with extremely low O2 levels n get few days HD.

Another example is that of my partner 4 long years of sufering and been given antibiotics. Was visiably ill looking lost huge amount of weight, persistant cough spitting up blood etc. Was at the GP most weeks for nearly four years had xrays and was constantly told chest infection. The outcome was that one night he was coughing so much causing vomitting I lost the head. Went to ER and got a result He had a tumour blocking his airways which caused a collapsed lung also. ER doc told us that it had been there for some time and he wouldn't have lived another 4yrs had it not been detected as was blocking the air supply.

What are people supposed to do when the GP wont listen and other GPs wont see you as they have enough people on their books?

sgthighway

My 15 month old daughter had a really bad cough like Hobbes described. After a week we took her to the GP. The GP said there was a small amount of fluid in her lungs; more in one than the other. She prescribed an Antibiotic Medicine to try and help the fluid. If it was still bad when the medicine was over we were to bring her back and the GP might refer her for an X-Ray. The day before we were to go back she was really bad at breakfast. I took her to A&E because it was a Sunday and quite. She got the all clear but the Doctor in Pediatrics told us there was a cough going around and nothing would shift it. It had to run its course. My daughter had it for 4 weeks. All happy again.

Now she has Conjunctivitis.

She is costing me a fortune too but what can you do but hope they get better so they are back to themselves.

kelle

My 12-month-old daughter has had a cough for 2 weeks, has a high temperature, vomiting and diarrhoea! I visited the doctor for the 3rd time yesterday, but didn't recommend an antib as it would only irritate her stomach. So I have to wait for everything to run it's course. It's great fun at night, trying to grab her in time for her to vomit on the floor and not on the bedclothes!
Now, my 2nd daughter (aged 5) has a high temperature, diarrhoea and vomiting....

I know how you feel, sgthighway!

Suaimhneach

Havent read the whole thread so dont know if its been said. But Exputex forces you to cough, forcing the flem off your chest. I *hate* being told to take it, it doesnt help unless you have a chesty cough, rather than an infection.

Get a cough suppressant for when he's going to bed, I recommend something you can get in any health food store "Dr.Potters" I'm fairly sure its called that anyway. It's a deep soothing mix, that'll help him sleep.

Steaming also helps a lot.

If your doctor isnt listening, just take him to another doctor.

I've suffered with a cough that can knock me out for a week or two, so I've learned what works the hard way.

kelle

Jesjes wrote: »

Havent read the whole thread so dont know if its been said. But Exputex forces you to cough, forcing the flem off your chest. I *hate* being told to take it, it doesnt help unless you have a chesty cough, rather than an infection.

Get a cough suppressant for when he's going to bed, I recommend something you can get in any health food store "Dr.Potters" I'm fairly sure its called that anyway. It's a deep soothing mix, that'll help him sleep.

Steaming also helps a lot.

If your doctor isnt listening, just take him to another doctor.

I've suffered with a cough that can knock me out for a week or two, so I've learned what works the hard way.

The only cough mixture an under-2 can get is Sootha, and I haven't found it any good.

Suaimhneach

Maybe check your health store for a baby-freindly alternative. Once its a cough suppressant, it should help your baby sleep at night and breathe easier.

The one I take (Dr. Potters Balm of Gilead Cough Mixture) does say not suitable for under 5, but I'd imagine there is some sort of alternative available for kids. at least I hope so.

BostonB

This is all veering into giving medical advice which is against the rules of boards.

Suaimhneach

I didnt intend for that to happen. Just wanted to express the knowledge that exputex forces a person to cough (which is a fact, written on the bottle, so not advice). And that Potters is soothing and helps suppress coughs (also written etc).

I'll shup now.

embee

Jesjes is right - exputex basically de-stickifies the mucous in your chest, making it easier to cough up. It doesn't actually sort the cold out, just lets you clear the gunk. That is why its available without prescription. (It tastes rank as well, I must say).

My almost-2 year old daughter had a bad cough about a month ago or so, but it cleared after she went to bed with a piece of cloth over her pillow that had a Karvol capsule dropped onto it in little spots. Its completely natural and helped her greatly. It is a decongestant but cleared her cough up without her needing anti-biotics.

BostonB

We could be talking about 100 different coughs where what worked for one won't work for another. Just a thought.

embee

BostonB wrote: »

We could be talking about 100 different coughs where what worked for one won't work for another. Just a thought.

There is no harm in any of us telling the OP what worked for us, BostonB. One of these solutions could help him. We aren't offering him medical advice.