What to do to get rid of bronchitis, faster ???

This totally sucks.......

As if that hard-core flu I got a week ago wasn't bad enough, it seems to have left me with an absolutely positive case of bronchitis :(

I am totally sure of this, as the last time I was that sick with the flu (17 years ago) it left me with the same exact thing ! Took like 6-8 weeks to get rid of it !

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But what's worse, is that I urgently need oral surgery to remove a cracked molar. So today, without thinking, I called and made an appt. Now, any other time, I'd probably have to wait like 6-8 weeks just to get the surgery done, but of course this time, they were like, "Sure, we can see you next Tues".... Only 4 days away ! I was like, "Wow ! That's great"...... Hung up the phone, then had a coughing attack...... then thought to myself, "Oh $%$+...... they are never going to put me out for surgery with a lung infection going on" :( So I called them back, and sure enough. They told me to get well first, then give them another call :(

So now what ?

Ya' know, as good as my regular Dr. is with so many other things, he just doesn't like to give out very much "good" medicine :( .......and it costs me $40, to go have him shoot me down :(

I'd really like to try some kind of inhaler, or oral steroids, but I can totally imagine my Dr. wanting me to give it more time to go away on its own.

Yea', maybe if I give it enough time, this molar will go away on its own too :(

Urggg....

Any suggestions ???

Thank you,

Fish

Good advice from Sherrine, as always. Mucinex DM sounds like a good thing to check out.  I hadn't heard of it, but (knock wood?), we've generally been a pretty healthy bunch here.

Whenever I or anyone in our family has a nasty cold, we sometimes have to remind each other to try to cough up, then spit out any phlegm that may come up in the throat, and to do this often. Not a pleasant thought (sorry!), but it sure helps get rid of the 'junk' faster. The more you can get rid of, the better.

Feel better soon!

Ugghh, I was going to recommend an inhaler (I have asthma and couldn't live without it), but if you think your doc would shoot that down I can see why you don't want to pay the $ to go. If the cough continues to linger though, or if you have shortness of breath, he may be more willing to try it.

Another suggestion I have is to try to make sure your sinuses are clear (with saline, decongestant, or antihistamine). Drainage down the back of your throat can cause a coughing attack. Ditto with heartburn or GERD. If you have trouble with that, it can also trigger asthma/coughing.

My allergist also recommends Mucinex for asthma, so I'm sure that would apply to any chest congestion.

Last but not least is using a cool mist humidifier. I use one for asthma, and I've been in the hospital with pneumonia before, and they had one running beside my bed.

Hope you feel better soon.

Not trying to scare anyone...but if you have ongoing bronchitis symptoms...get it checked out by a doctor, and request an x-ray.
My friend's cousin was being treated for ongoing bronchitis with no improvement...her doc just kept changing her meds. She switched docs and found out she had stage 4 lung cancer.

Hugs, Robin

I suffered from chronic bronchitis for several years when I smoked. It would go into walking pneumonia too. That's when I was told to start using Robitussin. Now talk about a disgusting taste. Probably worse than your rum/Listerine concoction! LOL. The active ingredient in Robitussin is guaifenisen (sp). Then they came out with Mucinex that has the same active ingredient so I switched. The pill was far better to take. It has helped me every time. Whenever I even THINK my lungs are getting congested, I take Mucinex DM. Too many seniors die from pneumonia. Yes, I had my pneumonia vaccine, too. ;)

Robin, that is excellent advice if you are coughing a lot and nothing is helping you. That had to be so frightening for your friend. I hope she is alright now.

Sherrine

Go to urgent care if you don't want to see your doctor.

THanks guys. Going to do nmy weekly shopping tonight, and just put Mucinex tabs on my list.

about drinking lots of water..... This is good advice for almost every ailment, as well as just good general health. Unfortunately, I have such a hard time in the Winter, when I'm not hot / sweating :( Heck, I even have a 1 gal jug of water with me all day at work, and as soon as I come home, it comes inside to sit beside me at my PC desk, yet I just forget to drink it. And even when I do pick up the jug, 1 or 2 gulps is all I seem to be able to make myself drink :(

So opposite of me in the Summer, when I drink 1 1/2 - 2+ gallons of water every day !

Peace,
Fish

3 days before I was to have bilateral mastectomy I came down with it. PA wrote Musinex DM, albuterol and ABs. Had to reschedule surgery. Finally got well enough to go to hospital. Had the surgery, was doing well, then started coughing again. Took about 4 weeks, it's finally gone. My recliner was my friend, was no going to bed.