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by dalenkruse
5785 days ago
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I contracted whooping cough about 5 years ago at the age of 29. I had no idea what was wrong with me and it took 3 doctors to diagnose it correctly. I can't totally fault the doctor's diagnosis on the initial visit. When you have someone come into your office in late October in Minnesota complaining of coughing and respirator pain, it's probably something pretty common. I was on several different medications for 5 weeks. I would start to feel better while on the medication and then get worse when I finished the medication. At no time did the medication help completely, and my condition worsened at time went by. I had several chest x-rays and they all came back clean. The third doctor I visited finally took interest in my case and expanded the tests and came back with a diagnosis of whooping cough. After I found that out and did my own research (which include listening to sound clips), I knew it was the correct diagnosis. I had a 11-month old son at the time and my main concern was that he would contract it also. Thankfully, that never happened. It took me about 5 months before I was completely healed. I wouldn't wish that disease on my worst enemy. Every time you go into a coughing fit, you feel like you are going to die. I blacked out 3 times from coughing fits. They come up on you very fast and are very intense and uncontrollable. I also lost my voice for about 4 weeks. My advice is to get yourself (and your children if you have any) vaccinated...yesterday! |
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I'm only aware of this because we have a 3 month old son. When we were making out antinatal visits to the hospital there were whooping cough awareness signs everywhere.
We both had tests, I had the antibody but my girlfriend didn't, so she had the vaccination.
I had whooping cough when I was very young, so young I don't remember it at all. But thanks for highlighting your experience.
Beyond the photocopied flyers on the walls in the hospital, I know nothing about whooping cough (and until just now I didn't even realize it was a serious illness) and I'm pretty sure the general public doesn't either.