Another Heavy Chesty Cold

[mats01_99]

Hi, once again the first quarter of the year has seen me suffer one cold after another and again it’s in my chest with a very deep cough that’s driving my wife nuts! A lot of dark green phlegm coming up but also now, especially in the morning the first heavy cough up of phlegm (sorry!) has looked dark red and maybe blood. Is there ever a time when coughing up a small amount of blood like this is nothing to worry about? Again I feel if I go to the GP I’ll just be told I have a heavy cold. I’m only reluctant to go as I live in Ireland and going to the GP will set me back about €60!

[Prudie]

At the very least sounds like classic symptoms of a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics pronto. Don't know the system in Ireland and why it costs that but so what. Surprised, if it's driving your wife nuts she hasn't made you go before now.
I'm not a medic so that's an uneducated opinion but would have gone to the doctor before this with those symptoms.

[Sqad]

It sounds as though you have acute bronchitis and this condition is the commonest cause of coughing up blood.
If you feel well in yourself, eating well and your temperature is normal, then you do not need antibiotics, however, if these parameters change, then contact you GP.
In the meantime, drink plenty of fluids, stop smoking (if you smoke) and be prepared for the cough to last at least 3 weeks.

[ummmm]

Prudie - In Ireland, like many European countries, you have to pay per visit.

[Old_Geezer]

Well, they chose to secede. But then joined the EU !

[anneasquith]

Not a medic, fresh/altered blood in sputum see gp .

[Biccylova]

sounds like a chest infection to me, you will maybe need antibiotics.

[Prudie]

Had no idea you had to pay like that in Ireland.

[mats01_99]

Thank you all, I do feel generally ok in myself and am eating well with a normal temperature. It doesn’t appear any better today so I may try to see the out of hours doc just to be on the safe side. I’ve been out of the UK for nearly 20 years now. Is it still free to see a GP? It’d almost be cheaper for me to get a cheap Ryanair flight over to England, see a GP there and fly home than see one here!!! This is why I only go when absolutely necessary, I’ve been stung before for €50/€60 for a 5 min max consultation to be told go home and rest and take paracetamol! It’s only recently that under 6’s don’t get charged as well so with 3 kids it can cost a small fortune. I also need blood tests to keep an eye on my platelet levels but am looking at another €45 to see the nurse for that.

[Samuraisan]

My goodness, is there no NHS in Ireland ? Here in Spain one doesn't pay anything dr. appointments etc. either.

[mats01_99]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland

[NoMercy]

If your haematuria persists you need to see your GP who will organise a chest x-ray.

[naomi24]

See a doctor.

[Sqad]

Haematuria........?????????.....;-)

[NoMercy]

Haemoptysis!!!

[naomi24]

Wrong end, isn't it?

[NoMercy]

It was bloody autocorrect.

No pun intended.

[Sqad]

;-)

[NoMercy]

I still laugh over "parsnips" becoming "warships".

[ducksie]

I've had bronchitis and laryngitis since Feb 5th, only in last week can I speak, I too have been coughing blood, only because I was tearing the throat out of myself from coughing, living in Ireland - it's not all that bleak, apart from having to pay the €60, that's the gp cost, you can ask for a receipt with that and by the sounds of it you have an underlying condition, you must not have applied for either a medical card or a gp visit card, the link provided is a bit out of date too, there was a price put on meds when we had that big financial bust, prescriptions were charged €2.50, that's now been reduced to €2 and for really sick people that have a lot of meds, it's capped to €20 per month. the charge to a&e is free if referred to a&e by gp or you've been rushed there following an accident - it's really to deter people coming in after a belly full of alcohol and cram up an already over flowing A&E service which over the past few months has been in code black with no sign of clearing, you should go to your CWO or chat with your doctor about gp fees and how can you get refund or apply for free gp visits, especially as you have children

[mats01_99]

Ok, just back from Dr’s. A chest infection, prescribed 500mg Amoxicillin 3 times a day for a week. If no improvement will send me for a chest X-ray. Consultation cost €65, medicine cost €10.57! I will be able to claim half back at year end as I pay for a high level of medical insurance, approx €250 per month.