so...please tell me your personal experiences with this disease.

did you personally get it, were you vaccinated, and did it make a difference?

how long did the recovery time take you?

anything you would have done differently?

discuss.

pertussis is also known as "whooping couph".

our children are routinely vaccinated against it...but it's apparently not always a given that you're protected.

I had it when I was six months old, so don't remember it obviously.
Was told by a nurse at work I was lucky to have survived it back then. Apparently my parents held me upside down and hit me on the back to help me catch my breath.

Yes, I just got vaccinated this year. I thought that having had it, I would be immune, but found out that was not true. They had an outbreak in a community across the ferry from us and the hospital offered Tetanus/pertussis updates for free, so I got mine updated.

I think it is worth the vaccination. It is an ugly disease. I have bronchitis pretty much yearly and have had pneumonia a few times. I have never smoked, but my mom did smoke. I suspect having whooping cough did some damage to my lungs, but can't prove it, of course. When I do get bronchitis or a bad cold, I have terrible coughing fits and a doctor told me it was because I had had whooping cough, don't know if that is true, but that is what he said. I know the coughing is terrible. I had the coughing so bad at work one time, I had strangers and EMTs walking by stop and poke their head in my office to ask me if I was okay. Embarassing, but thoughtful.

blech. i was diagnosed with it today...and i'm kind of shocked. i knew it wsa more than a cold, as i've been feverish for a full week, and the coughing is so bad i puke.

i'm worried that my kidlets will get it...it would kill, literally, my little one.

I would check with your doc about vaccinating the kids (if they haven't already been) or the best way to keep them from catching it. Sorry to hear you have it. I obviously don't know how long I was sick. Apparently was serious. It was in 1951 and my dad said they were getting ready to fly in an antibiotic from Seattle that was brand new, started with an "E" he said, (must have been erythromycin), would have cost them $50 for the shot for me. But before they had it flown in, I started to get better. I suspect you being an adult, your immune system is stronger so you will likely kick it sooner.

But check with your doc on the kids. If they are up on their vaccines, they should be protected, the TdaP shots include pertussis.

Good luck, feel better soon.

i am...i guess three weeks into the cycle. i'm halfway into the second stage. i honestly thought i had the flu.

apparently, i have another week of severe coughing and fever, contagious, and then six weeks or so of recovery. blech.

i'm calling the pediatrician tomorrow to see if i can start the kids on a prophylactic phase of antibiotics.

they gave me a steroid shot, a z-pack, cough medicine, and did bloodwork.

--------------------------

i'm really curious as to other people's experiences, as i want to be prepared, time-wise and such.

I never had it , no experience here

I hope you get better soon Sis

thanks, bro. it's kind of embarrassing, coughing til you can't freaking breathe.

i'll get over it.

apparently, the CDC put out a report on conway, arkansas as having a high rate of vaccinated cases of pertussis. strange.

My Dad thinks that my mom had it last month. She had a horrible cough for almost 2 months.

The doc gave my mom a z-pack, cough medicine, and steroids.

she might have. thing is, there's no "substance" to the cough. no nastiness coming up...just a rapid cough that can last for several minutes. painful, yes. messy, no. well, other than the puke. my throat is fine, so i can find no reason for the uncontrollable urge to hack.

i don't smoke, either...apparently it attacks the upper airways and makes them all irritated and such.

oh, and i forgot to mention the sweating. i'm literally pouring the stuff. constantly. hot, then cold, then drenched.

Awww Sweets

I know you will , otherwise i might have to road trip and see ya

Which i wouldn't mind , i can make you some chicken soup

Ohh..I edited before you posted. The doc gave my mom z-pack, steriods, and cough medicine.

Lulu, you're describing something that I had.

I had the same cough. It was the end of February. It was violent and sometimes I almost vomited. I would dry heave from the coughing. It felt like I couldn't breath when I coughed. It started out as a fever and weakness. I had sweats. It's been 3 months and I still have little bit of a cough. My doctor gave me steroids and z-pack. It helped a bit and it just came back for another month.

My child had a birthday party and a child from the party gave it to us. They missed a week of school after the party - fever and cough.
Then I got it. My Dad and mom and my child's Dad got it too.

None of us had the flu. We just had that horrible cough for 2 months. My Dad said that in 50 years, he had never heard my mom cough like that and for so many weeks.

I'm sorry to hear that you have it. I do hope your children won't get it. I know how difficult it is to be a mom when you're sick.

Hello Lovely...


Steam baths...honey...lemon, all the usual, I am sure Alex mentioned chillies...

and lots of fluids of course, dehydration is the last thing you need...

antibiotics?

I am unsure.... what did Alex suggest... will that help the kids, or would a booster be available for the whooping cough for the kids?

Please take care of you....

and well, I can't resist...Keegals... (or Depends)

i haven't asked her yet...when i spoke with her earlier, i thought it was the flu, not pertussis. i'm pretty sure this will be something she's seen quite a bit of in her line of work.

winx, that's exactly what i wanted to hear...duration. i'm looking online and while they say that there's a six-ten week "recovery" phase, they don't tell how severe that phase is.

Lulu,

I have never had it, but I so do wish you a speedy recovery. About a month ago, I was diagnosed with bronchitis induced asthma and a severe ear and sinus infection. I thought that was bad.

thank you. um, that sounds pretty bad to me, heh.

i figured there'd be more people out there with personal stories about this...surely it's not THAT rare!

Good gosh!! I wrote this whole long thing about my symtoms and this ordeal of mine....poof! GONE! Crap.

Honey you get better soon.

Kat

My youngest got it when he was 18 months old. Right after he had RSV. We did catch it in time. He recovered well.

Hope you feel better soon!

how long did it take? was it super-quick or did it linger for the six-ten weeks suggested?

and thanks, kat...i appreciate the well-wishings.