Help! Sick hubby!

OK, now I know I'm a medical idiot. I'm the first to admit this.

I don't know when to take hubby seriously when he's sick. I mean, he cut his finger - not horrible, mind you - and wanted to go to the ER for stitches. So he does tend to freak on anything medical. He had the flu for 24 hours, and wanted to go to the ER.

He's sick. And he is really sick. He's been coughing and having trouble breathing (wheezing) since Sunday. Yesterday it hit him hard, and he slept most of the day, but also started having tummy troubles. As of today, he is off-and-on running a fever all day. He just took his temperature and it's 101.1.

1. What can I do to help him feel better? He hasn't eaten all day. I doubt he's drank much because he's been sleeping.

2. When do I know he's really sick enough to need a doctor? He has no insurance, and no we don't qualify for any kind of assitance. It would be out-of-pocket, which is why I can't just let him go because he feels like it.

Heidi?

Is there a health food store near you that carries GSE? If there is, go there and get a bottle of the liquid and put it in orange juice (about 6 drops) and give it to him and tell him to sip it slowly. You can order the stuff over the internet, but you would have to overnight it so if you can find it locally it will help.

It really sounds like pneumonia, and I know you don't have insurance but this is not something to fool around with. Make sure he is not laying his head flat, but you really should get him to the doctors. The high fever, the wheezing, and the tummy troubles really should be alarming you. There are some nasty flus lurking-

Heidi:

It sounds like Earl needs to see the doctor this time.

I just got over the flue . There is a really bad one going around .If your husband has pneumonia he need some antibiotics , thats the only thing what really helps . Also he needs lot of fluits , OJ is best . Good luck and healing to your husband .

I agree, looks as if he needs to see a doctor!

Major healing vibes for Earl!

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but Earl needs to see a Doc for this one. It sounds quite familiar of when I had Pneumonia last winter. The longer you wait, the harder it is to get rid of.

As for getting something in his tummy, I'd whip up some chicken soup or at least make him drink the brouth of it.

Good luck and tell Earl I hope he feels better soon!

I really agree with the others, See a doctor Earl!

Sending Good Vibes for Earl and Good Luck vibes for yourself about taking him to the docs.

Thanks everyone. I'll be calling the Dr. in the morning. Apparently our health stores suck because I can't find one that carries GSE.

He's sleeping now. He has been all day. I'll keep y'all informed when I find out more about Earl.

Yep. He needs to see a doctor. When every anyone has difficulty breathing they should be seen right away. Do you have an Urgent Care or something similar nearby?

Joining the chorus, Earl needs to go and see the doctor. To be blunt, if he's having stomach troubles and is vomiting or has diarrhea, he'll probably be dehydrated. Get him to drink whatever he can like water or ginger ale (no caffeine and no large amounts of sugar). Something like Pedialyte or even Gatorade will give him the fluids he needs as well as replace the minerals he's lost. Pedialyte tastes rather nasty, so use a clear fruit juice like apple or white grape juice as a chaser.

Well, he's not really having trouble getting breath, he's just got a lot of junk in his chest. He only has the wheezing when he lays flat (simple solution to that, I think!).

Earl just got up and is feeling a ton better - even has an appetite. We'll see.

And we have plenty of Gatoraide, I've made a couple of the 32 oz. bottles of that for him already.

Hot shower to loosen the flem, and an expectorant to get rid of the rest. Soup and any fluids he will drink. No coffee, tea or soda! Keep him sitting up and moving. Let him sleep when he feels like it.

Heidi, if you've got any Robitussin DM at home make him take it. It's got cough expectorant and a cough suppressant in it. It tastes absolutely rancid, but it's one of the best ones on the market. It's the one my Pharmacist always recommended. Also, if you've got in Vicks Vapor rub, you might want to rub that into his chest. It tends to loosen some of that nasty stuff and helps get it up & outta there.

Oh shoot...I forgot to add, that if the gunk in his chest is not clear colored & looks kinda yellowish green...it's an infection. So a Doc's visit is required. Same goes with mucous in his nose....


Sorry for being so graphic and gross, but I thought I'd let you know in case if you didn't know that.

We got all of that last night. The Wal Mart brand Tussin DM, Vapor Rub, Dayquil and Nyquil. He slept like a baby last night, and I breathed pretty well too.

I always liked the way cough syrup tastes, even the Tussin stuff. Guess I'm a freak.

Is this another stubborn man on our hands here? Earl it's time to go to the doctor. Don't be like my Dad and wait until it is almost too late. If I misunderstood this thread please forgive me.

Sending Get Well Vibes from GA.

Gatorade. Nothing else. That's what my doctor had me on when I was so sick I couldn't keep down water. A Tbsp every hour. Get the more sour flavors because they're easier on the stomach.

No Cathi, it was the stubborn wife this time. He has cried wolf with every little head cold ("I'm dying, take me to the ER" for a stuffy nose.), so I didn't really take it too seriously this time either. It wasn't until I saw that he had a fever that I actually got worried.

Shell, he said the loose stuff he coughs up is "white" and the harder to cough up stuff is "yellow". Sounds like an infection.

Originally posted by valanhb
No Cathi, it was the stubborn wife this time. He has cried wolf with every little head cold ("I'm dying, take me to the ER" for a stuffy nose.), so I didn't really take it too seriously this time either.

It wasn't until I saw that he had a fever that I actually got worried.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry I didn't mean to be krass or anything. I can understand how you feel. When Ken gets sick he likes to whine about everything Sometimes I don't know when to take him seriously either. I guess with my Dad almost dying things have me a little weirded out

Originally posted by valanhb
Shell, he said the loose stuff he coughs up is "white" and the harder to cough up stuff is "yellow". Sounds like an infection.

Click to expand...

Yep...it sounds pretty mild right now. Once it starts turning green, you've got a good one. When I had Pneumonia, I was coughing up green and brown..and sometimes black stuff! The black was the tar from smoking and I couldn't even imagine taking a single puff from a cigarette when I had that. I've never been so miserable in my life. I wouldn't wish that stuff on anyone!

Does he have a runny nose or stuffed up nose? If he's got a runny one, it's probably running down his throat and that's whats making him cough. That Nyquil stuff is a Godsend when it comes to getting a good nights sleep when you feel so crappy. It's got some antihistimines in it, so it drys up the runny nose...and therefore helps the cough some too. As for the Dayquil, it's mainly just Tylenol and Sudafed. So if he's got a runny nose, when he take Dayquil his nose will run more. But if he's got a stuffed up nose, the Dayquil will help it drain.