Question: starting wed/thurs of last week, sore throat, cough, congestion (yellowish), hoarse voice, pink eye, low grade fever, general malaise. When should I be feeling better? How do I know I don't have sinus infection or bronchitis? Taking mucinex, Tylenol or Ibuprofen and up my fluid intake, don't know what decongestant to use if any because they make me jittery. Anyway, concerns are I'm taking care of 84 year mother and hoping she won't get it. Want to taste, smell and talk again. Thanks.

Thanks for your response. It's been around 10 days now since this virus started. Here's an update of my current condition. I saw my doctor. My lungs are clear as of Wed. My pink eye seems gone as of a couple of days ago. I don't seem to run any fever over 99 as of Wed. I still have nasal congestion with yellow/clear mucus. I still cannot taste or smell anything and I get occasional sinus type headaches. My cough is somewhat the same sometimes it seems a little looser. But I still don't seem to be coughing up anything significant. My voice comes and goes depending on my cough. The cough always seems worse at night (dry/hacking). I'm allergic to codeine so I was given Tessalon Pearles (sp?). My sleep is broken but I force myself to go back to sleep between coughing bouts. I hate to go out because once I go into my coughing fits, it's embarrassing but I bring my cough syrup with me and water wherever I go. Plus I sound sick with my hoarse voice and no one can understand me.
My doc recommended that I continue with the DM otc cough syrup, plus a homeopathic cough syrup called Chestal. Decongestants make my heart race so I don't really take those. She doesn't think I have anything bacterial going on like a sinus infection but I'm to contact her if my cough worsens (not sure what that means since it remains almost the same) or if my fever goes above 101).

I'm just wondering why it's taking me so long to start feeling better? Do you recommend a certain approach to taking my medicine (like 1) gargle with salt; 2) take cough DM; 3) take cough (Chestal); 4) fluids and 5) steam/rest every four hours? Anything else? I need to go back to work on Monday. I've been off for an entire week. Thanks again for time and your help.

I returned to my doc on Monday and was finally given an antibiotic (azithromycin) and started feeling relief (at least with regards to congestion) within 48 hours. My cough persists however and is kind of wet and worse at night. If anything comes up it is clear but I am sore especially on the right side under my right breast probably from all my coughing. Throughout this illness, I cough and gag at least once a day, vomiting up whatever I just ate while I cough and gag. Sometimes I'm talking on the phone and I have to cut it short because I'll start coughing/gagging or I'm reluctant to go out for fear it will happen while I'm in line at the grocery store. I no longer have a low grade fever. In addition to my cough syrup DM, steaming and increase fluids, I was also given an inhaler. It's the first time I've had one. All I know is that I cannot use it past 5 p.m. or the side effects keep my up all night. I nap during the day and if I didn't force myself to get up, I would nap most of the day. It's been more than 14 days since I started this illness. I have already missed 2 weeks of work. Can you recommend any next steps? Should I request a chest x-ray? Labs? Thank you.