Sick with a cold, and I need to go to the apteka :(

jenny_1260:

"I would like to buy some cough medicine (for my cold). My cough is mostly triggered by an irritation/itchiness in the throat. I have minor chest congestion (NOTE: aka I have some mucus in my throat/lungs), although these past two days I have coughed out a lot of the mucus, so my cough has become drier. However, my cough also makes me feel there is a lot of fluid in my lungs. I frequently get into fits of coughing (NOTE: meaning that once I start coughing, I can't stop myself and KEEP coughing), and have had this cough for about a month now. Sometimes, I end up coughing out either clear-white mucus or sometimes, clear-white 'fluid'. I have poor appetite, but very few other symptoms. I have not taken any Western medication for my cold before. I would prefer for the medicine to not to be too strong.

Would you be able to recommend me some cough medicine?"

jenny_1260Threads: 2 Posts: 5 Joined: Oct 6, 09	Nov 16, 09, 20:58 / #
I hope this is allowed! But this is also a good chance for people to practice Polish which will be used in a very real, everyday situation... I am currently sick with the cold and want to buy cough medicine. I have only been in Poland for less than a week, and haven't started learning Polish properly yet. So I was thinking of showing the apteka a small paragraph in Polish explaining my symptoms... could someone translate this for me? It doesn't have to be a literal translation, something in natural Polish that carries the same overall meaning will be fine. "I would like to buy some cough medicine (for my cold). My cough is mostly triggered by an irritation/itchiness in the throat. I have minor chest congestion (NOTE: aka I have some mucus in my throat/lungs), although these past two days I have coughed out a lot of the mucus, so my cough has become drier. However, my cough also makes me feel there is a lot of fluid in my lungs. I frequently get into fits of coughing (NOTE: meaning that once I start coughing, I can't stop myself and KEEP coughing), and have had this cough for about a month now. Sometimes, I end up coughing out either clear-white mucus or sometimes, clear-white 'fluid'. I have poor appetite, but very few other symptoms. I have not taken any Western medication for my cold before. I would prefer for the medicine to not to be too strong. Would you be able to recommend me some cough medicine?" Anyone out there wanna help with a translation? Just, roughly? Thank you! Gzienkuje!

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Nov 17, 09, 16:15 / #
jenny_1260: "I would like to buy some cough medicine (for my cold). My cough is mostly triggered by an irritation/itchiness in the throat. I have minor chest congestion (NOTE: aka I have some mucus in my throat/lungs), although these past two days I have coughed out a lot of the mucus, so my cough has become drier. However, my cough also makes me feel there is a lot of fluid in my lungs. I frequently get into fits of coughing (NOTE: meaning that once I start coughing, I can't stop myself and KEEP coughing), and have had this cough for about a month now. Sometimes, I end up coughing out either clear-white mucus or sometimes, clear-white 'fluid'. I have poor appetite, but very few other symptoms. I have not taken any Western medication for my cold before. I would prefer for the medicine to not to be too strong. Would you be able to recommend me some cough medicine?" Hello! I am a medical student in Poland. If you had this kind of cough for a whole month you should visit a doctor. There might be a bacterial infection in the airways/luhgs producing the mucus.

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Nov 17, 09, 17:00 / #
You got the pig flu.

GaaThreads: 2 Posts: 179 Joined: Oct 26, 09	Nov 17, 09, 18:24 / #
i think you should get a mask. i take herbitussin kaszel when i have a cough or something else with tymianek.but you'd better see a doctor

jenny_1260Threads: 2 Posts: 5 Joined: Oct 6, 09	Nov 17, 09, 19:04 / #
Okay, thanks for the advice/recommendations... Yes, I do have masks. And no, I don't have swine flu- sorry, but my symptoms are not even remotely close. It's a simple cough really, I've had it since I was in my home country (New Zealand)... I just haven't had a proper chance to recover for weeks, due to exam stress, travel stress, work stress... etc (I also, as I explained in my paragraph, didn't take any Western medication for it). But now I would just like to buy something to get better quicker because I am doing some work/internship here. I'll just go and get something myself, somehow... thankss...

ZiemowitThreads: 10 Posts: 1,063 Joined: May 8, 09	Nov 17, 09, 19:31 / #
I am joining SzwedwPolsce here to recommend to see a doctor at once instead of trying to get a cough medicine first!

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Nov 17, 09, 19:58 / #
jenny_1260: I'll just go and get something myself, somehow... thankss... Go to the doctor. You might have a pneumonia. Cough suppressing drugs without prescription is only for short duration cough.

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Nov 17, 09, 20:25 / #
And all really effective anti-cough drugs are only available with prescription. If you really want to try sth without prescription you can buy dekstrometorfan.

peter_olsztynThreads: 8 Posts: 760 Joined: Apr 18, 07	Nov 18, 09, 03:26 / #
jenny_1260: It's a simple cough really but looks like Chronic bronchitis ;)

bolekThreads: 10 Posts: 369 Joined: Sep 13, 08	Nov 18, 09, 03:48 / #
peter_olsztyn: but looks like Chronic bronchitis ;) if you have aching bones, you may have swine flu.. good idea to war a mask

Ganga Dihnski	Nov 18, 09, 13:29 / #
Igonre these paranoid Poles. I was once diagnosed with pneumonia in Poland and told to take 4 weeks off work (just had a new job - not likely ffs!) so flew back to the UK for a second opinion from a doctor I trusted and respected. Pneumonia? Yeah, pig's arse... as I suspected. Another time I was diagnosed with a heart murmur which was a tad worrying. Back to the UK to see my trusted doctor... you guessed it... pig's arse... Do the normal thing - go to a pharmacy and if you can't see a familiar product the prentend to cough and see what the pharmasist produces. It's not difficult, I've done it plenty of times Poles tend to run off to the doctor with the slightest ailment, most of which can easily be dealt with in the local pharmacy in half the time. Ignore their advice, it's probably wrong

ZiemowitThreads: 10 Posts: 1,063 Joined: May 8, 09	Nov 18, 09, 13:45 / #
Ganga Dihnski: Igonre these paranoid Poles. Ganga Dihnski: Poles tend to run off to the doctor with the slightest ailment, most of which can easily be dealt with in the local pharmacy in half the time. Ignore their advice, it's probably wrong But SzwedwPolsce who is not Polish but Swedish and a medical student says the same what the Poles here do: Go to see your doctor! Do Swedish students who study in Poland become paranoid over time?

jonniThreads: 26 Posts: 4,181 Joined: Nov 27, 07	Nov 18, 09, 13:50 / #
Ganga Dihnski: Ganga Dihnski Today, 13:29 #12 Igonre these paranoid Poles. I was once diagnosed with pneumonia in Poland and told to take 4 weeks off work (just had a new job - not likely ffs!) so flew back to the UK for a second opinion from a doctor I trusted and respected. Pneumonia? Yeah, pig's arse... as I suspected. Another time I was diagnosed with a heart murmur which was a tad worrying. Back to the UK to see my trusted doctor... you guessed it... pig's arse... Quite right, I had the same. Pneumonia? No. Diabetes? No. Poland is the world capital of hypochondria - just look how many chemists there are. And they still get ill.

ZiemowitThreads: 10 Posts: 1,063 Joined: May 8, 09	Edited by: Ziemowit Nov 18, 09, 20:03 / #
SzwedwPolsce, I'm glad (as a former medical student myself) that you disagree with most respectable Dr Ganga Dihnski and not-the-less respectable Dr Jonni on this particular case. Advising the patient, Jenny_1260, to go on unconsulted may result in serious complications for the patient for which these two doctors will not - for obvious reasons - be sued.

ZiemowitThreads: 10 Posts: 1,063 Joined: May 8, 09	Nov 18, 09, 12:17 / #
bolek: if you have aching bones, you may have swine flu.. good idea to wear a mask Swine flu! Swine flu is en vogue! So, even if you don't have swine flu, you should at least wear a mask. Chronic bronchitis is a bit old-fashioned to be proud of.

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Nov 18, 09, 19:15 / #
Ganga Dihnski: Poles tend to run off to the doctor with the slightest ailment That's true. Poles in general run to the doctor a little too often. And it slows down the health care system. But if you have a productive cough for 1 month it should be checked. All international guidelines agree. You can ask your "trusted doctor" as well. But if it's not productive any more. Ok fine, go and buy some dekstrometorfan, but it's not very helpful. Better to go to the doc and get a prescription for something stronger that really helps (light opiates). And you get examined for more serious complications.

GaaThreads: 2 Posts: 179 Joined: Oct 26, 09	Nov 18, 09, 19:59 / #
SzwedwPolsce: go and buy some dekstrometorfan, but it's not very helpful. Better to go to the doc and get a prescription for something stronger that really helps (light opiates). And you get examined for more serious complications. yeah.and if that doesn't help still get the mask, masks are good for everything.

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Edited by: SzwedwPolsce Nov 18, 09, 21:00 / #
Ziemowit: go on unconsulted may result in serious complications for the patient Yeah, it's about having some clinical skills. If you have a cough for 1-2 week(s) during and after a viral infection, there is no point going to the doctor. *But having a mucus-producing cough for 1 month is not very common for an uncomplicated* viral airway infection. It's about statistics. Small details can make a big difference.**

Ganga Dihnski	Nov 20, 09, 09:33 / #
Yup. Go see a doctor. That way nobody gets sued. Which is what it seems to be all about. And statistics. rofl

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 57 Posts: 5,468 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER	Nov 20, 09, 09:55 / #
You probably need some antibiotics to clear up the chest infection once and for all. Amoxycillin usually does the job. visit a doctor.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Nov 20, 09, 10:19 / #
The chemist's has some good stuff but you need to be able to chat to the chemist. Sometimes they fob you off with crap and flick their hand as if to say bug*er off. With a doctor, you are a patient and can more easily work with him.

nauczyciel	Nov 20, 09, 21:36 / #
if you contact me, i can help you out. I know English speaking doctors, apteka staff, dentists and even a laryngologist who speaks English :)