[jacquej]

Believe it or not, I think I got the adult version winter before last.

I am 66 years old, and am rarely sick with colds/flu. But this settled right in my larynx, and I literally couldn’t stop coughing. I couldn’t slepp because of it, and I cracked or broke a rib from it.

Finally, my primary doc called in a scrip that total knocked me out. I would wake up, take it, then go back to sleep, and repeat.

I never want to go through that again! If there is a chance that you might not be immune to pertussis, or your immunity has worn off, it would be worth you while to go get a booster shot. I still have rib pain, and it has to be 18 months since I got over it!

[Othniel]

I think I had this last fall. In early August I started getting a slight cough, with a runny nose, etc. Went to dr., was told it was allergies. It escelated into something that gave me 1/2 hour long coughing fits, the end of which left me exhausted and drenched with sweat. Went through three rounds of antibiotics from the dr., the last of which was a two-week round of horse pills. It finally got knocked out, but not before I started sleeping on the couch, since my 2AM coughing jags kept waking up the missus. I'm convinced it was pertussis, after looking at the symptoms and listening to audio samples of adults who were recorded. I was x-rayed for tb and pneumonia, but both were negative. It kicked in after a stop at a restaurant that was full of.....a lot of Hispanic Spanish speakers who looked....out of place. Not like they were ILLEGAL or anything; I'm just sayin'....

[zerosix]

I also got the "adult" version about 4 years ago.

Primary care doc treated me for "chronic cough" for a couple of months until I was able to get to pulminary specialist, who treated me for over 1 month. Left me exhausted for more than 6 months afterward.

Only later did I learn that "whooping cough was making a 'resurgence' after being dormant for many decades in Midwest."

Light came on in my head - most of the restaurants that I frequented all had Mexican/Hispanic kitchen/bus boy help, including our golf club!

[HiTech RedNeck]

The typical “tetanus shot” (which you are recommended to get if you cut yourself on something rusty) also immunizes against pertussis (whooping cough) and diphtheria. Now there’s an odd threesome.