Increased coughing in relation to number of people around: General Health

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I visited a friend for a few days and caught myself a nasty little cold here. I took the city bus to get home and I noticed that when there were only a few people on the bus I didn't cough much, but by the time there were people in the seats all around me I was having a hard time controlling it.

It was bad enough that the lady in the seat in front of me changed seats.

Once a few seats cleared around me, I wasn't coughing much anymore. Now, when I got to the last bus terminal I was still fine, but when another bus dropped a bus full of people off I started coughing uncontrollably again.

I picked up some cough drops two busses through the four bus trip, and they worked almost immediately when I first got them and there wasn't many people around, but at that last bus terminal with all of the people I started to get worried about not being let on the bus when the cough drops didn't work for a minute or two.

I don't normally cough when there's a bunch of people around. Only when I've already got a cold, and when I was a teenager in middle/high school and had been smoking cigerettes for about a year or so.

I used to think when I was in school the coughing was related to not being able to smoke while I was in school, but after this bus ordeal years later and the fact that I quit smoking cigerettes a few years ago now, I'm starting to wonder if it has something to do with being around a lot of people.

If this doesn't make any sense at all, it's because it's late and I'm still kinda sick. I just wanted to make sure I left a note about it somewhere before I forgot.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Interesting. Maybe you were coughing more with more people around because that's when you subconsciously were trying to hold the cough back more. When you held the cough back it probably made you want to cough. I've found myself in that situation before. I'd be fine and as soon as I was somewhere that I didn't want to have a cough attack, holding it back only made me cough more.

There must be a bad coughing cold going around all over the country. I'm much better from my bronchitis that I had a month ago, but every now and then when I take a deep breath it makes me want to cough. I think my lungs are still healing themselves from all of the coughing that the bronchitis made me do. It was seriously some of the most intense coughing I have ever had.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I think that makes sense... I have the same thing happen to me with my allergies. I think it might be because the air is being recycled through other people's lungs. I think temperature of the air makes a difference too... when more people are around, the temperature of the air goes up due to body heat. I think the rise in temperature intensifies the cough. I also think having more people around dries out the air too!

Solution... cough uncontrollably and twitch a little too... if you do that the people will not want to stand too close to you :haha:

That might be worth trying even when I'm not sick :whistle:

To get over the cold fast try a zinc tablet and a humidifier... it helps!

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

Quote:

When you held the cough back it probably made you want to cough. I've found myself in that situation before. I'd be fine and as soon as I was somewhere that I didn't want to have a cough attack, holding it back only made me cough more.

I have that same thought go through my head while I'm coughing. I'm kinda wondering if it's something to do with nerves triggering the cough too. Also, I tend to be a little on edge or uncomfortable around groups of strangers to begin with.

Quote:

There must be a bad coughing cold going around all over the country.

My brother just finished taking antibiotics maybe a week before I got sick. He tested negative for the H1N1 virus and the antibiotics cleared him up in roughly a week so I'm kinda hoping I caught whatever he had before I went on my trip and the rain & cold just lowered my immune system enough to break down to it while I was away.

I normally hate going to the doctor because I know they use placebos and I would rather trick myself into feeling better than pay the doctor to lie to me, this H1N1 thing has me worried though. Then again, I can't say I don't have conspiracy theories about this H1N1 thing just being a sham to boost flu shot sales either.

Last time I was sick like this, I quit smoking cigarettes. I haven't found anything good to come from it this time yet though. lol

Quote:

Solution... cough uncontrollably and twitch a little too... if you do that the people will not want to stand too close to you That might be worth trying even when I'm not sick

Now that you mention it, I remember there being a guy on the bus around the time H1N1 first started showing up who was wearing one of those surgical masks and nobody wanted to sit near him. I think I need to get some of those masks.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Quote:

I normally hate going to the doctor because I know they use placebos and I would rather trick myself into feeling better than pay the doctor to lie to me

I agree 100%!!! I hate having to pay the doctors when they end up lying to me because they have no idea what is wrong with me! And then what is even worse is when they make you pay for some medicine and that medicine does no good. :red:

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I still think you should be able to get your money back when a doctor does no good for you... I can return anything else if I'm not satisfied... why should it be any different for them?!?

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

You can, you just have to sue them.
Doctors generally pay insane amounts on insurance for that exact purpose.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

I just want to be able to turn in my receipt and get my money back though! Hiring a lawyer and suing is just way too much work!

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

That's why you also sue them for having to sue them. That's where "pain and suffering" and legal fees are accounted for.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I just recently had a doctor tell me my insurance would cover the visit and that is the only reason I went to him and come to find out my insurance didn't cover it... then they sent me a bill for like $1,200 more and so I called them and they told me it was my responsibility to check with my insurance and I am at fault... They charged me $20.00 co-pay... I told them as far as I was concerned, that is all they're getting from me... they sent me a bill again, so I called them again to tell them I am not responsible for the bill... I don't know where this will end up, but so far it doesn't look good! How can they get away with stuff like that... no one else can... Go ahead give me $5 for the ice cream and it's yours... after you eat it... that'll be $1,375.00 you owe me for eating it! But you said it was $5.00... sorry... it's $1,380.00 thanks, come again! In what world is this possible?!?

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I have to agree with you being at fault for not confirming that it's covered with your insurance company since they're the one paying for it. As far as the doctor is concerned, they've probably had numerous patients where it was covered by their insurance and they had no reason to think your insurance wouldn't cover it.

You wouldn't go to a BMW lot with $1,000 and expect to drive off the lot in a brand new car after a salesperson tells you your parents will pay for the rest of the car, would you ?

When it comes to the "lessor evil" between doctors offices and insurance companies, you're usually safer with the doctor. If a doctor cures everyone like they're supposed to, they're a good doctor and they'll make money, but if an insurance company covers everyones bills like they're supposed to, they'll go bankrupt.

I think the only way you're going to get out of paying this bill, is to play the insurance companies game and find some kind of legal gotcha that forces them to cover it. Just make sure you think it through all the way first. They can always drop your policy afterwards if you get them. It would suck if you broke your neck or something that would cost thousands of dollars right after your insurance dropped your policy.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

That is good and all and if that is the tag line the doctor's office wanted to put on it then fine... but when I go in and ask them if I am covered under my insurance they should say, check with your insurance company; not take your card and say yes you are... And when I ask how much a procedure is going to be they should tell me a cost... not your co-pay of $20 will cover everything!

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

Do you have some kind of special circumstance insurance policy with a well known company ?

I'm thinking the doctors office saw what are usually telltale signs that it will be covered, for instance the company name on your card is one they're used to dealing with and normally has no problem getting to cover things so in the interest of time, tried to save everyone some time by telling you the usual answer.
But, if you have some sort of odd policy, you could have been the odd exception and it was an honest mistake.

You could file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Maybe look to see if there are any Doctor-specific organizations similar to them. If this is something that this doctors office does routinely then down the road you might get contacted about some sort of joint lawsuit against the practice or something where you can recoup your losses.

Laughing Gravy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

the NHS - not perfect, but it works...

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

Yeah, they said the card was used by two different organizations and they said they made a mistake in telling me that I was covered... I told them that it was their mistake and so I wasn't going to pay for it! At the very most I figure I'm on the hook for the office visit because they told me that it was all covered in the office visit... so I might have to pay for the full office visit... but I don't think I should even have to pay for that because they said I owed $20 and that would cover everything... Anyways, we'll see!

Who is online