Asthma cough - so annoying!!

Hiya all,

I've suffered from asthma for over 12yrs and have recently been diagnosed as brittle, severe and uncontrolled asthmatic.

Been put on uniphillin 200 in July after a rough period of bad attacks and some a&e visits.

Had the best nearly symptom free week in august whilst on holiday atvthe seaside but then picked up a virus that turned into a chest infection and been having this ""weird"" cough since the beginning of august!

My blood test last monday revealed that the theophylline levels were only 7 and should be 10-20 so been put on double dosis of uniphylline since.

I got another cold since Tuesday and this cough is getting worse again.

It's just the cough that's confusing me a bit as I never had one like this before:

I walk only a few yards and as soon as I stop I get this tingle in my throat and then it feels as if I get strangled, coughing and having problems to breathe in AND out!! This lasts for up to a minute, then I'm left with another minute where I can still not breathe out properly and therefore not being able to speak at all. And after another min or so the shortness of breath subsides, too.

I've got no chance of using the ventolin during this ""attack"" as no airflow anyway.

When I rest at home it's hardly there but as soon as I walk it's there again.

It's so embarrassing as it happens constantly and I can't stop it.

Does anyone else get this? I know I'm full of cold but had this new (to me) cough for about 10weeks now and doc gave me antibiotics that didn't help.

Would you say these are constant little asthma attacks or just coughs?

But why are they so suffocating?

Seeing my hospital con mid october if cough still there then I'll obviously ask him.

Sorry for these long words, would just like to know if someone else out there with those symptoms?

Lots of love

Lydia xx

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Uniphyllin can cause wheeze and difficulty in breathing along with cheat pain and nausea to name a few. I would discuss these symptoms with gp or hospital consultant. As ur unable to use ur reliever during these episodes. I would discuss it urgently !!

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Hi gussypoo,

thanx for your reply. Well, asthma nurse and gp weren't sure what exactly causes the cough, could be the virus I had or maybe the singulair(although I've taken it for ages and never had problems before).

They never mentioned uniphylline and as recent blood tests revealed the low counts in my body I was even put on double the amount now. Will have a word with con mid October anyway.

Thanx again

love Lydia x

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Have you been checked to see if you are allergic to moulds in particular aspergillus and altenaria. As we are currently having high spore counts which could be causing the symptoms particularly the cough.

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Hi malawi,

they've given up on testing me on allergies as I'm already allergic to so much anyway.

Just got a phone call of my asthma nurse and she said my latest results on theophylline levels are down to 4 so no wonder I'm feeling crap. She booked me in to see the gp tomorrow afternoon.

Don't think he can do much but will go.

Love Lydia x

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I hope they soon sort out your uniphillin levels.... I tried uniphillin on a couple of occassions and both times they made me sick and gave me headaches so I given up on this particular medicine (at least until my consultant or doctor decied to try again...).

I know where you are comming from with the cough, its not a nice feeling, mine has been ongoing for the last 3 years... but it looks like the new diagnosis and new tablets may have solved the problem (touch wood). My doctor suggested various cough medicines which failed to help, 30/40mg of pred over a period of 5-10 days helped for a few days but cough returned shortly after and a small whisky helped numb the throat for a short period of time.

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Hi malawi,

well, gp wants the con to sort uniphylline dosage out and been put on 30mg steroids for a few days. Pains are supposed to be from bad bronchi spasm so having to use ventolin a lot more.

Will see how I go.

Thanks for your reply. Hope you're doing well.

Love Lydia x