Confusion re coughing

Saw cons on Thursday - as have said/moaned (sorry! but am frustrated plus stops me thinking about other stuff right now), she said all tests normal except lung function which were 'variable' but she doesn't think this means anything. So back to 'dysfunctional breathing' and seeing chest physio as it 'may' work this time. Finding it hard to believe dysfunctional breathing is doing all this, at least on its own, esp when I have to be able to breathe properly to sing and I can still do that except at start of rehearsal when am still breathless from journey.

To get to the point... cons said my annoying 10.5 mth long cough is from my throat. I said I could feel the irritation further down but she said not possible as tests showed no inflammation. But I can feel it further down, kind of in the front opposite the bit between shoulder blades! Pharmacist (way back when I was buying cough syrup for this) also said 'you can't have a dry cough coming from the chest', but though occasionally I feel like there may be mucus going to come up it never does, yet even though it's not productive still feels like it's coming from chest and not further up.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Sorry for yet another long post and rant/ramble.

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I can't really shed any light on this I'm afraid. Just wanted to say I sympathise hugely (coughing is my main symptom and it's horrible but at least I have meds to control it) so please don't feel like you have to apologise for ranting. Anyone would feel the same in your situation. You musn't give up though - there must be a reason for this and you will get to the bottom of it in the end. You know your own body and if something isn't right don't accept being told that everything is fine when it isn't. Hang in there and feel free to PM any time. xx

[Annista]

It's not good when you feel that your symptoms are being dismissed almost as if they are either unimportant or (worse?) imaginary. I think most of us have seen that look from time to time and wanted to jump up and down shouting LISTEN to me. Only we can't jump or shout cos we're so out of breath so we just sit there and the GP then thinks he/she's right. All you can do is keep going back and asking for help until you get some - after all, water wears stone away so a smart and resourceful patient ought to eventually be able to get a result from a sceptical doctor!

xx

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Natural remedies

Hi Philomela,

What you are going through is really terrible and irritating. I completely understand as I have been there myself. Since watching my diet and including natural medicine in my everyday diet though, I have been in a better situation with my asthma/breathing, throat and chest issues. It used to be really bad. Now I am consuming a lot of garlic, in my case, it's been a lot of help. Have you tried any natural remedies?

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Thanks everyone!

Healthy Answers Girl - I haven't tried any natural remedies specifically, didn't really know of any - though I do eat and always have eaten a lot of garlic anyway (love Mediterranean food) - unfortunately it doesn't seem to help.

I am feeling frustrated, though it's almost worse that the cons was quite nice and reasonable, was sympathetic about me wanting a diagnosis and something she could fix, and asked me if I thought cardio registrar was accurate when he'd said I was happy with his suggestion of me being stressed (um, no, I've now told both of them that I am NOT that stressed - well, I am now but that's only in the last week or so and this has been going on for months, and have managed to breathe fine before when way way more stressed).

But cons being nice just makes it harder in a way as I think 'well, she's being reasonable and is better than the last one so she must be right' - but still feel like she hasn't seen me when it's worst and hasn't really taken on board that it's messing with my life - and then with things like the cough I'm just confused!!

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Coughing!

You have described my exact symptoms and I get the same reaction form my doc. Teats normal etc. I also sing and am having trouble with it. Cough syrup does not help just makes me feel sick. I feel like a rant about it sometimes.

Les

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lol I know the feeling Les, rant away! Cough syrup does nothing, even the prescription stuff (haven't tried it for a while) and every so often I get drs suggesting maybe it's a 'habit' cough - apparently I'm imagining the irritation in my chest!

Hope your cough behaves itself and you get back to singing soon.