carnt stop coughing

I keep coughing and coughing all the time and wont stop...my hubs gone work with no sleep .Doctor put me on antibiotics to no avail. Seem my asthma team today and said my bloods show a really big grass allergy as years ago just mild .He said I dont get any hayfever symptoms just sever asthma attacks ontop of everything else .

Allergy tabs added and got use my neb alot more and take steroids I have to keep in if to inflamed. Im on easyhaler,spiriva, seritide,flixotide,singulair ,slophylin , salbutamol nebules, carbocsistine,allergy meds now and got use neb more.

Anyone else have this trouble with asthma its wearing me out coughing and inflaming lungs ?...ll glynis

[yaf_user681_30355]

Hello Glynis,

Grass pollen is my biggest trigger. I rarely get the usual hayfever symptoms and if i do they are mild but it stops me in my tracks with asthma symptoms. I used to be on loratadine all year round for pollens. (React to tree pollen and weed pollen too) but I requested trying fexofenadine 180mg cos I was desperate to try anything. My symptoms improved the first day of taking them! This is the first summer since 2009 that I have not been on pred and I am still active! Normally I can't walk more than 10 minutes for 3 months and have constant symptoms. Fexofenadine 180mg is licensed for hives but GPs can prescribe it off licence. I am going to take it my worst time of year and switch back to loratadine the better time of year. I have still had to max out all my meds but I have only had one night of difficult asthma, last Sunday night because of the humidity and so far no pred.

Edit: Oh and I haven't had to use my neb yet either.

[yaf_user681_53148]

Forgive the ignorance, but why would one choose fexofenadine over loratadine or cetirizine (what I'm on)? Are they a lot stronger? How about side-effects? I have put on a lot of weight lately and I have a sneaky feeling the cetirizine had something to do with that. I get urticaria too, so it doubles up for my skin. If I forget to take it even for a couple of hours I get really itchy...

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Hi Jf ,

My consultant put me on them but day two today so hope start working or will see if the doctor will change them .I end up loosing my voice with coughing non stop ........will ask about yours...lol glynis

[yaf_user681_30355]

Aylab,

Fexofenadine comes in 2 strengths, 120mg and 180mg. I tried the lower dose several years ago and it was not as effective as loratadine. i come from an allergic family and several of them are on fexofenadine 180mg for their allergies and I just wanted to try it. I wasn't aware antihistamines could affect your weight. I have been on them for asthma the last 25 years and have never noticed this. Also as fexofenadine is licensed for urticaria it may help you. My GP didn't hesitate to prescribe them when I asked.

[yaf_user681_53148]

Well, it wasn't until a friend of mine mentioned that the penny dropped for me. My weight started going up around the same time I started taking it. It is on the list of side-effects, see: nhs.uk/medicine-guides/page.... Whereas it's not listed under fexofenadine: nhs.uk/medicine-guides/page.... Wonder if it's worth a chat with the GP...

[yaf_user681_30355]

I have never taken cetirizine so maybe that is why I was not aware.