Dry coughing since last 5 weeks - Please help :(

[jaymusical03]

I am a 35 years old male and suffering from dry persistent coughing since past 5 weeks now and have been to the GP about 4 times during this period but there is no improvement in my condition.

To provide you with the background, initially it all started with fever along with shivering, at this point I did not have any coughing. It was only fever. My GP diagnosed my condition to be some kind of a 'viral infection' and suggested taking Paracetamol tablets 4 times a day. My fever would subside when I took Paracetamol dose as prescribed by my GP but it would bounce back as soon as I stopped taking Paracetamol. This condition lasted for nearly 2 weeks and finally, the fever started to go away and also, the Paracetamol dose started to reduce which were all good signs of improvement. However, once the fever was gone for good, I developed this persistent dry coughing. I started to cough heavily in the beginning almost all day long but never in the night. Thankfully, I get peaceful sleep at night with no coughing. Even in the mornings, I do not cough. It somehow starts after having morning tea and I keep coughing in regular intervals all day long till I finally retire to bed at night.

Based on my GP's recommendation, I did a blood test and also got a chest x-ray done and both these tests have returned with normal results and GP has ruled out any possibility of TB. The GP has suggested me to stop worrying about my persistent cough and has asked me to allow it to go away naturally....However, its been 5 weeks now and I am still coughing on daily basis and constant coughing makes my forehead and eyes strain painfully.

I request any fellow member here to share their similar experience please and what did you or your GP do to improve your condition. Thanks and God Bless !

[Missytess]

Hi

I've had a cough since last September which started off as a chest infection for which I was given antibiotics which didn't work .I ended up in hospital a couple of times because it upset my Ashma .I too had blood tests and X-Rays done which came back clear . I have been on steroids and antibiotics on and off since because of my asthma .

My asthma keeps me awake most nights and the coughing is a nightmare but don't want anymore steroids or antibiotics as they not helping .Im sure it will clear up on its own because same thing happened to me a few years ago and it lasted 18 months .

Hope this helps but if worried go back to doctor .

😃🌻🌺

[Hidden in reply to Missytess]

Could this be Cough Variant Asthma? Mine started after taking beta blockers. Drugs REALLY do have a lot to answer for. When my cough is really "doing well" I can't sleep, it keeps me awake all night - but mustn't have sleeping pills - "Habit Forming!!!!!" Not sleeping isn't then???

I am determined to come off the steroids - has anyone succeeded?

Can we hear how you did it and with what?

[Missytess in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jenny

I was only on steroids for short two week bursts but the last does I took really made me unwell .The couple of days after stopping them was a nightmare .I was hyper giggly and couldn't sit still for a minute .Felt very sick and couldn't stop eating .I would have eaten anything lol .It was a scary couple of days as my behaviour was really strange .So decided no more steroids .I think my cough is asthma related .Night time is really bad just now and when I get up I can't stop coughing and wheezing .I keep coughing up lists of stuff but it's clear most days .Once my lungs and tubes clear I'm usually ok for rest of day .

As for the steroids I wouldn't just come off them without doctors advice not after what happened to me and I was only on them for two weeks last time

Keep in touch and let me know how you get on

Aileen 😃🌺🌺🐝

[Hidden in reply to Missytess]

Hi Aileen

I couldn't agree more with what you say. I did think of just coming off the steroids and using the blue inhaler, but then i remembered how, for 18 months, I just did not stop coughing - 24 hours, and the stronger inhalers, including the steroids stopped or certainly help stop it, until it was really manageable.

So - back to square one then!!

perhaps someone will come up with something to help us Coughers

best wishes

Jenny

[Donna15]

I had a persistent dry cough for months that the GP suggested could be asthma/viral inf/chest inf etc. However after months of no change one Dr suggested acid reflux that was entering my lungs at night as no symptoms of this in the day and after an intensive course of omeprazole and gaviscon my cough has finally gone

[Hidden]

Hello Jaymusical

Thankyou for replying to my original post. Is coughing for 5 solid weeks normal then?

The Drs. seem to put everything down to "Viral", which is what they told me. You are "lucky" in not coughing at night - that is a true nightmare. All my tests - Xrays etc came back negative and it was only going to a private GP, who informed me in less than 5 minutes that I had Asthma, unmanaged. The cough now comes and goes, and they still have not found the trigger which starts it. It's sort of manageable now but at night is awful - as soon as you put your head down it starts. SLeeping pills are the ONLY thing that help, but apparently they are "habit forming"!!!!!

Does your local surgery have an Asthma Nurse? If so, try to get her to check for the cough. I think in these circumstances we have to be tough and demand further tests.

I don't know what else to suggest, even though I have been lucky enough to be diagnosed.

At night I find Fisherman's Friend Mints helpful in calming the cough and they're quite nice too, but we're all different.

Good Luck!!

Jenny

[Fredrick123]

I absolutely love natural products. Acidim is not only comforts my stomach but also reduces the bout of dry coughs and burps that results from indigestion. It instantly relieves my cough. You may try this.

[hserkang]

In the event that you have a chesty cough, you may feel substantial or distress in the chest and lung zone.

with blockage that may lead you to have a cough that feels ‘wet’ – this could abandon you coughing up bodily fluid or mucus. This is the reason a chesty cough is otherwise called a wet or beneficial cough drycough.net

[hserkang]

In the event that you have a chesty cough, you may feel substantial or distress in the chest and lung zone.

with blockage that may lead you to have a cough that feels ‘wet’ – this could abandon you coughing up bodily fluid or mucus. This is the reason a chesty cough is otherwise called a wet or beneficial cough drycough.net