Asthma and coughing, is it asthma?

[Jobarton]

Hi, i have been diagnosed with asthma last October after one spirometry test. I rarely have breathing issues but cough every day pretty much most of the day. I use my inhalers as given and they do nothing for me. I also use a nasal spray and i have had a course of steroids for a week. Nothing seems to shift my cough that i have had for 10 months straight. My x ray was also clear. Last week my doctor would not refer me The only breathing issue i have had is when i have been running and that has happened only twice and was for about 5 seconds. Is this what asthma is like as i am at my wits end with this cough?

[lakelover]

What inhalers are you on?

[Jobarton in reply to lakelover]

The brown one to prevent and i take it twice a day and i have a blue one which i never feel i need but use to see if it will stop my cough and it doesn't.

[Hidden]

Hi Jobarton ,

Sorry to hear you've recently been diagnosed with asthma and your cough is bothering you so much. Do keep taking your inhalers as prescribed and if you feel they aren't working, book in a review with your GP or asthma nurse. There's some information about exercise-induced asthma here bit.ly/2rIPi7R that might be helpful,

You could also chat to one of our specialist asthma nurses. Please feel free to give our nurses team a ring on 0300 222 5800 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).

Take care,

Dita

[Jobarton in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I have an appointment on Wednesday with the nurse to see how i have got on with the new nasal spray and the result is it has had no effect.

[lakelover in reply to Jobarton]

It took about a week for my nasal spray to work with my post nasal drip.

[Jobarton]

Thank you for your reply. I don't feel like i have had any help to find out what my triggers are or anything, it just feels like here is your inhaler and off you go. Can i be tested on the nhs for intolerances or do you have to pay?

[Wheezycat]

My main symptom with asthma was coughing, though I had others, too. Chenil didn't help me, rather it made me cough. However, since a significant exacerbation a year ago, which eventually landed me in hospital, I have been on far more effective inhalers. That did make a difference, big time!

[Billygoat]

Hi,

I too was diagnosed with asthma as an adult and have had the most appalling cough on and off for over a year. Eventually a doctor prescribed Montelukast (a non- steroid tablet) to take in addition to my inhalers and the improvement has been very dramatic. It might be worth asking about.

Hope you get some relief, incessant coughing is so tiring and disruptive to normal social interactions. Good luck.

[Lindahj203 in reply to Billygoat]

Montelukast made a significant difference to me, I take it at night, and it gets me through the night.

[Jobarton in reply to Billygoat]

Thank you, will have a look into this. 10 months of constant coughing is exhausting and does get you down!

[Lindahj203]

Found this reply interesting, Lilaclil, think I should give it a try, but wondering how long to give it ... a couple of weeks or a month, before seeing some difference?

[Lindahj203]

I did discover some years back, that the little pots of milk in hotels etc, with UHT set me off coughing, so I avoid those, thanks for the tip.

[green881]

Sorry to hear your story. I never had a cough like that nor do i know of others. Sorry. But I can say Montelukast is definitely worth trying if you have not already done so. It's a Leukotriene inhibitor - think of it like a specialized long-acting anti-histamine.