First time post! I have been diagnosed with asthma. I cough all the time, no wheeze but do get a stridor type bark in the mornings. Anyway everything irritates me. Ice cream, cold air, perfumes, sprays, dust, wet plaster,exercise, laughing etc etc etc. I have a preventer and reliever inhalers but to be honest they don't help much as I cough all day long so the reliever can't be used every 5-10 minutes. I take the preventer twice daily . My problem is even though I use spacer devices every time I use my inhalers I get an explosive cough straight away. I struggle to not cough to allow the drug to get where it is meant to be, so probably don't get full dose ever!! I am sick of coughing. Am I allergic to my inhalers? Any suggestions/help greatly appreciated.
Cough,cough,cough!: First time post! I... - Asthma Community ...
Cough,cough,cough!
I was diagnosed with asthma but found out my cough was down to my sinuses. I use beconase nasal spray now and it took over 2 months for it to work. I don't have asthma which has been confirmed. Yes i cough with my inhalers and was told to do little breaths. Do you use a spacer?
Hi thanks for your reply. Yes I use a spacer for both inhalers but still cough explosively when using them even taking tiny breaths on the first dose. I am now taking extra dose as compensation as my coughing settles with perseverance, very frustrating. However does not stop the continuous coughing all day! I have been reading a lot of the posts and feel I may need a nasal inhaler, will ask my Dr. I have had three lots of antibiotics but still the same, will ask GP about steroids too. I am nowhere as bad as some of those poor people who are posting but never the less am very frustrated with all the coughing and shortness of breath.
I don't feel gp's are the right people and often getting referred to a consultant is the answer. You can buy beconase nasal spray with steroid in at the chemist so you can start that today. But I would try and see a specialist and get to the route cause of the coughing. Steroids did help me also. Good luck
Thank you
Have you tried using a dry powder inhaler? Personally I struggle to get on with MDIs (puffers) cause they make me cough immediately too. I’m fine on DPI (unless my sucking power is drastically reduced.
If you do find your reacting to everything tho it does sound like your lungs are quite inflamed atm so worth asking about a short course of steroids.
Hope that helps x
Thanks Emma yes I have used dry powdered inhalers same effect so changed to MDI with spacer which is slightly better?? Yes I am beginning to think steroids may be the way forward. Ridiculous though having to ask Dr for them. I have been seeing him weekly?
Phone the Asthma Uk nurse line, they take time to listen, ask questions & offer great advice so you can visit doc armed with good information..I found it very helpful & my GP was quite willing to go along with all that was advised...good luck!
I have rung the asthma Nurse an she feels 5-7 day course steroids is called for. Fingers crossed my GP will agree. Thank you for your help.
Thank you for your support
Hope that helps, yes, I have great faith in this phone line..they know their stuff.
Glad the AUK nurses helped, they're great!
I also get this problem at times since some of my triggers make me cough a lot especially scents etc. How are you using the spacer? I always use tidal breathing with it rather than breath hold, and while it can still be tricky to get the inhaler in with the coughing, it seems to work better that way. You can look it up online I think if no one has shown you how.
Yes I use tidal breathing too but even that tricky at the moment. Thank you for your help. First time I have used one of these forums and it has been so useful and people so kind and caring. 👏🏻
Glad it helps 
I wonder if you might find a mask with the spacer easier at the moment? I know they're usually considered to be for children but no reason adults can't try it if needed - maybe it would be easier to absorb the salbutamol if you don't even have to think about getting your mouth round the mouthpiece while coughing? I have home nebs which work a bit differently of course as it's more passive inhalation, but find that the mask is better than the mouthpiece if I'm struggling more.
What a good idea. I will try that. Will see if I can buy one from the chemist if not will ring my surgery Nurse Monday and ask if I can have one. Thanks for that it might just help.
I was on clenil modulite for a couple of years, and I always coughed when taking it. Without a spacer it was paroxysmal, so I just couldn’t take it that way, with spacer it was easier, but I still always coughed. I then became more unwell with asthma, and was instead put on Symbicort. Though I am still a cougher (but I don’t have sinus issues) I don’t really ever cough with this inhaler. I don’t cough with salbutamol. Your cough could be made worse by the inhaler you have. Discuss it with your gp to see if you can try something else.
I have cough variant asthma diagnosed last September. I’m on my 4 inhaler. The dry type works better. However the cough only started to decline when put on a POM antihistamine and lansoprazole. Asthma is potent caused by more than one thing.
I am being treated for reflux too hope this coughing stops.
Sounds similar to me. Doctor convinced me to take a daily steroid which made things MUCH worse. Cough all night ! I have recently discovered that taking an antihistamine before bed is much more effective than using my ventolin. Starting a paleo diet today to see if that helps. Dairy products definitely exacerbate things for me.
Glad you have found what works for you. Hopefully with a bit of juggling around I will get there too
Hi, Practicenurse18. Ah, cough-variant asthma. The coughing is annoying, but don't worry-- it can be controlled. After many tries, I finally settled on Pulmicort 90 mg twice a day and Montelukcast once a day. It took awhile to work, but it finally did. You will find the solution that works for you. Good luck. Courage!
Thank you. Yes I realise I need to get this episode under control and then work on what maintenance therapy I need.
I had asthma for nine years before i discovered it was down to allergies. I've had no asthma symptoms at all since i started taking cetirizine every day. It's cheap to buy so it may be worth a try
I personally feel my coughing is more allergy/rhinitis related and to be fair I have ignored the symptoms and have not done myself any favours. I am on the case now and certainly will be trying certrizine. I bought a nasal spray yesterday from chemist supposed to be for allergies/rhinitis etc cost me £9.99. Took it last night 1 spray into each nostril and my God I coughed violently for half an hour, had to take my salbutamol. Supposedly all natural products, can’t believe the reaction I had.
Hi I took certrizine for years but as the asthma worsened it stopped working and cough became terrible, all day every day, so needed. POM antihistamine Fexofenadine.
Well at least I have got lots of ideas from all of you. I will discuss with my GP the way forward. Thank you for your help
I would definitely see a specialist if you can. I had a harsh dry barking cough for years and put it down to my asthma and reflux but it turned out to be tracheobronchomalacia. I hope yours is something more benign but if you don't get relief from symptoms with the suggestions people have made here definitely see a consultant.
Thank you I have never heard of your condition. I hope you are well and your condition well controlled.
Thanks. I'm on CPAP (to hold my airways open) and oxygen 24/7 but doing much better than I was before correct diagnosis.
I have asthma had it since I was 4 and im now 27. I have severe asthma and I cough alot and just about everything triggers my asthma especially weather changing. I'm on ventolin symbircort and spirivia. But I have bad allergies and I'm taking montelukcast it works but sometimes I cough worse before my treatment and sometimes after. But it's best you talk to your doctor and he could figure out best route go. And im hope everything goes well with you
Thank you. I have an appointment with my Dr soon and I have lots to discuss and try. No fobbing off anymore.
Thank you
Anti histamine daily helps my background allergies & reactivate cough - I'm still asthmatic though
I sure hope this helps me too
I could have written your post! I was diagnosed with cough variant asthma at age 27 (20 yrs ago)
Cut to now - fostair, salbutamol, cetirizine, lanzoprazple, montelukast and I’ve just had 4 weeks of steroids. Nothing seems to get and keep this under control for any length of time and it drives me nuts. I’m going to push to ge track thanks the consultant but I’m not feeling positive - let m elbow if tut find anything that works?! Xx
Oh dear depressing isn’t it. I will post if I find something that works.
As an asthmatic for only 2 years, I too developed a post viral cough that I couldn't shift even with help from the gp. What fixed it in the end was a 5 day stint of oral steroids after I had a bad weekend of shortness of breath. Went back to the doctor and one of the juniors prescribed them. After 5 days I felt better than I had done for months. I fear though that any exposure to a virus, like the common cold, off likely to affect my asthma.
Hopefully a course of steroids will sort me out too. Keep well
Barking cough to I have the loud annoying cough all the time which can be very very annoying and embarrassing
Exactly same happened to me last week couldnt stop coughing. Terrible wheeze. I am sending this from my hospital bed. They say I have a virus and a massive flareup of asthma
Hi there,
If non of the inhalers are helping or even triggering a massive cough I would ask your go/consultant to be checked out for vocal cord dysfunction? Similar symptoms but different treatment!
Apparently it gets missed quite a lot.good luck
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