Cough. Ongoing.

My “asthma cough” has been present for about 4 months now. Often during the day it’s hardly there, but at night/early morning i have a coughing fit, which means getting up, having a hot drink, and sitting up. I’ve decided I prefer coughing to feeling the breathlessness which freaks me out. With my cough, It feels deep, if you know what I mean. It will be dry for 10 mins in a coughing fit, then eventually I’ll start to bring up mucus. I’ve had various prescriptions of antibiotics which haven’t worked unfortunately, I’ve also had a chest x ray, bloods done and all has come back normal. I seem to have a few days breathless and wheezy, then heavy cough, then it calms down a bit, then it’s back to the beginning and round I go. I’m amazed the x ray didn’t show up any inflammation or anything. My initial fears were pneumonia, or covid, and when they were ruled out I thought ‘oh god I’ve got cancer’ but the x ray as I said earlier was clear, and bloods all normal. I’m just a little alarmed that the cough is still so prevalent. A 4 month cough, which changes from dry to wet to being full blown, to being very slight, that marked me gag, and my eyes water . I’m a fairly fit individual, I’ve run a marathons and I exercise frequently , plus I eat well. My Inhalers help with breathlessness and wheezing which is good. Spirometry and peak flow was used to diagnose my asthma-started 4 months ago. Not looking for answers really, just getting things off my chest, or rather not! Awful joke sorry. Anyone got anything similar with their cough? Feel at a bit of a dead end.

Have a good day everyone and thanks for listening!

[twinkly29]

Could you be suffering from acid reflux/silent reflux alongside your asthma? Silent reflux can typically show itself at night because although one doesn't get the typical heartburn symptoms, it shows itself after lying down and causes coughing - and sitting up would help it which fits with how you've been dealing with it.

It might not be of course but as you've said your other symptoms have much improved on your asthma meds but this one remains, I wonder if it's something like this in addition.

[nmcv13]

Hi Leon, I’ve been asthmatic for 6 years and am still learning about what triggers mine! It takes a while to understand what is happening. Mine was initially cough, only get breathless if really bad. I also developed coughing at night which I was prescribed montelukast for, which helped. Also fexofenadine for allergy symptoms. I find a couple of puffs of ventolin helps stop the coughing. Hope that helps.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi it sounds like you may have a touch of ‘asthmatic bronchitis’.

Asthma is a condition that causes narrowed airways and increased mucus production. Coughing is a symptom of asthma (as well as night symptoms).

What may be happening is the cough is irritating your airways more, leading to mucus production that then comes up.

Asthmatic bronchitis is basically a posh way of saying coughing up mucus due to asthma 😅, however it is a sign of uncontrolled issues. Does using your reliever inhaler stop the cough if you take it straight away? If it does then it suggests that your asthma isn’t fully controlled, so you may need a change in meds or an add on treatment to calm it down.

Hope this helps

[Hidden in reply to EmmaF91]

Thank you for your reply. What kind of add on treatment do you think ? It suppresses (the inhaler) the cough a little, but doesn’t eliminate it at all. Feels separate but is obviously linked.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

I don’t know what you’re on atm, but I would suggest talking to your GP/asthma nurse as I’m assuming they are treating you for asthma. It could be that you need a stronger preventer inhaler, or an add on like montelukast. As I said talk to your team and possible AUK for advice. They are lovely and will be able to talk you through everything!

Hope you find a solution soon

[Mariachristina76]

I have asthma cough for 4 years it is very very annoying

[moonerman]

I’m wondering if I’m suffering something similar, it seems to affect me more when I haven’t drunk enough, I start coughing have mucus but if I drink enough I’m fine. Also thankfully I rarely cough when I’m out and about, so I think as I work from home I’m pretty much in the same four walls 24x7 so something here might be a trigger.

When I lie down to sleep, at the end of the night or after getting up during the night I have to cough and then drink to calm it down. So sounds like this is more common than I realised

[Hidden]

Thanks for your responses everyone. The mysteries of asthma eh! On another note I had my flu shot yesterday, reccomended by my GP and I feel bloody awful today. 😂 didn’t even consider side effects!

[B_Asthma]

I have had a similar issue this year. I have been prescribed Carbocisteine and it has cleared up the phlegm along with settling my cough, somewhat. Hopefully, it will cut the number of infections too.

[Poobah]

It could be silent reflux or asthmatic bronchitis, as suggested. Could also be post nasal drip, as you lay down tiny droplets from the nasal system drop down your throat and irritate the lungs. If you wake up a bit sniffy and you blow your nose that could be a sign of post nasal drip. A steroid nasal spray, if used regularly, will clear it up.Silent reflux or GERD, is common among asthmatics. If antacids taken after dinner work to quell the coughing then that's an indication that you need a prescribed solution.

Whenever I have mucus to shift I use the technique that my physio taught me as coughing can be cyclical and then hard to shift. It's widely used and can be seen demonstrated in this vid made by NHS physios (it's very good) : youtu.be/kC-H8fFzZes(Not working as expected?)

[Hidden]

Thanks poobah will look in to this. Yes I’ve been given a nasal spray which has helped stuffiness and throat mucus, but alas, it’s not touched the cough. Will watch your vid ! Ta

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to Hidden]

I would recommend buying sterimar I buy the congestion relief one and use it before the nasal spray and it helps ensure the nasal spray works better. Most pharmacies sell it.

[Hidden]

I had the same problems as you until my Gp prescribed Carbocisteine 375mg taken 3 times a day.My coughing fits gradually reduced and the shifting of mucus became much easier. It works for me. I hope you find something to help you too.

[madamestephens]

My son had this till he went onto Montelukast