Persistent cough

[anniemayde]

Hi all. I have had asthma all my life. Not too bad at moment but have had a cough for over 2 years now which sounds very chesty. Last Christmas I had pneumonia and since then I have had a strange feeling in my side . I have had acid reflux and take meds for that have had lots of tests, x-rays etc and the ent consultant said he thinks the cough is down to acid reflux. Anyone suggest anything to help.

[mrsmummy]

Any persistent cough should be checked out. I suggest you need a visit to your GP.

[O2Trees]

Hi Annie, if you are seeing an ENT consultant (as opposed to a gastroenterologist) then probably your reflux is what's called silent reflux, which is when the valve at the top of your oesophagus leaks so that acid and other stomach liquid gets into your windpipe and can even reach your lungs - it's well possible that this could be causing your cough.

Try sleeping on your left hand side with the head of your bed raised, or a wedge pillow - the entrance to the stomach is a little down on the right hand side, so doing this keeps this valve (the LES, lower oesophagul sphincter) higher up which helps gravity keep stomach contents in the stomach. Make sure you leave at least 3 hours after eating before going to bed and work out your food triggers for reflux - there are lots of sites which give this information.

But don't be fobbed off by your GP if you are worried about your cough. It likely is due to the reflux but all possibilities need investigating for persistent cough as MrsM suggests above.

[anniemayde in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks for your advice. I did have a look at some sites for food triggers and one had 15 foods which could be triggers which I am trying to cut out of my diet and see if that helps. one site mentioned silent reflux which had some of the symptoms I have been getting - pooling fluid in my throat and needing to cough a lot to clear it is one of them that I get. I am going back to my GP in couple weeks.

[O2Trees in reply to anniemayde]

Yep, you can get a lot of mucus in the throat with silent reflux, very irritating.

[Six1]

I have acid reflux I take Omeprozale 40mg once a day same thing as Nexium

[anniemayde]

I have been going for check ups every 3 months whilst they try different tests. Have had chest x-rays, CT scan of my chest and nasal area and went again to gp today. They gave me some steroids.

[anniemayde]

Thanks for your help. i take 30mg lanzoprazole in morning and peptic bismal after meals and at bedtime. The ent has just referred me back to my GP.have also been a bit wheezy with my asthma. But it's this strange feeling in my left my side that worries me as well.

[Hidden]

Have you been to see your doctor about the cough?

Advice from 02Trees is always spot on, so do it, and all the best at getting it sorted

[anniemayde in reply to Hidden]

Yes have been and given some steroids to take as I was a bit wheezy , have another appointment in a couple of weeks to see my GP. I did have a look at the food triggers and have started cutting out certain foods to see if that helps.