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Cough! Cough! Cough!!

GeorginaS profile image
19 Replies

Is it just me or do others sleep at night with no cough, wake-up, sit up and cough. Sit down and cough! Eat and then cough! It's productive as though I've got clear phlegm/mucus in my throat!

I don't cough when standing or walking! Very odd. So miserable as I'm exhausted 😕

I've coughed like this for 18 months! Any advice or ideas will be very, very welcome. Thank you in advance x

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GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS
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19 Replies
Badbessie profile image
Badbessie

I had a cough before diagnosis. Since giving up smoking it as stopped. I think what as also helped is my daily exercise. It's seems to bring up any sputum hanging around and after exercise I have very little left to bring up. I sleep in an upright position using a V pillow. I can sleep flat but I find sleeping upright more restful. Due to you not coughing when standing perhaps sleeping upright may help you. I was also wondering if one of the mucus thinning medications could help you clear the mucus from chest more easily and reduce your coughing.

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply toBadbessie

Thsnks for getting back to me. No cough during night at all. It comes when sitting and/or sitting and eating. Fine walking and exercising. Seems like a posture thing as well as irritated throat. x

dall05 profile image
dall05

Hi Georgina, sounds very familiar to me. Do you have Pulmonary Fibrosis?. I also rarely cough when sleeping or lying down but like you start after eating, when sitting up and down, climbing in and out of cars, Also hate talking on the phone as this often starts a coughing fit. I find that keeping the lungs clear by exercise or the huffing technic can help. x

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply todall05

Hi thanks for replying. I have non-specific Interstitial pneumonitis. It's one of the many forms of pulmonary fibrosis. I agree the huffing technique is good. I do not cough when exercising just on waking e.g. Sitting up and after eating. Sure it's positional but no real i

Pippy36 profile image
Pippy36 in reply todall05

I know your post was some time ago but I seem to have similar symptoms and wondered how you were now

I have been coughing for so long - nobody seems to have offered me an explanation that fits how I feel.

Thanks

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply toPippy36

Hi I’m sorry you’re coughing! Eventually I found codiene linctus on prescription helped greatly. Had all the tests for acid reflux etc. Very little showed up! Sucked Jakemans sweets as that helped to keep throat moist. Walked lots to help keep lungs moving. A very, very long course of steroids and antibiotics helped. I have an emergency pack of those too. Basically I still cough but generally in the morning after food. I don’t go to the hospital anymore but I can if I feel I need/want to. My continual cough lasted for 18 months! Much less of a problem now thankfully. I hope some of this helps you. x

Pippy36 profile image
Pippy36 in reply toGeorginaS

Thanks much for you reply. I have had cough for months! HF nurse said fluid and to increase Furosomide. My cough feels as if coming from throat. I tend to cough after talking. I start coughing a bit when I wake up and just as I lay down to sleep for a minute. Eating is soothing. I do get out of breath easily but cough is not brought on when I exercise (not very energetic moves). Coughing seems to start when I move from sitting or different air temperature. Going to try my GP but have been holding on because as I am shielding I would rather not visit until I have to.

I have an ICD and take Amiodorone, Ramapril, Bisoprolol and thyroid meds - all of which I have taken for years.

So pleased to hear you have found a bit of relief and there may be some help when I get to my GP. The last times I have been regarding this the person I saw said to try honey!! I had tried all he suggested.

Thanks again

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply toPippy36

I know how lonely I felt when I got my cough so I’m pleased to reply.

What you describe is similar to me. It was a nightmare time. Is your cough productive or dry?

I’d phone the GP and ask if s/he thinks codiene linctus might help. They don’t need to see you to order a prescription. My GP was happy to support me with anything I thought would improve the situation. When it was really bad for months I took the steroids and antibiotics. Maybe you need them too?

Deep breathing might help. I’d try anything. Everywhere I went I took water to slip.

Have you considered using a nasal wash? NeilMed have one. It’s a saline solution. You never know if could be nasal drip related. You can buy that over the counter too.

One respiratory nurse suggested Boots nasal spray. That helped too.

Try what you can as you could just hit on the right combination of things that work for you xx

Pippy36 profile image
Pippy36 in reply toGeorginaS

Thanks again for reply.

My cough is dry. Sometimes but not very often I can cough up a small amount of phlegm.

The pharmacy suggested post nasal drip a year ago. I am on Beconase at the moment - again.

In a way it's reassuring that you found a way to help the problem having similar symptons to me. I eill let you know what happens.

Spoticus profile image
Spoticus in reply toPippy36

Hi pippy, jumped on your post as I’m in a similar situation right now . I seem to cough going up the stairs & as soon as I’m up in the morning & have what feels like a blockage in my throat. I’m better if I manage to cough up mucus but the cough is painful & I’ve only managed to speak on the phone to the gp . All seems very confusing now, one says post nasal drip & after weeks of trying to get sinus treatment I have a spray & take an antihistamine , 2 lots of antibiotics & a week on prednisone. Still coughing, how are you now & did you find something that worked ..

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS

Hi thanks for replying. I have non-specific Interstitial pneumonitis. It's one of the many forms of pulmonary fibrosis. I agree the huffing technique is good. I do not cough when exercising just on waking e.g. Sitting up and after eating. Sure it's positional but no real idea. I think my stomach and throat are involved too so taking actimel along with many drugs for acid reflux. Apparently there is such a thing as silent acid reflux that one can have but not be aware of. Hope we both move on from it soon x

winfar profile image
winfar

Yes there is silent reflux which my respiritory nurse told me about and diagnosed esmezaprole 40mg twice daily and i saw a great improvement. Only wush i had known sooner.

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply towinfar

Did it also improve your lung performance? x

winfar profile image
winfar in reply toGeorginaS

It did help wih the pain in my chest which i had constantly but what really helped with my breathing was the steroids i took which were prescribed by my doctor. I didnt find them easy to take and only lasted 8 days into the course and found it was impossible to sleep but there was a vast improvement in my breathing and i am hoping it continues.

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply towinfar

Well that's is good news. Pleased it helped. I'm on steroids. I was on them for weeks last year and I'm taking them indefinitely at the moment. I don't know about you but I've got to the stage when I'm so conscious of coughing I'm watching and waiting for it! I'm sleeping when I can but I'm not tired when I don't. In fact I feel full of beans! I hope you continue to do well too. Coughing is very exhausting x

winfar profile image
winfar

Coughing really gets me down as sometimes it is so hard to move the mucus. I am coughing up but as i dont have any mneds i am going to ask doctor for carbosisteine which may help. Hope you improve winnie

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply towinfar

My prednisolone seem to be helping and I'm taking lanoprazole in the morning, ranitidine at night, chewing gaviscon tablets when out and liquid when in plus lots of actimel drinks. I think that's stopping the acid reflux that's making me cough... hope you stop soon x

Pippy36 profile image
Pippy36

I am still coughing! It seems to be worse on some days than others. I visited gp surgery and had a long chat with someone who really listened, and didn't ask "have you tried honey?"

I had chest x-ray few months ago and all clear and gp confirmed lungs sounded clear. I can sit around for ages and not cough and as soon as I move it starts - cold air really sets it off. Told GP that I have been told it could be many things but she have me a nasal spray, stronger than Beconase which seems to stopped the phelgm. I also cough if I bend over or down - it is so irritating. Shall go back to see this same GP soon and see if she can suggest something else

How are things with you? Any joy?

I am trying to drink more water as I do feel throat is dry way back. I also wonder if central heating dries throat out.

I shall keep on trying to find answers

I heard of someone who has coughed for years - a friend of friend. She takes a cough mixture and suck sweets.

I did try a Strepsil honey throat spray - may have helped a bit but can"t always tell as cough changes

Please let me know how things go with you

GeorginaS profile image
GeorginaS in reply toPippy36

Hello It’s very good news your lungs are clear. Sounds to me that you are irritated by something that causes cough/phlegm. Your throat needs to have natural fluid so go careful not to wash that’s way by continually sipping water. It seems to me that this should pass. Clearly they are not happy with something in your environment. If possible go elsewhere to see if things change/improve. My coughing has calmed but it took years to go get to this stage. Unfortunately my lungs are damaged. Take care x

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