Chemical type fumes ( reflux?) causing problems in upper airways

[winter2013]

Dear all

Some of you may recognise me as having bronchiectasis and asthma. I did post a while ago about my current problem and no one had seemed to experience it, also medical profession don't really know so feel abit of a freak and would love some help or to hear from someone else who's had it!

Here goes. Sometimes I get these chemical type fumes when I cough ( hard to explain exactly why they're like, not acid regurgitation or a taste but fumes/ gas) and I then know that I'm in for reduced peak flow which escalates to a bronchitis type episode in upper airways. It's not relieved by ventolin so not normal type asthma. It always happens when I'm on antibiotics, usually between day 6 to 10. Have had various medications prescribed.. prednisone, increased reflux medication and increased dose of asthma steroid inhaler. Eventually it gets better after quite a unpleasant period. Have ended up phoning 111 when peak flow has got very low with all sorts of varied advice. Best advice have had from my respiratory consultant ( previous one was awful) was that its possibly reflux related as antibiotics interfere with your digestion.

I've also had it a couple of times, but less severe , when not on antibiotics.

Currently, I got a gastric virus 4 weeks ago, not that bad but it has left me with awful IBS pains, my " stuck " feeling behind breast bone I can get. Have had IBS sessions on and off for years but never got to bottom of it. Tried all sorts of things for it.

4 days ago the chemical fumes started and my heart sank!! As I know what could happen.

So I guess what I'd be interested to hear from anyone is:

1. Has anyone experienced these strange "chemical" type fumes when coughing ( definitely not due to an infection or taste in mouth)?

2. If so, has it led to this unusual upper airways cough , abit like a virus or bronchitis, where peak flow starts dropping daily, and it doesn't respond to ventolin?

3. If... and this is most unlikely.... you have ... has it occurred on antibiotics or when IBS is bad?

To repeat, I do feel odd as no one in medical profession has come across it. Get frustrated as they all keep on , initially, pushing ventolin at me which I keep on repeating makes no difference ( this is due to leak flow being ).

Any advice or similar experiences from the lovely people on here would be most appreciated as it's really bothering me.. especially the not knowing really what to do!!

Thank you !

[MELNEL]

Hello dear, I believe I had something like that last year, when I had a chest infection. My mucus was smelling bad for a couple of days, after I took the antibiotics it went away. I guess it happened sometimes when you have an infection in the airways. Depends on what bacteria may cause it.

I never had it again. Hope it will help a bit you not the only one 😘😉😉

[winter2013 in reply to MELNEL]

Thanks for replying Melnel. Thing is this happens when I'm not infected. Always when my chest is much better from antibiotics and it feels sort of shiny , almost too clear... which sounds really silly! Or like now when I'm not infected!

[Hidden in reply to winter2013]

Intarestin

[MELNEL in reply to winter2013]

I guess they might be still an bacteria left somehow. It the same when you have a bad tooth, you only smell it when the dentist has open it or has removed the tooth. Guess they must be something going on. 😉

Let check out lol

[winter2013 in reply to MELNEL]

Sorry melnel.. feel am being difficult disagreeing!! But I know I'm not infected now, haven't been on antibiotics and have it. It is independent to infections. Thanks for replying though! 😊

[Hidden in reply to winter2013]

Have you any metallic fillings the older type ones can give you a rotten taste smell ...or is it an after taste of food that your eating xx

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

No nothing like that. It's chemical / gas fumes. I am thinking in some way it's probably related to gut disturbance.

Thanks for trying to help though 😊

[Gracy123 in reply to winter2013]

Yes i have c.o.p.d....i have a smell that i smell ..i had it this time last year weird smell i got desprate thinking it was gas leak they came out no everthing a ok..then went came back week ago i have no idea what this is...if i was to guess it was like gas or sulpure..weird

[winter2013 in reply to Gracy123]

Interesting Gracy and thanks for that. Mine isn't a smell but chemical fumes that arise from coughing ... not a phlegm type cough... but dry cough or for instance if I blow into peak flow meter .

[Hidden]

hi winter. This is a strange one. I have been trying to puzzle it out from a bronch point of view. The only time that I have had something similar is when I have reacted to an inhaled drug ( usually nebbed antibiotic) or air conditioning. It is possible that an inhaler might cause it in us. The chemical taste maybe being a clue to both.

The cough is hard and persistent and in my case it sounds like a dog coughing! It has happened to me when my lungs have been relatively clear. I guess that this means that whatever is irritating my airways is not hampered by the presence of mucus. Yes my peak flow does drop and the force of the coughing can make me breathless. I have taken it as a sign to get the antibiotic which I am nebbing changed.

It is also a thought that when your lungs are 'clear' something in the environment may similarly start irritating your delicate airways.

COPD people tend to know that they react to quite a few environmental factors but it is quite unusual for us to experience that because of the amount of mucus between the irritant and the surface of our airways.

It is only a thought but I hope that it might help you to work it out.

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

Ps think it's most likely to do with so called silent reflux as thinking about it I do have a croaky throat abit. That's not as simple I don't think as normal reflux as when I've read about it , it's more connected with pepsin. Advice seems to be an alkaline diet. Mentioned to my GP who didn't know what I meant by silent reflux so I rather deferentially showed him a website about it. Later mentioned an alkaline diet to my respiratory consultant thinking he would dismiss it... he said carry on with it. As I said before though not easy to know what is a really reliable source to tell what an alkaline diet is!!

Ah well... plod on. All the bad things happening in world!!

[Hidden in reply to winter2013]

I have something similar but it results in a husky voice, sore mouth and sore eosophagus and comes and goes. Over the years I guess that I have probably taken to eating what I presume is a form of alkaline diet. No spicy or acidy foods, no citrus fruits, no tomatoes. Etc. You have probably found the answer yourself. It's what we do. X

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I restrict the same foods as you. And yes it is what we do isn't it!! Not always easy though when you'd really like the medical knowledge and advice. It's also knowing what acidic foods are as the advice online can be totally opposite e.g. re lemons, lentils..... ah well!!

[Hidden in reply to winter2013]

I just don't eat what upsets me. Basic I know. I long ago developed a deep scepticism when it comes to the medical fraternity having any expertise or knowledge outside of their own very narrow remit. A dietician may be able to give you a fuller list of acidic foods. However, it seems that some foods prove acidic to some, whilst not to others. Plod on.

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I am in total agreement with you re limitations of medical profession as have learnt to my cost since having bronchiectasis!! No ones fault but the system I expect?!

Yes I thought it's another option to see a dietitian but GP said it wasn't possible. Maybe I wasn't persistent enough.

Thank you so much for the informed chat!! X

[winter2013]

You are absolutely right Littlepom that it's when my lungs are clear that something irritates them. It's almost as if the phlegm protects my upper airways.

My main problem is with bronchiectasis not asthma. Although I take a daily steroid inhaler and am not sure how I'd be if I didn't take it.. touch wood it's on the whole controlled. I don't usually react to a lot.

The problems are.... what am I reacting to and.... the type of reaction is very odd. It's in the upper airways, It starts off with often a croaky throat ( though didn't this time) and restricted airways as in asthma then a chesty bronchial type cough where upper airways are sore with phlegm ... as if a chesty cough. Can get quite bad. It isn't a virus though but a reaction. Had a blood test by a GP who practically told me off once as I kept on returning with it. She was mystified so said ... I'll give you a blood test to see if it's viral or bacterial as you've been so often we have to do something ( said in a harassed agressive way to me!) . Turned out from blood test she said it was neither bacterial or viral so must be asthma. But usual asthma treatments dont work.

Maybe I'll never know but I do like to feel I am always doing my best to manage everything. Feel there's something I'm missing or especially not doing re diet / reflux ( although try to be more alkaline although not quite sure about that as info varies.. as supposed to help silent reflux!)

Thank you for putting your " thinking cap" on for me! 😊

[Hidden in reply to winter2013]

Have they looked for a reaction to aspergilla? It has shown up in my blood sometimes. Not the aspergilla that gets into your lungs but a sensitivity to it.

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I show up with a mild reaction to aspergilla but my consultant dismissed that as he said it's hard to avoid as is everywhere. Have read it peaks in August and January. My instinct is it's probably not that but who knows?

Again thanks for your support ! X

Ps yes I get lots of sore throats and mouth .. forgot to say that in my previous reply!