constant coughing

[gageathome]

I have Bronchiectasis and constant coughing 24-7. Doc gave me codeine tablets to stop the coughing but then I don't clear my chest so get regular chest infections, just had pneumonia for the second time, only out of hospital for a week and back on antibiotics and steroids again. I have a nebulizer with colomycin solution twice a day, stopped the codeine now but need to do something to keep my chest clear. (all this started after intensive chemo and stem cell transplant). I think I've tried everything but hopefully someone knows better.

[Hidden]

Ooh that’s complicated. I have had a thought that the colomycin may be making you cough. There are several of us on this site who can’t tolerate it. If it is not the colomycin you still need to be getting the mucus off your lungs every day, whether or not you are coughing. I don’t normally have ‘a cough’ but I do make myself cough as part of the process of doing breathing exercises to loosen the mucus and then coughing to bring it out.

Do you have a bronchiectasis specialist? If so, I suggest that you ring their secretary and tell them that things are not in control and that you need an appointment. If not, find one in your area. They are usually based at teaching hospitals. Take the name to your GP and insist on a referral. Most GPs do not know what to do with bronch and most general respiratory consultants know precious little more. It takes a lot of experience to know its vagaries and most are only trained in and familiar with COPD.

Also, A&E doctors and docs on the wards do not know you and most do not know about your condition. They do their best with what is presented to them. You need expert treatment, especially bearing in mind the previous chemo and the stem cell transplant.