I am 52, slim, fit, healthy and quite fit with a balanced healthy diet no milk but plenty of bio yoghurt. I supplement with vit c, vit D and probiotics daily. I have had asthma since 4yo, productive chesty cough for twenty five years, chest infections two to six times a year swiftly cleared by Amoxicillin. Pneumonia in 2006.
Until Feb 2020 I had no real problems, but last spring my cough became more violent and uncontrolled. First course of Doxycline cleared my chest infection but not my chesty cough that was causing damage to my chest and shoulder muscles. Three more courses of prednisolone still did not affect cough. Eventually in April whilst feeling rotten was prescribed clarythromycine and Amoxicillin that cleared that infection and my cough gradually vanished completely (for the first time in 24 years!).
My asthma returned last September and was more wheezy and limiting than when I was a child. Soon an uncontrollable, dryish, tickly and productive cough appeared that has been with me when I get up every morning since December and reappears during the day. My phlegm was often thin long brownish and hard, just like a broken 2inch rubber band. Three courses of prednisolone (30mg for 7 days) have helped a little despite dreadful side effects, and I felt fine for a week after a course of clarythromycine on its own recently.
But the cough has returned and I am having bad asthma attacks two or three times each day and now during the night. My phlegm is mainly white but a few times each day I cough up a huge thick lump of dark yellow phlegm. I am awaiting results of this and may give a more recent sample.
I am awaiting results of a chest Xray and am on prednisolone again. My chest is very tight and am unable to take a full deep breath : peak flow is down from 450 best to 370ish. I have been on 4xFostair daily for 9 months replacing fifteen years of Seretide, it is completely useless, but Dr will not let me try another preventer. Ventolin used to be helpful but I need at least three puffs to have any effect and often need more than six with spacer to control my many attacks. Unfortunately I am so susceptible to coughing that small inhalations of an inhaler result in coughing fits that exacerbate my asthma. I try natural remedies when possible, ginger and honey are excellent for calming my cough, and although black seed and turmeric paste helped last spring, they really are having little effect now.
We have lived next to a large wood for twenty years and often have to clean black mould from our bedroom walls and condensation from windows in autumn and winter.
NHS have no natural suggestions but my wife has met people that recommend N-Acetyl Cysteine and quercetin, I have no experience of these.
Apologies for long rant but I am unable to work, swim or even walk our old dog at the moment and everyday is getting worse.
Any suggestions please?
help needed with a deep hacking phlegmy cough.
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It does sound as though your asthma is not under control at the moment and just maybe you have developed bronchiectasis ( which is quite common with lifelong asthma, due to repeated infections). You may even have a reaction to aspergilla, a fungus found in mould, wet leaves and as a consultant said to me, any windowsill, anywhere.It is very difficult at the moment but you really do need to see your asthma consultant as a first instance. If they think that you may have developed bronchiectasis it can only be diagnosed by ct scan and interpreted by a bronchiectasis specialist.
GPs, hard as they try, are not trained in the complexities of these conditions and so you will have to be very pro active in finding the right treatment.
Thanks very much Littlepom. You have confirmed exactly what I thought. Despite telling various doctors and nurses this story they continue the arbitrary " try" steroids and antibiotics route which may help for a week or three.Things seem to be moving now, but it is up to me to be far more insistent to see a consultant soon.
I am glad I have spoke to someone with experience.
Take care.
I am sorry that I can't do more than encourage you to put your foot down hard in your own interests. We are here for you. Do let us know how you go on.
No worries and thanks for talking to me. I am going to call surgery now to chase up results and make sure they realise I am off work again!