Hi folks hope you are all doing as well as possible. I was diagnosed with copd a few years ago and never had any real problems except the odd bronchitis flare and treated with antibiotics . In November I caught a cold and had 3 lots of steroids and antibiotics. My question is I now have a morning cough which starts as soon as I wake up and takes me about an hour to clear my lungs. I do use the blue inhaler to open up my airways. I seem to have loads of mucus which makes me wheezy until I clear it all. After this I am fine and walk a mile everyday and spent 2 hours gardening yesterday. I dont really suffer breathlessness and rarely use my blue inhaler. I do use a preventative inhaler 2 puffs twice a day, I am guessing my cough will never go but I find it so exhausting every morning and upsets me that I feel restricted socially by it, i.e. going on holiday with a friend. I am not sure if this an excerbation or just par for the course now. A year ago I would never have thought I would be like this, Any thoughts or ideas would be welcome and thank you for taking the time to read all this, I am 75 years old , sometimes feel 21 and sometimes 95) xx
Morning cough: Hi folks hope you are... - Lung Conditions C...
Morning cough
Hi Glady’s
Maybe the antibiotics did not clear the infection completely you may need a different one. Maybe you could speak to your GP or the respiratory nurse and see if they think you need to take a sample in to find out if a Bacteria is causing the problem and consequently which antibiotic would be effective in treating it. I hope you can find out the reason for developing the cough/ mucus problem quite suddenly in the meantime, a cough syrup from the pharmacist may help, also sleeping slightly more propped up and a prescription for a mucus thinner from your GP, many people on here take them and will remember the name unfortunately I can’t remember, sorry. xx
Thank you I do take carbocisteine 3 times a day. Sputum test .... no bacteria so no need for antibiotic. I am at a bit of a loss, Is it normal to take an hour each morning to clear my chest , finding it difficult to work out whats normal and what isnt, Thank you for replying x
Speak to gp he may be able to help i had a cough which was constant I was put on medication that is for heartburn and after a week coughing stopped and mucus disappeared. Sorry I also have copd (16 years)
Hello Gladys27,
Ooooh yes shifting mucous in the mornings can be a bind can’t it ?
A couple of questions for you…
Are you taking enough clear fluids during the day ? This can help to thin the mucous making it easier to shift.
Do you use the Active Cycle of Breathing - Huff technique to help to shift the mucous ? That can be remarkably effective.
Go well.
Pauline
I think the problem is its a sudden change, after a cold we expect to get better and when we dont its baffling. I do think the doctors dont help in us getting better and wonder if they are just as confused as we are. I also think the longer its left the more damage it causes which then adds to the problem we already have. I would go back to your gp and see if he can advise, or perhaps try antihistamine to dry up the mucus for a while x
Good morning Gladys. Well for 75. You are doing a lot better than me and I am coming 68 this year. The smallest job has me sitting to get my breath since January. I had a week where I wasn't feeling good and then we had minus 5 overnight and that started my cough of and I was given a 5 day course of Steroids for a viral infection. But I still have the cough in a morning and the cold atmosphere seems to start it off as well. Hope your cough goes soon. But I have heard they take some getting rid of. Enjoy your day. Brian
Sounds like the chronic bronchitis element of copd has kicked in. The exact same thing happened to me about 8 months ago. Bad chest infection triggered the chronic bronchitis & now I have mucus every day, mainly about 1-3 hrs after waking. No matter how much I get rid of it there’s always more. It’s now causing musus plugging in the lower airways which is causing wheeze & nearly constant fatigue. I have pure chronic bronchitis, so no clinically defined obstruction, yet. I’m 38 - it’s a nightmare. I don’t know how people can do 20 years of this😑
I have been prescribed codeine linctus and now I can talk in sentences and visit the theatre, its really helped me. I kept getting prescribed the blue inhaler despite it not working but I've just learnt why - I no longer have asthma! 'Just ' very severe copd.
Thank you Karenanne I think I will try this and see, I feel a bit confused as some say you shouldnt take anything to suppress the cough. I know if I contact the docs they will probably say "try it if you like " which doesnt fill you with confidence,
will give the linctus a try and see if it helps. The blue inhaler does absolutely nothing for me. Thanks for the reply x
This linctus is prescribed so try your gp. I think the reason some say not to supress the cough is because the muck needs to be shifted. However, unproductive coughing is unhelpful and exhausting, it's better to clear properly using meds, breathing, devises etc.
Is it possible that the infection hasn't cleared completely. Sputum tests don't always pick up bugs. I hope you find an answer soon. Best wishes. xxx
sounds exactly how I was, I now sleep in a semi sitting position and my cough is down to fumes from stomach acid irritating the lungs, the excess acid is down to a hiatus hernia and I have been prescribed Omeprazole to help this. I still have a slight cough on waking up but nothing like it was
Hi Biker thanks for replying. Do you have copd? I take omeprazole already because of hiatus hernia but only one a day, do you take more? My cough produces lots of sputum which i can get up easily but its the amount of time it takes which gets me down, Let me know please? Thank you amd have a good weekend
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