Chronic

[Frustratedo]

3 years, started with a dry cough. 1 year ago I started with a stuffy nose & wet cough. Now I have excessive phlegm. Choking phlegm! Been thru blood work, Exray, ENT, Allergist, Pulmonologist, Asthma Testing, Emergency Room a couple of times, meds galore, nose sprays, prednisone a few times, antibiotics a few times.

I have a Dr. That wants me to see a Psychiatrist because he feels since all the test come up clear it must be Stress related.

Sleepless nights, Constant throat clearing, Chronic Cough w large amounts of Phlegm. Stuffy Nose. Wheezing & Crackling noises.

Lately I seem to be ok for a few hours, then I have this phlemy coughing attack. It feels like I am Suffocating. Anyone experience this? Tested for Asthma test came fine. All my test say I'm fine. Frustrating!

Totally lost my sense of Smell.

[knitter]

Vicious circle can build up …..cough breathlessness anxiety breathlessness cough anxiety

Has your breathing pattern been monitored ….upper or lower chest muscles activated ….number of breaths per minute , belly breathing , too big breaths .

Have you tried pursed lip breathing …..breathe in gently through your nose if possible , then gently out through pursed lips …..repeat a few times .

Put one hand on your upper chest , one on the lower …the lower hand should move out when you gently breathe .

Breathe gently, gently through your nose at other times .

There are nose unblocking exercises you can try .

Check out Patrick Mc Keowans videos on you tube .

I find meditation useful to calm breathing and anxiety .

Long Covid not been mentioned ?

Best wishes , I hope you can find some relief soon .

[Patk1]

Welcome to the forum.i take antihistamines and steroid nose spray for chronic rhinosinusitis.u have to persevere with it.id ask for ct scan of lungs if u haven't had one.u could ring aluk helpline 0300 222 5800

[TiaDave]

My wife has a chronic organizing pneumonia correlated to her radiation treatments from breast Cancer. She has been on Prednisone for a year and a half with two attempts to scale it down. One failed with a strong recurrence of the pneumonia. She is now on Azathioprine known as Imuran for a six week trial. She did baseline bloodwork on 8/30/23, and return to her pulmonologist after six weeks. If this drug proves effective with reduced prednisone in shrinking her recurring pneumonia symptoms, and no effects on the liver, we will conintue with the reduction in Prednisone. She started the Azathioprine at one 50 mg tab a day for 14 days then two tabs (100 mg) a day for 14 days. We are into the second 14 days segment.. Hope this helps. Dave

[Bellaowl]

the breathing suggested by knitter is excellent for calming the throat spasms and hence the lungs.

The CT scan of the lungs is an excellent idea. This gave my latest diagnosis which is helpful is devastating.

Present these hide as to whichever doctor you trust most to listen.

I hope you find useful answers and begin to feel better.

Bellaowl.

[Alberta56]

Best wishes. The psychiatrist may prove helpful, especially if they say that mental health is not the cause of your problems, or that your problems are exacerbated by lack of a proper diagnosis and a helpful treatment regime. My mum was sent to a shrink who gave her a clean bill of health, which meant that the medics had to look harder for the cause of her problems, which turned out to be Parkinsons.

[Patk1 in reply to Alberta56]

That's awful Alberta56 x

[Frustratedo]

My results are in...Chronic Bronchitis & Mild Emphysema

Also, A Hiatal Hernia . At least there's reason for all this Coughing up Phlegm.