Does anyone else suffer from a tickle in their throat that just won't stop?Sometimes I cough for an hour or more, it's so embarrassing if I'm on the bus, i have to get off, or having a conversation with someone and then just exhausted when It finally just stops.
I've tried everthing,sipping water, sucking a sweet,. I have an allergy inhaler but that doesn't do it either. My gp doesn't understand the stress.
I've had bronchiectasis for around 10 years but had the coughing fits for as long as I can remember.
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HotChocolate22
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Hello HotChocolate22- it is worrying and stressful, and your GP is failing you in my opinion, by not taking your concerns seriously. if you have not been referred to respitory, i suggest you get your GP to refer you. they will advise you on things to help - including chest clearance, which would help reduce coughing all the time, and breathing exercises.I hope you get this sorted soon. xx
Thank you Rosa, I am with a consultant at uch and do lung clearance but the cough still catches me out. I just wondered if any one has something like this and has found a way to control it
im glad you have a consultant, for me, regular chest clearance helps reduce coughing, if I do get a coughing fit, swallowing seems to help too. maybe your consultant can suggest other ways. I don't know about sucking sweets, I'd crunch them and end up eating the packet!! xx
Hahaha 😆. I know and not great for teeth. I don't get on well with my consultant he can be quite dismissive and just tells me to look things up on u tube.The student who was there on my last visit did look up spacer for me on her phone to show me. I'd never been offered one before. But he asked me if I used u tube and stuff like that! He's newish took over from the professor who retired.
Thank you both. Yes a hot drink does work better but not always handy.The student was sitting in with the new consultant, not sure what she thought about our exchanges.
I get this occasionally.i usually sip cold water and whn able I gargle cold water.when at worst can barely breathe.i use controlled pursed lips breathing to help stop spasm in throat+ Airways.it does help - see aluk- controlled pursed lips breathing and practise so u get in habit of using it. If u get mucous frm lungs do u do lung clearance 2x a day to get it up ?it may help reduce events x
Thank you, yes this sounds like me. I'm completely incapacitated by the coughing. It is an event for sure.I do do lung clearance, lots of mucus always but I think for me anyway the cough is set off by something else.
Here is the information from our webpages that Patk1 has mentioned. Do give us a call at the helpline if you have any questions. asthmaandlung.org.uk/about-...
I used to have the cough you describe & it's horrible. Mine was made worse by medication for high blood pressure - ramipril. Since I've stopped taking it it's so much better.
That's interesting. I don't take medication for blood pressure. I'm never sure what sets it off. Usually as now when I have a cold but not always .it's my greatest dread, so incapacitating.
I used to have this and it would get so bad that I would vomit several times a day. I was referred to an ENT consultant who diagnosed post nasal drip (which sounds disgusting, I know!) I had surgery - turbinectomy and septoplasty to straighten out and enlarge my nasal passages. It did improve the cough but it didn't eliminate it totally (no more vomiting though). I'm not sure whether this procedure is still recommended, as it was 30 years ago. I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis much later, together with asthma and still cough a lot, but not with the force and frequency as before the surgery. I hope that you find a solution to your cough. I find Halls Soothers and a bottle of water do the trick at the theatre.
Try and identify the cause of the cough, it’s normally bacterial, viral or fungal infection, or allergy and anxiety. Mine turned out to be an allergy to my own stomach acid fumes, I have a hiatus hernia. Gaviscon stopped the coughing almost immediately and now I’m on Omeprazole. I also have an anxiety cough but know the triggers so it is more manageable now.
It could be a post nasal drip. Where mucus drips down the back of your throat causing you to cough, need to clear your throat constantly etc. I have it. A steroid nasal spray can help clear it and keep it away. I hope you can get to the bottom of it xxx
I had this alot years ago. It started with a bad cold which was left too long without proper treatment and it infected my sinus's. I was left with debilitating problems, over production of mucus which left me blowing my nose all day everyday and coughing constantly. I had a sinus op which helped but still had the cough for quite a while. I used Otrivine to help clear the nasal passages and antihistamine to dry thing up. I have bronchiectasis and recently diagnosed with overlap asthma. I have find that any inhaler with steroid really helps with this cough. I also have rheumatoid arthritis and wonder if this has caused some of the lung problems I have, which would explain why steroids really help to calm the inflammation, i always feel better when on them, sadly they are really not good for you in the long term. I hope this has helped as I remember being so embarrassed on the bus/train coughing constantly and people glaring at me, thinking i had come our with a cold infecting everybody. Keep looking and reading for things to help you, it's amazing what info is out there. Let us know how you get on x
Thank you. Yes I have even got off the bus before my destination because as you say so embarrassing. Once it starts so does tge stress and I'm on the cycle. Oh dear.Yes steroids seem to be the answer
Hi HotChocolate22 so sorry you are experiencing this for such a long time. I myself remember having a coughing spell for months on end before bronchiectasis diagnoses. A respiratory consultant recremmended a Saltpipe I ordered from amazon. It did work for me. amzn.eu/d/7Ihpy6G. Also small sips of ice cold water after coughing. Hope you find this useful for you as I did.
Thank you Musicalways. I did have a salt pipe once and I remember it did help a bit, but it cracked in multiple places in the end and I didn't bother to get another. Perhaps I will now you've reminded me
I have experienced similar due to acid reflux - silent reflux isn't necessarily obvious to the patient. If it doesn't interfere with other meds, perhaps you could try Gaviscon? This forms a raft and keeps the acid in your stomach.
Yes, it catches me out at times. Mine is allergy related and it starts with a tickle and then excessive clear sputum. It only lasts for a minute or two but yes it's very frustrating. I take an allergy tablet but it doesn't do much. I've only had this problem since my bronchiectasis diagnosis back in 2017.
I too have bronchiectasis and before I was diagnosed I was like that all the time. I was prescribed Carbocisteine tablets and Fostair inhaler and I don’t have it very often now. I used to suck sweets all the time but they gave me 4 fillings!
Hello HotChocolate22, I’ve had a couple of bouts of a similar type of cough and have tried lots of lozenges that have been recommended to me. The only ones that seemed to work without fail were “Jakemans throat and chest soothing menthol lozenges” and most supermarkets sell them. Picture above, good luck xx
Jakemans throat and chest soothing menthol lozenges
Oh goodness, that does sound miserable Has nothing helped at all. I have stress incontinence too. Only when coughing thank goodness. I'm so sorry, but also as i have said before it's somewhat reassuring to hear from others who really know what i am talking about.
I don't think my GP or consultant have any idea
Thank you everyone for sharing your solutions and stories
Hi, I’m very much a newbie and still undergoing various tests for confirmation of diagnosis but I’ve had the dry tickley coughing fit before where I’ve had to leave cafe/the room cos couldn’t stop. So embarrassing. I asked Dr Google (dangerous I know) but tried remedy for post nasal drip of gargling in warm salty water. Did this on/off for few days and worked for me. However, please do persevere with your doc and get definitive advice.
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