I have had a chronic cough since early December. I had a really bad asthma flare up and flu at new year and I am still coughing.
I’m coughing up white or yellow phlegm so I don’t think there is an infection anymore. No blood. Keeps me awake and is worse at night than during the day.
I’m on cetirizine, Seretide, and tried montelukast but couldn’t cope with some of the side effects (nightmares). Consultant recommended accolate but it has been discontinued. Consultant not that worried about me as my peak flow is 630 so way higher than the average for a middle aged woman!!
I’ve turned to dr google and am now freaking out that I have lung cancer or copd. My next consultant appointment is July. Asthma nurse is following what he says and she says she’s out of ideas.
Does anyone else have a cough they can’t shift? Or has anyone had one and then found out a miracle cure for it?
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gamba
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My daughter had a cough for a year then it just faded. Drs don't know it all, I'm afraid. Your issue is how to cope now, until you get some answers. What you are doing, I suspect, is coughing when you can't help it, which is called reactive. You could try huffing, which is when you use the technique (YouTube etc) to clear your lungs on purpose. Meanwhile, - forgive me if you do this anyway - you should sleep almost sitting up, with several pillows behind you and one under your knees and have the window open. You are highly unlikely to have either lung cancer - you'd be fast tracked - or copd with that PF, but you'll make it all worse by getting into a panic about it. Just take care of yourself and see what develops.
my wife has been coughing for years non stop, her GP says he has tried everything & doesn't know what else to do. She has been to chest clinics & seen ENT specialists but still no joy. Last year she went to see another specialist who changed her onto Relvar Ellipta & 10mg of Prednisone. we had 3 wonderful months of cough free. Last time she went back he reduced the Prednisone to 5mg & introduced another inhaler. She has been coughing ever since, her next appointment isn't until July. So we know your suffering & if we or anyone else find's out how to stop constant coughing, I'm sure there will be a lot of happy people out there.
Yes my husband gas been coughing for years his had tests which he had last year but the cough gets worse when hay fever season comes in and ist turned to chest infection he's got another appointment with doctor tomorrow see what he has to say
This is where you raise the head of your bed by up to 6 inches . My wife and I both have seen relief . we raised ours 4" , 6" was too much
Start at 2"and work up slowly.
Check it out online
Gamba--
Wow, and you don't even have COPD?
I have been diagnosed with COPD for 20+ years. I have had a cough since October. That's 6 months! I have never had a cough this long in my life. And I will be fine and then it begins at the most inopportune times like standing in line at the grocery store, etc. Then I have everyone staring at me. When it started in October, my doctor told me it was Bronchitus.
I recently went in to see the doctor, again, and he tried telling me it is because I have COPD and the cough just lasts?
He did order a CT chest scan, which I will not get until May 25, but will let you know what happens after that.
(And yes, I did the freak out thinking, too, with the cancer.....)
Hi gamba, I have been coughing up mucus every day for years, I don’t know if you have read my previous post; regards my medication that I am on, please do if you haven’t, I have a very rare form of asthma which is called Eosinophilic, it affects about one in 10 people,I have to admit sometimes it gets very scary, I had a further bad night last night up coughing for hours to get rid of the mucus ,white & thick creamy yellow gunge associated with a horrible taste it was 8.10 am when I finally settled so I lay in a couple of more hours to & get some sleep, then when I got up, I started again, so it has left me feeling worn out, my peak flow -: I am lucky if I get 400, if it goes to 320 then it’s an emergency, it has been that way quite a lot, thus ending up at the hospital I take citrezine, for allergy related problems I also take montelukast at night ,I also take in the morning 1 puff of Relvar it is in a powder form, also 2 puffs of Spiravia in the morning also I use a Nebulizers wth ventolin & atrovent & Businide 3 times a day , I also use a ventolin in haler 2 to 3 times a day or when needed, i also have steroids Deflezacort steroids ,in the past for many years I have had high doses between 30 to 60 mg’s, I guess you can call my condition has chronic asthma, c o p d related, I don’t smoke and never have yet I have been troubled all of my life with chest problems I have had pheaumonia twice in my life time and every winter I had Bronchitis especially when I was a child, now after seeing my specialist again last June he told me about this new type of treatment that he wanted me to try, it is a injection called Nucala which I have to go to the hospital every 28 days to have, I shall be having my 12 on Monday since I started to take this I was told to slowly come off my steroids which I have done I have been off them now for the last 3 months, I have not got chronic joint pain which seems to be getting worse , I think it is caused with excessive doses of steroids, from what I read on some else post the person is going through the same and thinks it is nerve damage caused by steroids I advise you not to get to upset by your condition, because that will make it worse, also do the huff& puff breathe in through your nose pout your lips & blow making a growling noise also check your peak flow levels, if it gets to 350 you need to see your Doc for some steroids, also get a shaker it is similar to a inhaler you put your mouth around the mouth piece , breathe in through your nose & then blow through the shaker this helps to loosen the mucus, also take some Benylin there has gaucin in it thats to help to break up the mucus, try to do some deep breathing exercises breathe in through your nose so your tummy moves out has you breathe in then blow out again with pursed lips to let the air out, also another thing you can try is to cup your hands & gently tap your chest & sides, get someone to do this on your back only place a towel on your back ,so you don’t get hurt in the process, I have been doing this for years , with your hands one after another , you have to make sure that you get some air in between the palm of your hands it should make like a popping sound as you do it ,also you could try putting some vick in hot water & breathe it in this will help, you can also use olbas oil, it helps to loosen the mucus , I think I have covered everything now , I hope that this will help you , I hope you get better soon don’t worry I don’t think you have got cancer , your symptoms would be a lot worse you would be coughing up blood, I hope that you don’t mind me writing all this ,good luck & take care
I’ve had severe cough on and off (mainly on) for last 15 months. I’m on fostair, and ventolin. I also take Cetrizine. At night have to sleep propped up and during day it can strike any time. Doc says I just have to put up with it. He has given me codeine linctus to take which knocks me out at bedtime but at least get a good nights sleep.
I get a bad cough when I get a chest infection I have to go to hospital for a dose of steroid injections and 5 days on steroids then I flying again sleep in a chair. Cut out dairy and maybe wheat .dairy is complete shite for cough cheese bread not much better. Go to a&e about every 2 years when I get a chest infection and run out of breath
I've had a cough for 7 months now I've had a chest x-ray, CT scan and lung function test all proved satisfactory. The consultant doesn't really know why I keep coughing up phlegm and although it has improved , it's still there and I get bouts of coughing that can't be controlled. I thought dark green phlegm was an indication of a chest infection, but apparently I don't have one and the consultant doesn't really know what's going on
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