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Heart cough

Lezzers profile image
9 Replies

Sorry, but I'm banging on about my husbands cough & heart failure again!!! He's had a dry cough for a number of years & we've always been told it's the medication. It's now been decided by cardiologist & respiratory consultant that it's probably heart related & he's been prescribed furosemide to start in Jan. Bout a month or so ago the cough became more phlegmy & has been getting more constant. Bout a week ago he caught a cold & has been coughing even more, GP checked his chest & all OK, no infection. He's been taking manuka honey for a few days & the frequency of the cough has reduced considerably although it is still phlegmy. However, I'm confused as to how it can be a heart related cough if manuka honey is easing it? Don't really want him taking even more medication if it's not really necessary!! Any ideas anyone?

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Lezzers
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9 Replies
mikeydt profile image
mikeydt

i have had this done where doctors have listened to my chest and given all clear, x-ray then showed it wasn't and the infection was at the base of my left lung. i hate when someone gives the all clear then it isn't so just shows that listening alone isn't enough.

a dry cough could be related to anything including medications there is a large discussion on here now.

Lezzers profile image
Lezzers in reply to mikeydt

Thank you for your reply. My husband has just had a CT scan, we got the results last Tuesday & his lungs & breathing are above average for his age & size, no scarring on the structure. He's had his chest listened to twice since then & both times it was clear, although GP has sent off a sputem test as a precaution. Also, he's had the dry cough for at least 2 years & it became phlegmy bout a month before he got the cold. He doesn't have any pain, which he did have a couple of years ago when he did have an infection. Really puzzled about it.

LHDLondon profile image
LHDLondon in reply to Lezzers

my lungs show clear on xrays too but theres no denying that i still have a cough which can become phlegmy. Furosemide certainly helps. All i can say is that if the doctors recommend it, its worth taking.

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq

In 2016 I had a viral infection that left me with a cough for months. At the time, my blood pressure went through the roof. I have no idea if the cough was related to the BP but the cough has disappeared as my BP has come down.

LHDLondon profile image
LHDLondon

Dear Lezzers

Im 65, have had two open heart procedures and a pacemaker fitted. I still have heart failure which is kept at bay by furosemide.

A cough is a symptom of heart failure.

This is caused by the build up of liquid in the lungs which often leads to bubbling in the chest when lying flat.

Coughing is an early sign of this build up. Furosemide is a diuretic and reduces water retention.

If the doctor has presribed this, i seriously recommend he follows the regime. It might not solve the cough straight away (a year in, mine has improved but not disappeared) but it should help and will reduce the bubbles.

Lezzers profile image
Lezzers in reply to LHDLondon

Thank you for your reply. My husband has had the cough for a number of years & it's only recently become phlegmy. He's had a scan just recently & his lungs are are in really good condition, I would have thought any fluid would have shown up on the scan, also I wouldn't have thought honey would help ease it if it was heart related. He's seeing his cardiologist on Friday, hopefully he'll have some answers. Merry Christmas & a happy healthy 2019

bun123 profile image
bun123

Hi I had a constant dry cough since july when I had to start taking an ace inhibitor. I caught a cold last month and the cough became unbearable, day and through the night for weeks. My Gp said its a side effect of ramipril, an ace inhibitor, and changed me to a different med. The cough has now completely gone. I hope that you can get get to the bottom of what is causing your husbands cough. Its good news that his lungs are in good shape. All the best.

mikeydt profile image
mikeydt

you would of thought that if it was fluid they would detect it, i presume the thinking is that it is heart failure they are then presuming it is fluid related but then again a dry cough could be anything else.

mine went on for a year i ended up with constant dry cough along with same side chest infection twice and then ended up coughing up blood, (i also lost 4 stones). x-rays did show the lung infections but strange a lung brush couldn't even detect it! they even saw a shadow which got the alarm bells ringing.

i did finally resolve it.

i hope and prey that they do get this resolved as it is very not nice.

Lezzers profile image
Lezzers

Thank you all for your replies. I do understand where they coming from by prescribing the furosemide but just don't want him to take yet another tablet unless it is really necessary.

It is very good news bout his lungs, he used to work with asbestos so you can imagine how worrying this cough has been. Unfortunately, we can't speak to his heart nurse as she's gone AWOL (not really, she cancelled her visit recently as she was poorly) hopefully his consultant will be a bit more forthcoming on Friday, although last time he said more in the summation letter than he did at the appt!!

Merry Christmas & a happy healthy New Year to everyone xx

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