Hi
I have had this cough now for no less than three years, it varies in severity but never leaves me. I am also breathless at times.
My GP has given me countless inhalers, steroids, antibiotics and nothing has worked. The latest medication made things a lot worse in fact!
I am at the end of my teather now, I have virtually denuded our house, no feathers, dust, etc etc but still I cough.... I was reading the article on fabric conditioner, would this be worth a try?
Have you been referred for a CT scan to take a good look at you to see if there's something in the lungs or oseophogus that's causing the cough? If not I would insist that they do, to try and get to the bottom of it. Also an allergy test to see if there's maybe a food group that is affecting you?
Hi Pins
I was thinking the same as Shancock.. time for a thorough check-up...
Take care x
I did have an allergy test, I know I have a cat allergy, hence no cat, and an allergy to trees showed up too, most other things were borderline.
I had an appointment with a specialist, he gave me the steroid inhaler and really wasn't much help at all .
I hate fabric conditioners just the scent is a trigger..you need a scan to eliminate a problem..if it was allergic prednisone would help..antihistamines too..
The latest medication they have given me is a spiriva inhaler and montelukast.... the inhaler gives me a really sore throat even though I rinse after use and I seem even more breathless than normal now, I just feel like it's a hopeless case. I've never smoked so why?
Im thinking out loud, have you eliminated acid reflux? Are you asthmatic?
Yes, just about everything I can think of has been taken out of the house too, I never was asthmatic, but that's the only thing they can find, I'm not convinced . When I'm away from home my health improves, I know we all feel better on holiday but, I'm just at a loss now, I feel like an 80 year old most days at the moment
I too have never smoked I am 78 years old I now have IPF and Pulmonary Hypertension There is now another suggestion that I may have vasculitis.
I know that these are non treatable and IPF is aggressive and terminal. I now just want a diagnosis /prognosis so that I get my house in order
Grace Olive
The specialist sounds awful, I would ask GP for referral asap and then when you see someone insist on a proper check over, a CT scan is what shows up everything they can't just tell from an X Ray. And asthma should really only be diagnosed after you've undertaken a proper asthma test, known as a lung function test. Those are the two things you will have to insist on having and really not taking no for an answer. It's a shame that the emphasis should be on you, but that seems to be an increasingly common fact nowadays. Your gonna have to get a bit tough with them I think there's no point just throwing medication at you, they need to address the underlying cause.
My GP gave me one of those tests where u blow into a tube, that was really bad, the last time I saw another doctor hoping for another solution, more inhalers.... I have another appointment on Monday but at the moment I'm not getting my hopes up.
Ok ask to be referred to your local respiratory unit asap. You are being dished out a lot of specialist meds without a proper diagnosis.
Take your peakflow am pm and keep a diary for now.
Montelukast is not an antihistamine it is an antiinflammatory, you can buy zirtek or clarityn over the counter, they are non-drowsy supposingly but I found they made me drowsy. It is worth a try if you think you are allergic at home. Asthma can be a response to an allergic reaction.
Montelukast has been used on asthmatics who are allergic but not always successfully. It is not a first response med to an allergic reaction.
Spiriva is also a specialist med but doesn’t contain steroids. It is an anticholergenics which dilates your airways, it is not always successful in allergic asthma if it is what you have.
Have you had an xray? or a ctscan? Are you getting chest infections? Make sure you document things before you go for your visit.
When you say you are going away from home, for how long? Because it takes about 10 days for the body to be accustomed to a new environment..
Are you living in a polluted area?
Take care Pins x
Thank you so much for the very informative reply.
I think the nearest respatory unit will be in Southampton, but I will ask. I really do feel like they are just throwing one medication after another at me in the hope that one of them will work now!
I do spend a lot of time in France and when over there my breathing is so much better, so much so that we have discussed moving . Family commitments preclude this full time though at the moment.
I shall see what comes of my appointment on Monday, fingers crossed
Ahh Im French I was working in London for years but moved to Switzerland where the air definitely suits me better
Good luck for Monday then. 😊
I've just been reading up on latex allergies... we have a latex mattress..... surely not? I'm not allergic to latex gloves as I've used them at work , no rashes etc, the quest continues.
I have had a cough for almost 2 years now I dad a ct scan and I have a hiatus hernia the thoracic doctor has given me a nose spray and told me to sleep propped up as the acid get into your bronchial tubes at night when you lay down which makes you cough I have tried this and although my cough hasn’t gone completely it is much better something for you to think about maybe? Good luck x
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