I thought I had kicked my cough into touch! I posted in July about my cough and rib pain. I thought I just needed to give it time. It has been lessening. Each day fewer coughing fits. Less need to blow my nose. Only yesterday I was thinking - I think I've shaken it off at last. Well today I have blown my nose, a lot and I have coughed all blinkin day. It is driving me mad! I can now feel mucus running down the back of my throat. This seems to be making me cough. I also have a sore throat. We go on holiday on Friday morning for 10 days. So annoyed. And already taking a course of steroids, on 2.5mg a day for another 8 days and that's been a 4 week course. Any ideas? (I take Hydroxychloroquine, MMF & mepacrine plus 2 antihistamines for my allergies and itchy dry skin - allergies are grass pollen, house dust & pet dander - dogs not cats). Anyone else have the mucus running down the back of the thrust feeling?
This annoying cough! It's been 5 weeks now. - LUPUS UK
This annoying cough! It's been 5 weeks now.
Oh dear you poor thing - yes this problem used to rule my life when my kids were younger, along with Rhinitis and Alopecia, Pompholyx and terrible Eczema. I was told by a gp that the cough and throat clearing were probably reflux but now I know more I think it was a post nasal problem causing everything. Being dairy and gluten free might be helping but my mouth feels dryer than the Sahara just now so I think, with me, these things just come along in stages and are replaced by other equally annoying or debilitating symptoms🙄
I only have the occasional bout of dry coughing now and no rashes anymore or hairloss, coughing and sneezing - too dry to produce much at all these days. I think taking a higher dose of Levothyroxine has helped with Alopecia and itchy skin. But nowadays even a good sob needs planning lol! Hope it's just a temporary thing and change of scenery chases it off🤞X
Hi Wendy
Sorry your still suffering with that cough!. Did u get it checked at gp's?. You could also go to pharmacist and see if with your medications you could take a mucus cough medicine. My mum has had same problem and has found Sainsbury's one very effective!. Just a thought which you've probably already done. Do hope you have a good holiday. X
Hello misty14
Thanks for the tip.
Yes I went to see GP on Thursday 20th July, I think it was. I'd had it for a couple of weeks at that point. She said she thought it was viral and not bacterial. She didn't think antibiotics would work. I had quite bad chest pain, both sides but left in particular - tender to touch in places. She thought that was musculoskeletal- coughed so much and strained myself.
Now here I am, it's been about 5 weeks and I just can't shift it. This morning I coughed up green phlegm for the first time. I really don't know what to think. Cold. Cough. Allergies. Rhinitis. Sinnitis. ???
She didn't think I should reduce my Lupus meds.
I started my months course of steroids the next day - after discussing with my hubby and we were going camping / start of school hols. So wasn't great timing, feeling less than 100%. Just 5mg for 2 weeks and then 2.5mg for 2 weeks. No bug doses.
I don't have time to see GP now. But I do see my new Rheumy on 22nd when we get back. So we'll see what she has to say. Worse case scenario, were stay-cationing in the U.K., so can go to a walk in centre etc if it's really bad.
Thanks for your reply. There is always something!!!
Wendy xx
Oh Wendy, there's never a right time to be ill. If your coughing green phlegm now, sounds more like a chest infection and your extra steroids are not high enough to work!. Glad your holidaying here and can go to a walk in centre because I think you'll have to!. GP's much more reluctant to prescribe antibiotics which is right but will often necessitate another visit if things develop!. That's ok if you can do it!.
Good luck for Rheumy visit when your back , look forward to your update and take care. Enjoy the holiday as much as possible. Hope you got your Hydroxy OK?. X
Hi Wendy. In February I had a cold that started off as a very sore throat, and progressed into a head cold and cough. I had bad coughing fits like you as well, due to very thick mucous getting caught at the back of my throat. My sinus were congested and runny at the same time. I found some relief from using Neilmed rinses twice daily, sometimes more (I already use this once a day to relieve my daily nasal dryness). After 3 weeks of coughing I contacted my rheumy and he said to try reducing my MMF from 3000mg/day to 2000mg/day until I felt better. It took about 7 weeks for my cough to go away completely. Are you able to ask your lupus clinic nurse or doctor if this is something you should try? I also pulled some muscles from coughing so hard (under my breast, just off to the side a bit. Both sides! ). Hope you feel better soon.
I've also had something very similar in the past Wendy - I managed to acquire a cough towards the end of September which didn't clear until the following February (I'd convinced my self that I was suffering from an incurable disease by that point!). I coughed so much that I had the pretty much constant rib pain and then it progressed to cause problems with my vocal chords as I'd strained everything so much. I never did get any answers about what had caused it - the GP seemed to lose interest after giving me antibiotics which didn't work of course.
As I have now this year been dealing with the persistent sore throat issue and inflammation problems I think it's all part of the same picture. Part of the problem is silent reflux for me and also post nasal drip. However, I think this inability to shake off what in the past would have been a fairly routine infection is actually part of our pro-inflammatory autoimmune process which trips our bodies into this 'reacting to infection' mode which just goes on and on and on. This is just my theory - I haven't found any evidence other than anecdotal to support this idea.
As Twitchy suggested, giving up dairy is supposed to help with reducing the amount of mucus - I am currently trying that approach myself as I'm so fed up with having this constant mucus at the back of the throat. The ENT doc also recommended nasal douches such as NeilMed - I use Sterimar which I find quite nice to use.
Not too sure what else to suggest - if you are worried then do go back to your doctor - don't just suffer in silence. I'm still waiting for this current bout of throat problems to resolve . . . why does it always take so long?!!!
Hello! Thank you for your reply. I have just got back into my HU posts etc, after being away on a family holiday. I completely lost track before we went. Pakcing for 5 and tidying up the house beforehand, is always a mamouth tasks!
I got through the holiday very well. I need a nap a couple of times but that's not too bad. And my health didn't limit our holiday and trips etc. So very good.
But I am still coughing. It is embaressing when out and eating and I cough. It's so loud and violent wehn it does happen.
I would say it hasn't got worse but it hasn't cleared up.
The green phlegm only showed itself half a dozen times and is not a regular thing.
The pains have changed. I have had shooting pains through my breast. Both. But mostly left. I have panicked. I have exmained my breast for lumps and other signs of cancer a lot. It is still tender to touch my ribs/right side of left breast.
So thinking was my GP right? Was it viral cough? Was it muscoloskeletal pain form coughing? I don't know.
I was going to speak to my new NHS Rheumy today and ask her thoughts, but she cancelled quite last minute.
So I think another trip to the GP's is in order.
But the thought is just daunting.
I'd love to go a few months without having to make an appointment there!!!!!!
Thanks again.
Wendy x
PS Your comments about silent relfux are interesting. When I wad diagnosed, I'd had severe sore throat for months. Literally like I'd swallowed glass. So my Rheumy sent me for a magic eye thing with ENT consultant. I had to have the camera put up my nose and swallow it. Anyway, he couldn't see anything wrong at all. His opinion was either lupus or silent reflux. I dismissed the silent reflux. I have never suffered from any indigesiton, except when starting hydroxy - indegestion, noisy, rumbling tummy etc until it settled down. And the sore throat cleared up with lupus meds. I find that the sore throat comes back when run down or flaring. So still think I don't have reflux and the sore throat is lupus related. But you have got me thinking. I will note post nasal drip (allergies would back this up) and silent reflux, to discuss at next appts.
Please see this link: nhs.uk/video/Pages/hay-feve...
and: bsaci.org/resources/rhinitis
If you decide to use a nasal spray make sure that you use the spray properly:
google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j...
Have a great holiday !
Thanks for the link. I've been to GP today to get my cough and chest issues checked out again. I've just posted. This post nasal drip has only happened twice really and at the moment I do not feel that it justifies me using a nasal spray. But the GP I saw today did acknowledge this post nasal drip and said nothing to do with lupus or the costochondritis, more likely seasonal and my allergies. She talked about a nasal spray, but I declined for the time being. It's liveable, for now. Thanks again. Wendy
5 weeks on recovering from Covid-19
A brief question on corticosteroids
Gutted 😞
Is this it now then 
