Persistent cough

[prescilla]

Hi, I have SLE and for over 10 years have a cough that just won’t go away. Doctors have tried various treatments without much luck. I wondered if anyone else has this problem and if they have discovered anything to help?

[Pippydo]

Have you had your lungs checked? I’ve had Sjorgrens for many years accompanied by nasty cough, eventually had CT scan and LIP was discovered, I had no symptoms apart from cough which was why my rheumatologist was never concerned! Hope you find the cause! Best wishes

[prescilla in reply to Pippydo]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Had a chest xray years ago when the cough started but nothing recently so will ask again. Many thanks and wishing you all the best for the future.

[CavendishCool]

Are you on any sort of blood pressure medication? My husband is and a side affect is a cough which he does all of the time now without noticing it. We have mentioned it to the GP, but all of the meds do it. Have you been checked for asthma? I have very mild asthma and just use the preventative inhaler. I didn't even realise I had it until I was referred to the asthma nurse. Just some ideas, but just recently I have and am learning how irritating Lupus really is and how little the medical profession really know, want to know and in some cases even care. Hope you get an answer soon. 🙏

[prescilla in reply to CavendishCool]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I’m on statins so will check the side effects. Had this cough for over 10 years and had an inhaler at the beginning but did not help. I’m sure my husband would sympathise with you as he has to put up with my coughing keeping him awake at night !!

[BrigidsFire]

I agree with getting your lungs checked. I had a cough for around a year and it turns out that the lupus has damaged my lungs and I have interstitial lung disease which has caused pulmonary fibrosis. The cough is because my lungs are scarred, so unfortunately is not treatable, I just have to live with it.

Interestingly it was the respiratory consultant who discovered the lupus. He had a suspicion my coughing had something to do with autoimmune issues, having taken a full medical/life history.

Haven’t yet found a cure for the cough sadly. I take dextromethorphan on an as needed basis and have a blue inhaler (reliever) which I often use several times a day, both of which were prescribed by my rheumatologist and pulmonologist (they run a joint clinic once a month, so I get to see both of them at the same time), but they only lessen the issue slightly.

[prescilla in reply to BrigidsFire]

Thank you for taking the time to reply and sorry to hear your diagnosis. The doctors have tried inhalers, antibiotics, acid reflux tablets and a sinus operation, nothing worked. Gave me codeine linctus which helped but after 10 years they say I must come off it so back to square one. I had a chest xray years ago so will ask for another one. Thanks again for your input and wishing you well for the future.

[Jerg]

my sister who unfortunately has lupus as well as me, have the cough that got progressively worse over the years, now diagnosed with COPD. Her lungs has gotten so bad she struggles to breathe at times, scarring is now on her lungs. She tried several different treatments but nothing seems to work. Now she has be told to try mild chemotherapy to see if it helps

[ParisBlue0404]

Have they done pulmonary function tests? That can help decided if there is a lung problem and if it is affecting how well they are working. Seems strange they have let you have codeine linctus for so long but not done more tests.I was going to suggest the acid reflux tablets as they have helped my cough

Interested to hear about the husband on blood pressure tablets. My husband is and is always coughing but says he's just clearing his throat and so hasn't asked anyone about it