chesty cough

[5040oliver]

started February sinc then three lots of antibiotics including steroids, an X-ray and blood 🩸 test am told all is ok it’s now may and trying to get to sleep, walk with the dogs or anything reasonable that I WAS capable is now very tiring I just have no energy to want to do anything don’t know what the answer is??? But a lot of it’s going round

[Amnesiac3637]

Hi, I’ve had the same thing over the last five weeks. Started with a tickly cough, went on to become a barking, wheezing , snot producing nightmare! Have also had antibiotics twice for ten days each and x-rays. Have just started to feel vaguely human again. Had to stop my Jak inhibitor Filgotinib as soon as I got the infection which the GP thought had developed into bronchitis. It knocked me off my feet and even though I’ve now stopped coughing my legs are still weak and feel as if they won’t hold me up and any exertion means a rapid sit down. Foggy headed and no energy………..😩

It does go but if you’re anything like me who wants to be doing things and getting on with walking dogs and just being normal it’s really hard to imagine you’re ever going to be able to do anything you did before it came and hit you! My advice, having been in the same boat, is to rest when your body’s telling you it’s had enough and don’t do too much on the days you feel better. We have to fight RA as well as infections and fatigue plays a big part when recovering. Do hope you feel much better soon.

[Llanberisman]

Same issues here, started last November. Antibiotics were no use. Tests suggest scarring of the lungs…either RA-caused or methotrexate. Having ct scan soon, which, with blood tests, should identify the cause.

Tired r us…

[Runrig01]

I had similar cough, at first they thought it was worsening of my asthma. However tweaking meds didn’t help. I had a HRCT scan, which reported pulmonary fibrosis. I was urgently referred to a respiratory consultant, who was lovely, and told me that opinions re methotrexate had changed, and to restart it. Apparently it’s now thought to delay onset of PF. I was told lifespan was 2-5yrs. Then 7 months later got a call to say, they’d sent my scans to the Brompton and that the lung damage I had was from aspirating acid, as well as finding areas of Atelectasis, which is collapsed lung. I have AS rather than RA, and my ribs are fused and I have no chest expansion, which has contributed to the issues in my lungs. If it’s still troubling you I’d request a CT as my initial X-rays were fine. I now have yearly lung function tests and get monitored.

[Happy5]

I got a nasty sore/ scratchy throat developed into a cough, mouth felt sore all round too.

Decided to miss 1 weekly MTX injection to let my body fight it along with using all the usual meds for the symptoms. Over it now but the fatigue is dreadful so rolling with it, by doing short bursts of jobs then resting or sleeping.

I'm getting there hope you do too. 😊

[medway-lady]

Ask for a septum test if it’s really bad to make sure you’re given the right antibiotics. I wasn’t and did just that on advice of RA nurse. Turned out wrong antibiotics. I had a course and lung function tests and taught how to huff cough and that is really useful. It’s online so give it a go.