Bad Cough

[Shouldice]

My husband has a terrible cough. He's had a chest X-ray and it's not his heart or pneumonia. Could this be caused by his PSP?

[daffodil48]

My hubby has had a cough for a long time and got worse. Had a swallow test done but it showed food was not going near the wrong pipe! That was OK no problem there! So doc said was caused by not swallowing as often as normal so the spit was building up and getting phlegmy. He was always coughing trying to clear the phlegm. He was prescribed glycopyrrolate and it has helped a lot, cough not gone but not choking all day long as before. Yes this can be psp thing. because of the slowing up of the swallow and build up of phlegm . But you should request a swallow test to make sure food and liquid is not being aspirated.

[Shouldice in reply to daffodil48]

Thanks for this helpful response. We'll ask about the glycopyrrolate (and in the meantime, I'll remind him to swallow).

[daffodil48 in reply to Shouldice]

maybe see about getting a swallow function test??

[wear1947 in reply to daffodil48]

Yes. Your hubby will be more concious if he can watch the video of his swallow function. This will turn him more collaborative with physio exercises.

[Cuttercat in reply to daffodil48]

The coughing isn’t related to the aspiration like you said. It’s the trying to clear the phlegm. Unfortunately there is nothing that will help in the end. But it sounds as if this medicine is helping

Love

Cuttercat

[abilitydesigns]

It's difficult when they can't spit it out nor swallow. My mom's coughing issue was fixed by Nebulization ( doc prescribed the meds to be put in the nebulizer. Worked great ). I pray your hubby feels better soon.

[LuisRodicioRodicio in reply to abilitydesigns]

Please which meds are you putting in the nebulizer?

Thank you.

Luis

[Cuttercat in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

We only used saline. The albuterol was too harsh

CC

[Shouldice in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Thanks, Luis. He is inhaling Salbutamol.

[Dadshelper]

Dad coughs a lot only now doesn't have the lung power for it to be productive. Doctor said it's just phlegm and salvia getting stuck in throat since he doesn't swallow well enough.

Ron

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi Shouldice!

•Persistent cough. Use the syrup recommended by the physician. To avoid in the diet: coffee, carbonated beverages, chocolate, orange or grapefruit juice, helps.

•Phlegm and choking: The first thing is to remain calm during episodes of truly shocking coughs. The second is that a physician rules out an infection in the respiratory tract. (Fever is an indication usually either pneumonia or urinary tract infection (UTI) in PSP patients).

•It is not a big problem that the patient swallows his phlegm. For phlegm to be fluid, it is important to drink liquids. Steam inhalation from boiling waterin a bowl with a few drops of Eucalyptus essence and a small spoonful of Vicks Vaporub (Olbas Oil in U.K.) and a small spoonful of marine salt, with a towel covering head and bowl helps. (One to three times a day.) Medications like "Mucosan" (Ambroxol hydrochloride) twice a day or “Fluimicil Forte-600” (Acetilcisteine) one by day, could help.

Ask physician.

•In case of choking, raise both arms at shoulder height, breathe only through the nose intensely if posible. I not, inhale air intensely but not very fast through the mouth. Retain air a couple of seconds and then force the cough.

•There is a suction machine which helped a lot with the very sticky phlegm. We have NOT used it yet.

•A steam atomizer to keep the air in the room moist helped, too. (40% - 52% moist advisable.)

•The physiotherapists have exercises reinforcing trunk muscles to improve the cough response to choking.

•Avoid dairy products, especially before bedtime seems to avoid the increase in viscosity of phlegm.

Prevent solids or regular liquids from reaching the lungs to avoid eventual “aspiration pneumonia,” (Besides falls, this is another very important risk.)

•Add thickeners (eg, Resource from Nestle, Thickit or CVS (in USA)) to drinks (soups, water, Aquarius orange or lemon or similar, etc.) till obtain a bit glutinous liquid. To drink, it is advisable to use a special cup (Ornamin 815) with the chin as near as possible to the chest.

•The food must be moderately doughy and in small pieces if solid.

•The speech therapist has insisted that she should not take meals that "deceive" the mechanism of swallowing that is damaged. The foods that “deceive” are those that have liquids and solids in the same bite (eg, some beans with soup or a soup with pasta).

•Check the patient is sitting fully upright to eat and try not to have distractions around while he is eating.

•Making a puree with a hand blender is always a solution, but it is preferable to crush with a fork until a homogeneous paste without liquid and so as not forget the function of chewing.

Hoping to be useful.

Hugs and luck.

Luis

[Shouldice]

Everyone has been wonderful about replying to my first post. I can see this will be a very useful resource for us. Thank you all so much.