Dry cough that wont go away

[Emfrenette]

Its been about 2 month maybe now and I keep getting this cough .. not phlegmy just dry and sometimes I have an attack were I cant stop it water doesnt help . Cough drops dont either .it happens all diff times of the day I've been told I only have reynauds and Crest syndrome. Limited to hands/feet .

[bookworm]

Hiya have what at the moment call my fur balls, having to cough things up. I sometimes get a dry cough. Sometimes take ricola sweets, pharmacist a few years back recommended them. I would see what your local pharmacy recommends.

[Duttie]

Hello, I used to have a dry cough, it stopped once acid reflux was diagnosed and I was given Omeprazole. If you have CREST, you are likely to have acid reflux

[zenabb]

I had that for a long time until I asked to be referred to the ENT (ears, nose and throat). I found them very helpful. Their best advice was not to get in a panic, pinch your nose, hold your breath as long as you can. It works.

[honeybug]

Hi Emfre 😊🌸🌿🦋

I have Raynaud’s phenomenon and Sjögrens. I normally have a dry cough too. Sounds like you are having bronchospasms. I have asthma too...maybe a bronchodilator would help settle down the spells.

Best wishes to get it sorted dear.

😊🌸🌿🦋🙏🤗💗😘

[Hidden]

I think the advice for any persistent cough is to have it investigated; I wouldn’t want to try to guess what might be the root cause as it could be so many things. X

[JamesScott]

An annoying little dry cough was my very first symptom of scleroderma, and it was several years later before we realised what it was a symptom of!!

I ignored it for over a year, until I had a coughing attack that wouldn't stop until I passed out. Then went to the doctor.

I was tested for everything that might have anything to do with a cough (but not scleroderma.... because who would?!) Eventually I was tried on a purple inhaler, which got it under control, and now I've got a pinky coloured one, same ingredient but half the dose, that I have to use for a week or so two or three times a year when I feel the cough coming back.

[Patishna in reply to JamesScott]

Hi, JamesScott. As your symptoms so closely match my daughter's (well, at least from what you've written here) .... can you give me the name of your pink colored inhaler. I would like to ask if her Drs had ever suggested that. Her cough continues .... all the time.

[JamesScott in reply to Patishna]

I have the box here, and it's "Qvar 100 Aerosol".

The active bit in it is Beclometasone Dipropionate.

They tried me on it pretty much out of desperation, as nothing could be diagnosed and nothing else helped, and after a few weeks on it, the cough went away.

The inhaler is a dark pink/red, and is half the dose of the light pink/purple one, but the lesser dose is plenty once things are under control.

[Patishna in reply to JamesScott]

Thank you very much, JamesScott. I am going to pass that along to my daughter. Have you also lost lung capacity?

[JamesScott in reply to Patishna]

I've always had good lungs, and as soon as I was diagnosed I pushed my fitness very hard, and so far I've maintained good function.

I've just had a set of tests, and it will be interesting to see how things are compared with the last round!

[GGhere]

I have a dry cough that comes and goes - do you take blood pressure medication? Consultant warned me when he prescribed them that they could cause a cough. It seems a strange connection but sure enough I did develop a mysterious dry cough - bad some days and doesn't appear at all on others.

[foxglove]

I find PHOLCODIENE linctus helps a lot. The low strength easily available from pharmacy - higher strength script or buy on net

[Rking50]

Does the beginning of your cough coincide with a change in medication either prescribed or over the counter? Some medications can cause a dry cough along with mild reactions to supplements or OTC meds. Either way see your rheumatologist and possibly ear nose and throat Dr. You may just need to inform your Rh Dr. they may suggest a specialist if they do not feel it is related to Sclaro. Either way even if you find a cough drop or something to soothe the cough do not ignore it, see a professional. Bring a list of everything you take along with your diagnoses if other than your Rh Dr.

Depending on where the cough is generating from, such as the back of your throat or high up in airway is important to know also.

I am sure it is annoying, gargling with warm salt water may help.

Help with immediate cough try milk or smoothie. Something that coats your throat.

[Patishna]

Hi, Emfrenette. My daughter is the one in our family that caused me to reach out to groups such as this. She is 34-yrs old, and like JamesScott, her persistent dry eventually, along with an increased difficulty in breathing, caused her to go get it checked out.....with a diagnosis of scleroderma. She has had symptoms of Reynauds since she was a teen.

[bluesgirl]

I had Raynaud’s for many years then developed a dry cough and just a very small amount of breathlessness on walking on an incline. I was eventually diagnosed with Diffuse Scleroderma and lung fibrosis associated with it. As with every change it really is best to have any issue investigated. Over the counter remedies may not be appropriate.

[Emfrenette]

Thanks everyone for your replies . I'm actually current not on any meds , doctors thinks I am on remition , I'm not sure if no meds is 100% the best thing for me at the moment. My rheumy was upset that my family doctor had me on the wrong meds but I dont see him for 6 mth at a time so I had to go to my family doc for help I was getting really bad migraines with the nefedipine :calcium channel blocker . She had me on propanolol : beta blocker instead . And rheumy told me it was causing the tightening in my legs /blocking circulation to my legs . Now he took me off the meds . And winter is near I'm freezing and nothing to help me with the pain and numbness from the reynauds . I now after the 2+ mth with the cough I've explained . It's back to school with my daughter and guess who gets the worst cold ? That's right me ! Of course. Is there ways of knowing if there's fibroids in my lungs ? I just recently got xray and ultrasounds on my fingers and hands because rheumy thought I was getting calcinosis build up . So could it mean it's more than in my fingers all sudden ? I feel like I'm all over the place with symptoms and never know when to worry and see anyone .