Continuous cough: post nasal drip?

[Nw6London]

Hi all, hopefully you can provide some guidance. I've had a continuous cough for 4 months now, had a chest xray recently on the nhs (assuming all OK as heard nothing back), last lung function was fine (no fibrosis) and was beginning to lose hope... until I stumbled upon a piece by Dr Denton about post nasal drip being common in SSc patients!!

Has anyone experienced this? Looking at the symptoms, I suspect I have this, but undiagnosed. Constant flow of mucus down the back of my throat, tickly feeling leading to a dry, sometimes mucus cough. Oddly though, it doesn't persist overnight. How have you gotten rid of this? Any tips would be helpful as it's just really annoying now. 😭😭

(Ssc diagnosis. No fibrosis. Mycophenolate x2 twice daily. Severe Raynauds unmedicated)

[LadyTrundle]

Oddly, I may have that …. I used to get frequent sinusitis and often needed antibiotics. Then a trainee gp (sometime before scleroderma was spotted) went through a whole protocol flow chart and decided I had chronic Rhinitis (causing the constant drips) and she recommended using nasal douches every day and also taking Allercan (ie Cetrizine) every day. Never had sinusitis since! Royal Free team know it take the Allercan for rhinitis but none of them has ever said ‘oh that’s common with scleroderma’. But might be worth asking about?

[Agedbiker]

I had this long before being diagnosed with diffuse Ssc, fibrosis and cardiac.involvemet. I do still get it occasionally but I found a "nasal douche' helped. It looks a bit like a hamster water bottle and is filed with Luke warm saline solution which is then forced up your nose , through your sinuses and it comes out through your mouth.Not the most glamorous of things to be caught doing ! There are lots available on Amazon or through Boots. I use the Epsom salts to make the saline solution. Fingers crossed for you it may be worth a try.

[Rubytunes]

Rhinitis and post nasal drips are really common across the Uk I understand- in part due to our bodies reacting to environmental irritants such as dusts, pollens, spores etc. it can be seasonal too I seem to remember. If it’s really troubling at night sleeping a little more upright can help as then the drainage is via nose rather than back into throat. Keeping a symptom diary can help identify if there’s a particular cause sometimes.

I was an occupational health adviser and it was something we used to see frequently during respiratory surveillance in factories etc

Hope this helps

[IlovePorridge]

I also have this. Still waiting scleroderma diagnosis to add to Sjorgen's, Reynauds, reflux, collagenous colitis. You get the picture! It is horrible, and although I have had it very occasionally in the past, it has been more frequent since I have had all the other conditions. My GP prescribed a nasal spray which I use before bed. It does help a little. Hope you can find something to ease this horrible feeling.

[marbelina]

Hi there, I was diagnosed with ssc 4 years ago with my most irritating irritating symptoms being gastro. I had further investigations recently which showed I have a hiatus hernia, which is a major contributor to my acid reflux. My gastro said this is also a contributor to my permanent cough and throat clearing of mucus. It's very irritating for me and people around me. I use a neti pot and antihistamine spray when it gets particularly annoying. Good luck getting on top of it.