Chronic Cough

[mpcough]

I am a 37yo healthy female who does not smoke and for the past 13 yrs I have had a chronic cough that comes either after I get over a cold or if I happen to choke from drinking water. I will continue to cough for 3-4 months. I am now going through this again. I have not only seen my primary doctor but also an ENT and Pulmonary Dr. It feels as if I have an annoying tickle in my throat, I have no phlegm, or mucous. Doctors have ruled out a post nasal drip, and I do not have acid reflex. My chest xray and ct scan were all clear. I notice it gets worse if I talk, laugh, drink something cold. I do not cough while I am sleeping. Doctors have told me it is either caused by seasonal allergies, asthma or bronchitis. But no one can answer why this happens if I simply choke on a glass of water. I have taken prescribed cough syrup, cough pills, antibiotics, inhalers, anti inflammatory, allergy pills everytime this does happen. And I am still coughing. I know eventually it will stop, but this affects my job, since my job is to talk the whole day long.

This is now the 8th week I have had this cough and am still seeing my doctors, and as for now my cough has lessened, but I am still coughing.

Is there anyone that can suggest anything. This is tiresome and exhausting and I just want some relief

[Davy9]

As you've likely been informed you seem like a unique situation. Obviously something in your larnyx or trachea gets easily inflamed and stays that way. What I advise my friends with those nasty coughs is a heavy dose of Ibuprofen (about 800mg) to knock down the inflamation. But you've tried this from what I read. Another thing you may try is using a muffler over your mouth to keep the air you breath in as warm as possible. Given your history I wonder if you've talked with an ENT about doing a layngoscopy while your affected. This is a visual examination using one of those fiberoptic scopes just for a look to see if there's not something specific that could be treatable.

[mpcough]

Yes, I have had that done already by the ENT and I am still seeing doctors. I see my polmonary dr today again. I am just so annoyed by this whole thing, just want it to go away. I have tried over the counter and prescription meds and still nothing. Over time it usually about 3-4 months it goes away, but I just want to know what to do to stop it as soon as it comes so I know how to handle this the next time it starts up. My cough is now better than how it was when it starts. At the beginning I am coughing so hard and so much I can not even complete sentence. I was having pain in my stomach and lower ribs area, pain in my shoulders and had 3 episodes where I was seeing squigglies in my eyes, and the doctors have told me it is from the force of my cough. Now I can actually hold a conversation and only cough a few times. So this is getting better.

[rongroves]

From someone who can empathize. I have been coughing just like you since 1986 and I have seen all the Drs and have had all the tests. I have it for several weeks very bad then a few weeks very light. Drinking water will sometime start it, going from inside to cooler outside, laughing, talking, on and on.

It could be related to the statin drugs I am taking (Ace inhibitor). But, I don't want to go off the drug for 2-3 months just to prove it. It may not be that at all. Anyway, it is very frustrating and I have pretty much resigned myself to it.

To do that, I carry with me at all times a supply of very inexpensive cough drops. The ones with the Eucalyptus in them. I buy them by the bag fulls at discount drug stores. I try to take as few as I can get by with but they work almost immediately and allow me to carry on with my work.

You probably did not want to hear this, but this is my experience and how I deal with it.

[mpcough]

I guess I was hoping for someone to tell me they have this too and found out what it is. But everyone is telling me the same thing and just dealing with the problem. I have just seen an allergist since my pulmonologist recommended I see one. After I explained the situation to him and told him I have been going through this for about the past 13yrs and so on he looked at me like if I was an idiot and made idiotic comments like "do you always choke on water" and "are you telling me you have been coughing for 13yrs". Apparently he didn't understand what I was explaining to him. That this cough happens only when I do catch a cold and on that one occasion when I did choke on water. Well, I had the allergy test done on my back and did not react to anything, and next week I go back to see the allergist again to have the test done on my arms. I am not too happen to see him again, but I just want this test done and then I can be through with this doctor. Besides my birth control pills, I am not on any prescribed medication. And since I have started this cough again just before Thanksgiving, I have been off of them. I thought I was just taking too many prescribed meds for the cough after seeing my doctors.

Thanks for your response, I really appreciate it.

[Davy9]

mpcough

Sorry to hear that the cough continues and happy to learn that your RAST testing (the back scratch for allergies) is non reactive (so far). But the allergist did mention something that might help. If when your glottis gets swollen it allows for aspiration it will perpetuate that irritation. In other words it may not matter what initiates the glottal irritation (a cold, infection, etc...) you could be chronically aspirating saliva once it is present causing the cough to be self sustaining and paroxysmal. Ask if a swallowing study could be done. It is an xray exam using contrast media. It will need to be done while you have the cough.

[kemean]

From my experience with chronic diseases/problems, you'll have to abandon and/or marry Western and Eastern Medicine in order to find the right treatment. This is what I'd do if I were you:

1) Switch your Primary Care Physician from an MD to a DO (doctor of osteopathy), as they are trained in both Eastern & Western and can be found with a small amount of digging in almost any medical facility covered by your insurance.
2) Start seeing an Accupuncturist immediately -- preferably one trained in Asia, as there is a definite skill difference. You wouldn't believe what they can do for you.
3) Seek out a Reiki Master to work on you. This is extremely important and you won't even realize how important until you've had someone work on your energy fields.
4) Start seeing a Therapist who is not only licensed, but also knows about past lives and energy work.

This may sound far-fetched to you if you're not used to thinking non-Western, but don't forget more than half of the world believes in such practices. Just be open to trying these approaches. Allow the opportunity. From what I know about chronic disease, there's always an underlying emotional issue -- especialy deeply seated if associated with coughing -- a sign of an inability to fully express yourself or maybe a past life issue with drowning, etc.

[mpcough]

Your advice was very interesting, and never thought of looking into it from that perspective. I have never thought any of those other areas could affect a persons health and cause a chronic symptom such as a cough. But I am open to anything.

As for me now, I have stopped coughing for about a week and a half now and feel SO MUCH BETTER now that it has stopped. I just dread cold and flu season or being around anyone who is sick, and try to stay as healthy as I can during that time, so I do not catch a cold. Once I catch something, this cough starts and takes over for about 3 months or so.

Thank you for all of your advice.

[PeterG]

I can certainly relate to your story. I am a 54 year old relatively fit male. I too have had a cough a dry annoying cough for years maybe 5 or 6 years now. I have also had all CT scans x rays and thank fully both my throat and chest are clear.
I also sleep well at night.
I can choke on a glass of water a piece of apple may get caught in my throat and anything like this can start my coughs.Certain smells such as garbage smoke seem to really irritate me.Cold water is no good hot tea helps, beer is no good i get hearburn badly. Red wine is ok. I also use a looly called fishermans friend it helps me but i go through apacket every two days or so and the taste is not too nice?
It seems to be worse in the late of day when I try to unwind after work but after I first wake each day there seems to be a build up over the night that makes me cough more intensely.

My chest specialist believes that I am not asthmatic rather disagnosed reflux and put me on Nexium and many inhalers of which Flixotide seemed to work for a while. However I really feel that I have become immuned to these and as the cough is there all the time I have now got fed up with getting constant repeats from the pharmacy for the same old prescriptions when they havent really worked.
So I have stopped taken them and over the last six months. I was ok for a while and now am worse than ever constantly coughing. I am at present seeing a natureapath that was referred to be and he has given me mixtures and pills , but after three weeks still no change. He did a test on each of my hands with some electrolosis machine and was able to determine that I have high metal in my body and he seems to think it relates to old amalgam in the teeth. Do you have these old fillings in your mouth?It makes sense but what he has given me has not really helped. Should I stop alcohol not that I drink a great deal perhaps a glass or two a day during the week and maybe more on weekends.
I wish I had an answer for you and that you could help me as well. Good luck PeterG

[PeterG]

Your ideas are very interesting and perhaps I will seek and find an acupuncturer. I work in an Asian part of Sydney so maybe there should be one around.