26th July 2006
ASantee,
You are not alone. I have had a chronic cough for several years--the gagging (sometimes vomiting), dry, can't catch your breath, pulling rib muscles kind of coughing. Last year it lasted for 4 months before I got it under control and this year it was about 3 1/2 months. In general there are four things that cause a chronic cough
[LIST=1]
[*]allergies
[*]asthma
[*]post nasal drip
[*]acid reflux
[/LIST]
It sounds like your doctor has been treating you for all of these items. Unfortunately for me, I actually have all of the above. It has taken trying various combinations of medications before I could get the cough under control. For me, when one of the items flares up it tends to set off the others so getting it under control is sometimes frustrating. For example: when I get a sinus infection it sets off my asthma which in turn sets off more acid reflux problems. I just have to keep telling myself that we will hit upon the right combination of things that work and watch what triggers an episode (if there is a noticible trigger) so I can avoid it. Currently I have been cough free since mid April (after a cough that began in January). My current course of treatment is: Prevacid 2x/day, Advair 500/50, Allegra, Singulair, Flonase and Astelin. I am also following a low acid diet and trying to avoid allergy and asthma triggers.
The other thing that can cause a chronic cough--it is actually nicknamed "The 100 Day Cough"-- is Pertussis (Whopping Cough). In adults, it can be difficult to catch your breath, but you don't usually hear the "whoop" that you hear in children. The cases of Pertussis have gone way up in the last several years. In my area it went up over 400% last year. Recent research has shown that the immunizations we received as children are not effective past pre-teen ages. There are new vaccines, but so far most insurances are not covering it for adults. Last year I had blood testing and nasal testing but both came back inconclusive--I was never sure what was causing the cough. After my multiple visits to the doctor last year between January and June I came to think I had a sinus infection (started it all), cold weather and bad air asthma flare up, indoor allergies, reflux flare up (definitely had the symptoms), a viral infection, Pertussis and the flu. I was miserable. (I have never missed a day of work or school for illnesses until this episode.) Ironically:dizzy: EVERY one of these items had a symptom of a chronic cough.
I hope I didn't scare you, but you should have some hope. When I found the treatment that worked for me I was nervous because I knew the cough would return, but it hasn't returned yet.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Signed: Cough free since April.
You are not alone. I have had a chronic cough for several years--the gagging (sometimes vomiting), dry, can't catch your breath, pulling rib muscles kind of coughing. Last year it lasted for 4 months before I got it under control and this year it was about 3 1/2 months. In general there are four things that cause a chronic cough
[LIST=1]
[*]allergies
[*]asthma
[*]post nasal drip
[*]acid reflux
[/LIST]
It sounds like your doctor has been treating you for all of these items. Unfortunately for me, I actually have all of the above. It has taken trying various combinations of medications before I could get the cough under control. For me, when one of the items flares up it tends to set off the others so getting it under control is sometimes frustrating. For example: when I get a sinus infection it sets off my asthma which in turn sets off more acid reflux problems. I just have to keep telling myself that we will hit upon the right combination of things that work and watch what triggers an episode (if there is a noticible trigger) so I can avoid it. Currently I have been cough free since mid April (after a cough that began in January). My current course of treatment is: Prevacid 2x/day, Advair 500/50, Allegra, Singulair, Flonase and Astelin. I am also following a low acid diet and trying to avoid allergy and asthma triggers.
The other thing that can cause a chronic cough--it is actually nicknamed "The 100 Day Cough"-- is Pertussis (Whopping Cough). In adults, it can be difficult to catch your breath, but you don't usually hear the "whoop" that you hear in children. The cases of Pertussis have gone way up in the last several years. In my area it went up over 400% last year. Recent research has shown that the immunizations we received as children are not effective past pre-teen ages. There are new vaccines, but so far most insurances are not covering it for adults. Last year I had blood testing and nasal testing but both came back inconclusive--I was never sure what was causing the cough. After my multiple visits to the doctor last year between January and June I came to think I had a sinus infection (started it all), cold weather and bad air asthma flare up, indoor allergies, reflux flare up (definitely had the symptoms), a viral infection, Pertussis and the flu. I was miserable. (I have never missed a day of work or school for illnesses until this episode.) Ironically:dizzy: EVERY one of these items had a symptom of a chronic cough.
I hope I didn't scare you, but you should have some hope. When I found the treatment that worked for me I was nervous because I knew the cough would return, but it hasn't returned yet.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Signed: Cough free since April.