treatment options for cough variant asthma

[judith925]

I am currently taking COMBIVENT 4 times a day and have noticed improvement from my frequent severe coughing spells (triggered by everything--foods, pollens, chemicals, fragrances, exercise, hot and cold air). Foods still trigger a cough reaction but my overall improvement is about 40%.  The M.D. who answered my last question said that there are more potent remedies for cough-variant asthma than COMBIVENT available.   Can you tell me the names of the medications so I can discuss them with my doctor as possibly better remedies for my condition? Also, my first inhalation of the COMBIVENT (of the two puffs prescribed) always triggers a coughing spell.  The second puff is OK. Any suggestions? Overall the improvement lasts about 4 hours.  Thank you for your help

[sara01]

Cough variant asthma is a type of asthma whose only symptom is cough.

Lung function is normal or mildly impaired but does not improve after bronchodilator medication.

In cough variant asthma, dry cough particularly at night is common.

The most common causes of cough variant asthma are sinusitis, gastro esophageal reflux and asthma.

But, the asthma is not so severe as to cause any wheezing.

Cough variant asthma should be recognized from regular asthma because cough can lead to bad sinuses, allergy problems or multiple colds.

Anyone with chronic cough that persists for longer than three weeks could have cough variant asthma.