airway hyperreactivity

each time that i have a cold and a cough associated with it.  After been cured from the cold and that cough, i start to feel tightness and each time that i speak, it feels itchy in my airway, causing me to have dry cough.  This could go on for a whole month.  I have to use steroid inhaler for a whole month.  How to prevent it from happening each time that I have a cold/cough?  I am also taking beta blocker to slow my heart beat and control blood pressure.  Been told that betablocker causes airway tightness, hence dry cough.  Please help.

[Jenn12546]

I would address the beta blocker with your doctor, sometimes that type of medication can cause bronchospasm. I am not a doc, so please take what I say for what it is...your doctor is the best source for advice.
With that being said, it sounds like your problems get worse with a cold or respiratory illness. The airways get very irritated with a viral/bacterial infection and can make them more bronchospastic. I know that whenever I get an infection in my lungs, they feel raw and itchy, I cough explosively at times. As my lungs heal, the cough gets better because the degree of inflammation goes down. I sometimes have to take a burst of Prednisone to reduce the irritation, inhalers such as Symbicort and Advair have a steriod in them and do well but sometimes a little more help is needed.

I am not sure what you can do to prevent the coughing that comes with a cold, just make sure you take your inhalers and if it gets to be too bothersome or you feel like your chest is much tighter with difficulty in breathing, see your doctor as soon as possible. You could need additional treatment.

Another idea would be to talk to your doctor now, before a cold strikes and between the two of you, you could formulate a plan of action as far as meds to take, any additional treatments, when to call, etc....That way, you won't have to suffer needlessly by waiting to be seen, you will already have an idea of what to do.

Good luck,
Jenn