Help! Cough that won't go Away

[trbjerk6]

I have been sick for 7 weeks!! It started with a  horrible dry cough, runny nose. It wouldn't go away, so I went to the walk-in clinic and they said it was a virus. Then it still wouldn't go away, I then went to the walk-in again....they said I had Bronchitis and gave me Doxycycline and  Prednisone. It still did not work, I went to my regular doc and had a chest x-ray and they told me I had Pneumonia and he gave me Levaquin. In the meantime I took some Asthma tests (per my doctor's suggestion) and found out I have Asthma. I was given Pulmicort and MaxAir. My cough still wasn't going away and my tongue was extremely swollen. I went to the walk-in once again, they gave me a Nebulizer Treatment,Prednisone, and Nystatin for oral thrush. They said to come back if it didn't get better, which of course it hasn't. I then was tested for Whooping Cough, they did the swab through my nose and also did bloodwork. I have not got the results back yet, but in the meantime I was also prescribed  Azithromycin. I have taken three doses of the Azithromycin and still do not feel any better!!! I do not know what to do?! Nothing is working and I can't take this anymore..........

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Each of those treatments taken separately are reasonable for each diagnosis

What isn't reasonable is that you don't sound like you're trusting one doc (your regular doc) to help coordinate all of the same care.

That's why you're getting all of these different opinions.  For example the doc that tested you for pertussis (whooping cough) may not have if they knew you'd been on doxycycline and levaquin, which can be helpful to cure this.

You need to go trust 1 doc to coordinate all of your care.  Then you won't get so confused by all of these seemingly discordant treatments.

[trbjerk6]

The reason I didn't go to my regular dotor all the other times is simply because I can never get in. He is almost always booked up. All the docotrs that I had seen did know of the medications I had already been on, and my history of what had been happening. Also, the Pertussis came back negative. I do have an appointment to see my regular doc again on 1/7/08, but what do I do in the meantime???

[christina6822]

I am going through the EXACT thing.  I have been sick for 9 weeks now.  I was first prescribed a zpack for what was supposed to be a sinus infection... then they thought it went to bronchitis... and I was given Augmentin... and it didn't help AT ALL. They then put me on Levaquin... and I felt better for a few days... and now am totally sick all over again.  
I am miserable....  and totally feel you about not being able to take it anymore.  I started crying this morning, because I'm exhausted from being sick.  I am so unhappy.  

Will you let me know what your doctor ends up doing?    ***@****

[Enoch Choi, MD]

I'm glad you gave the history to the other docs, that's reassuring, many people don't do that.

try to call your doc and ask why you're not getting better, i'd be primarily concerned about the asthma.  Perhaps asking for a longer course of oral steroids could help.  This can be prescribed over the phone by your regular physician based on your symptoms of asthma not improving.  If you can give them peak flow measurements, that helps.

[bob_feels_bad_real_bad]

We seem to have the same or something similar in SE PA.  My Mother lives with me and she caught it on the day after Christmas and I caught it on New Year's eve.  I was gobbling Vitamin C before I caught it but that did not fight this thing off.  It started as a heavy cough, then headache, then some sniffles.  Now, it just makes you cough.  Some days, you wake up thinking you are feeling better and have it all behind you.  Then, overnight it sneaks back and hammers you down again.  I do not have asthma and rarely get sick.  My Mother had her flu shot and has not been sick in 2 years.  We are sick now and I don't remember anything like this.

I guess we wait for the August heat.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

where in southeast pennsylvania?

2 weeks of illness that gets better then worse, sounds viral

probably not flu if she has the shot

if you've never been this sick, it's worth a visit to the doctor

[andrewr270]

It happening all over the country.  Its the goverment spraying chemicals from airplanes thats putting particles into the air thats irritating and infecting the lungs. The cough is the body trying to rid itself of the foreign objects. Look up "chemtrials" on the internet. Good luck

[andrewr270]

Look it up. If you are outside during the days they are spraying, you should wear a mask so your not breathing in all those particles.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

i'd expect any chemicals sprayed from planes to quickly deposit and land and stick to the ground.

i'd be more worried about being in a closed space like a small room, with someone who was contagious and coughing & sneezing

[bob_feels_bad_real_bad]

After 3 weeks to a month, it appears my Mother and I are over the worst of it.  I believe it was some form of bronchitis.  At least that is what the symptoms were like.  I had the heavy cough that made all parts of my body hurt.

Some of the symptoms continue to linger.  If I get the dry cough a few times, I take a cough drop "ricola" and stop it.  The last 4 or 5 nights I was able to sleep.  Before that, I would wake up coughing after less than an hour on my side.  Then I spent the night sitting up and sleeping.  It was better than no sleep.

It seems we caught it on Christmas Eve in a crowded church.  Near the end of the service, a little girl turned towards us and let loose with one horrendous cough.  That is about it.  I look forward to Spring and sunshine.

[andrewr270]

These particles are aerosol.  Just as sneezing sends virus germs into the air in a aerosol spray. They do not quickly fall to the ground and stick.  

[wonderdad]

I got exactly the same thing. On New Year's eve I had a fever and it seemed like the flu. Then after 10 days or so or cough, fever (up to 102), night sweats, etc.,  I went to the walk-in "urgent care" clinic (I called my regular doc and they said they have "no appointments" -- ever, with Brown and Toland Blue Cross -- sometimes I can get an appointment but it's in like 3-4 months from when I call).  

So the doc said I had walking pneumonia -- no xray, no tests. And she prescribed the z-pack (azythromycin). I took it for the prescribed 5 days and started to feel better, but then about 2 days after I was done, the cough started to come back, and got congestion, more fever, etc.  

The following week I went to the urgent care again, and got a chest x-ray and they said I have pneumonia and prescribed Levaquin. I took it for 5 days, then started feeling better afterwards, though still coughing. But then about a week later the cough starts to get worse in my chest again.  It's now Feb 10 and I have been sick for nearly six weeks and nothing seems to work. I can't get an appointment with my regular doc so have to just keep going to Urgent Care where you sit for 3 or 4 hours with a bunch of coughing people, and the docs are in such a hurry that they don't really examine you well. Plus they don't know your history very well, etc.  

I don't know what to do anymore :(   And we have very good (I thought) company insurance via Blue Cross and Brown and Toland at UCSF in San Francisco, but I can NEVER get a doc appointment there. It's the worst system.

I don't know what to do now -- they've tried two antibiotics.  How long does it take for the cough to come out of my chest after the antibiotic is done? It's been about 10 days again since I finished.

What do I do next? :(

[apd116]

Yep!  Thank goodness other people are having the same problems.  I've had one symptom after another since Christmas.  Had the cough, ALOT of CONGESTION!!  (head mostly)  I feel like I could plug my nose and blow a gallon of snot out!!  I WISH I could!!  Been to the DR, got 2 shots, antibiotic and steroid.  Tried Mucinex, it helped a little but not anymore.  PLEASE help!!  I have asthma (since I was born) but have never felt THIS BAD!!

[apd116]

Oh, yeah, and it hurts like the devil when I swallow today!! New day, new symptom.  I thought maybe I was dying but since so many others are feeling the same way at least I ain't going alone!!!

[bikermomma]

Mucinex! That stuff is the bomb. My husband just got over it and with out the mucinex; he wouldn't have made ot through it, so to speak.
Good Luck

[Medavinci]

My daughter went back to school after holiday break on Jan 7th, and she came home with a wet cough. The school had put down a new carpet in the hallways and done some other work. The cough was loose & she felt miserable & was out of school 2 days that first week, 2 more days the second week and a day the 3rd week of january. From the 25th to Feb 5th, she couldn't bear to go in. The dr put her on 2 different antibiotics, omnicef first then amox-clav 875mg, and once the congestion started, ordered 40mg prednisone for 5 days. He said it didn't need to be tapered since she was only on it for 5 days. She was also prescribed a cough medicine with codeine so she could sleep at night.

When she finished the prednisone, she started wheezing. The dr diagnosed asthma as a result of this respiratory irritation & put her on medrol 32mg for 6 days with no tapering. She got worse with congestion and coughing into the 4th day, but he said the asthma disappeared. She is so tired and exhausted from all this. She finished the last dose of medrol Saturday and Monday morning woke up with pain in her neck/glands (they're not swollen).

Last Thursday when she was at her worst, the dr said although the cough/congestion sounded bad, the sinuses were pristine and the asthma was gone due to the medrol.  The cough and congestion, from January 7th, is still here so the antibiotics and steroids did not effect change. Her pneumoccal and strep antibodies are still low but she has never had strep or pneumonia over the years, just a lot of croup and bronchitis as a baby/toddler. She had a general CBC screening in December which showed no abnormalities.

Monday, she came home from school congested and coughing, and complained of nausea and a headache. I gave her some tylenol. Yesterday,she went to school and was nauseous in the morning, had a headache and her glands were aching. She came home so nauseous she went straight to bed.  She had 101 fever and couldn't sleep because the congestion was so bad.  This morning she was blowing out mucous that was green, so I phoned the dr.  He said she probably picked up yet another virus/infection!  How? One day back at school?  I find it incredible.  In the past if she had a sinus infection, it would clear by the 3rd day on antibiotics.  The fact that the original mucous was never discolored troubles me,and the dr agrees it may not have been a sinus infection. So she took antibiotics for what then?  She's so  fatigued and completely lost her sense of smell and taste which is frightening to my daughter and myself.  The dr prescribed biaxin XL and mucinex for her to start today for this "new" infection.  She's also taking motrin for the headache pain and has been doing a sinus rinse.   We stopped the nasonex as it didn't help the congestion; in fact, it made it worse. I despise all this medication because of all the long term side effects and build up in the body.  

It was discovered in 2003 that my daughter had low pneumoccal and strep antibodies although she's never had either. She gets bouts of sinusitis a couple of times a year. The immunologist ordered a protocol of 2 flu shots and a pneumonia shot per year to boost the antibodies. The first year, it worked well and she didn't get sick ; however, the antibodies didn't rise. The second year, she had a reaction to the pneumonia shot and just had 2 flu shots. The past 2 years, she just got 1 flu shot and was sick with sinusitis in the winter. I decided not to give 2 flu shots because there's a lot of information out there about the dangers of flu shots long term. In July 2007 she came down with sinusitis at camp, and came home hoarse (she loves singing so it was devastating for her).  We saw an ENT to rule out polyps.  There was some inflammation,but the dr thought it might be coming from acid reflux. She was put on antibiotics as well just in case there was some residual infection left from the summer. I didn't agree with the protocol. I took her to a naturopath, and he put her on a natural antacid (licorice) which she wasn't consistent in taking. Then the cough/sinusitis started in January. I'm afraid she might become antibiotic resistant.

I am at my wit's end, Could it all just be allergies? The dr suggested that since she's has so many bouts of sinusitis, it could be caused by allergies. If things don't get any better, then  he suggested taking singulaire at night (I just feel like it is now becoming a guessing game, and I'm not happy), but I don't want to start yet another new medication without doing allergy testing first.  I don't know whether to see an infectious disease specialist, ENT or pediatric pulmonologist next.....the dr we see now is a board certified allergist/immunologist.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[coughcough]

I have had a cough that will not go away too!!  There is something up here and I wonder why we aren't hearing anything about this in the media.

I feel great, I have energy, but I have a cough that will not end.  It has been going on for a month now and I am never sick like this.  I have been taking an inhaler given by a doctor (Albuterol Sulfate), Mucinex, but I refuse to get anitbiotics.  

My concern increases reading what you are all taking about.  What's up doc?

Frank

[coughcough]

I just read somewhere else that the COUGH might be a result of a vitamin B deficiency but that over the counter vitamin B will not help but eating foods rich in complex vitamin B will including: wheat germ, liver, sunflower seeds, blackstrap molasses.  

The site where I found this information is at:

http://www.lionsgrip.com/cosymptoms.html

Hope this helps.
Frank

[sandy321123]

Sounds like a lot of the same story.  I live in WV and have had asthma for many years.  After being in the hosp for pneumonia, I followed up with a lung spec and ENT.  They both suggested allergy testing.  I just had that done this week.  WELL, besides a lot of foods, I am allergic to all of the antibotics that I have been taking.  

The worst group of allergies come from the histamine familiy, and mold and mildew.  This includes antibotics, pain killers and a lot of foods.  Including coffee, tea, any dark cola, spinach, all citrus fruits, bananas, fish, tomatoes and a lot of other foods.  I have gone off all of the above listed foods and meds.  Allergy shots start next week.  My ENT did the allergy tests in one day.  Might be something to think about.
Sick in WV!

[stephmens]

To all of you coughing, chew ginger hot root at the beginning of your day (starting from morning). size should be about that of regular candy. Get some water by your side just  in case you need to cool down. This is a Ghana-Africa way of curing cough.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU

[stephmens]

Try the ginger this way for about a week.

To all of you coughing, chew ginger hot root at the beginning of your day (starting from morning). size should be about that of regular candy. Get some water by your side just  in case you need to cool down. This is a Ghana-Africa way of curing cough.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU

[coughcough]

I think I discovered what I have - pertussis - Whooping Cough. . . .  you should all check this out . . .  I will check on Wednesday with my doctor to see if I can get tested so my case can be reported.  

http://www.pertussis.com/

Knowing this at least helps ease my concerns and I started on a regement of complex Vitamin B three days ago (eathing Wheat Germ, Molasses, Sunflower Seeds) and I say that yesterday and today I feel a little better and have moment of repriever where I feel like I might get over this.   See my other posting to the site about Vitamin B (don't take the pills just the natural foods that offer our bodies the full complex of Vitamin B) . . .  

http://www.lionsgrip.com/cosymptoms.html

The other thing is that I switched from Theraful which seemed to be the only thing that helped but I realized that you can only take that for a maximum of 7 DAYS!  So I have switched to 1 200mg Ibuprofen  and 1 30mg tablet of Sudafed every four hours and that helps dry up the mucus and eliminates the awful pains in my side from coughing.

Hope this helps everyone.   Best wishes, Frank

[coughcough]

Someone just told me that if I had Pertussis, I would not be able to do half the things I am doing so. . .   I have no idea what is up and just hope this goes away  - it is still with me day 31 and counting.

Adult Croup??  Who knows, I didn't go to medical school and only wish we had a national health care system so I could get some professional help.

Frank

[coughcough]

Sandy,  Thank you for replying . . .  I appreicate learning about your experience . . .  I think I am going to stop playing doctor now and go to a professional two days from now.  You words of support are appreicated.

Frank

[gmackley]

Misery loves company - I am in my 2nd bout with this mysterious affliction and am about at my wits end. The first bout did finally subside without a doctor but not sure why.  This current bout started about 4 weeks ago and this time I saw the doctor right away.  Went through the zpack and subsequently 5 day prescription of CIPRO and just started the 3rd antibiotic today - Doxycycline. Symptons include very deep and productive cough, - night time coughing fits - runny nose - (clear mucous) dizziness, ear ache, sinus pain and headache.  Generally tired and lothargic.  My 27 year old son has it as well and is also on his third antibiotic.  Hot tea and honey help the cough but after going years with no colds whatsoever, I am really really tired of this.  This is the first year I ever had a flu shot. Not sure I will do another.

[bgdeeps]

Hi,
I am from India  I am surpised to see so many people suffring from this cough( that too from the US!)  and notihng seems to work there too!
I have on and off cough from last 6 months. I have taken off from my job cause of this constand coughing. the cough is so bad many a times i end up vomiting at the end of it.
I tried ayurveda , homeopathy, normal antibiotics anti histamins anti allergins nothign works. everything seems to keep the cough down for 15 days max and then I am sick again. For me its not just cough, i am tired and I cannot concentrate as well when I am sick with this.
I too discovered this site today http://www.lionsgrip.com/cough.html let me see if this works.

[jorklttttttttttttt]

You might be right about these chemtrails.  I started really wondering if it was a coincidence about the things I saw.  A large plane flying over at 1:00 AM and then a short time after it would fly over, I could hear a light rain falling on all the trees.  No clouds in the sky though, and this happened and is probably still happening about 4 times a month.

I didn't think anything of it, probably spraying for mosquitoes.  Then I got sick.  Sickest I have EVER been in my 40 years of life.  Been sick with chest congestion for going on 9 weeks, started with very hard dry cough, broke a rib coughing, on 3rd time of antibiotic, inhalers, antihistamines, now root canal(related?), very very tired, can't focus, losing tons of money from not working and high priced medications like levaquin. only thing good is i quit smoking 1st week into this.

I think our government is spraying bad stuff in the air to try and get any illegal citizens in the ER, spies, terror cells, etc.  They are most likely NOT vaccinated like the rest of us.  Bad thing is, I'm walking around not vaccinated against whooping cough so I'm told.  Could this be what I have?  On second dosage of levaquin, this time for 14 days.







by andrewr270

", Jan 16, 2008 09:52AM
To: the coughers
It happening all over the country.  Its the goverment spraying chemicals from airplanes thats putting particles into the air thats irritating and infecting the lungsAcute respiratory distress syndrome
Bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Coal worker's lungs - chest x-ray
Coal worker's pneumoconiosis
Collapsed lung, pneumothorax
Diaphragm and lungs
Heart-and-lung transplant
Incision for lung biopsy
Lung anatomy
Lung biopsy. The coughCough
Pertussis is the body trying to rid itself of the foreign objects. Look up "chemtrials" on the internet. Good luck"

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

well has anyone been on inhalers that has never had asthma, thats my problem, am on inhalres have wheezed for a month or longer .  i think it leaves some of us with asthma  and i hate inhalers they make me very shakey anyone haveing this proble with the cold ive had it now 3 months

[luuvly]

When I was 10, I was on a steroid inhaler for about 3 months when I lived in the Brampton area because I would stop breathing and have what appeared to be an asthma attack. We later learned that it was the pollution burning my throat and lungs when I slept to the point that my esophagus would shut down. My parents swiftly moved me to a northern climate with fresher air. I haven't had any problems because of it.

I have had this cough since October 2008. It started out wet and muscus-y and the walkin-clinic doc said it was a sinus infection. I took the Amoxycillin even though I have immunity to it, and nothing happened. The colds have come and gone, and I am still coughing. It's particularly bad when I am in a dry climate naturally. I am active and full of energy, but I cough all the time.

The only way I've been able to relieve my symptoms is by drinking warm fluids (not the best for it) and sucking back Vicks cough drops like candies.

I would love to know whats wrong. I don't feel like going back to the doctor because I know I'm going to get "it's bronchitis" and when its not bronchitis, it'll be something else that it really isn't and I can't afford to  be going on a million different medications.

anyone have any clue yet?

[Avallon]

[QUOTE] trbjerk6: We seem to have the same or something similar in SE PA.  My Mother lives with me and she caught it on the day after Christmas and I caught it on New Year's eve.  I was gobbling Vitamin C before I caught it but that did not fight this thing off.  It started as a heavy cough, then headache, then some sniffles.  Now, it just makes you cough.  Some days, you wake up thinking you are feeling better and have it all behind you.  Then, overnight it sneaks back and hammers you down again.  I do not have asthma and rarely get sick.  My Mother had her flu shot and has not been sick in 2 years.  We are sick now and I don't remember anything like this.[/QUOTE]

I have the same thing. However, my doctor believe I caught Strep on the Christmas plane trip. When I arrived, the following day I felt like I was having some kind of allergic reaction, as I had a runny nose, a bad headache, sore throat, and was overall feeling weak. When I arrived home on the 29th this thing turned into a cough. I went to my doctor and he said he believes I caught Strep. Also, my right eye puffed up and there was a discharge indicating pink eye. Still need to get the lab results.

I have been taking Vitamin A, C, and D2 to help boost my immune system. Sometimes it feels like things are getting better, then all of a sudden I have a coughing fit, like this morning. I took a Hals and it quieted the cough. Also, my voice is hoarse and I sound like I have a cold.

[mngirl111]

I know exactly how you are feeling!! i started to cry the other day cuz i am so sick of being sick... hopefully we both start to feel better soon!

[iceflame]

I had this problems last year.
im frm singapore, weather here is kinda moist. but i sleep in the air-con room every night cuz temp in sgp is too hot.
i've been coughing for 2 mths, tried to see my family doc and was diagnose as broncitits. so i took the precribe med(cant rem what med was it though) for 1 week. but it did not get any better at all, instead, it got more worst.

this time im coughing, had alot of clear mucus.(trust me, its really alot), chest congestion, difficulty breathing. all symtom gets worst esp in the night. however, if i sleep without the air-con my cough will get a little better. i assume its because of air-con room the humidity is drying, if i sleep without the air-con, the humidity is quite moist. as singapore weather is alot more moist then in USA.

okay, here is the most impt part. how i cure my cough away after 2 mths of waiting and visiting tons of doc...

this is the TCM the one i go to, after 2 weeks of some chinese herb. i was healed and the cough never ever came back.

does US or other country has TCM?
u guys can try to go to ur country's chinatown.
find a shop that sells chinese herb or see a chinese physician.
they will check ur pulse at ur wrist, asked what happen to you.
something to do with 'heat' or 'coldness' in your body.
then they can precribe with the remedy tat suit you.
we chinese believe that chinese herb will heal the 'roots of the cause' unlike western method heals from the effects.
thats why some of you after taking some drug, u feel slightly better, but the cough eventually came back as worst again.

just my 2cents worth.

[Pleen]

It's going around in Toronto too, that's Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Started just before Xmas holiday season and most people still have a cough. Seems to move from lungs, to throat to sinus area, then repeats.

Slowly getting better but sometimes I wake up feeling worse than I did a few days earlier.

What can we do?

[bob_feels_bad_real_bad]

I wrote of my horro cough last Jaunary.  It finally went away.  However, from time to time, I still have to cough.  Maybe just once but something has been changed in my body.  At least, I haven't been sick yet this Winter.

[shanie333]

My father has had the cough that bothers him every night for 2 years.  Sometimes just temperature change can cause the coughing.  He is in the process of running all kinds of tests with doctors and all come back negative.  After reading about nettie pots on this site, I called him and told him to give it a try.  He uses it daily and loves it!!!  It has helped his cough and he says he can breathe better.  He said he will continue using the nettie pot forever.  Hope this helps.

[steelie13]

I live in Vancouver and have been sick since mid January. I had a hoarse voice then it turned to a cough which produce coloured phlegm. I have also had a runny nose with a neverending snot supply. I don't feel tired and I function well but I am hampered by this phlegm. I went to the clinic twice and was first prescribed antibiotics for bronchitis but they didn't work. Then I got prescribed Avelox and that lessened it but I still have this stuff now and it has been almost 2 weeks.

[Brick1962]

I have been sick for over a year with  the same symptoms, never ending phlegm, slight sore throat, headaches and for thepast three months I break out into a sweat when I eat at times.

[myboocla]

hi. after a month of different diagnoses, antibiotics, cough medicines, streoids, xrays and inhalers, I was still sick. I went to a new doctor with a list of all medications i was prescribed and my symptoms. I had a coughing attack in the office and he immediately said it was pertussis, a.k. whooping cough. He did bloodwork, testing specifically for pertussis. the bloodwork came back negative but he said that might be because of all the antibiotics i was on. He still felt sure that it was pertussis and reported it somewhere as a probable case. Now, of a month later, i still have the cough and have cracked some ribs and pulled muscle fibers. i really can't take much more of this... could i have pertussis?

[clintonfamily]

My some had a cough that would not clear up and was starting to damage his vocal cord and doctor wanted to operate not even addressing the constant cough -A neighbor had a guest from New York and her child had the same problem -both our children had a series of antibiotics & breathing treatments-Her son finally got better after using Biaxin so I told my Doctor to try -It worked within a few days he was better.It's a broad spectrum anti biotic -though I don't know what organism was the culprit it worked & no operation!