Coughing Apnea Rash

[mic.nic]

About 6 weeks ago I developed a cough, unproductive occasssional bouts left me nauseous and with eyes watering. Generally I had no other cold or flu symptoms. The severity of the cough eased but in the last two days every time I cough (even one gentle cough)I am unable to draw breath afterwards. After I struggle I am able eventually to draw air into my lungs. Note that it sems like a physical prevention rather than just wheezing.The difficulty recedes extremely quickly but a side effect is burping for a little while after. Yesterday I coughed and was unable to breath in at all for around 30 secs to a minute, I was on the verge of passing out and was extremely frightened when I managed to draw breath. In minutes I was generally Ok but extremely aprehensive about coughing. A visit to the hospital was pointless - the Health Care worker said don't worry I would breath eventually - did not look in my throat but took a chest x-ray that was clear told me to get cough syrup. I have been unable to prevent the coughing but now find that if after a cough I either deliberately wait before breathing in the symtoms of a blockage are less severe and I can slowly draw breath - a similar situation exists if I conceentrate on breathing through nose instead of mouth. Latterly (past week) I have developed a rash on my chin which today has spread to my neck - may not be connected but it is red slightly flaky and a little itchy. For around 8 weeks I have also had a lower diffuse back pain on my left side, does not get worse with movement just comes and goes - probably not linked to above.

[National Jewish]

From the description, you seem to be experiencing vocal cord dysfunction or vocal cord spasm.  It should subside as your cough subsides.  However if it does not, you may have to be treated with speech therapy.  Such vocal cord problems are often associated with anxiety or what are called panic attacks.  Having difficulty taking a breath-in would make anyone anxious.  If you are anxious, for any reason whatsoever you should talk with your doctor about treatment with medicine for your anxiety.

I agree, that the back pain is probably not linked.

[bactitech]

What is your age? If you are young (teens to twenties to early thirties) it could be Mycoplasma pneumoniae. That can sometimes cause a rash.

http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic1524.htm

Also, Pertussis (AKA whooping cough) can sometimes show up in young adults. There is a breakout going on right now in either ond of the Dakotas or Idaho (can't remember which one, but just read about it). This age group can be a reservoir host and source of infection for small children and infants because their childhood vaccines can wear off.

http://tinyurl.com/alsku

According to this PubMed citation,

"RESULTS: In the 95 previously immunized patients with serologically confirmed pertussis (mean age [+/- SD], 8.9 +/- 4.4 years old; range, 5 to 30 years old), the mean duration from onset of symptoms until the final diagnosis of pertussis was 23 +/- 15 days. The disease was usually atypical and generally mild. All the described patients had cough, usually prolonged, lasting 4 +/- 3.6 weeks. Only 6% had the classic whoop...

CONCLUSIONS: Pertussis in previously immunized individuals is usually characterized by an atypical and relatively mild clinical course. Patients suffer mainly from a prolonged and persistent cough. Early diagnosis may lead to prompt administration of therapy. Prophylaxis of exposed persons might be effective in decreasing both severity and transmission of the disease."

Please stay away from infants and young children until you are well, just to be on the safe side. This disease in the unvaccinated can be fatal.

[bactitech]

http://tinyurl.com/awh5l

Whooping cough outbreak is in Idaho. URL is above. Are you near Boise?

[mic.nic]

My age 44, live in England, off to Doctors again today, hard to avoid children as I have three of my own, but thanks for the suggestions.

[Inanga]

hi ive had experiences with somehwat similar features - maybe this will be useful to you. I had a nissan fundiplication on my lower esophageal sphinter (top of the stomach). This fixed the reflux but a side effect has been bloating. Basically the valvue is to good to allow gas to pass up and out. This has actually subsided now thankfully but still occurs accasionally. When I get bloated like this I find it hard to breathe with my diaphragm - I guess the distended stomach doesn't give when the diaphragm tries to push down. This can feel like resistance to breathing. I ususally drink some water and walk around and hopefully ht egas comes up and then breathing is fine again. I sometimes resort to a baby winding product continaing simethicone (sp?) which helps ease out the gas. When in this state I end up chest berathing which can lead to feeling dizzy and panic from feeling like I can't breathe. I noticed you said you often burp after the event. It is possible and easy to train yourself to concentrate of using your diaphragm. You can also strengthen it with resistance training like athletes do - breath througha constricted tube so yoy have to suck hard. It gives the diaphragm a workout and strengthens the muscle. Now I can recognise the symptoms and understand how it works I can manage myself to minimise the event. good luck

[Inanga]

since my last post i have identifed the cause of my post nasal drip as an allergy to corn. I'd get mucous in my throat and below. Sometimes it would feel like an itch deep in my through and when I'd try to breathe in through my nose I found it difficult. It's like the itch sensation is intereprested at some reflex level like the presence of  foreign body and it makes it hard to breathe in. Breathing in through my mouth doesn't trigger the sensation (the mucous is still in the nasal area?) and there is no restriction. Just an observation.