Couging for 6 months

[vb501]

    I've had a chronic cough for 6 months now. It started the 3rd week of January when I had the flu very bad. In fact, I'd say it was the worst I ever had the flu. Well, the flu cleared up within a few days and I  had sinusitis for about two weeks but the cough stayed on and on. At first it was very, very thick, to the point that is was difficult to even cough up anything if possible. After two months of this I decided to have a doctor visit who put me on antibiotics of course. After another two months of coughing I went back to the doctor who then experimented with alergy (allergy) pill and a negative xray and a breathing test of some kind (negative). After several weeks of that futile attempt I made another visit and he tried Pulmicort and a cortizone shot. This helped but still coughing. So he tested me for TB which came out negative according to him but wanted me visit a pulminary specialist who stated that I did have TB and the test was indeed positive. So now I'm taking an antibacterial for nine months but still have a cough. So the pulminary specialist gave me several inhalers: one similar to pulmicort and the other looks like something for someone with athsma. Unfortunately, I'm still coughing and none of this has helped much. I quit inhaling the powder stuff because of it's horrible side effects on my voice. You see, I'm a singer in a band. For 6 months now I haven't been able to sing without coughing and coughing through every verse.

[National Jewish]

In a person who has a normal chest x-ray and who doesn’t smoke the most common causes of cough are postnasal drip, chronic sinus problem, heartburn, and asthma.  A chronic cough can also be a side effect of a group of medicines used to treat high blood pressure called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.

Generally a cough caused by the flu lasts for several weeks.  If it were simply a virus, it would have started to get better by now.  In most cases if this were a bacterial infection alone the antibiotics would have worked.  Even though the flu is gone, sometimes the cough lingers for 3 to 6 months because the flu has caused irritation of the airways of the lungs.  This irritation is similar to the way asthma effects the airways of the lungs.  However the irritation from the flu, and the cough along with it, will eventually go away without treatment.  When this irritation is treated with an inhaled steroid, like Pulmicort Turbuhaler® (budesonide inhalation powder) that is used to treat asthma, it often clears more quickly.  After inhaling the steroid, generally rinsing your mouth and spitting out the water prevents the horrible side effects on your voice.

Irritation of the airways of the lungs could also be due to an allergy or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or smoke.  Antihistamines should help if allergy is the cause.  Also some people start to have problems with asthma only after having a lung infection, especially when the infection is severe.  Often a very bad flu can cause problems in the airways of the lungs.  The infection can lead to an increased airway irritability or hyperreactivity, which is often diagnosed as asthma.  If the irritability subsides, then the cough will go away over time.  If the irritability is just the triggering of ongoing asthma, then the symptoms will continue and ongoing treatment will be needed.  Since your cough is continuing you may want to see a pulmonologist.  This is the type of specialist to identify if a lung problem is the cause of your ongoing cough.

Purified protein derivative (PPD) is a skin test for tuberculosis (TB).  For this test a liquid is injected just under the skin.  Dead tuberculosis germs are mixed in this liquid.  If you have been infected with TB, a lump will usually form at the site of the injection.  This is a positive PPD test.  Generally this means that TB germs have infected your body.

If a person has been infected with TB, but they do not have active disease, usually their chest x-ray shows no signs of active disease and they have no symptoms of TB.  The symptoms of TB are a cough that may or may not include coughing up blood, decreased appetite, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.  Most people with a positive PPD have a negative chest x-ray.  These people continue to be healthy.  They are not contagious, so they cannot give the TB to anyone else.

People with a positive PPD and a negative chest x-ray may or may not be given preventive treatment.  This depends on their exposure to TB, when their PPD changed from negative to positive, and other factors in their health history.  With a positive PPD and negative chest x-ray there is a 10% chance of developing active disease in your lifetime.  The percentage is higher during the first few years after your PPD becomes positive.  If your PPD has become positive after you have recently been in close contact with a person who has active disease, you would be given preventive treatment to lower your risk of developing active disease.  Usually preventive treatment is isoniazid (INH) given for 6 to 9 months.

[ozark]

have they tried prednisone orally?  this may be the next thing you should try since the shot helped ....you may need to be on it for a week or two........good luck

[salem]

my son, age 15, also has had a cough for over 6 months.  He was first told it was due to broncitis.  Then was told he had asthma induced broncitis.  Then was told he had asthma.  Then was told he had allergies.  Through all of this, he was given a variety of medications.  No antibiotics.  Tried Flovent, Advair, albuterol, decongestants, nose sprays. Also was given two rounds of prednisone steroids each time for a five days period.  Nothing worked!  Took him to an allergy specialist and he was tested for 58 different types of allergies and was not even mildly allergic to anything . . . so much for the three rounds of allergy medication he was also given over the winter.  He's been seeing a pulmonary specialist from Tufts N.E. Medical Ctr in Boston who doesn't seem to know what's causing the cough.  Scheduled to see a gastro specialist as it could be gastro reflux also known as GERD.  My son is about 30 lbs overweight which I'm told can cause GERD.  Took him for chest X-ray and blood testing - all negative.  Took him for CT scan of his sinuses and was told he has a deviated septum.  Am actually hoping this is the cause of the cough and am also hoping a simple day surgery procedure will cure it.

[vb501]

Hey I greatly appreciate the assistance. I've been at my witts end with this. After prompting the DR. for months now,  he finally agreed to give a TB test which is positive.
So my family received the test also which revealed my son also had the germ. So currently we're both taking isoniazid?
My question now is this. The doctor informed my that my on going cough doesn't have anything to do with my inactive TB.
So then what's the deal? The one and only thing I've found that seems to help out alot is taking an antihistamine along with a cough suppressant.... not a cough expectorant which is worse!
Then I usually cough 60% less. Currently (June23), it's not as bad as it was back in February. In Feb. it was like trying to cough out thick sap but now it's like a coating on my throat that is extremely annoying and gives the feeling as though I need to swallow again and again - but I have to admit it is getting better.
I've been trying to get back into jogging regularly and weight lifting. It's been quite difficult.... due to laziness I'm sure.
Does inactive TB have any impact on the current cough?
Is it the cause or should I blame this on a bad flu episode combined with a slight leaning toward asthma?