Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
What medication can I use?
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
What medication can I use?
by jerome6298, Jun 14, 2004 12:00AM
Dear Sir/Madam:
>
> For over 10 months now I have been suffering from
> a severe chest cold which developed to a chronic
> state now. In the interim, I visited 2 doctors and
> used medications ranging from bioxin 500mg.Comtrex
> Tylenol, Robitussin, Nyquil,and Advair.
>
> There has been no change in my condition. Please
> advise me what you can consider the right drug
> for me to take in order to allieviate this condition.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Milton Singh.
>
> Ph# 718-245-2085.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Jun 24, 2004 12:00AM
, Jun 24, 2004 12:00AM
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. An ongoing 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 from a severe chest cold 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 Biaxin® (clarithromycin) would have worked. Even though the cold is gone, sometimes the cough lingers for 3 to 6 months because the cold has caused inflammation of the airways of the lungs. Eventually this inflammation will go away without treatment, and then the cough will stop. The effects of this inflammation on the airways of the lungs are similar to asthma. This inflammation often clears more quickly when it is treated with an inhaled steroid medicine that is used to treat asthma, like the Flovent® (fluticasone propionate) that is contained in the Advair™ Diskus® (fluticasone/salmeterol). This medicine does not help the inflammation immediately. However after several weeks of daily use the cough may decrease and eventually stop.
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 chest cold, especially when the cold is severe. Often a severe chest cold can cause problems in the airways of the lungs. The cold 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 cough will continue and ongoing treatment will be needed. Since there has been no change in your condition for over 10 months, you may want to see a pulmonologist. This is the type of specialist to identify if a lung problem is the cause of your severe chest cold that has developed into a chronic state. Only after the problem has been found is it possible to tell you the right drug to alleviate this condition.
Generally a cough from a severe chest cold 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 Biaxin® (clarithromycin) would have worked. Even though the cold is gone, sometimes the cough lingers for 3 to 6 months because the cold has caused inflammation of the airways of the lungs. Eventually this inflammation will go away without treatment, and then the cough will stop. The effects of this inflammation on the airways of the lungs are similar to asthma. This inflammation often clears more quickly when it is treated with an inhaled steroid medicine that is used to treat asthma, like the Flovent® (fluticasone propionate) that is contained in the Advair™ Diskus® (fluticasone/salmeterol). This medicine does not help the inflammation immediately. However after several weeks of daily use the cough may decrease and eventually stop.
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 chest cold, especially when the cold is severe. Often a severe chest cold can cause problems in the airways of the lungs. The cold 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 cough will continue and ongoing treatment will be needed. Since there has been no change in your condition for over 10 months, you may want to see a pulmonologist. This is the type of specialist to identify if a lung problem is the cause of your severe chest cold that has developed into a chronic state. Only after the problem has been found is it possible to tell you the right drug to alleviate this condition.
