constant cough

I have been sick for over a month now. I have asthma and bronchitis. I have a mild fever for over a month and a constant cough. I cough up mucus and sometimes it makes me vomit. I have taken cough syrup prescribed by the doctor and still the cough persists. I am very tired all the time, lack appetite, and have a hard time breathing. Is it common for me to be sick this long. Why am I coughing so much and so out of breath?

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

Asthma and/or acute or chronic bronchitis could be the cause of your symptoms, including the cough, and the presence of fever suggests that infection might be a component of your illness.  Being sick in this fashion for over a month is unusual for an acute worsening of asthma and for superimposed acute bronchitis.  It may be that the infection you have is pneumonia.

After more than a month of symptoms, you should arrange to see your doctor, and prescriptions needed to relieve both your cough and your breathing.  This would be especially important should you be found to have untreated pneumonia and a Chest X-ray would allow for that diagnosis if present and if pneumonia could influence antibiotic therapy.

Good luck