coughing to the point of passing out and having a convulsion while passed out

[stefanylew]

My husband has coughing spells to the point of passing out. He just had one about an hour ago , he passed out and started convulsing. His entire body was moving up and down and his legs were kicking. I screamed his name quite a few times before he came out of it. His legs were kicking so hard, he moved our coffee table while kicking and actually cut his foot.He has been in the hospital for this and they said it was just the fact that he coughed so hard that it caused him to pass out. But, I feel there is more to this...tonight's episode was the worse it has ever been. I thought he was not going to wake up. He refused to go to the hospital.

[UvonkaCalvani1968]

I don't have a answer but my husband is doing the same thing and I'm taking him to the er

[Sara_MHModerator]

Hello and welcome to the forum.  Yes, absolutely seek immediate medical attention for your husband. There is something called cough syncope coughing. This is pretty much what has been described minus the convulsing. https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9314  Please let us know how your husband is doing.

[Bamame]

Hi,
That's absolutely horrible. I'm so sorry to hear about what is going on with your hubby. Go see your doctor and ask your doctor to give you a cough medication and the name of it is Tussionex suspense. It's amazing it does have a hard narcotic in it but it will definitely stop the cough in its tracks. My hubby takes it and we call it Liquid Gold here at our house. It's amazing. Good luck. Keep in touch. Best wishes.

[Bamame]

Hi,
That's absolutely horrible. I'm so sorry to hear about what is going on with your hubby. Go see your doctor and ask your doctor to give you a cough medication and the name of it is Tussionex suspense. It's amazing it does have a hard narcotic in it but it will definitely stop the cough in its tracks. My hubby takes it and we call it Liquid Gold here at our house. It's amazing. Good luck. Keep in touch. Best wishes.

[ayl291]

Have you tried neurology?

It may be a pinched nerve in the spine.

He prob needs a spinal survey,

MRI or his cervical thoraxic and lumbar.

A PET scan.

And chest ct with angiography.

This is to start.

[ImaniMontanna]

Wow. This literally happened to me today. Ive had a bad cold for about 2 weeks and will cough so hard i would feel light headed and dizzy but hadnt passed out. Today I stood up started coughing the next thing I know I hear my hubby calling my name I look at him and realize im on the ground. I reply with what? Im ok. Not realizing what happened.He and my sister are frantic telling me I passed out and looked like I had a seizure. I could recall feeling tingly like i was vibrating as i came too but because im relatively healthy ( no bp issues, non smoker) except a cold and allergies i doubted it to be a seizure. As soon as i came too. I got up and felt fine..... I see ots more common than i thought

[Dobzee]

This happens to my partner coughing until he passes out but yesterday was the first time his arms legs and head started jerking like he was having a seizure it was scary I said his name 3 times with no response he fell of a dinning chair in the kitchen had trouble getting to him cause he was on the floor near the door way and had a stair gate and dinning chair in the way to not sure how long it lasted for but I don't think it was any longer than a couple of minutes when he came to he said he went dizzy then blacked out he dose'nt remember his arms legs and head jerking about i told him to get checked out but he wouldn't and he would say is where he was coughing so much not enough oxygen or blood was getting to his brain so he passed out and that's what the doctor will say but that doesn't explain the jerking of his arms legs and head.

[ImaniMontanna]

Ask him if when he coughs hard and reperively if he feels like headed and shaky? I also appeared to be having a seizire but ruled thst out because when i cough hard and close together i feel dizzy and like im vibrating and shaking. When i passed out it was the same feeling but they daw ot as a seizure but i dont think it is because i only feel it or experience it from coughing.

[Barblama]

I just discovered your post. This is exactly what happens to my husband as well. Have you had any additional responses?  It seems to happen mostly when he has a cold. Due to high blood pressure and that medication, he is limited in what cold medicines he can take. It has happened twice in the past two weeks. Me st recently at Christmas with the entire family as witness.

[hobojuanita]

It happens to me too...My pulmonologist <---- not spelled right (lung Doctor) explained it to me....when you are caughing that hard the muscles of your neck and face get real tight and cut off blood to the head...ie The arteries on the side of the neck are squeezed under pressure...And yes if it last a long enough you will pass out. Usualy like in my case its from COPD caused by years of smoking. the only cure is quit smoking and hope the caugh goes away...Or you can get a prescription of tussin with codien that will help ease the caugh.

[kimfromvegas]

my husband does the same thing...just used to happen if he was drinking alcohol, after 3-4 beers.  The other day he had not been drinking at all, sitting there watching tv and felt like he needed to cough, but as soon as he inhaled to cough, his breath cut short....face turned red, scrunched face, like he was trying to force out a cough with a closed mouth, started shaking and leaning over, about to pass out.  I started screaming his name, he does not respond, all of a sudden....he looks at me and says..."what"? because my daughter and I were standing right in front of him, leaning over him,  we probably looked like we just saw a ghost.  I see on here alot of people asking the same questions and NO ONE has any answers...that is just lovely!  I FEAR this is how my husband is going die right in front of me. And yes he is a smoker, but he is a healthy 55 yr old and only weighs 175-180 lbs.  I am scared and apparently, I will get him to the Dr's just to be told...what?  NOTHING!!!!  I guess I need to just turn it over to God!  If anyone has any REAL ANSWERS please please please POST THEM!

[Angelnsonny]

My hub does the same thing. He cough till he passed out. And has 30 some staples in his head. His entire body starts shaking kicking and arms out. I am screaming at him,shaking him,and  after 1-4 min he said what. Totally scary consider he has heart attack and this started afterwards!

[Tecarter73]

My husband just started doing something like this, but the more it happens to him, the longer it takes him to get is barrings.  Has anyone gotten any answers yet? It is very scary. His mother passed away suddenly of a brain aneurysm  and it scares me to death the way his head hurts afterwards.

[Irenak]

It would be in your husbands best interest to make an appointment with his physician for a physical.  There is not much that can be recommended here without some medical history. Tests need to be done so that a diagnoses can be made.