is this normal? chronic cough

[J Johnson]

Help I am a 26 yr old male who has had a myraid of neurologic symptoms such as chronic headache and wrist/knee sharp pains in the last 5 months...

I've also been short on breath and nauseated (these 2 swap out with each other, its one or the other).    

Now, The real thing that worries me is...I have also had this constant cough that sounds wheezing and when I cough, my lungs are fully deflated (I cough all my air out and there's a wheezing sound during my cough because my lungs are fully deflated with no air left to blow out).   This goes along with the feeling I have that my lung capacity is seriously reduced.   HOWEVER,  my Pulmonary functions test and ABG, chest xray,  and MRI of the brain were all fully normal


I know you can't diagnose me, but what do you think?

[National Jewish]

There are many causes of chronic cough.  In a person who has a normal chest x-ray and who doesn’t smoke the most common causes are postnasal drip, gastroesophageal reflux and asthma.  You should be evaluated for the 3 of these before having other testing done.  Incidentally, one can have asthma as a cause of cough, with normal pulmonary function tests (PFTs).

A neurologist should evaluate your neurologic symptoms.

[PAMR]

GET TO A DOCT.  I WENT THRU THE SAME THING AND ENDED UP WITH A MAJOR LUNG PROBLEM AT THE AGE OF 28.  EMAIL ME @ ***@****.

[J Johnson]

come on please don't leave me hanging what problem did you develop?

[EROS]

After all the positive tests and your young age I would be very, very surprised to hear if you infact have anything wrong at all.

If you have a significant lung problem it is reflected in your tests, also you do not feel intermittently well. The pulmonary function test is very sensitive to lung problems.

The aches and pains are generally unrelated to any lung problem especially if you have a normal lung function as proved by your tests.

I would say GERD or asthma are a possibility and maybe anxiety. If you smoke stop.

The previous post is unusual and not typical of the type of post we have here on this board. I would pay it little attention.

[missdiagnosed]

hi
i also say get to dr. dont go by age..or people that say things like ....its unlikely, listen to your body, because i also was just diagnosed with a serious lung problem at the age of 32. because it went undiagnosed for 5 months...i recommend a cat scan of lungs, because thats the only test that showed something, everything else was negative. peace and get well!!

[J Johnson]

hi,  had you had a negative chest X-ray, but then had a CT and it was abnormal?  is that what you mean?

[J Johnson]

help now i am worried about emphysemia after seeing all these posts

[Sunny602]

When do you feel most short of breath? At rest, lying down with activity etc...It certainly sounds like you have been through the wringer with tests. I know, been there until the docs finally figured out my problems, but it took "progression" for them to finally come up with something..even now they are uncertain at times. I have a rare muscular dystrophy as well as CF, what a combination huh? Who would've known.....

I wonder if your wheezing is upper airway oriented..meaning whe wheezing is more from your trachea as you exhale than from your lungs. Maybe there is some problem there...I know some infections such as those involving the trachea can certainly do that. Also as someone else mentioned, reflux disease can give you a chronic cough. I am no doctor, just read alot.

Also, what other tests have been done? Any echocardiograms to rule out heart problems, EKG or stress tests..these are just tests that I am throwing out, but may be important if you continue to have shortness of breath. I know you are young, but I am hoping the docs take you seriously.
Not sure about the neuro problems...did the docs do an EMG or an electro myelogram where nerve conduction as well as other measurements are obtained? IF not, bring it up....

I wish you luck, don't give up. If you feel that crappy, keep searching even if it takes ten docs to find your answers. Go with your gut feeling. Hugs, Sunny :)

[missdiagnosed]

yes, i had 2 negative cxrays....then they finally did a cat scan of lungs, because the ER thought maybe it was a pulmonary embolism....that's when they found all the problems..and between me and you, i was SHOCKED to hear the words emphysema.. even though i smoked for 18 years, i thought 32 was abit young. BOY WAS I IN DENIAL! to anyone who reads this....quit now, before you get the lousy news.

[Citizen T]

Hi Missdiagnosed,  sorry to hear about your emphysema.

I do have a specific question for you.  Had you undergone Pulmonary Functions Testing BEFORE you were diagnosed by the CT with emphysema?

[missdiagnosed]

hi,
no...they found all this by accident as it was. my pcp is still shocked. he thought i had pneumonia. this was a total shock, thank god the ER ran the CT, but no PFT was run prior to the dx.

[J Johnson]

There are times when I cough so hard that I start seeing "bubbles" mainly in my periphreal vision.   This seems to happen due to the fact that my lungs have no air left in them but yet i still cough hard

[PAMR]

hey, email me please.  i would love to talk to you about your lung problem.  i went thru it and still am.  ***@****  

hope to hear from you.  take care.

pam

[Matt's Mom]

My son is 5 years old. He has a cough that sometimes is dry and sometimes is phlemy. The cough however has been consistent for about over 3 months. First the doc gave him amoccassilin and treated it like a cold. I've given him lots of cough medicine mostly at night time which is when it usually starts. 2 weeks ago the doctor said it was ashma and kept him home from school, said to give him a 5 day treatment because he said he had a mild case of it and if I let him go to school he could get severe and die. When I heard the word die, it really scared me. So I kept him home from school for a week and gave him Floven twice a day, albuterol every 3 to 4 hours and Prednisolone once a day for 5 days. I went back to the doc after 5 days and he said his lungs were clear, what a relief. The problem is he still has a cough. Today's cough sounds phlemy. It kinda sounds like the way my grandmother coughs. She sleeps almost sitting and I've tried that with my son, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If this sounds familiar to anybody, I'd like to get advise as to what else I can do for this. I feel terrible that I can't help my child. I'd really appreciate any help I can get. Thanks!

[shanspaz]

Hello,  my daughter has similar problems. Last fall she started coughing at night, a cough where I thought her lungs were going to come out into my hands.  After a visit to a pediatric pulmologist, she was doagnosed with Acid Reflux. Now after being on prevacid things seem to be uch better.  My daugheter has allergies and is also treated for asthema that may be induced by allergies or the acid reflux.  The key is the constant hard coughing at night.  ONce she started with the cough, she would have to go on an antiboitic to clear the infection that she had.  The gases from the stomach get into the throat, and nasal pasages, cause inflamation (inflammation) and then infection.  Her bed is also now raised on two, 2x4 peices of wood. Good luck!

[littlevicko]

hi,my 10 year old daughter was also diagoned with acid reflux last year-she had a terrible cough thaT LASTED 6 MONTHS,she also had sinus disease,she was 100 percent blocked in her sinus and had candida esophagus,it got infected because doctors had her on so many antibiotics and treated her for asthma with steroids which she did not have,went through many doctors before finally took her to lebonheur childrens hospital-shes doing great now1good luck

[CarriLee]

I've read some of the posts.  My 2 year old son has always had some kind of resp problem.  Newborn RSV, then always sick with a chronic cough and vomiting. He was hospitalized Nov with pneumonia.  The 5th intravenous anti-biotic finally worked.  NOW he's back to chronic coughing at night and vomiting all the time. He has not been diagnosed with asthma, but has been taking breathing treatments when needed.  I think something else is going on.  HELP!!

[littlevicko]

hi,i would have him checked for acid reflux ,you would be suprised,my daughter had that cough for 6 mnths and everyone treated her for respitory symtoms,and like i said in my post,went through many doctors before she finally was diagnosed with acid reflux,sinus disease and esophagus was messed up due to antibiotics and acid from stomach,i never knew acid reflux would cause a nagging cough for so long and especially at night when they lay down it is worse,hope you get the answers you are looking for and good luck

[CarriLee]

Thanks, I am going to take him to a specialist and inquire about acid reflux.  I'm amazed to find out that there are so many kids with these problems that are misdiagnosed!

[Sunshinetoo]

Five years of cronic cough following food getting into my lungs, I finally learned what my body is doing.  My lungs are now scared.  When I breathe cold air, smoky air, any air with particulants, my body immediately rushes phlem to my throat to block the path to my lungs.  My lungs no longer process impurities properly, thus the only method I have to stay healthy is to cough the impurities out.  I have been advised to drink ample quantities of caffinated green tea as it is a natural dialator for the lungs. I also have to deal with very thick phlem. No amount of water ingested seems to releive this problem.  Walking gives me greater lung capacity.  Today I am told I have lost 25%. CAT scan and x-rays all report no problems.

[blueyes1127]

I had a similar situation with being in the ER cause of Bronchitis in November....I am a 26 year old who has smoked for almost 6 years. They did a standard chest xray...and then did the CT scan cause they were afraid I might have a pulmonary embolism...told me if I left the hospital with one I would just "drop" and be dead...scared me enough to agree to the test!! The only thing they told me on releasing me from the ER was that I had bronchitis but they had found 2 small nodules in my lung and I need to get another scan in May just to make sure they arent anything bad. The doc said considering my age and that I havent smoked an extremely long time they arent too worried...so I have tried not be to worried myself (tried is the main word...easier said than done heh). I have had the worry in the back of my head about emphysema though....my doc doesnt think its an issue...your docs "saw' your emphysema when they did the CT scan right? Since I had the same one done as you (they injected that dye in your veins etc, to detect Pulmonary Embolisms, I would think if they saw the signs of emphysema they would have mentioned it? Thanks alot for sharing your info!

[CrazyCough]

I don't havethe acid taste but I do have sever coughing attacks that sometimes lead to losing consciousness. I haven'tsmoked since 2000. I've hadapersistent cough for the past month and a half. The past few weeks I have experienced the loss of consciousness. Just today I hadan attack and lossed consciousness and woke up a few seconds later. My vision was very blurry. My coghs are less productive this past week butwhen it wasmore so the phlegm was a clear color. I amvery concerned formy health. Please help me to understand my situation?