Chronic Cough - 4 years now, Please I am desperate!

DESPERATELY in need of HELP! PLEASE - I have a chronic cough (4 years now)I had CT Scans of sinus, throat, had Bravo Ph done twice, numerous Allergy tests, Asthma tests, chest X-ray, antibiotics, different Acid Reflux medications for months at a time. All test negative. No one can figure out why I cough.
**I cough only when upright! After every meal and out of the blues with or without liquids, just anytime.  I do have quiet moments that will last for hours but the my coughing fit out of the blues. The coughing fits last about an hour, cough starts off dry then sometimes movement after coughing for 30 min & sometimes cough little stuff (white). I sleep quite well, no coughing, no disturbance, perfect night sleep. Numerous ENT, Gas, lung doctors last 4 years with no help. Allerx & Ah Chew helps calm it down but not cure or take away completely. No other medication helps. NONE. HELP SOMEBODY. No doctors here has helped, St Johns, UCLA, Cedars. Cough meds do not help, I need a cure to live a normal life. THANK YOU!!! Numberous meds from Antibiotics, allergy pills Acid Refulx and nothing helps.  thank you

[RockRose]

Hmmmm.  Are both those medications "cough suppressants"?  By that,  I mean they don't supress coughing reflex in your throat,  but rather in your brain?  

Is it possible that you have some kind of mechanical pressing on your lungs or esophogus that is triggering your desire to cough,  and it's not related to really anything respiratory,  it's an organ pressing on your respiratory system?

That it happens after you eat sounds like when your stomach is full,  it moves into a different place,  and somehow your lungs get pressed on.

And when you take a cough suppressant,  that makes your brain stop triggering the coughing reaction?

I don't know either of those medications,  and they may in fact not be cought suppressants at all.

best wishes.

[HelpinLA]

1) No cough suppressants

[RockRose]

It seems like you are having an allergy related tickle in your esophogus,  that is causing spasmodic coughing a little while after you eat.

I found a lot of sites on google by searching "spasmodic cough" and "eating".    I don't want to post the links here because they sound kind of quacky,  and they're clearly advertisements (which I think is a no no on this board),  but there seems to be a commonality between food allergies and spasmodic coughing after eating.  

You've been tested for allergies - but it really seems like that might be the way to go again.    Even just by doing an elimination diet - and eating a food that virtually no one is allergic to,  like pure boiled chicken,  might be a start.

[broke123]

i had a friend who had a cough for a year, started out of nowhere - turned out he was allergic to dust myts. he's still caughin..

[Caligirl209]

I have the same issue. I have had a dry chronic cough for 3 years have seen an Allergist, Pulmonary, and ENT no answers. Allergy tests come back fine, lung function text come back fine, x-rays and CT scan fine as well. Have tried allergy meds, dried nasals, and acid reflux meds, cough suppressants, blood work for valley fever, inhalers bronical and steroid no help. Mine is fine at night and used to be fine when I would lie down that has changed. It is all day long I sometimes feel a tingling feeling in my throat before I cough. I had also done a little bit of research and asked the doctor to put me on either a antidepressant or a anticonvultion medication which would help repair nerve damage but the side effects were horrible so I had to stop them. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE! It

[Caligirl209]

I have the same issue. I have had a dry chronic cough for 3 years have seen an Allergist, Pulmonary, and ENT no answers. Allergy tests come back fine, lung function text come back fine, x-rays and CT scan fine as well. Have tried allergy meds, dried nasals, and acid reflux meds, cough suppressants, blood work for valley fever, inhalers bronical and steroid no help. Mine is fine at night and used to be fine when I would lie down that has changed. It is all day long I sometimes feel a tingling feeling in my throat before I cough. I had also done a little bit of research and asked the doctor to put me on either a antidepressant or a anticonvultion medication which would help repair nerve damage but the side effects were horrible so I had to stop them. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE! It

[Caligirl209]

I have the same issue. I have had a dry chronic cough for 3 years have seen an Allergist, Pulmonary, and ENT no answers. Allergy tests come back fine, lung function text come back fine, x-rays and CT scan fine as well. Have tried allergy meds, dried nasals, and acid reflux meds, cough suppressants, blood work for valley fever, inhalers bronical and steroid no help. Mine is fine at night and used to be fine when I would lie down that has changed. It is all day long I sometimes feel a tingling feeling in my throat before I cough. I had also done a little bit of research and asked the doctor to put me on either a antidepressant or a anticonvultion medication which would help repair nerve damage but the side effects were horrible so I had to stop them. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE! It

[Caligirl209]

I have the same issue. I have had a dry chronic cough for 3 years have seen an Allergist, Pulmonary, and ENT no answers. Allergy tests come back fine, lung function text come back fine, x-rays and CT scan fine as well. Have tried allergy meds, dried nasals, and acid reflux meds, cough suppressants, blood work for valley fever, inhalers bronical and steroid no help. Mine is fine at night and used to be fine when I would lie down that has changed. It is all day long I sometimes feel a tingling feeling in my throat before I cough. I had also done a little bit of research and asked the doctor to put me on either a antidepressant or a anticonvultion medication which would help repair nerve damage but the side effects were horrible so I had to stop them. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE! It

[HelpinLA]

I just read your comments.  I assume you are in California well.  Here is my dump email to contact me.  It's an email I use for spam mail to go to when I need to access a website with an email address, so I just erase it all every so often.  Please contact me so we can try to do research together via email.  From there I will give yet another email.  Contact me at 12021w at gmail dot com.

I did as much as you and even say an herbalist (2 of them) one that eliminated all my foods and just green raw food.   It didn't stop no matter what I ate.  I've tried chinese tea (gross) and nothing, even a netti pot.  See I've tried it all.  I wrote to a doctor in the East Coast, waiting and hoping for a response.

[Robin63]

To HelpinLA and Caligirl

I was wondering if you had any more answers since your post? I have been going through the exact same thing with my 11 year old daughter and still no answers.

RC

[SickbutEmpowered]

I didn't read through every single post, but it seems this is a very troublesome thing. I cough a lot too with little relief at times. My cough is unproductive and I also have GERD.
With me I have a feeling of choking sometimes or like my airway in my throat is constricted. Have any of you tried saline treatment like in an otc nasal spray...but some folks swear by a procedure called the neti pot.Did you get checked for a narrow airway or throat as well? Is it hard for you to stay hydrated? Do you eat a lot of dairy? I guess I am at a loss except to ask questions so you in turn can maybe look into this a bit further. One thing that helps me some is to constantly have hard candy or a throat lozenge (not medicated and not a cough drop) to help soothe and make it less likely for me to cough. Another thing which really helps me is carbonated water (ie club soda, sparkling water). It helps clear out and help me not cough so much. Surprisingly, when I was on Singulair that provided a lot of relief but the best thing I ever remember being on for a cough when I was young was called Tessalon pearls I think. Ok well I am just babbling, and I wish I could help more. Peace and hope you get the help you all need.

[surf76]

I notice we all seem to have the same condition where whenever you eat something you cough. It sux. I have stopped eating regularly and am now down to 46kg at a height of 165cm. I am worried that I will continue to loose weight and I cannot stop it. If anyone has help advise please please please help me...:( very unhappy skinny cougher )

[cinnysue]

I have been experincing the exact symptoms also... this has been going on for 12 years...I am going to Stanford in a few weeks to another Pulmonary Dr.  I pray for the "answer" will be found... I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers ...