First off, a little about me. I'm 20, Asian, Non-smoker, drinker, don't do any drugs, and am not overweight.
I had a cold before I traveled to my home country, Vietnam, in 2003 I think. I was prescribed antibiotics and etc. The cold got better but then I began to develop this dry cough. I was there for 2 months or so, when I got back I went to the doctors. They said that nothing was wrong and that I could still have a little infection. He prescribed more antibiotics. I know that antibiotics don't really serve for anything b/c colds/flu/etc are viral not bacterial.
Before, I use to cough frequently near the end of summer and through the winter, during that time I usually get a cold due to the weather. Now, its 2009 and it is getting worst. My throat feels extremely itchy, dry, scratchy and drinking water doesn't help. I found that sometimes though that warm water would ease my throat a bit and it seems like cold dry air triggers the coughing more. At first, I'll begin to cough every 10 minutes or so, then it becomes more frequent, every couple minutes and sometimes it'd get so severe that I just keep coughing until there is phlegm that comes out but it is clear. Its been so bad lately that my stomach and chest are hurting, sore, and I'm afraid that I may cough in my sleep. The longest I could probably go w/ having to cough severely would be 30 minutes to an hour. I will be scheduling a doctor, this time a new doctor, to see what is wrong. It was honestly never so bad until now. I thought it was just a seasonal thing because that was what I was told and I did only cough during fall/winter seasons.
There are no illnesses that are hereditary within my family. It is only the cough I have, I do not have a stuffy, runny nose, irritated eyes, aching body, swollen lymph nodes, etc. No typical cold/flu like symptoms, just a dry cough.
Please give me some opinions on what it may be, what I should do, any home remedies. Thank you in advance.