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What can I do about frequent chest congestion, chronic cough, post nasal drip, etc?

Sorry beforehand, but this is going to be long. I am detail-oriented that way.

I am a nurse, male, late 50's, normal and stable weight, very active, but I have been plagued my whole adult life with cough issues. Post nasal drip is on and off, throughout the year, especially bad in the colder months, like now, and when it's bad it causes an uncontrollable cough that brings tears to my eyes. When it happens, it is sudden onset and my throat feels like somebody's tickling it for all it's worth. This results in an irrepressible cough. If I am in a public place, I have to get up and leave until the coughing subsides. Drinking something always helps. Temporarily. I've had this sort of issue going on for 40 years, even back in high school.

I pick up respiratory bugs like a magnet and it's the easiest thing in the world for me to get a cold. I normally (for many years) run a low normal (or just below low normal) white blood cell count. Lab work otherwise is always great.

I have had the flu a few times over the past 20 years, the last known time about 3 years ago when I picked it up from one of my grand kids who obviously had it when he visited us. The bout I had then was so severe I realized for the first time how people die from this stuff. I did not eat much solid food for nearly a week but did not lose a single pound. Of course, I didn't move much either. If you look at any list of "10 symptoms of the flu," I had all 10 of them. The bags under my eyes even had bags under them!

Ok, so the above flu experience is not my normal experience, but it would be nice not to have a half dozen or more colds per year, each one lasting nearly a month. Year after year after year.

I was about to get a flu shot a few months ago, but got a massive cold, so had to put that off. The entire month of October was spent fighting a cold, just got over it, picked it up again the first of November, and just got over that one right before getting it AGAIN the first week of December.

Unlike the colds of the past, where the symptoms almost always would be a massive sore throat that would last for a couple of days, followed by nasal congestion, post nasal drip, yellow and green mucus drainage, and that incessant cough, this year has seen all the above along with chest congestion. It's hard to sleep at night, because the chest congestion builds up and I have to get up and cough my head off to get all the congestion out. But as soon as I clear it out, more just comes right back. It's like I have no cilia but I do not smoke and I don't work in a coal mine. Because of the continual post nasal drip, my throat stays a little sore and it remains that way until I get over the infection. Chest congestion and drainage from my sinuses, during the major part of these bouts, contains thick plugs of green and/or yellow sputum, (sometimes dark brown) often one color from my bronchi, and the other color from my sinuses. And with the infections this year, I always have several days of laryngitis, where my voice gets deep for a few hours, then reduced to a whisper for a few days.

This is what I have tried medically:

1) Nasal saline irrigation--Seems to work best at flushing out extra mucus when my nose is not too stopped up, but then usually leaves my sinuses feeling even more stuffed up, kind of like breathing the salt air when you visit the coast; first it seems to clear your head, and with prolonged exposure, you end up feeling more stuffy.
2) Cetirizine HCL 10 mg tab once daily--Prescribed by the NP I see, and this definitely helps during the summer months when my issues are usually watery, itchy eyes and some post nasal drip, but totally useless, it seems, during this time of year.
3) Flonase or Nasocort nasal spray--Also prescribed, I don't take this daily because it seems to be about as effective as the neti pot.

I've never taken any antibiotics for any of this (except for a Rocephin IM injection 20 years ago when I had severe laryngitis and had a speaking engagement that week). Not that I'm against antibiotics, but since I do not have insurance (self-employed) I do not see a physician unless it's necessary. I know, probably not very wise coming from a nurse, but life is what it is. I have just lived with this and got help when I could, with little overall success.

I don't like taking a lot of Benedryl because even though I can get some sleep with it at night, I pay for it dearly the next morning when the mucus builds up.

Diet: I am a meat and potatoes guy, but I don't eat meat every day, usually chicken, occasional red meat, no pork or shell fish. I love sweets, but try to reduce them greatly when going through one of these worse episodes. Chocolate should be its own food group. Yes, I know that sugar is not the best thing for me, but altering my diet in very significant ways in the past did not change my upper respiratory outcome. I like fruit, but leafy green vegetables just about make me throw up. (Jokingly, I tell people what I've heard other vegetable haters say: "salad is what food eats.") Absolutely no alcohol. Never smoked. I am not allergic to anything I know of. Almost forgot... I take a lot of wheat bran with water every day, 1 cup to 1-1/2 cups, as this is the only way to deal with chronic, severe constipation with me.

Lifestyle: Active, exercise almost religiously, and most of my basic health issues are, what I think, normal aging changes--my knees hurt more, chronic back pain most of my adult life (but I have effective exercises for this), BP is normal, good lab work usually, and no major diseases or diagnoses. No diabetes.

But even if I do have a cold or the flu, unless it's really bad, I actually feel good otherwise.

To put it simply, I am sick and tired of being full of snot and I just want some consistent relief. I had to have surgery many years ago for a bilateral hernia repair, due in part to my insane coughing. And now it feels like I'm going to blow some abdominal hernias if I can't find any significant reduction in the coughing spells.

I would be amazed if anyone really reads all of this, but puzzles are easier to solve when you have more pieces of the puzzle. I would appreciate any feedback.

Thank you
2 Responses
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1530171 tn?1448129593
Well, I'm one who read your post not once, but twice.
I'm a fast reader so it didn't take much time, lol!

You should look deeply into Histamine intolerance (HIT):
Mast cell activation syndrome, HNMT & DAO levels, Methylation-MTHFR issues and so on.

The main problem with HIT is the fact that Histamine travels through the blood and can affect any body system or organ and cause multiple symptoms, so it goes grossly undiagnosed.

There's no co-incidence that the first line of treatment
are anti-histamines, which do nothing to address the underlying issues and any positive effects are short-lived.

In the past I came across an extraordinary Natural Health Practitioner in France, who told me he had successfully treated over 10.000 patients who suffered from various respiratory conditions from simple colds &, flu, to bronchitis and pneumonia.
The sole remedy he used was Magnesium Chloride
(pharmaceutical grade Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate:  MgCl 6H2O )
1oz diluted in 1Lt of spring water and sipped VERY slowly throughout the day to avoid laxative effects.
Repeat for 3-4 days, but it's best if taken according to the individual's tolerance.
It would likely help with your constipation issues, as well.
It has been a constitutional remedy I have been using for years.

Vitamin D3 and  B12 are also great suggestions from Red Star, however, I would  suggest Methylocobalmin
B12 with Methylfolate (which would also serve as a trial for low methylation) , K2, Vitamin A and Mg which work in synergy when taking D3.

Best wishes,
Niko
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I appreciate your detailed suggestions. I'll check this out. Thanks!
1756321 tn?1547095325
I had excessive mucus and had to constantly clear my throat due to vitamin D deficiency. I also caught everything going around with this deficiency. I also had a chest infection every year due to vitamin B12 malabsorption (in my case due to autoimmune pernicious anaemia). I can suggest at least trying vitamin D and B12 (sublingual) to see if you notice any improvement.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Thank you, definitely something to consider trying. Had not thought of this.
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