I have chronic spastic cough. jmjm anyone?

[rosebud57]

Hi friends,

I have really had a time of it lately, i guess many of us have. I went from having sore throat almost like a tracheal bronchitis (my interpretation not drs.) they gave antibiotics almost 2 weeks ago.  several days after my last injection, still took riba extra week (thought i would do one last shot - not.

I have developed a very chronic spastic cough that is almost constant, cough, few minute break, cough... i saw asthma specialist and i had seen him last year for something they thought was asthma they did breath tests at the previous time, and two allergy tests (the first was tainted by prednesone). They findings? i am allergic to dustmites and cockroaches.  I have been keeping my home fairly clean, very clean in the room i hang out in and the attached bathroom.

So when i saw the specialist, he said its not asthma, and he checked my sinuses and said its not a sinus infection.  I don't know what it is. Any thought of what could cause this condition? might it be some effect of the drugs? or coming off them? I have tried, nasal saline, antihistimines (dimetapp and clariton, phenegram w/codiene cough syrup, benedry, cough drops. not at same time.  the cough is so constant especially after 11:30 or so, but even throughout the day that i will cough until i am so tired i will finally fall asleep about 6am.  I even had the new homeowner have someone come out because i swear i thought there had to be a very small water leak causing mold because this is how i get when there is mold.  

i don't know what to do.  basically he told me there is nothing i can do.  Any suggestions?  Could this be from Interferon/riba even after or because of discontinuing.

please help i can't get job if i can't stop the cough.
rose

[jmjm530]

Well, I just now noticed that this post is two years old. So much for answering posts in the middle of the night. LOL. Hopefully, the cough is gone by now.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Sorry about the cough, must be very annoying and tiring.

Could be any number of things but the first suspect would be some residual aftereffect from what you describe as tracheal bronchitis. At least with me on occasion, a chronic cough lasting up to a few weeks is the last stage of  an upper respiratory infection. This then resolves by itself as the infection resolves and being on the tx drugs or just coming off them could possibly prolong that process.
In fact, the process of coming off the tx drugs themselves can present a whole myriad of symptons that seem to mystify the doctors but usally resolve on their own.

Are you are on any medications? Some medications, for example ace inhibitors are associated with chronic coughing.

Have you seen an ENT specialist? They are able to better exam the upper larynx area for both infection, irritation and a form of reflux not necessarily associated with heartburn called Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR), and to check for such things as post nasal drip which is associated with chronic coughing.

Then there is the weaning off the treatment drugs themselves that can cause all sorts of strange symptoms which often are temporary. In your case, you appear to be just a few days off the drugs.

Allergy season is now starting and I believe the problem here is tree sap or at least according to one "expert" who works in my local health food store :) And then the dust mite thing. Maybe time to throw out any old pillows, get a dust cover for the mattresses, etc.

I would start with a good ENT if you haven't already seen one, but if it's tx drug related it simply may take a little time to resolve on its own.

Have you tried some warm milk and or/tea with honey? I always found that combination soothing to the throat.

I have a feeling this thing will end up resolving on its own and you may never know what caused it but personally I'd probably start by seeing a good ENT if you haven't already, and again keep in mind that the body is going through a strange period now coming off the interferon and riba and trying to adjust to normality.

If  the condition persists you really should address the problem with a good internist who can do a complete workout and look for more systemic causes.

-- Jim

[mattfro]

Hello, I'd like to get some input from this group.  I thought I had asthma, a few attacks in childhood related to outdoor mold or pollen or weather change, then while living in Taiwan since ten years ago this recurred.  I thought it was mainly environmental, was living in a very crowded and dusty city (Kaohsiung).  I got an an inhaler.  Thought it was asthma, the doc at that time said so, and the inhaler worked fine.  
      Just recently a doc we go to here told me that I probably don't have asthma, but some kind of over sensitive skin in my throat.  Makes sense, the problem was really in my throat passageway.  Complete closing of the throat sometimes, and inability to breathe at all for a minute or so.
       This same doctor told me that I have spastic cough.  He gave me cortisone treatment, powder that you inhale.  
       Is cortisone the treatment of choice for "spastic cough," or is there any other simpler way to deal with this?  (Live in better environment, also, I realize.)
         Any input would be appreciated.
       Thanks,
        Matt

[rosebud57]

don't know if anyone is even looking here anymore as this post is old.  thank you all for your contributions.  much of your advise is plausible. i did get over the cough mostly with sinus spray, and gargling.  i was told once again by an asthma specialist that i don't have asthma. this original investigation of asthma 15 mths ago before hep c diag.  it was then determined by him that i had acid reflux. he prescribed prilosec which i did not fill i read my nutrition book and saw vinegar was good for gerd.  so this is what i did back then, it worked over a few weeks of taking vinegar (from health food store) in my water. i no longer had symp. of gerd.  which by the way did not feel like anything coming up from stomach - rather felt something logged in throat  and would cough spastically to remove.   hmmm. sounds like what i went through recently - but didn't try the vinegar thing - wish i had then i would have known that was the fix i needed.

hope all are doing well

[pwayne]

I have the chronic cough week 37 now of 48. I did most of the things you did for codiene and over the counter, nothing seemed to work very well. I felt like I was going to cough up a lung or something, I have a  inhaler now albuteral seems to help some. I read somewhere it helped with this sx. The doctor gave me a prescrib for it said it want hurt you. Your lucky! last week! I have 11 to go. Take care!  Wayne

[rosebud57]

you open up the link again, as though you want to read it.  travel down to the very bottom of the page, and you should see the link to post your response.

hope this helps you.
rose

[BonnieRobin]

I see some of you guys have replied to my questions but I cant find a way to clickon your answer or find the right page I dont know why. I am computer lit.
Goodness gracious....
For some odd reason have hard time navigating around this website.

[rosebud57]

candidas post above

[rosebud57]

congratulations  wow, only one week left you did it!!!

thanks for all you  suggestions. i know we have all these different symptoms all through tx.  i had a lot of sinus drainage for weeks, but i also thought that i had a lot of unresolved sinus issues from the year previous, and it was like a perk of treatment that all the **** came out so profusely like it did. drove me crazy at first.

i know that there are many different causes to the variety of symptoms we get, but in my case i am most certain that it was candida overgrowth.  you ladies would likely be familiar with "thrush" that babies sometimes get.  at first one might not know why the baby cried all the time,  and won't eat, small white plaques might be noticable on the tongue.  what happens as this stuff grows deep into the throat and the baby is in distress from the discomfort and can't attach to the breast or bottle.  its a quick fix, acidophilis tablets, will clear it slowly  or  we could use the products the pharms produce like they have for "yeast" issues.

well that's like what happened to me, the suppressed immune system and tx alone could cause this problelm, i had antibiotics as well, so it hit me really hard. the way it affected was this really distressing, spastic coughing it was horrible, the doctor was not very helpful at all...that really annoyed me because i was really in distress.  
so
i went to pharmacy and bought those acidophilis tablets and with the intense mouthrinses and took about 8 - 10 tablets over the course of the day.  I slept through the night, felt fine when  i woke, no more problems with smelling "phantom" odors, or super sensitive to the air which out here smells like car emissions, and the thought i had that mold was growing in my bath cupboard - like it was never there. I am still taking the tablets for several more days.  I don't have stuff on my throat causing me to cough anymore.
end of story,  hope that sharing this helps someone who may someday have a similar situation.  i know it doesn't happen to all.

by the way i feel really good today, actually went out and began a new community volunteer thing, and i really felt 100% normal 2.5 wks after ending meds.  Hair looks bad, still losing it and it is VERY dry.

[wyntre9]

scuba,

Congrats on reaching your last week!

Rose,

Pollen season is in full swing.  The extra spores and pollen in the air could aggravate your problems.

I had the same sx the first three months of TX but I have chronic simusitis, allergies.

I started taking guaffinnisin (on the advice of my ENT) about a month ago and the cough and dryness are not as bad.

Guaffinissin (gemeric mucinex) thins the secretions and that helps with the post nasal drip that is likely contributing to the cough.

If you sleep with your head slightly elevated, that might also help.

Wyntre

[scubadiver30]

If the doc said is not asma it is not.
It seems is an amplified RIBA cough and you need to increase your water intake or gatorade. I didn't do it  in the beginning, and I coughed and coughed   and coughd my way out...it  was like retching............ Once I started to drink 3 liters per day, and used saline solution thru my nose to hydrate the upper respiratory lines.. The cough was gone.
BTW did my 23 shot today out  of 24 :-)

I feel happy....Just one more to go...
saludos a todos
scuba

[chcnme]

Hey Rose,  has anyone done a chest x-ray on you for this cough?  If not, they need to -- just to be on the safe side.  If they haven't gotten one, I'd ask for one.  Best of luck!  

[rosebud57]

oh you all are burning the midnight oil tonite.

thanks for posting.
well i looked and i think i got it figured out it.  i spent a good half hour gargling intermittently salt water and hydrogen peroxide, the peroxide worked the best so i stuck with that.  after my throat would bubble and this really tenaciously sticky substance would start to break down (from back of throat) so basically when i was coughing previously - it was unproductive, my throat was so sore (still is). i had to do this several times after i began at 10:30 and it is 1:30 and i have gargled about 3-4 times (multiple times each session). i am not coughing, but still feel something going on in my throat. but it is much better.

so this is the other thing i figured out.  (it was a hunch so i looked it up), Candidas overgrowth (thrush in the mouth),  also can become syndrome called "leaky gut"  the attached link is detailed so read if you are interested. it is interesting to see that these are the same symptoms our treatment drugs cause.  so what i wonder is. if the treatment affects the balance of candidas allowing overgrowth and manifests in the symptoms we get.  brain fog, paranoia,  sensitivity to environment to name a few.   look at this link... i purchased acidophilis tablets the other day, because i had been on antibiotics, but maybe i was a little too little too late.  it takes about a week for the tablets to help.

here is part of link:
Candida symptoms are usually chronic and include but are not limited to the following:
Allergies: to foods and/or airborne chemicals; particularly adult-onset allergies. The number of offending substances can keep increasing until an individual becomes so sensitive to the everyday environment that they must live in isolation.
Fatique: continual, but often more noticeable after eating.
Gastrointestinal: poor digestion (constipation or diarrhea, gas, bloating, cramps, heartburn, nausea, gastritis, colitis, etc.)
Neurological: carbohydrate cravings, irritability, mood swings, headaches, migraines, "fogged-in" feeling, inability to concentrate/mind "wanders off", poor memory, confusion, dizziness, M.S.-like symptoms (slurred speech, loss of muscle co-ordination, vision affected), depression and/or anxiety without apparent cause (often worse after eating), paranoia without apparent cause, not in total control of one' actions (know right thing to do but unable to execute), mental incompetence (sometimes leading to institutionalization), a variety of other behavioral disturbances.
Genito-urinary: vaginal infections, menstrual difficulties, impotence, infertility, prostatitis, rectal itch, urinary tract infection/inflammation (urgency, burning).
Respiratory: compromised immune system (frequent colds, flus), hay fever, mucous congestion, postnasal drip, asthma, bronchitis, chest pain, frequent clearing of throat, habitual coughing (usually non-productive).
Skin: athlete's foot, jock itch, skin rash, hives, dry brownish patches, psoriasis, ringworm, rough skin on sides of arms which gets worse at certain times of the month or under increased stress.
Symptoms resistant to all modes of therapy. The physician may conclude that patient is a hypochondriac and/or neurotic and may suggest tranquilizers, anti-depressants and/or psychiatric help.
Clinical history (early childhood): ADD, ADHD, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, SKIN problems (cradle cap, diaper rash, thrush), RESPERATORY problems (chronic ear infection, tonsillitis) or GI problems (colic).
Miscellaneous: cold extremities, arthritis-like symptoms, etc.


that was just an except there is much more to read:

http://www.goodbyecandida.com/

well thanks for your input, but i would be interested to see if anyone else ever considers how the meds might affect the balance of our bodies.  there is a line in the link where if doctors cant figure out what you got (asthma, etc) they think you are a hypochondriac.... bet my docs think i am i have been a real pain lately

[lostpass]

I had a bad cough through out treatment 48 weeks Geno type 1 Rib and interferon.... induced.  Sometimes I would lose my voice and have to keep clearing my throat.. also developed sinus problem which bothered me at  night. This was a consistant problem.. the coughing.  I believe and my Dr. told me it was caused by the medication.  Post treatment time now and this problem has left me. one down a whole bunch more to go.  I told people... I do not have a cold.. I am not contagious.. It is a cough due to medication I am taking. It was chronic.  THis was the least of my worries. I had hives and had to go to the E.R.  My lips were out to here ----------------- I have a sense of humor, thank god {this always helps} and I went in telling the nurses and Drs that I was a stand in for Angeline Jolie.  The hives were another constant.. depression started in the 3rd month. Medication induced.. all side effects  from the treatment.  You just have to endure and it makes you fight the battle when you learn that all is due to medication... Pretty potent stuff. Rat poison, I have heard.Hang in there.  I am an achiever. but a suffering one.  That is the name of the game. Panic attacks. depression anger, insomnia, fatique.. etc.etc.. so many SE that are upsetting to say the least.  You are not alone and we all care very much. My best to all

[cruelworld]

my lungs are always more or less collapsed since tx started. randomized bouts of coughing with lots of phlem are daily events and relatively constant. sometimes it gets real bad like you are talking about them if finally calms down for a a day or two. be on the safe side but i bet it will let up soon. another battlescar for posterity. hang tough!

[Cheesegrater]

I had years and years of sinus/pharangeal/throat and chest sarcosis like complaints that varied in severity from chronic cough to being unable to sleep properly (for several years) due to apnea. I was never given anything to help me sleep (unless I was on treatment peg/riba) and I was shuffled from one specialist to the next, chest, ears nose throat, allergist, sleep clinic. They fianlly said it was the geometry of my jaw (the apnea) and the sinus/throat/chest problems was due to dust.
Blasting the back of my throat out with a laser would "cure" the apnea.

My symptoms started after moving into a highrise.
The tenants had been puttinggarbage down the chute (2 in each hallway) where it would speed downward and get caught in the bin below in the garbage room. Often leaving a trail of garbage down the chute. A bacteria and mold breading ground that openned up on every floor. And there was a mold or mildew problem in some of the units due to leaking in the walls higher up. I then moved to another building with a similar problem. The symptoms got worse.


2 weeks after moving from my last building to a clean new dwelling, I started to feel wonderful.

So hey, you can have a completely clean and tidy living area, but if you got these airborn bugs, your life can be a living hell... and they won't even find it on the tests.

cheese