whooping cough (pertusis)-can it cause lung damage and asthma?

[Trudi2258]

I had whooping cough 3 years ago and since then have never stopped coughing.  I have a deep dry hacking cough but more times than not its a productive cough with a lot of thick white secretions.  At times the mucous makes me feel like I am drowning-I just cant seem to get the mucous to totally go away.  My Pulmonologist diagnosised me first with post infectious cough and then cough varient asthma.  My asthma is not at all controlled despite numerous nebulizers, steroids treatments which make me profusely sweat, unable to sleep and essentially a crazy person-(so I refuse to take that daily), inhalers and now allergy shots weekly.  Is it possible that the pertusis left me with scars or other permanent lung damage?  My voice is constantly horse/raspy.  I have seen GI specilaists and had an endosocopy which showed mild reflux disease and take nexium, ENT doctors did complete sinus workup and I have no sinus problems.  I can feel the asthma attacks coming on most of the time and can lessen the symtpoms somewhat with nebulizer, rescue inhaler and cough medicine.  But there are times when I started violently coughing for no apparent reason.  Air travel worsens my symptoms which is difficult since I have to travel frequently for my job.  I have had pulmonary function tests that indicate asthma, CT Scans essentially are normal except for a 4cm lesion that has not changed.  

Does anyone know of adults who were infected with whooping cough that resulted in chronic/ hard to control asthma or other related respiratory problems and sudden onset of significant allergies?  I try like heck to make the best of it, I continue to work, I carry a portable nebulizer with me every where I go (which at times freaks out the TSA security guards in airports because they dont know what it is)  I frequently just start coughing uncontrolably which is very distressful and frightening because I then wonder...am I going to be able to control this attack this time?...which of course then makes matters and breathing  worse not to mention it is embarrasing to have this happen in public places.  
This coughing is really affecting my quality of life!!  I am so frustrated, discouraged and at a loss as to what I can do or try to make this go away or at least be under control?  Does anyone know if there is a hospital or group of doctors that specialize in chronic coughs?  I live in the Northeast section of the USA but at this point will travel anywhere to see any specialist that may have an answer.  I've read some posts discussing brittle asthma.  Do my symptoms sound similar?
HELP please!  

[nlacirb]

Wow,i know how you feel .I came in contact with whooping cough in june 2012 and i have never be the one in my family who is sick . This is the worst I have ever felt and now iI wish the cough would go away and my voice would come back . I now have an inhaler. It does not help. My job is with a large retail company and they have no concern on how I feel and says I came in contact not in their company. well please keep in touch and god blessing to you

[mugsym]

I had whooping cough in September (self-diagnosed - as the clinic I went to doesn't even test for it!  They say "it doesn't matter - bronchitis, asthma, pertussis - we treat it the same way anyway".  This is a real problem!).  I took a z-pak then and feel better but am left with sudden coughing fits that can cause larynx spasms and are very embarrassing in public.  My voice is also raspy and I often have to stop mid-sentence to avoid triggering "the cough" (as my kids have dubbed it).  I have my first cold now since then and it seems to have re-triggered the cough's severity.  I have also seen a doctor who basically says it will go away with time and he sees nothing wrong!  In the meantime I feel like I can hardly hold a normal conversation!  I have searched all over the web and here is what I am going to do:

- Definitely trying the Drosera
- Will use the mucinex if needed (only have throat mucus when I have a cold though - otherwise the cough is a dry, "catchy" one)
-And plan on trying this accupresssure trick next coughing fit: Laryngospasm notch maneuver (see this link: http://academiclifeinem.blogspot.com/2010/12/trick-of-trade-laryngospasm-notch.html )

Will report back.
Unless you already had asthma and/or are coughing up tons of mucus from your lungs, I really don't think this is a lung issue at all.  It is a larynx issue.  The pertussis bacteria attaches to your larynx and I think has done some damage - making the cough reflex super sensitive and triggering spasms.  I WILL find away to beat this!  Good luck to everyone.

[1Anonymous1]

self diagnosed is right, I am also self diagnosed because I had pertussis and it nearly killed me. It took six visits to the ER before I was finally able to get in to my new doctor after my previous one died and it was a while before I could get into see the new one  and only one pill even work to actually kill the pertussis bacteria. I can't be out in the extreme cold without serious risk of an asthma attack or some other respiratory issue and I can't be around smoke either. I must be in a strictly smoke free environment unless I have a certain kind of ventilation set up to where fans are blowing the smoke a certain way out the window. It's not 100% perfect but I'm considering investing in a portable smoke eater. I don't smoke but some people I know do. I can't make them stop smoking around me  but one of them cares enough about me and wants me around bad enough to make some kind of accommodations where we're all happy. What I prefer they didn't smoke around me? Yes absolutely! However, I don't have that choice so the person who cares most about me to have me in his home will make accommodations where I don't suffer or have to run out  every time someone lights up which is usually every few minutes. If I ran out every few minutes, I wouldn't even be there at all. One place so I can control is my own house and I find it better to just stay single to reduce the risk of anyone ever bringing smoke into my home because I just can't be around it at all

[nomobetz]

Me too! I had whooping cough starting in May and was told that the cough could last 100 days. I am still coughing and it is almost December. When I cough... daily... I cough so hard that I gag. This is crazy and scary. I keep saying that I will go to the doctor "next week" if it doesn't stop. I have been saying this since the 100 day mark. I just hate to sound like a hypochondriac, so I haven't gone yet. I'm really afraid that they won't be able to find a cause, but this cough is very real and I'm really tired and embarrassed by it! Have you had a diagnosis yet? I don't smoke and have worked in a smoke free environment for almost 8 years. Thoughts??? Has anyone stopped coughing or had a successful diagnosis???

[Karen4120]

I had WC in April and was also told to expect 100 days.  Well almost 8 months later.....still dealing with this.  Although my "episodes" are nothing like they were at the beginning, they still are interfering with my life.  It will come on out of the blue (still mostly at night but I have had a few daytimes ones). It starts with my nose draining and then the nonstop cough, ends sometimes with the vomit. I take NyQuil at night and that helps to stop it.  Funny, during the heigh of WC nothing would stop the cough for me not even the prescription cough meds.

I spoke to my dr. last week and it she thought it odd I was still dealing with episodes.  They come on maybe once or twice a week.  I did have a total 8 week span when I had none, thought it was totally gone.  She wants to investigate further when I see her next month for my annual :(

I totally get your not going to the dr. yet.  I really do think this is something that has to leave our body and just hasn't yet.  I know my dr. will submit me to tons of tests and I'm sick of it all.  It took almost 5 visits before this WC was even confirmed.  I had the booster shot that was suppose to protect me from this disease 3 yrs ago.  I dread this winter and am not sure if it will still linger or not.  I can't believe I'm still dealing with this after all this time.  Reading the posts on here make me feel somewhat better that this is "normal".  I too was feeling like a hyprochondriac.  Thinking of starting a WC support group LOL!!!    Good luck !

Karen

[ripreilly]

I am in my 8th week of whooping cough....it is more exhausting then when I went thru chemo. I just had to go back to the hospital today because I thought I had a collapsed lung. They said it was pluracy. Has anyone else been diagnosed with pluracy when they had whooping cough?

[Lauren_ivy]

I was 7 when I caught whooping cough for the first time and I suffered greatly from it. Because of it I now suffer from really serious coughs whenever I get ill or have a cold. If anyone else gets a cold or cough it's very light and doesn't effect them much but with me I end up losing my voice, coughing up blood, being sick, unable to breath I have also broken 3 ribs since I was 7 just from coughing. My stomache muscles and lower back muscles do not grow properly anymore as I have ripped them so many times and to much. As you can see I have suffered a lot from having whooping cough and no matter how many times the doctors say that it's likely whooping cough will not affect you in the future it does! I have no remedies myself but would be entirely greatful for any ideas, I have tried every drug and method over the counter and nothing works good luck to the rest of you for finding a cure!