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Post by biggaloot101 on Dec 6, 2023 22:06:27 GMT
Hi Everyone!
I am a longtime lurker of this message board. In fact, I was a member back in the day when it was on the old platform. You all have always had such good insight, that I am reaching out to see if anyone has had a similar experience and can offer any info. Thank you in advance for reading my lengthy post.
I have a chronic cough that will not go away. It started several years back (before covid). I have noticed that the cough seems to occur in November of each year and stick with me throughout the winter months. It seems to slowly decrease in the late spring and summer. I have been back and forth with my primary care physician who initially thought it could be post-nasal drip and had me try Flonase. That didn’t help. The next suggestion was that it could be acid reflux. I tried taking Pepcid for several months and am currently taking Prilosec. At one point I was prescribed one of those steroid packs where you take so many pills on day one and decrease a pill each day until they are gone. That worked, but they couldn’t offer that to me as a long term solution. I was then referred to a pulmonologist who took x-rays of my lungs to be sure there was no fluid. All came back clear. I have had blood work (not the skin test) to check for certain allergens, but all came back negative. I have been prescribed two different inhalers in which there was initial improvement, but over the course of time they decreased in their efficacy. I have tried using a nebulizer daily which has little to no impact. I’ve also tried home remedies such as cool mist and warm mist humidifiers, allergy meds, various cough suppressants, drinking warm liquids with honey and even different teas with medicinal properties. No such luck.
I live in New Jersey which experiences the 4 seasons so I feel like the timing of the cough is when the colder air moves in and the dry heat is turned on at home and at work which might be why it slowly improves as the weather outside warms up a bit. My job requires me to talk quite a bit which is becoming a problem. I feel like I am constantly stifling a cough. The only thing I have found that gives me some relief is Motrin which I feel might be because it is an anti-inflammatory drug. I don’t want to use them too often as they can cause me to have stomach issues. Has anyone else had anything similar? If so, has anything worked for you?
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Post by femalebusiness on Dec 6, 2023 22:11:33 GMT
Have you checked your heart? In my reading I found that sometimes heart problems will cause a chronic cough. After I read that I remembered that for a year or so before my dad died he had a constant tickle in his throat and a chronic cough. Might be something to check into.
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Post by biggaloot101 on Dec 6, 2023 22:19:59 GMT
Have you checked your heart? In my reading I found that sometimes heart problems will cause a chronic cough. After I read that I remembered that for a year or so before my dad died he had a constant tickle in his throat and a chronic cough. Might be something to check into. I have not, but definitely something I will have to investigate further. Thank you! |
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Post by roundtwo on Dec 6, 2023 22:22:18 GMT
I was going to ask about the heart as well - a high blood pressure med that I was prescribed after my open heart surgery gave me a terrible cough. I was able to get it switched a couple months ago and the cough is mostly gone.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 6, 2023 22:22:58 GMT
Another thing to consider, especially since it seems to be seasonal, would be asthma. Did the pulmonologist you saw mention that as a possibility?
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Post by gar on Dec 6, 2023 22:25:46 GMT
Have you checked your heart? In my reading I found that sometimes heart problems will cause a chronic cough. After I read that I remembered that for a year or so before my dad died he had a constant tickle in his throat and a chronic cough. Might be something to check into. I have a relative who’s just been diagnosed with a heart condition after she, like you, has had an absolute barrage of tests trying to figure out the cause of her cough. They seem to have finally figured out this is the cause. |
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Post by dewryce on Dec 6, 2023 22:40:01 GMT
I would definitely see a cardiologist. In the meantime, you said the dry heat makes it worse? Have you considered running a humidifier during the winter months? Also, you said you had blood work done to test for allergies. I’m not certain, does that catch everything the skin tests would? I have allergies year round, but they’re definitely worse right now. Central Texas = Cedar Fever until Spring for me. I’d consider the skin testing as well.
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peabay
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,940
Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Dec 6, 2023 22:44:20 GMT
Yep - find a cardiologist. My mom had this - she had an aortic aneurysm that was causing it. They were able to start keeping an eye on it after that.
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Post by biggaloot101 on Dec 6, 2023 23:06:44 GMT
I would definitely see a cardiologist. In the meantime, you said the dry heat makes it worse? Have you considered running a humidifier during the winter months? Also, you said you had blood work done to test for allergies. I’m not certain, does that catch everything the skin tests would? I have allergies year round, but they’re definitely worse right now. Central Texas = Cedar Fever until Spring for me. I’d consider the skin testing as well. Yes, I have been running a humidifier at home. I keep one next to my bed at night. Once the irritation of the cough dissipates in the late spring, I'm not bothered by it during the summer months. I just can't seem to figure out what happens to me in the winter months...lol. |
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Post by biggaloot101 on Dec 6, 2023 23:08:12 GMT
Another thing to consider, especially since it seems to be seasonal, would be asthma. Did the pulmonologist you saw mention that as a possibility? My pulmonologist did suspect asthma early on. He tried me out on a couple of inhalers which worked at first, but then weren't that effective. |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Dec 6, 2023 23:18:45 GMT
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Post by Delta Dawn on Dec 6, 2023 23:22:47 GMT
I have heard the same thing about Mucinex. I also heard it breaks down phlegm and that also stops the coughing. |
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pilcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,236 
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Post by pilcas on Dec 6, 2023 23:23:54 GMT
Could there be something with your heating system causing irritation? I have a similar issue with my nose. As soon as the heat gets turned on my nose becomes irritated and very stuffy.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,276
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Dec 7, 2023 0:28:47 GMT
If you rule out heart concerns or blood pressure medications, also consider things that are environmental - your ductwork could have something in it that you react to, and there is also leaf mold, which would start up in the fall. Something is causing inflammation.
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,340
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Dec 7, 2023 0:40:05 GMT
Also, since it appears more in the winter, I would change my furnace filter at least every 4 weeks and possibly use a better quality.
If you have had a huge amount of humidiy in your home due to weather and/or running a humidifier, your furnace ducts could have mold spores and when you run the furnance, they go flying around. Or they could just have dirt and dust that has accumulated over the years. Maybe you should look into have the ductwork cleaned.
I would check out the heart issue as others mentioned first.
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Post by sideways on Dec 7, 2023 0:41:20 GMT
It could still be reflux. LPR, or respiratory reflux, can cause a chronic cough. Heartburn meds often don’t help. It reflux that affects the throat. GI should treat it, but since it affects higher prices up beyond the esophagus, they push it off to ENTs even though the faulty mechanism is in the GI tract. Honestly, medical science hasn’t caught up with this ailment yet. Modifying your diet to what I call the “Kill all joy of eating” diet is the only thing that may work.
No: coffee, chocolate, garlic, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, tea, caffeine, all fruit except banana and melon, fruit juice, vinegar, fried food, fatty food, spicy food, soda, alcohol. Limit sugar, dairy, refined carbs.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 7, 2023 0:52:24 GMT
Have you had your iron levels checked? I had a cough for quite awhile before finding out I was anemic.
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Post by dewryce on Dec 7, 2023 1:28:26 GMT
Isn’t the ductwork the same for air and heating? I agree, it’s always a good idea to have it cleaned periodically, and changing air filters is better for your systems anyway so they don’t have to work harder than they need to (for the same reason don’t get filters with too high a number rating). But I would think she’d be exposed to the same spores from the ducts year round.
eta: Based on the fact that it seems seasonal, I suspect something to do with allergens.
Have they done any other imaging than a chest x-ray for your lungs?
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Post by cannmom on Dec 7, 2023 1:53:11 GMT
Another thing to consider, especially since it seems to be seasonal, would be asthma. Did the pulmonologist you saw mention that as a possibility? My pulmonologist did suspect asthma early on. He tried me out on a couple of inhalers which worked at first, but then weren't that effective. What inhalers have you tried? Did you take them consistently, everyday as prescribed? If an inhaler is a maintenance inhaler you must take it daily for it to work. A rescue inhaler, like albuterol, would be used as needed. I’m a respiratory therapist and I do pulmonary function testing, you wouldn’t believe how many people take their inhalers incorrectly. I’m not saying that’s you, but I have people come in all that time and tell me they only use their maintenance inhalers when they feel like they need it. I don’t think people are educated properly on how to use their inhalers a lot of the time. Cardiac issues and reflux are often the culprit behind a chronic cough as others have said. I know Lisinopril will cause a cough sometimes if you are taking that. |
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Post by Linda on Dec 7, 2023 2:08:58 GMT
for me - chronic cough was caused by cough-variant asthma - mine seems to be triggered by wood smoke both fireplaces/campfires but also wild fires - and later GERD announced itself with a chronic cough
I hope you get answers and relief
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Post by jcm28 on Dec 7, 2023 12:19:05 GMT
Just throwing this out there. Do you take an Ace inhibitor? It’s a BP drug that may cause a chronic cough. I had to quit taking Lisinopril because of the cough.
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Post by littlemama on Dec 7, 2023 13:58:39 GMT
Have you seen a gastro for the reflux? They would likely do a scope to look for a cause rather than just advising OTC meds.
The timing of it though suggests allergies.
Or dryness. Do you have a humidifier? If not or even if you do, when you are home you can put a pot of water on the stove to simmer. (A pot you dont care about, because it will end up with sone residue that you'll have to try to scrub off)
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Post by biggaloot101 on Dec 8, 2023 22:22:21 GMT
Thank you everyone for all of your suggestions. Will definitely be taking a harder look at some of the things suggested.
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Post by its me mg on Dec 9, 2023 3:57:59 GMT
I almost didn't post this but I just want to encourage you definitely dig a bit deeper. My nonna had a chronic cough - that woman probably kept Ricola in business - and would see her doctor regularly and be assured she was fine.
Turns out the cough was undiagnosed Stage 4 Lung Cancer.
Which is why I didn't want to post - I don't want to make this worse - but seeing as how peas mentioned other serious conditions I just want to implore you to really dig and make sure you get a second opinion.
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Post by stacmac on Dec 9, 2023 6:22:28 GMT
Have they taken sputum test/swab? Whatever it's called. My sisters chronic cough wasn't taken that seriously and then they found out she had a long term, rare bacterial infection.
She had a course of antibiotics and the cough got better, but didn't go away. The doctor said it must be gone and this will be something else... It wasn't gone. Another round of antis!
Good luck!
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