Never-ending chesty cough - anyone else?

[Todaynotalways]

I've got a cough, I'm not 'ill' exactly, but from time to time, big old hacking cough. It comes and goes, it can be better for a few days, then back with a vengeance.

It's much worse at night, when on a couple of occasions it's 'got' me just as I drop off, leading to a proper coughing fit, and on one occasion actually being sick.

I've got a little wheeze, which seems to move between my chest, my through, and the back of my nose.

Occasionally I sneeze a bit.

I am so so bored of it.

If it wasn't for the fact that DH has it too (+ several of the school parents) I'd be worried about it being something serious.

Anyone else got the same? And does anyone have any magical cures?

Yes. DS who hardly catches anything was coughing for about a month.
I’ve had it for several weeks,it comes and goes. Chest is clear,no respiratory issues but knackered from coughing.
Absolute bastard thing.

It is such a bastard @FrenchBoule

I managed a night without hacking, gagging or retching - though I woke up feeling fairly grotty, surely getting more sleep will have helped.

The cough is still very much there this morning, and has taken on a charming metallic taste.

As I said, it really is the gift that just keeps giving!

Like many PPs and their families, I don't often get ill either, maybe a seasonal cold once or twice a year, but (since having my tonsils out in my 30's) almost nothing else of note.

@Todaynotalways i know exactly what you mean by the metallic taste. I’m pretty certain it’s when there’s infection, as I get lurid coloured mucus when I get that. Look after yourself.

I think that metallic taste might be from small blood vessel bursting somewhere.
Mucus is horrible, whatever the colour (or not).

@Todaynotalways remedy wise, I’m going to revive the recipe for syrup from my childhood- chopped onion with sugar, wait until it releases the juice and take a spoonful now and again. It’s revolting but can’t do any damage and if it helps then it’s a bonus.

Ashamed to say my pelvic floor is not taking very well bouts of coughing.
Bastard cough.

Good point about the blood vessel, but there’s never any blood to see, unless I’m an alien and my blood is green.
And absolutely no shame re the bladder. Mines bad enough without the cough. I had a (I think) Botox injection a few years ago, made a massive difference, lasted longer than they said it would, but it’s wearing off now.

Yes, I've still got a cough. A leftover from an awful virus I caught back in October!

The other symptoms have gone but the cough persists. My GP listened to my chest and said it sounded clear but, as it had been going on for so long, he sent me for a chest x-ray. That was clear, too. So now I'm left with this cough and don't know when it will go.

I was ill the week over christmas and new year, so a month-ish?

I found my people. I've been on/off coughing with on/off snotty nose since mid Nov. I would be symptom-free for a week or 2, only to start "getting infected" again. And again. And again.

I've experienced dry and chesty coughs this winter. I've also gotten aches from all the coughing.

Nothing really helps. All the ginger honey lemon in the world hasn't relieved me. Lozenges have been part of my diet in recent months.

GP told me it's probably viral so I'm holding on to that. My husband took antibiotics but didn't really improve either!

To top it all off, I'm pregnant!!

It's truly nasty. One of the viruses I caught was worse than covid. Maybe that was flu.

Congratulations @frickfrack , hope the cough will disappear soon everybody.

As for flu-had it once when in my early 20’s- bed ridden for a few days with high temperature, came back to work after a week only to go off sick again with kidney infection. A friend of mine had a heart problems after flu. That’s why it is so dangerous.

Had chest xray and the other investigations,all came clear, oxygen saturation ok so I guess I must just ride it out. Harrumph.

Absolutely hate it. DS had it on and off for about a month. He seemed to be fine, yesterday he coughed again.
Doing the school run and coughing on the road so hard I had to steady myself on a garden wall. It’s crazy.

Talked to a few people, local hospital was full of people with flu/whatever shite is going around in December.
I know at least 4 people with kids under 5 who visited a&e at Christmas- kids have “colds” lasting days with high temperature that wasn’t coming down at all. All eventually sent home with antibiotics. Mental 🤯

I've had this for over a month. Someone told me to give up sugar as that can really help.
I gave up sugar from Monday and my cough is finally starting to clear up and wheezing reduced a lot.

I can't see why giving up sugar would help? I imagine it's more to do with the passage of time (mine has finally gone after a month too, no sugar given up here!).

@Cookerhood who knows. I did look into it before I tried it and there is some information on sugar and inflammation and suppression of the immune system.
When I thought about it, I realised that my cough was worse on the nights where I'd had dessert.
I was willing to give it a go and my cough has almost gone now. I struggled for weeks. So, maybe there's something in that theory, maybe it would've come to end now anyway but I'm personally convinced it's because of giving up sugar.

Came here to find fellow sufferers - downstairs on the couch to avoid waking DP whom I'm driving mad with coughing. Nine days so far; dismayed to read some people have had this for weeks as I'm off on holiday next week so hoped it would have cleared by then. Beechams All in One helping a bit - Broncho-Stop did nothing for me. Last time I had a cough this bad was that 'Hundred Days Cough' around Christmas 2019 where I was peeing the bed every other night. (Recommend wearing a Mooncup, it seems to give the bladder a bit of extra support.) Thanks for that sugar tip @Charles11, have been eating quite a bit of comfort food so I'll give that a go. Get well soon everyone.

@Keenovay I've just moved to the sofa to leave DP in peace! I've had it for four weeks now and I'm so fed up. Sometimes it's more of a dry cough and sometimes it's a wet cough, so I just can't figure out what it is and I'm relieved to find this thread! I'm also a bit snotty and sneezy. I really hope the end is in sight!!

Hi all, just an update.

A month or so ago I went back to the GP (I'd already had a chest xray and a camera down my throat), the GP diagnosed post viral asthma...she prescribed a brown and a blue inhaler.

The cough was GONE within three days of taking the brown inhaler.

I have an appointment at the lung clinic for a lung capacity test in June.

Glad it is gone @Todaynotalways hope it stays gone!

Fingers crossed there is no lasting damage and you get the all clear at yr appt.

I have it, been over 3 weeks, a mad deranged cough like the worst tickle that has to be hacked to the point of retching. All. Fucking. Day. Long.
And my bladder!!!! I am so worried it will never recover. No previous issues. I once had the off drop escape with a cough, this is something else completely. I have had to buy proper tena pads.
I am exhausted, my whole body feels achey, headache is purely from the bouncing from coughing and the bloody noise.
Whole family have it, we joke we are in competition to cough the loudest.
Every so often one of us will say, I think I'm getting better it is getting phlegmy today - TMI sorry. Then it goes back to the hack. I had a few days with a blocked nose but that was it
I am so pissed off with this. I have consumed my body weight in Jakemans cough sweets.

I have this too and feel achy. Messing up my pelvic floor, worried about getting a hernia, keeping everyone awake… I wish I knew what this is.