Worried about ds and persistent cough

[Edenviolet]

Ds1 has had a very bad cough for three months now. Been to gp numerous times.
He has been having his inhalers more often as advised but no improvement at all. Cough equally bad day and night and he is now at the point where he's exhausted from coughing, this evening he suddenly got very 'woozy' and looked grey but had a lie down and perked up a bit but is coughing terribly again.
In the last three weeks he has started producing horrible horrible phlegm as well but doesn't have a sore throat or any other cold or virus symptoms.
He gets a temperature now and again but its not every day.
He has got a hugely increased appetite and is almost crying sometimes he's so hungry. When he coughs it looks terrible as well as sounds bad, he sucks in his cheeks and chest so hard during a coughing fit and struggles to draw breath between coughs.
He is not sleeping well and I've noticed the last couple of weeks he is dripping in sweat every night.

Iam going to take him back to gp again tomorrow but I'm dreading them just upping the inhalers again as its not asthma.
What could be wrong with him? He also has eds and food allergies but I don't think its related?

I'm really worried.

How old is he and has he had his BCG? I would definitely go back to the GP and tell them about the night sweats. Dont let them fob you off.

Does he see a specialist for asthma?

Ds1 is 7, he has not had a bcg, and only sees the gp about his asthma.

I don't think it is asthma at all as the inhalers are not helping and he doesn't seem wheezy at all. It is a hacking cough and you can hear there's a lot of phlegm there too. I wondered about whooping cough but he had the vaccinations as a baby and with pre school jabs. It was just the way he struggled to breathe in between bouts of coughing.

Cough medicine?
Coughs can easily go to chest of asthematic. The dr will listen and see if can gear wheezing or (not certain) but the rattling of the phlegm.
What colour is the phlegm?

Asthmatics don't always wheeze so don't discount asthma just based on the lack of a wheeze. DS is a brittle asthmatic but very rarely wheezes when he has an attack.

It still could be asthma DS asthma is just a cough. He has what they class as allergic asthma the main system is coughing. Have they tired giving him antihistamines to she if they help at all?

I also wouls be pushing for a referral to see a pediatrician. Just tell the GP your not happy that the inhalers aren't helping and wanted a referral. I had to puch a bit and DS it's only 3. The consultant was able too prescribe additional medication which got things under control.

If he has lots of problems don't be afraid to take him to a&e either.

The American asthma website has lots of information on it about allergy basied asthma that I found useful. And your right DS doesn't wieze it's just a very bad cough which can get phlegm when really bad but we have it well controlled now.

I think a lot of people think asthma is wiezing brought on by excessive but that is just one type of asthma. allergic asthma it's different it is mainly coughing.

I have no idea what it could be but I would also stress the night sweats. Good luck.

sorry for all the error I typed that on my phone. I'm quite useless with it.

I've got very similar symptoms to your son and am under the care of a respiratory consultant. I haven't got asthma, but another issue with my lungs, she's treating me in a very different way to the way the GP's all tried to treat me.

What I'm saying is, GP's are not experts, in respiratory issues or paediatrics, you need to see a specialist to get him checked out properly. I've been fobbed off with inhalers for years until I saw my consultant. It's been a revelation. It could, of course, still be asthma, but at least you'll know. Don't leave the office without a referral!

The phlegm is green or dull greeny brown. Have an appt this evening to see gp again as he coughed all night, was restless and had a temperature again.

Has he had blood test? DD and I had a persistent cough that turned out to be whooping cough.

Green can be an infection.
But also ive had green and its cleared up by itself.
Might be worth videoing the coughing for gp if you have that on your phone in case he doesnt do it in appt.
I just read about chest infections on nhs site that might be worth a look.
Is he not getting wheezy with the coughing?

Not sure if you live in a high risk area or have been to high risk countries but a persistent productive cough, an ongoing temperature and night sweats are all symptoms of TB.

Otherwise I would ask for more support with managing the asthma if they are saying that's the cause. A nurse specialist will be able to help and are usually excellent.

We do live in a high risk area but have never been abroad. Dh is at the gp with ds now so I will see what they have said when he's back.

Hope it goes well, must be very worrying.

Ds was given antibiotics and has to go back next week so the doctor can listen to him again as his chest was 'crackly'

That's good, hope the antibiotics get rid of it completely. Poor thing must be exhausted.