Cough for over 8 months; GP has suggested ventolin

[KatyMac]

I've had an xray and blood tests, all clear

The cough has no mucus and makes me throw up, I also have a dry mouth; but I'm not specifically wheezy

I asked for a spacer as I didn't think I'd time it right & the gp asked what I knew about asthma (grandad, dad, husband and daughter all have/had different types)

Chemist will follow up in a week and gp in a month

I am rinsing my mouth after taking it - is there anything else I should look out for or be aware of

Do you think I should start recording my peakflow (I forgot to ask the gp)

I have cough variant asthma - never heard of it until I got it! I was prescribed the preventer twice a day and rarely need to use ventolin

Is there any chance that it is acid reflux? Yes, I would keep a record of your peak flow. What sort of inhaler have you been given?
I am not a medically trained person but have asthma and bronchiectasis.

Yes I was prescribed omeprazole and it didn't help

Neither did antihistamines

It's a straight forward blue ventolin I can have up to 2 puffs 4 times a day - so I have started on when I cough badly I take a puff - it's made me very a water of my breathing (6 doses in 🙄)

I wonder why they have not given you a preventer. A low dose inhaled steroid can go straight to the problem area.

Have you tried things like vaccuming your mattress and generally trying to keep dust down?

DH has chronic asthma and Bronchiectasis so we are pretty good at dustmites mould and allergens

Yes I was a bit surprised; but I guess he is trying to work out of its chest or stomach (relflux)?

Hi I've had a cough since may and I also have asthma but it has never bothered me before I caught a virus in May which started of this cough
I also had a chest X-ray which was clear, I was put on omeprazole which didn't help at all so I stopped taking it, doctor even put me on antibiotics but my chest was clear so the antibiotics didn't help at all!!
Since May I've picked up any virus going and then the coughing gets worse it's like it's never ending
I was put on the brown preventer inhaler in august which calmed the cough but hasn't got rid of it and the coughing has become worse again as my daughter brought home a cough which has made my cough even worse
I haven't actually been sick with the cough but it's still very worrying having a cough for so long isn't it

I have a dry mouth too, no mucus
I do take my peak flow from time to time the highest has been about 470 and the lowest 400 but it generally sits around 450.. no idea if that's good though
Is yours similar?

I'll have to root out a flow meter tomorrow and start checking it - I dont have a baseline yet

The brown inhaler should help you I'd have thought

I had 2 lots of antibiotics about a month ago that made no difference

The cough makes me so tired

I have Bronchiectasis too - it might not be that but as far as I know an X-ray doesn’t pick up enough detail. I also have polyps which causes my post nasal drip to go down my throat - which is likely what causes the infection I had that resulted in a 9 year cough. inhalers and montelukast didn’t help at all.

Hope you get it sorted.

I really don't want to worry anyone but I got a non-contagious form of TB which is unusual and difficult to get rid of. It was probably caused by compost as we had an allotment. Two of the symptoms are hot flushes and weight loss.

The doctor kept increasing my asthma medication until I researched the GPs online and went to the one who has an interest in respiratory problems. I told her that I was ill and losing weight without trying. She sent me for a CT scan and all hell broke loose!

I am only telling you this because a lot of health professionals don't seem to know about it - NTM. The type I have is mycobacterium intracellulare.

Anyone who has bronchiectasis should be careful of compost, steam etc.

Aw thanks @Freddiefan but no weight loss at all!

Ok I have spent all day coughing up phlegm!

Goodness!

OP you sound exactly like me but I've been coughing for years. Had bloods and tears for asthma. Nothing found. Had the same drugs as you with no improvement.

They basically gave up trying to figure it out so now I take a lot of pholcodeine

@Freddiefan I had MAC too but without the weight loss. 2 years of antibiotics has resolved it for me for the last 2 years. But 9 years of misdiagnosis is why I posted.

OP - suggest you ask for:

• sputum sample
• referral to ENT
• referral to respiratory

Positives of ventolin - breathing more easily, sleeping better, less coughing

Negatives - coughing up (clear) phlegm

The chemist is phoning me in a week and the gp in a month

I'll see what they suggest

Eightytwenty, I had seven AB a day for eighteen months, finishing over three and a half years ago and haven’t had any since. I got off with murder when I caught Covid, just spending two days propped up in bed. I had been given a two week supply of doxycycline at the start of Covid but didn’t need to take them.

I think you’d be better on a preventer.

It's odd because I struggle coughing up phlegm normally as ìm not strong enough

But I have loads atm - I wonder if I coincidentally for a cold/infection

Tbf to the gp I'm not even sure the cough is chest related - I have a lot of gynae issue and wondered if my diaphram was being irritated causi g the cough

God this stuff is brilliant

I am sleeping, I have so much more energy