Hello all, this is my first post here and I am very worried. If you can give me some advice I would greatly appreciate it. My wife, aged 32 active female nonsmoker had a cold with a very slight fever about 7 weeks ago. She got better in a few days but lost her voice for a day or two from which she recovered well. However, after that, she began coughing and has been for 6 weeks now. At the beginning, I got her an OTC anti-inflammatory spray and some lozenges. The spray didn't help and mad her gag a few times. We went to the first GP and he said her lungs were fine and gave her an expectorant. She was coughing all throughout the day, sometimes in fits. The expectorant didn't work and we went to the ER. They gave us a cough syrup, some ibuprofen, and an antihistamine. We barely saw any improvement and the cough came back when we stopped the syrup. We went again to the ER to follow up and they gave us Codeine syrup, again an antihistamine and some antacids. We didn't see any improvement and were frustrated so we ordered a chest x-ray which was clear. We went to a lung specialist and he said it could be asthma (even though she has never had any breathing problems and is very energetic). He gave her an inhaler with steroids which she has been using for 24 hours and we haven't seen any improvement. She has not been sleeping at all for 3 days and took some codeine phosphate syrup last night just so she can sleep for a few hours. This morning, the cough is back.
She has no symptoms associated with what I've read online. No fever, weight loss, night sweats, weakness, fatigue, chest pain, shoulder pain, difficulty breathing, clubbing, coughing up blood. Nothing.
She also says she feels two kinds of coughs. One that comes from her lungs which she feels better when she coughs something out (even though there is nothing that comes out), and another one that comes from a very itchy throat. She says she feels her throat is scratched. Sometimes, steam showers help her, other times not so much. I have been reading so much online and I am very worried, distressed and unable to cope/function. We both haven't slept much are unable to work. I have taken a leave from my job. A part of me feels that it is a cough and it will pass and the other part wants to make sure I do everything in my power and whatever it takes to see my wife not suffering this much. Last night she coughed till the point of gagging and almost vomiting. I read about tumors, and pulmonary fibrosis and got so worried - but after 6 stethoscopes and an x-ray, wouldn't one of those doctors notice something abnormal in her lungs? She has no genetic history of any of these diseases.
It is worth mentioning that her aunt (not blood-related) developed a respiratory disease after starting a new job as a municipality Gardner. They initially thought it was asthma. And within 2 months she had lost around 15kg - ending up with 2 lung biopsies and eventually dying (all within 3 months). Nobody ever told me what she had, the family was too distressed to know. She was basically a healthy 55-year-old casual smoker who was fit and active. She weighed around 50KG.
So we are very paranoid about why my wife is coughing that much and I would appreciate any help/advice/insight because I feel miserable.
Thank you.
Well, I don't know but I have to say I had that horrible bug at the end of Summer and it took me 2 months to shake it off. I was left with post nasal drip and even now I've got a sore throat.I've seen ENT Doctor, x-ray is fine, blood test is fine.
I'm seeing another specialist on Tuesday at Guy's Hospital.
Blessings
Thank you for your post. It's funny because my wife's name is Natalia. She coughs a lot and it prevents us from doing a lot of things we normally do. I hope you get better soon. We are having a spirometry on Monday so hoping for the best. Hoping to have a good night's rest today.
I hope you will be fine by Christmas because my husband is my everything ❤
Be there for your wife.
Blessings
Hi i can understand your fear. After reading, my suggestion is to take a look at your life and see how much stress there is in it because it could just all be anxiety. With the throat i have found it happens more often in places where you are without realising it its slightly stressful. Since i have taken up mountain biking it all has eased not gone away yet, but also i have stopped worring about it to and this helps. I also started swimming as well and this i find a good way to get your breathing right. I hope this is helpfull. Cheers Martin
has your wife been checked for hypoxia?
my second thought is an allergist.
kind regards
Her O2 says were normal each time we checked. We have another appointment this Tuesday with the GP who might refer us to an immunologist if the cortisone inhaler isn't working by then. Hoping for the best.
Hi Martin, I agree, anxiety definitely makes it worse. We were not sure if exercise aggravates her cough but we are in our countryside house now where things are calmer than the city. We are taking walks around and it seems to help her a bit being outside.
Thank you, may God bless you both. She is everything to me as well. Sending you warm regards.
excellent...stress that the inhaler is ineffective.
I see an allergy-immunologist.
Her advice has been right on.
Have you changed bed pillows...I did and for years never realized I was allergic to them! No more nice fluffy feathered pillows for me!
Yes, let us hope
hugs
Thank you.. It's been tough seeing her cough a lot and it seems everyone around me, my family, her family, most doctors, friends everyone is not taking it seriously and think I am over worried, that it's just a cough and I keep thinking to myself, what if I let this slip once and not put all my effort and go and do what needs to be done. I would never forgive myself. I shouldn't be this worried but I do not think it is normal to be coughing for 6 weeks - getting better than bad again and so one.
Thank you for your wishes. Warm wishes to you too.
Also I have to say I was coughing for good 2 months. I'm not just saying. I was rolling from 1 symptoms into another one. I was gargling solt-soda water for my throat, breathing over hot water covered with towel. That's help a lot. Eventually after 8 weeks, blood test and x ray, my GP sent me to see ENT saying it's nothing I can do for you 😈
He also gave me a Avamys spray for my nose. It did work but gave me lots of side effects I stopped using it on the 25th of November. My sinusitis came back and cough as well but not too bad this time. I'm going to see another ENT on Tuesday at Guy's Hospital.
Molt can cause lots of problems as well.
Good luck!
Blessings
Thank you, i am not sure how severe or frequent your cough was, butt wife coughs every other minute or so. It seems when she focuses on something else, she coughs slightly less.
I'm sure many things affect however, I am worried because of all the research I have done online. Cancer, Fibrosis and other life threatening conditions keep me up at night. I should be positive, I know. I hope your next appointment is more beneficial that the first one.
Warm wishes and I'll keep you posted for sure.
just remember google does not have an M.D.
Hello..
Howe did you shake it off in the end?
I got a nasty chest infection that was going around in July and I still have it in December.. it changes slightly from time to time..
Xray all clear tho having to wait till February to see the chest specialist!
Antibiotics helped for a week or two but it always comes back!
So sick of this
I have the exact same thing you describe. Even the whole two types of cough.
Mine came on in July and been on antibiotics a few times but always comes back within a week or so.
Xray clear. Inhalers do nothing. Waiting to see a specialist in February. But it's been months and it's really getting me down. Almost convinced I've got cancer tho I've never smoked I'm 38.. healthy up until I got this.
Has anyone got any answers?
Hi I agree with ihaveanickname google isnt a MD and we can read more into than what we realise. All the best. Martin
Thank you Martin, sometimes when I read it makes me feel like I'm actively doing something to improve the situation, the opposite could be true..
Better not to imagine the worst case scenario. From my over-reading these past weeks I have learnt that lung cancer has hardly ever presented itself as just a cough. This is true for most cases and especially in young nonesmokers. Don't stay worried, it'll just ruin your life, trust me. This is what'a happening to me. If you can, go find a specialist for a private consult and ease your mind.