I'm a 17 year old girl. Since mid-2013, I have had a chronic cough that has not gone away for even a moment. It's a 24/7 thing, I feel the need to cough every minute of every day, like there's mucus stuck in my throat that I need to cough up but I can't.
I went to the doctor back in 2013 and she prescribed me Proair HFA (albuterol sulfate), an inhaler that I had to inhale two puffs three to four times a day. I was also prescribed Azithromycin 250MG tablets. Back in 2013, the cough was extremely bad and the medicine had helped it die down a little, but it never went away, and here I am now, two years later, still with it.
I keep telling my parents to take me to the doctor because I've had this thing for two years, but they always roll their eyes and tell me that I'm making a big deal out of nothing and they think I'm lying. They don't have to live with feeling sick 24/7. They don't know.
In addition to the cough, my nose has been very stuffy and I have been sneezing at least 20 times a day.
Sometimes when I cough, about once or twice a week, I start to gag and I spit up a yellowish-whiteish mucus.
Someone please tell me what I should do. I really can't take this any longer.
I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you ever smoke?
I don't mind at all, but no, I have never smoked a day in my life.
None of my family members do, either.
Could you ask your mum ( if needed) to ask your GP for chest X-ray ,you could have a chest infection ,or a spirometry test for asthma ,
Hi Mandy, I (although many years older) have gone through a similar thing although my coughing got worse when I stood up. An MRI scan showed a widening of my oesophagus and thus liquid from my stomach was able to come back up and I was inadvertently inhaling it...my consultant prescribed me anti-refux medication and I haven't had a problem since....not saying this is what yours is, but at the stage you are at, there is no harm in mentioning it to your doctor or buying over the counter anti reflux medication to at least try it....good luck
I am so sorry you have been struggling with these symptoms. You don't say if you are still on any of these medications. If your parents are not taking your distress seriously, then if I were you I would go to the docs myself. It would be helpful to go when you are coughing up yellow sputum if at all possible. You could then ask your gp if they would send of a sample. Before you do I would check with your surgery what time samples go off to the lab, as your sample needs to get to the lab within 3 hours, so you can arrange your docs appointment around that time. You defo need checking out by your doc as it's gone on for 2 years now.
Good luck hun and please let us know how you get on.
love cx
Hi Mandy,
Having a cough etc for this length of time, you should really have it investigated further. If you were my child I would be taking you back to the Doc and insisting on you being referred to the hospital.
I really hope you can get this resolved , I fully appreciate what you are going through.
Hi Mandy. I am really sorry that you are suffering alone with this. I think the advice given re trying anti-reflux is worth a go for sure. However another possibility from what you describe is allergies or food intolerance. A friend ( much older than you!) had very similar symptoms, and after 3 years of suffering finally got allergy tested to discover she eats allergic to several environmental stimuli including her cat - who now no longer sleeps in the bedroom - and wheat. She is now,after taking all steps to remove these stimuli, vastly better. So my recommendation is to treat your symptoms as if it is reflux and see what happens and go and see your Dr and ask for allergy testing. Basically keep trying different approaches until you find what works. If your Dr sees you taking proactive steps to help yourself, they are more likely to be able to help you. Good luck!