IMB1963
09-03-2006, 03:25 PM
I got sick almost 2 months ago with high fever that lasted for 2 weeks. After about a week I started a dry cough. I've been coughing ever since, hard enough to gag, vomit and pee myself. I've seen/talked to my GP numerous times. First he gave me antibiotics and recommended Robitussen. Don't know if the anti's worked, but no cough syrup did anything. I was referred to an ENT because the GP thought perhaps the cough was GERD related. In the meantime I kept being sent home from work because my cough was disrupting work in the office. My boss demanded that I go back to the doctor (again!) and get the cough fixed. I wnet to the GP's office and was seen by the nurse practitioner. He sent me for a chest x-ray and called at 9pm the following night to say I had pneumonia and that he was going to call in a Rx for more anti's the next day. I kept my appt with the ENT just in case GERD was indeed a factor. The ENT thought not, but gave me some samples of Prilosec in case there was any reflux at all - he did not want there to be added injury to whatever was causing the cough in the first place. He though the GP should recommend a pulinologist and said he would fax that opinion to the GP. He also recommended trying Mucinex. Well, I've finished this last course of anti's and I'm still coughing. The Mucinex eases the cough some, but it is still not going away. I've not heard another word from the GP and I'm not sure what to do next. Does anyone have any insite? -I don't smoke and have no known allergies.
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thegardener
09-13-2006, 09:57 AM
How do you know that you don't have allergies? How are your sinuses?
tdf
09-13-2006, 10:19 AM
Did they do blood tests? I had pneumonia last year and they did blood tests for mycoplasma pneumonia (whatever that is), psittacosis, and legionella. Did they take a sputum sample? The bug you have may not be one that is killed by the antibiotics they gave you, or you just might need to take them for longer. I had a really bad strep throat when I was a kid and I had 3 courses of antibiotics for that. I'd go back to the GP pronto. Good luck.
IMB1963
09-19-2006, 11:40 PM
Here's more follow up: My husband went for his physical with the same dr. I go to. The dr asked how I was doing and when my husband mentioned the pneumonia the dr told him I didn't have it. He insisted that the x-ray he took showed everything to be clear. This doctor never ordered an x-ray. The nurse practitioner did weeks after the doctor claims he did. This information concerend me since I don't want to be taking anti's for any longer than I have to - there's too much worry about them being overused and then not effective. I called the doctor to ask what the real story was and he called me back a week later to find out how I was doing. By that time the cough had FINALLY started to decrease so I didn't request another visit. And the doctor said that the x-ray was only "suggestive of" pneumonia, but that I probably didn't have it. What is that supposed to mean??
...Cut to last week when I got a sinus infection. The cough is back! This time it's very wet and deep with a strange sort of second breathing sound down through the left side of my chest. I sound like some old geezer sitting on a park bench. Complete strangers hear me and are concerned. This is ridiculous. So now I'm back on antibiotics and expectorant (sinuses are clearing but chest is not). This started in July, it's almost October. What gives?
...Cut to last week when I got a sinus infection. The cough is back! This time it's very wet and deep with a strange sort of second breathing sound down through the left side of my chest. I sound like some old geezer sitting on a park bench. Complete strangers hear me and are concerned. This is ridiculous. So now I'm back on antibiotics and expectorant (sinuses are clearing but chest is not). This started in July, it's almost October. What gives?
butrfligirl28
09-20-2006, 11:29 PM
You need to see another doctor. This one does not seem to want to really know what is wrong with you. I read your earlier posts about the cough and your doc only told you to take Robitusson and sent you to an ENT? And what did he do when your cough did not get better? Nothing? Huh? Time to change docs?
A major article was released last year in the New England Journal of Medicine that stated that non-narcotic cough meds were found to be in-effective. Now true, if drainage is causing a cough, they stop the drainage you will see some results. But you had a BAD cough that was not responding to any of his treatments, yet he does nothing to help you? Even when the cough is effecting your job? Why are you still with this guy?
You PAY your doctor, which means he works for YOU. In my opinion, he is doing a lousy job and I would fire him. I am concerned about your cough and lung congestion. I would suggest that you see a doctor ASAP. Just not THIS doctor. Find a new one! Let me know what you find out. I wish you the best of luck!
Amanda
A major article was released last year in the New England Journal of Medicine that stated that non-narcotic cough meds were found to be in-effective. Now true, if drainage is causing a cough, they stop the drainage you will see some results. But you had a BAD cough that was not responding to any of his treatments, yet he does nothing to help you? Even when the cough is effecting your job? Why are you still with this guy?
You PAY your doctor, which means he works for YOU. In my opinion, he is doing a lousy job and I would fire him. I am concerned about your cough and lung congestion. I would suggest that you see a doctor ASAP. Just not THIS doctor. Find a new one! Let me know what you find out. I wish you the best of luck!
Amanda
StressedMommy
09-21-2006, 10:47 AM
I'm real new here (this is my first post), but because I am going through something similar with my teenage daughter, I wanted to post a reply to you.
If I were you, I'd go see a pulmonologist. My 16 year old daughter developed a chronic cough over a month ago, and nothing was helping ... she was on prednisone, albuterol inhaler, antibiotics, pulmicort inhaler, vicotuss ... you name it, she was on it. Her PCP finally sent her to a pulmonologist, who diagnosed her with, of all things, whooping cough! X-rays will show clear with whooping cough.
I found a great site on whooping cough ... you might want to check it out, there's lots of great info there.
http://www.whoopingcough.net/
Good luck!
If I were you, I'd go see a pulmonologist. My 16 year old daughter developed a chronic cough over a month ago, and nothing was helping ... she was on prednisone, albuterol inhaler, antibiotics, pulmicort inhaler, vicotuss ... you name it, she was on it. Her PCP finally sent her to a pulmonologist, who diagnosed her with, of all things, whooping cough! X-rays will show clear with whooping cough.
I found a great site on whooping cough ... you might want to check it out, there's lots of great info there.
http://www.whoopingcough.net/
Good luck!
IMB1963
09-26-2006, 02:14 PM
Thanks for the info on Whooping Cough. That certainly sounds like what's been happening to me. I clicked on the sound files while my husband was in the other room and he thought I was having another coughing fit. Sounds just like me.
aswander
09-26-2006, 10:17 PM
I have the answer you've been seeking.
Your doctor was on the right track with GERD, but it's a form of GERD called Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR). You are only refluxing a little bit of acid, but it is refluxing all the way up the esophogous, and splashing your larynx, which has no natural protection against acid. The acid is coughing you to chronically dry cough.
Most small-town ENTs and gastros are not familiar with LPR. If you want the best medical treatment, you need to go to a major city ENT or gastro - the kind of doctor who has seen everything under the sun.
LPR is a lifelong, chronic condition once it begins, but in most cases it's treatable. Just as in treating heartburn (GERD), you need a Proton-Pump Inhibitor (PPI) to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. Less acid = less splashing. Prilosec is a PPI, and your doctor may have been on the right track when giving you the samples. Where he went wrong, is that LPR is never ever treated with 1 dose a day of a PPI. LPR requires double dosing of a PPI every day (for the rest of your life unless you take a chance on surgery). Also, Prilosec does not have the best reputation for treating LPR.
The PPIs to try for LPR are listed in the order of what works best, to what works least (based on my multi-year observations within the acid reflux community here):
1. Nexium
2. Aciphex
3. Prevacid
4. Zegerid
5. Prescription Prilosec (BRAND)
6. Protonix
7. Prilosec OTC.
Don't even bother with Prilosec OTC. It doesn't work for LPR at all.
I strongly encourage you to do some of your own research on LPR, using a search engine. Just search the term "laryngopharyngeal reflux", and you'll get lots of answers. There is also an active acid reflux message board here at healthboards that you can participate in. At least half the board has LPR.
Sorry you got it - it's a bummer.
Your doctor was on the right track with GERD, but it's a form of GERD called Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR). You are only refluxing a little bit of acid, but it is refluxing all the way up the esophogous, and splashing your larynx, which has no natural protection against acid. The acid is coughing you to chronically dry cough.
Most small-town ENTs and gastros are not familiar with LPR. If you want the best medical treatment, you need to go to a major city ENT or gastro - the kind of doctor who has seen everything under the sun.
LPR is a lifelong, chronic condition once it begins, but in most cases it's treatable. Just as in treating heartburn (GERD), you need a Proton-Pump Inhibitor (PPI) to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. Less acid = less splashing. Prilosec is a PPI, and your doctor may have been on the right track when giving you the samples. Where he went wrong, is that LPR is never ever treated with 1 dose a day of a PPI. LPR requires double dosing of a PPI every day (for the rest of your life unless you take a chance on surgery). Also, Prilosec does not have the best reputation for treating LPR.
The PPIs to try for LPR are listed in the order of what works best, to what works least (based on my multi-year observations within the acid reflux community here):
1. Nexium
2. Aciphex
3. Prevacid
4. Zegerid
5. Prescription Prilosec (BRAND)
6. Protonix
7. Prilosec OTC.
Don't even bother with Prilosec OTC. It doesn't work for LPR at all.
I strongly encourage you to do some of your own research on LPR, using a search engine. Just search the term "laryngopharyngeal reflux", and you'll get lots of answers. There is also an active acid reflux message board here at healthboards that you can participate in. At least half the board has LPR.
Sorry you got it - it's a bummer.