Coughing and gagging at night - Asthma Message Board

upallnite2much · 11-09-2005, 02:24 PM

My 4 yr old daughter has asthma triggered by colds. She is on singulair, nasonex, and qvar as controller meds and we increase qvar and add albuterol when cold symptoms appear. She has had the skin testing which all came back negative for any allergies. At times she has trouble with her breathing and the albuterol helps. The majority of the time she wheezes at night, and coughs awful! THe cough is continuous. She and I do not sleep. She coughs and gaggs and complains with her stomach hurting from coughing. The drs always say that the albuterol is supposed to help with the cough but it does not, and of course, he never sees her at night when she is at her worst. The last 2 flare ups they had to give her an antbiotic, so they are thinking this may be sinus related. The dr is talking about doing sinus x-rays when she flares up again. Just curious if anyone has a situiation that is similar, or could share some advice. It is sooooooo frustrating knowing that she is coughing her self to death at night, and the drs not taking you seriously because they see her in the daytime.

Thanks

hrtprice · 11-09-2005, 04:11 PM

Hi,

My 12 y.o. daughter & I just went through the same thing last night (my ears are still ringing). She started with a sore throat the day before, and turned into congestion with lots of mucus & flem, and wheezing. She vomited from coughing so much. I took her to the ped. today becuse she has had pneumonia with complications, but the dr. said to just keep nebulizing her with albuterol or xopenex, drink hot liquids, take otc antihistimine, decongestants, Robitussin, etc (temporary relief). If she's worse tomorrow, they will prescribe oral steroids - which we try to stay away from, but have used them as a last resort when she was younger. Now her cough is looser, not as croupy, and she's spitting out lots of mucus.

Just curious, how many nights in a row has she been coughing all night? With my daughter, it's almost like she has a bad headcold (and half her school is out sick), and that always trigger her asthma.

Wish you and your family the best of luck. I need to go get her another tissue box.

krissy1970 · 11-09-2005, 04:35 PM

I cough like this every night too...it's a gagging cough trying to catch your breathe in between the gagging. I have for sometime now it's usually the worst at night and mine last till I fall asleep. I will cough maybe for about 30 minutes then fall asleep, maybe it exausts me or something, during the day, I still cough, but not as bad, as long as I don't have anything to trigger the cough.

but why would this get worse at night then in the daytime, is this from asthma?

krissy

upallnite2much · 11-09-2005, 07:30 PM

It's usually 3 nights in a row, that we we basicly stay up all night. She can't sleep for coughing, it's continuous.She coughs some during the day-more like you do when you have a cold. This happens every time she gets a cold. Dr gives us Oral Pred and that doesnt seem to help, although the antiobiotic does, but that takes two days to be effective, so it's hard to know if it's that that is helping. The specialist is thinking sinus infections that are causing athma flare-ups and the cough is from the sinus's.I dont know. I have been through a pediatrician that wouldnt help, and recently switched to this specialist, who at least seems to be trying to solve our problem. I just get sick to my stomach when I think she is getting a cold, because I know what is in store. I feel like I am a germ a phobic.

hrtprice- I hope your daughter gets well soon, and doesnt have to do the oral steroids.
krissy- I have no idea if it is even from her asthma. At this point, we know she doesnt have allergies, and the dr is trying to narrow it down -sinus & reflux-are what he is thinking right now.
Thank you both for your help.

jerrie97 · 11-09-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krissy1970

but why would this get worse at night then in the daytime, is this from asthma?krissy

The body produces natural steroids that have levels that fluctuate throughout the day. These steroid's level is highest at 3 pm, and lowest at 3 am - meaning that generally for most people, asthma symptoms are least noticeable in the afternoon, and most noticeable in the very early morning.

Another reason asthma can get worse at night is acid reflux triggering the lungs.