Anyone else feel like this - Asthma Message Board

dazedandconfused10 · 03-18-2007, 08:07 PM

I have the cough variant of asthma. I just had a cold and now I've got another. My son barely coughed, my husband who does not have asthma but did smoke in the past has been coughing for like a week. I am scared about the next week. I use advair daily and my asthma is in good control. On a good day I tried my peak flow monitor and I got about 600 which is a little low for my size and age but not terrible. Today its under 400. I have some prescription cough medicine left from last time which I just took but I have to go see my dr and I feel like they are going to think I'm a drug addict. Because I just had a cold and cough. On top of it, I'm on a new job, a vendor will be onsite so figuring out a time to go to the dr will be tricky but my head is pounding from coughing and I'm just dreading the next few days with the cough. I'm taking mucinex, and things are pretty loose. I have pain in back that feels like my lungs. Do others?

shelly2007 · 03-19-2007, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazedandconfused10

I have the cough variant of asthma. I just had a cold and now I've got another. My son barely coughed, my husband who does not have asthma but did smoke in the past has been coughing for like a week. I am scared about the next week. I use advair daily and my asthma is in good control. On a good day I tried my peak flow monitor and I got about 600 which is a little low for my size and age but not terrible. Today its under 400. I have some prescription cough medicine left from last time which I just took but I have to go see my dr and I feel like they are going to think I'm a drug addict. Because I just had a cold and cough. On top of it, I'm on a new job, a vendor will be onsite so figuring out a time to go to the dr will be tricky but my head is pounding from coughing and I'm just dreading the next few days with the cough. I'm taking mucinex, and things are pretty loose. I have pain in back that feels like my lungs. Do others?

My 5 year old daughter also suffers from the terrible cough along side her asthma. Apparently she suffers with a sensitive windpipe which leads to asthma. She can be up all night coughing...sometimes she will only have 5 minutes inbetween coughs which makes her tired due to lack of sleep but also her whole body aches.

The dr told me to avoid strong smells..perfume, smoke etc which i have been doing for years now but as soon as she gets a sniffle, shes off again.

Just wondered if you suffered like this and have you found relief anywhere??

MountainReader · 03-19-2007, 10:21 PM

I too have cough-variant asthma. Every year, I have asthma flare-ups when I get a cold or sinus infection. For me, working closely with my PCP helps me find the balance between treating the infection and getting the asthma under control. Also, cold air will trigger an asthma flare-up also. Now that it is warming up, my next challenge will be the pollens and allergies that tend to trigger the asthma. If it isn't one thing, it is usually another.

Even with bad flare-ups, my doc won't give me any cough surpressents. She does encourage the Mucinex though.

Last year, I had the cough really bad for 4 months. I ended up in the doctors office 9 times. At one point, I asked her if I was being a hypochondriac and if I should just live with the cough. Her response was that there was something wrong and we just needed to find the right combination of things that would work to get it under control.

As I suffered through the bad coughing periods, I learned that there are 4 main causes of a cough like this. 1. Asthma 2. Post Nasal Drip 3. Allergies 4. Acid Reflux. When I originally thought the cough was just from PND and allergies, I was eventually tested and found to also have asthma and acid reflux. My current year-round asthma treatment: Advair 500/50, Singulair and Albuterol as needed. I also take 3 allergy meds and one for acid reflux (even though I never had any heartburn).
Talk about feeling like a drug addict. At least the cough is mostly under control year-round now. My only tough times are during bad air days in the winter and summer.

Good luck finding what works for you.

dazedandconfused10 · 03-21-2007, 07:59 PM

Well I ended up with acute bronchitis, they added flovent and I may not need a cough suppressant. Cold air starts a small but short attack, my big trigger seems to be an URI. I just want the cough suppressant when sick because I cough non stop at night when sick, otherwise advair keeps that in check. I've tried albuterol during the night, asthmanex, a humidifier. Nothing seems to work when sick, they work when I'm well and I have a good peak flow when I'm well. We have not gone down the road of Gerd since it always subsides between illnesses. I also avoid smoke , perfumes, and other strong smells. I have yet to find relief when sick, otherwise advair works when well. But you need your rest when your sick. Yes all my chest and stomach muscles are sore. I can deal with that. Its just the lack of rest when you are sick that drives me insane. The flovent seems to be helping although I could swear its affecting my taste . How about your daughter shelly2007, what do they do for her when sick. I imagine its trickier with a child?

kayem · 04-05-2007, 02:41 PM

My daughter has the "coughing asthma". She is only 8 years old and has been dealing with it since she was 3.For the past 5 months it has been uncontrolable. You think you take alot of drugs she has been taking albuterol 4x's a day advair 250/50 2x's aday nasonex, zyrtec,sudafed, and at times proventil & prednisone. This bout has lasted about 13 days so far. We feel like the only parents who are dealing with this. The doctors just keep giving her more drugs. Iam at my wits end up every nite listening to her cough & gasping for breath. Any body out there dealing with this have answers!