Asthma in the upper respiratory tract

[DITAB]

It seems like you have just an old fashioned cold or at worst bronchitis.
Asthma is more of an ongoing problem with coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Why would you think that your cough is related to asthma since you say it "came out of nowhere"?
Ditab

[kimberlyrkb]

DITAB,

About 7 years ago I was diagnosed with cough-variant asthma after almost a year of chronic coughing precipitated by a cold. I have fairly severe allergies, and after all the testing was said and done, my doctors all agreed I have cough variant asthma. This is why I believe I have cough variant asthma. Sorry, I didn't include all those details the first time, but I didn't really want to hijack someone else's thread - but here I am anyway.

I do not have a cold and haven't had cold symptoms in a couple of years. Nor do I have bronchitis. The doctor cannot hear anything in my lungs. I also had a chest x-ray and sinus x-ray last week; both were clear. The ONLY symptom I currently have is my cough, which is so constant, I rarely have more than a minute between bouts.

I am trying to find out what others do about their cough variant asthma, as mine is not being brought under control with bronchodialators and allergy medicine. I am curious and desperate at this point, so I'm reduced to taking a poll of perfect strangers.

Maybe I'm expecting the bronchodialators to work too quickly? The fine print with my Advair says to tell my doctor if my symptoms are not reduced within a few days. My symptoms are not reduced after almost 2 weeks on Adviar. I am in almost daily contact with my doctor, who happens to be an asthma specialist, but he's keeping me on it for now.

For what it's worth, I have found lots of research online saying that coughing that does not respond to bronchodialators is not truly cough variant asthma. So now I'm curious if my problem could be GERD or some such thing.

Sorry to ramble.....

Kimberlyrkb

[DITAB]

Hi Kimberly,
Bronchodilators are not the same as preventive meds such as Flovent, QVAR, Pulmicort, etc. Advair does have a bronchodilator component called Serevent but Advair has been on the "black box list" for awhile and was in danger of being taken off the market.
Shortness of breath is a very pervasive symptom of asthma -- even the cough variant type. You don't mention that as one of your symptoms.
I have also done tons of research and I know the frustration of not getting any really definitive answers.
I understand that GERD can be present without "heartburn" symptoms. That might be something to consider.
Hope you're feeling better todsay.
Ditab

[kimberlyrkb]

Thanks for the additional info, DITAB. I know when I was first diagnosed 7 years ago, it took a few months to get my cough under control with both Flovent and Serevent, with albuterol as my rescue inhaler (but never needed it). I haven't used either inhaler since.

I have kept things under control for the last several years with Allegra-D and Singulair, but no inhaler of any sort.

The only time I'm ever short of breath is when I have a really huge coughing jag or laugh a lot - in both cases I have a more difficult time catching my breath. But it's never anything like what I think of when I think asthma.

I do occasionally have very slight wheezing and some chest tightness, but again, the symptoms are so light, I don't break out the albuterol.

I think I'll spend some more time looking at GERD before my appointment tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Kimberly

[Howitt44]

I have asthma and right now, an annoying cough that was followed by a sinus congestion. My cough is not severe but I have a persistant tickle. Sometimes I cough a little stuff up but not everytime. I think I will try the Mucinex. That has helped some in the past. I have never heard of cough variant asthma or upper or lower resp. asthma. I was told that asthma is restriction of the bronchiole stubes in the large and small airways. My spirometry shows restriction the smaller airways.