Cough Variant asthma questions

toddlisa · 03-14-2004, 06:45 PM

Hello everyone. I have been fighting a chronic (often "constant" actually) cough for several months. I am a 40 year old male. Have had sinus and chest CT scans which were okay. Have tried numerous medications such as various antihistamines and things for GERD. Nothing helps. I recently went through a PFT and it was okay. They then did a methacholine challenge test and, in the very last segment, I showed with some asthma.

So, obviously, I have some asthma and now I am being treated for it with Singulair, Advair and Albuterol. Well, actually, I had tried all of these meds earlier in the winter before the asthma tests and they didn't help. My concern, though, is that the cough is not due to asthma.

I do not have any wheezing or chest tightness of shortness of breath. The only thing I have is a cough and oftentimes huge amounts of sinus drainage. It feels like the cough originates with a tickle in my throat which is prompted by the sinus drainage.

My question -- does cough variant asthma result in an almost constant cough or does it come more with an attack as a response to an allergen or cold weather?

My cough is actually better at night than it is during the day. it also got better after I'd been on prednisone for a couple of weeks. The Advair and Singulair do not seem to help. I have taken Albuterol and also Primatene Mist when I was having bad coughing spells and they didn't help the coughing at all.

It also seems like, since I didn't show asthma until the last round of the methacholine challenge, my asthma is probably minimal and it seems hard to believe it would result in a constant cough.

Anyway, does this sound like CV Asthma at all?

Thanks for your help.

Blondee15 · 03-14-2004, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddlisa

Hello everyone. I have been fighting a chronic (often "constant" actually) cough for several months. I am a 40 year old male. Have had sinus and chest CT scans which were okay. Have tried numerous medications such as various antihistamines and things for GERD. Nothing helps. I recently went through a PFT and it was okay. They then did a methacholine challenge test and, in the very last segment, I showed with some asthma.

So, obviously, I have some asthma and now I am being treated for it with Singulair, Advair and Albuterol. Well, actually, I had tried all of these meds earlier in the winter before the asthma tests and they didn't help. My concern, though, is that the cough is not due to asthma.

I do not have any wheezing or chest tightness of shortness of breath. The only thing I have is a cough and oftentimes huge amounts of sinus drainage. It feels like the cough originates with a tickle in my throat which is prompted by the sinus drainage.

My question -- does cough variant asthma result in an almost constant cough or does it come more with an attack as a response to an allergen or cold weather?

My cough is actually better at night duirng the day. it also got better after I'd been on prednisone for a couple of weeks. The Advair and Singulair do not seem to help. I have taken Albuterol and also Primatene Mist when I was having bad coughing spells and they didn't help the coughing at all.

It also seems like, since I didn't show asthma until the last round of the methacholine challenge, my asthma is probably minimal and it seems hard to believe it would result in a constant cough.

Anyway, does this sound like CV Asthma at all?

Thanks for your help.

I have CVA & it's usually a chronic cough exacerbated by allergens, triggers & sometimes weather. I am a gymnast(I just finished my last season) & I didn't know that I was as allergic 2 dust & mold as much as I am & I was around 10-15 year old mats that have 10-15 years worth of dust, diseases & mold from sitting in storage, often getting wet in a warm place. I kind of thought something might have 2 do with that when (we have a couple huge crash mats about 4 ft tall, 4 ft wide & 8 ft long, old, everytime u land it brings up dust)everytime we put the huge crash mats up 4 me 2 use, I would cough cough cough to no end. I had so many problems during gymnastics season, constant terrible cough, pneumonia once, bronchitis twice in one season, several asthma flares..went from having almost mild persistent asthma 2 severe asthma & had 2 do nebulizer treatments daily, 2 pred bursts..
Now, it's been about a month & a half since I've been done with gymnastics. I haven't gotten sick once, no serious flare ups, severe cough only at nite, not nearly as often.. I have come 2 the conclusion i'm allergic 2 dust & mold..as well as I do have exercise induced asthma. The combination almost put my life at risk several times.
And yes, it is worse at nite, symptoms worsening at nite/morning is typical of asthma. It's both, intermittent and persistent..but that depends on the kind of asthma u have.
Your sinus CT's could be ok, but you could still have an allergy problem or some kind of drainage issue..you should talk 2 your doctor about using a steroid nasal spray to help with that. The prednisone prolly decreased the allergic reaction. You might also ask about Atrovent for your nose(can dry up your nose so its not drippy & int he back of your throat) or Nasalcrom. I personally find a nasal steroid spray only is effective with an antihistamine. You may need a combination of meds & u may have 2 play around with the diff combos until u find what works!
Hope this helps!=)

RajD · 04-05-2004, 06:07 PM

Hello

I suffer with a 'constant cough' from March til about May. For years I have put up with it. It is really bad at night and can be same in the day at times. Once it starts I cant stop coughing. My throat feels really dry and sometimes its like there's a hair at the back of it. I dont really have any wheazing with it. Today I went to the doctors who thinks it might be asthma and I got an inhaler for it. Does anyone else agree that it could be asthma, is there anyone else out there who gets it? Please reply.
RajD

Has anyone heard od 'dustmites' that are in our pillows to be a cause for constant coughing at night?

The inhaler hasn't worked but I am over the worst of my cough.

jp3892 · 04-05-2004, 06:41 PM

toddlisa: to me it sounds like it might not be asthma. I am a firm believer in reversible constriction as an indicator so that if Albuterol doesn't work then its not asthma. Im sure there are exceptions but in most cases it is correct. Also the fact that the other meds aren't working suggests this also. Haven't a clue what else it could be

RajD: Does the inhaler help? If not see above

Howitt44 · 04-05-2004, 08:09 PM

You can have a normal sinus xray, ct,. etc. and still have tons of drainage and mucus that goes to your lungs and makes you cough. I have had several sinus exams and they all come back fine. But I still have postnasal drip that makes me clear my throat often and sometimes results in a cough. I have been diagnosed with asthma and the albuterol doesn't seem to help the cough at all. It does help somewhat with tightness (which I think you mentioned you didn't have) Right now since it is spring and I'm highly allergic to certain trees, I have a little ticklish cough that is bothersome. It helps to take guifennesin (I know its misspelled HAHA) that loosens up the junk and helps me cough it up.