Hi, I'm new and looking for information...

[Danitom]

HI. I just posted in another thread that my daughter (who is 6) has been prescribed things such as Lortab and Codeine for her cough and they didn't work for her either. She was the same way, every little cold she got would go into Bronchitis or pneumonia. We went to an asthma/allergist and had some testing done(allergy test and pulmonary function tests) and found she has allergic asthma. She is doing a good bit better on Advair and Singulair although we are currently battling an ear infection with congestion and a cough(although nowhere NEAR the cough she used to get)I would strongly suggest seeing a specialist. I wish we had done it sooner!

[Blondee15]

Originally Posted by megcanada

Thank you!
No, I'm not on any daily meds at all.
I used to have a lot of allergies as a kid, and I'm very reluctant to go and find out that I still have them, but I guess I will if it'll help prevent more attacks (but oh, please, I can't be allergic to my cats!).
My triggers seem to be mostly colds. Each time, it's started off with laryngitis, which has turned into coughing. But I also cough a little when I breathe in cold air, or when I run. And when it starts, trying to read out loud makes it a lot worse. That's especially difficult for me, because I'm homeschooling, and it's hard to teach if you can't speak.
Yes, I do have something like acid reflux - I have a gap in my esophogeal flap at the top of my stomach, so I have to watch that I don't eat too much fat. I haven't had any problems with this for years, though.

I'm glad you know about coughing!!!
I wasn't particularly mucousy, but I would cough so hard that I couldn't stand up. A few times I almost fell out of my chair, because my back hurt so much. It scared the kids, and I didn't want to go out anywhere in public because people would really stare when I started coughing. Especially with the whole SARs scare, I was feeling like Typhoid Mary.
Sometimes I'd cough so much I'd throw up, which was distressing, too.

Codeine didn't help much last time, but it did make me sleepy, so that was good because I would eventually sleep. I tried Tussionex, but it did weird things to my ears (they were buzzing all the time) and it made me very hyper and then I couldn't sleep at all. It also didn't stop my coughing, but it made me so happy I didn't care very much.
Hot tea was soothing, but only for a few minutes. The clinic doctor put me on Singulair and Advair and antibiotics, but I don't know if they did much. My regular doctor didn't seem to think there was any point in medicating me. He said he didn't think any of those meds shortened the time I spent coughing at all. What do you think?

I've never heard of tessalon perles. Are they over-the-counter cough drops?

You say you've had allergies before & your afraid 2 go b/c you don't want 2 possibly be allergic to your cats..you won't have to give them up! Just take some more precautions with them, clean some more or have someone else do it for your preferably & if your reaction is bad enough to cats, you may be able to start allergy shots to desensitize the reaction. Your doctort didn't see any point in medicating you? I can't stress how important it is to see an allergist/asthma specialist if asthma is suspected. Also..you say you have some vocal problems..I would bring up Vocal Chord Dysfunction at your next doctor visit & see what they think. It can often mimic asthma. Have you thought about taking a pill daily for your acid reflux? Many people find their symptoms subside, even disappear when their acid reflux is treated. Again, I would bring that up at your next doctor visit. An allergist can help you sort through the possibilities for what can be causing all this..it sounds like you may have a number of things causing your cough, but i'm not a doctor so I can't diagnose you. But I think it sounds like you have a lot going on to cause the cough..you'd be surprised at what can cause a cough. Tessalon perles are by prescription only and they are not cough drops!!!! You can't suck on them or let them dissolve in your mouth..it can be VERY dangerous if you do!!!! Their just like clear tablets filled with gel, kinda like vitamin e gelcaps. Have you tried putting a humidifier in your room? I don't know if I already mentioned that, but that can help a ton.

[Howitt44]

Originally Posted by jp3892

2 questions Howitt:

1) Are u on the very low dose Advair all through the year now or is it just for the cold season?

2) What testing did u get done for asthma and was that last november too?

I am on Advair 100/50 every day twice a day all year round. I tried the higher dose and it made me sick for some reason. I have had a routine spirometry with two different allergy specialists. I had one last 2 years ago with one doctor, then I switched and I have had two tests done with my current doctor. My numbers have always been high 70%s to high 80%, except my small airways which are only 52% I'm hoping in time to get those up to near normal ranges.

[megcanada]

Thank you, everyone!
I will make an appointment to see an allergist then, as soon as I can.
I hadn't considered all the different things that might be causing or worsening my cough. Maybe, when the cough starts, my acid reflux gets a lot worse, and then it feeds on itself? That sounds plausible.
I've never heard of Vocal Cord Disfunction, but I'll look it up.
I used to take a daily pill for acid reflux, years ago, but not since I learned to eat right and my stomach problems cleared up.
I'm guessing my doctor might not be the best person to give me any guidance in this, given his usual attitude, but I'll talk to him again and tell him that I want a referral to an allergist.
Thank you!

[Danitom]

I don't know who it was that said something about Tessalon perles but Do they still prescribe those? And where are you located? My sister said they were GREAT for her cough but she thought they had been taken off the market?