Hi Barb,
Sorry to hear of your difficulties. Bronchitis is a pain in the neck!
COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It's a broad term that encompasses a number of conditions. Emphysema is one. Chronic bronchitis is another.
Chronic bronchitis is, specically, a productive cough lasting three or more months out of the year for two or more years in a row.
I had this for 12 or 13 years, when I lived up in PA. Don't know why. I never smoked and couldn't relate it to anything else. I was otherwise quite healthy. For years, I would suffer for months. When it got really bad, I couldn't speak a whole sentence without coughing. I was homeschooling my kids and couldn't read to them. I tried every cough remedy in the store, but none of them ever did a thing. My muscles got so sore from coughing that I was in pain all the time just from breathing.
My cure came when I had just switched to a new family doctor. I had been waiting for him to start taking my insurance. He finally did and I switched, but I had never had an appointment with him. One day it was snowing and I reached my limit with the coughing. I called and asked if they had any cancellations because of the snow and could fit me in. They were closing, instead! But the doctor talked to me and called me in a prescription for an antibiotic. Three days later, I was fine! After a couple of years, I became resistant to the first tier antibiotic, so he would give me the second tier, but only if I absolutely needed it. Neither of us wanted me to become resistant to any other antibiotics!
Needless to say, he's my hero! No other doctor I had been to over the years ever thought to give me an antibiotic, but it knocked it right out. I knew I was waiting for him for a good reason!
Without insurance, you might try your local health department. Or call the pharmacy and ask for prices. Many antibiotics are quite inexpensive now, under $5 for regular price, insurance or not. Of course, you'd still need a prescription.
That's my story. I hope you find some relief soon. I know how painful it can be!
Take care,
Emily
P.S. Strange, but when I moved to Virginia I stopped having chronic bronchitis. Haven't had it a single year since leaving PA.
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