Incessant Throat Clearing / Non-Productive Cough 10 Months

[ScenicWonder]

I live in the SF bay area, non-smoker and for about 10 months now I've been plagued with a chronic, constant throat clearing "hawking" which sometimes leads to a non-productive whooping type of cough. It started when I came down with a cold or flu type illness in Nov. 2006 which passed like any other typical cold/flu, but left me with this throat thing. It's absolutely maddening! And no one seems to know what's going on or what to do to cure these symptoms.

It starts as soon as I wake up, that feeling of something in the back of my throat that causes me to start the "aheming" which goes on all day long. For a while my ribs were hurting because of it. I think at this point my body has adapted so that I don't hurt from it or lose sleep, but it's still just absolutely crazy making! It's as if there's something in my throat that I can neither cough up or swallow down, triggering both a very hard, constant swallowing and throat clearing. The symptoms remain constant no matter where I go in or out of town.

I'm not on any medications other than the ones I've been given to treat this, whatever it is. I've had a chest x-ray, sinus scope, endoscopy, an allergy test. All my vital signs are normal, healthy, no signs of infection. I've seen the Allergist, Internist, ENT, and Gastrointeroligist. Each one sees possible signs of causes related to they're own specialties and thus I've been put on Rx (Protonix, Asiphex, Prilosec) for reflux, Mucinex and (Claritin-d, Allegra, Flonase, Astalin and local bee honey), for allergies. Yet I don't experience allergies nor heartburn-reflux type symptoms and for several months now I've been popping pills and sniffing nasal sprays all to no avail.

My doctors seemed stumped. Medications are not working. This throat thing is driving me crazy and I don't know what to do next! Can anyone out there help me or know someone who could?

[Raeann]

edited by Raeann

[dannic1]

Has anyone ever suggested that it could possibly be due to anxiety? I have the constant swallowing thing (came back under stress) and it's been suggested to me that it might be generalized anxiety or I even feel it could be OCD - obsessive-compulsive disorder. Just a thought. I also have reflux, so I tend to sometimes get excess saliva, which I feel is caused by the excess of acid that I have. I'm going to re-start my Aciphex. Reflux or allergies were going to be my other suggestions, because reflux could cause a cough, extra mucous or I've even heard a feeling of things getting stuck in your throat. I don't know your belief system, but I believe in the healing power of prayer and will keep you in mine.

danni

[winterj]

i have a constant cough too, and none of the meds seem to work for me either

[Mia4]

That almost sounds like me. I generally don't cough, but I feel like something is annoying my thoat, and sometimes feel like I have to try to clear it, but, it doesn't seem to make a difference at all. It's not very bad... But it never goes away! It's pretty annoying. =/