My area of specialty is mental health and I'm stymied on finding a root cause of my chronic cough so maybe someone has suggestions.
I have no known history of any allergies or asthma. Non-smoker.
For 9 weeks I've had fairly persisting coughing. Started out as an itchy throat. No
particularly time of day is worse.
* Zero sneezing
* No fever
* Asthma test seems negative and when I try the sample inhaler nothing changes
* No stuffy nose
* No sore throat
* No watery or itchy eyes
The cough went from always dry and nonproductive to productive about 25% of the time producing incredibly THICK PHLEGM at some of those times (light yellow to light green to brownish).
Upper respiratory antibiotics did nothing. Tried prescription strength acid reducer and tums to no avail. Doctor suspected silent GERD (1/3 of cases there is no heartburn) but treatment hasn't done anything although 100% compliance is difficult. I bought a wedge pillow to sleep somewhat elevated and I did change my diet although honestly I could do even more but for 60 days I've religiously taken meds.
I tried various allergy medications (Loratadine, Zyrtec, Nasacort nasal spray)
Sinus and chest X-rays were normal.
If a food allergy why no hives or lip numbness and why would it be every day coughing every hour?
If an airborne allergy isn't it rare to not have sneezing, stuffiness, itchy / watery eyes and sore throat?
In GERD acid fumes can irritate the lungs producing mucus. Maybe I do intermittent fasting for GERD?
Possibilities include COPD, coughing from ACE inhibitors (which I take but have taken for 8 years without coughing)
To sum up:
Persistent itchy cough that is productive maybe 10-25% of the time and when productive have mucus/phlegm in about 15 - 20 occurrences per day.
Sorry for the long read
I have no known history of any allergies or asthma. Non-smoker.
For 9 weeks I've had fairly persisting coughing. Started out as an itchy throat. No
particularly time of day is worse.
* Zero sneezing
* No fever
* Asthma test seems negative and when I try the sample inhaler nothing changes
* No stuffy nose
* No sore throat
* No watery or itchy eyes
The cough went from always dry and nonproductive to productive about 25% of the time producing incredibly THICK PHLEGM at some of those times (light yellow to light green to brownish).
Upper respiratory antibiotics did nothing. Tried prescription strength acid reducer and tums to no avail. Doctor suspected silent GERD (1/3 of cases there is no heartburn) but treatment hasn't done anything although 100% compliance is difficult. I bought a wedge pillow to sleep somewhat elevated and I did change my diet although honestly I could do even more but for 60 days I've religiously taken meds.
I tried various allergy medications (Loratadine, Zyrtec, Nasacort nasal spray)
Sinus and chest X-rays were normal.
If a food allergy why no hives or lip numbness and why would it be every day coughing every hour?
If an airborne allergy isn't it rare to not have sneezing, stuffiness, itchy / watery eyes and sore throat?
In GERD acid fumes can irritate the lungs producing mucus. Maybe I do intermittent fasting for GERD?
Possibilities include COPD, coughing from ACE inhibitors (which I take but have taken for 8 years without coughing)
To sum up:
Persistent itchy cough that is productive maybe 10-25% of the time and when productive have mucus/phlegm in about 15 - 20 occurrences per day.
Sorry for the long read