Allergy Advice for a cough

[pau1200]

Ive posted a few times on hear recently, ive had a cough for almost 12 months now, only a few times a day but its a tickly cough. I had a clear xray in november and it doesnt matter what i say to the doctor he doesnt think its cancer. I do but then I now admit i suffer from HA.

I went back to the doctor because I have a sore shoulder 2+2 in my case equals cancer, again he said look your shoulders muscle you have got to stop thinking everything is cancer, what can i do for you. My answer was simple get rid of my cough. Hes tested me for allergies and it came back positive for cats and dog, we have a dog in the house and have had for the last 8 years and we had dog as a kid, we also have had cats in the past and i havn't suffered.

He has now changed me onto a stronger anti hystemine and a stronger spray for post nasal drip. He has also given me some gerd medicine and ive agreed to take them for 30 days.

We did visit a house with cats yesterday and my cough was bad last night and today which may make sense. I also dont cough at work as there is no dogs there.

Im trying to convince myself that its no cancer and its allergies, the only think that doesnt make sense to me is why now? can you suddenly suffer from allergies, does anyone else suffer with a cough/post nasal drip due to allergies.

[Munchlet]

Hi Paul

I'm having allergy issues at the minute. I've always had hayfever but recently I've started to have allergies to cats and other things as well I think although the doctor said it's quite hard to work out what exactly.

On and off for quite a while now I've been having post nasal drip, really dry scratchy throat which constantly feels like I have to cough to clear it, I also find I'm coughing a lot more than usual.

They've just put me on stronger antihistamines as they think mines allergies but it's not helping so I think I'll end up going back.

I've also got a friend who has had a cough for 6 months, she's had ultrasound, x ray, blood tests and is waiting on an appt to have a camera put down and they are saying hers is caused by acid reflux. She does suffer from reflux but it has never caused a cough before and she has tried quite a few different medications without joy. Funnily enough I was talking to her about it today and she was saying she has no idea whats causing it she just wants it to stop.

I know it's really hard for us with HA not to think everything is cancer, at the minute I think I have possibly 3 or 4 different cancers.

The thing is more often that not it's the more common things causing the problems, such as allergies, acid reflux, muscle strains etc but because our brains are trained to instantly think the worst that's what we do.

Hope you get some relief from your symptoms soon.

[pau1200]

Hi Munchlet,

Thanks for that, its nice to hear other people suffer the same way, im really trying to be positive and shake these cancer thoughts.
I find during the day sucking extra strong mints help, mornings and evenings are when its worse for me.

[anthrokid]

Allergies can develop over time. I am someone with more allergies than I can name, and a new one seems to pop up every year! It seems hard to believe when it is something you've always been exposed to, but it does happen. I've eaten seafood my entire life and only developed an allergy to prawns a couple of years ago.

I have also owned cats and dogs my entire life. I have always been allergic to cats, but never to dogs. I have had the same dog for 11 years, and only became allergic to her last year. It is worse when she's been outside because she brings dust in with her as well! So if your dog is an indoor/outdoor dog you may need to consider cleaning her more often, especially if she likes to get into dirt. Dust stirs up most people's allergies, so when dogs are dusty you have 2 allergies to deal with!

I almost ALWAYS have an itchy/tickly throat. I've just become used to it. I take antihistamines most days to alleviate the itch :) funnily enough, some days it isn't as bad as others, but I guess it just depends. It also doesn't help that I sleep with my cat, so I ALWAYS wake up with fur in my mouth and a fresh itchy throat in the morning.

Your cough and itchy/tickly throat definitely sound like allergies to me. Especially given that you have had an allergy test AND own a dog. I know it's really hard to push down the HA monster, and it takes time, but you will get there :)