Cough for 1 year 6 months - worried

[matthew]

Hi,

I am worried about a niggling cough that I have had for the past 1 year 6 months.

It is hard to explain, I don't think it is a chesty cough, however I am coughing up phlem. I think everytime I clear my throat of phlem my nose is producing more phlem which goes to my throat which in turn makes me want to cough to clear it (vicious circle)

I went to the doctors a couple of months ago and he gave me some antihistimines and some beconase (spray fo my nose) but it still doesn't appear to have gone.

This has got me worried that it could be something serious. Has anyone else experienced the same?

Thanks for replying.

Matt

[goldilocks123]

My husband has the same thing - got an x-ray last week and to date we have not had any results - he is extremely fit and doesnt smoke

[matthew]

I do not smoke either and gym/run 6 days per week.

[Mr Brownstone]

Im sure if there was a chance it was serious then he would have got you checked out quickly

[Darwin73]

Hi Matt
My mum has had a similar cough for over 35 years, with coughing up phlegm (she's never smoked and always lived healthily etc). She once had it investigated about 20 yrs ago and they put it down to a combination of post nasal drip running into her throat and timy particles of food getting stuck there producing an irritating cough (not chesty - more throaty and tickly). It has never caused any problems apart from annoyance and it's always worse when she has a cold.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can have a long term cough and it doesn't have to be caused by anything sinister.

[eight days a week]

I went to the doctors a couple of months ago and he gave me some antihistimines and some beconase (spray fo my nose) but it still doesn't appear to have gone.

Then go back and see your GP! He is the one best placed for your immediate care and to help you medically.

I do not smoke either and gym/run 6 days per week.

It's not true that just because you seem fit and healthy and don't smoke nothing can go wrong. Sorry but there is this image of people who get sick being the smokers or layabouts - this is not true - it's way too simplified! If you are worried, again, please see your doc.

Im sure if there was a chance it was serious then he would have got you checked out quickly

I couldn't disagree more. I need to see my GP two or three times with the same problem before he will refer me for further tests, first he always tries a prescription of some sort (fast, easy, and doesn't eat into his budget too much).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can have a long term cough and it doesn't have to be caused by anything sinister.

Oh yes, but at the same time you can have something you just brush off that can later turn out to be really important.

I say go with your instincts (if they are in check) and go to your GP with any niggling concerns - after all that is what they're paid £150 000+ a year to deal with!!!

[matthew]

I went to the doctors today to try to get to the bottom of this and he sent me for an x-ray which I also had today. I am waiting for the results next week.

He also is booking me in to see an ENT specialist for an endoscopy (camera down throat) to see if there is anything there.

Since Sunday I have also been burping a lot and feeling pains in my upper stomach like excess acid or something and feeling really fatigued for some reason.

Of course, I am now worried that all this could be contributing to something serious health problem.

[pinkdove]

hi matthew, i have had a tickly cough for a couple of years now, sometimes it can be worse than others, my gp sent me for a chest x ray, had some breathing tests doen, and a lung function test, all of which were normal, thinking now it could be down to gerd acid reflux, so don't worry too much, good luck with your test results x

[matthew]

Hi, I thought I would update you about my cough.

I went to the hospital last week for an X-Ray on my lungs and the results came back yesterday as fine, all good.

I need to make an appointment with the ENT specialist so they can see what is causing this cough.

It kind of feels like post nasal drip from what I have read. clearing my throat of clear mucus throughout the day.

I usually go to the gym and run 6 days per week and have done this for 8 years without more than 3 days off here and there. My wife and colleagues think that I might have overtrained and hence my immune system might be a bit supressed which could be why excess mucus is being produced.

However, I have trained twice in the past week and a half and I think I am coughing much less. so maybe I have over done it a bit?

What are your thoughts?

[Em84]

I have the same....

I suffer with allergies and constant sinus issues. Post nasal drip runs down throat which I end up coughing up.

Currently have a chest infection in right lung...I've had a few of these now. This all started dec 11.

Currently taking anti'b

Could you have an allergy sinus related problem?