Constant coughing

Posted by karen10225 @karen10225, Jun 1 1:11pm

Is there any way that works to tame the constant and sometimes violent coughing? I know we have to cough to get out whatever is coming up, but sometimes I just need a break. The cough is beginning to increase my anxiety and depression!

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@teresaw

I have found Ricola lemon mint cough drops to help me when I can’t seem to stop coughing.

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Thanks. I will try that flavor.

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@alleycatkate

@karen10225 Hi Karen. Have you had a recent sputum test looking for new infections? My coughing escalated to a chronic awful cough. When I finally had a new sputum test done, I had picked up Pseudomonas. It might be worthwhile to request a new testing on your sputum if this is getting worse. Good luck. Kate

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Hi Kate. Thanks for the reply. I have my sputum test and CT scan set up for next month so I will see then if anything has significantly changed. I just wish the sputum results didn’t take so long!! Good luck with your new diagnosis.
All the best,
Karen

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@karen10225

Cindy,
Thanks for the reply. I use 3% saline once a day and that is the only airway clearance I deliberately do. All my other coughing throughout the day brings up mucus as well. About the only time I don’t cough is in the evenings. I would like to use the Aerobika but it just doesn’t bring up any mucus for me. I will definitely be talking to my doctor in July after my next CT scan.
Karen

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About the Aerobika, I have the best results only when I wait until I am rehydrated from overnight. I do drink 8 oz water during the night when I make my one trip to the bathroom. Be exact about your technique. Inhale a deep breath on a count of 3, hold for a count of 4, place your free hand with pressure on both cheeks and exhale on the count of 6. (Placing hand on cheeks keeps you from losing air from the exhalation.) I gave up on the huff cough because it does nothing for me. and Everyone is different in what brings best results.
What helps me avoid uncontrolled coughing is staying well hydrated and regular exercise with high intensity intervals--if you can manage it--along with the Aerobika 2x a day. Wishing you the best!

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@alleycatkate

@karen10225 Hi Karen. Have you had a recent sputum test looking for new infections? My coughing escalated to a chronic awful cough. When I finally had a new sputum test done, I had picked up Pseudomonas. It might be worthwhile to request a new testing on your sputum if this is getting worse. Good luck. Kate

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How do we pick up Pseudomonas?

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@karen10225

Cindy,
Thanks for the reply. I use 3% saline once a day and that is the only airway clearance I deliberately do. All my other coughing throughout the day brings up mucus as well. About the only time I don’t cough is in the evenings. I would like to use the Aerobika but it just doesn’t bring up any mucus for me. I will definitely be talking to my doctor in July after my next CT scan.
Karen

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What is Aerobika?

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I don't know if it is medically advisable but....if I can't stand my constant coughing/sputum production another minute I take 25 mg Benadryl and get a lot of relief for the rest of the day. I don't do this everyday or more than 1 pill that day but somehow it does help. Other allergy medicine does not work. This is just some weird thing! Benadryl works both on allergy receptors and also on the h receptor in the stomach I've read (people take it for motion sickness) so maybe this has something to do with it...no idea.

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@1fancydancer

How do we pick up Pseudomonas?

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@1fancydancer I believe I picked them up when I got sick with a bug. I have antibiotics on hand that I had been instructed to take should I get some sort bug, flu, etc but I did not think I had gotten sick enough for an antibiotic....big mistake! Pseudomonas are very difficult to eradicate. I believe I caught my bug when grocery shopping with just a surgeon's mask on and a woman came up behind me in produce and coughed like a maniac. I moved swiftly out of the vicinity but came down with an illness a couple of days later. I never go to the store now without a kn95. We need all the protection we can get.

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I have the same problem. While my cough is better when infection has cleared, I still have daily violent coughing, sometimes in the middle of the night. I faithfully nebulizing 2x daily which greatly hells tame the beast. I also sometimes take Benzonate(?) to help cough as well as lozenges in public. If your cough gets worse than your “normal” or you are feeling unwell get sputum sample and talk to your doc. Good luck!

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@alleycatkate

@1fancydancer I believe I picked them up when I got sick with a bug. I have antibiotics on hand that I had been instructed to take should I get some sort bug, flu, etc but I did not think I had gotten sick enough for an antibiotic....big mistake! Pseudomonas are very difficult to eradicate. I believe I caught my bug when grocery shopping with just a surgeon's mask on and a woman came up behind me in produce and coughed like a maniac. I moved swiftly out of the vicinity but came down with an illness a couple of days later. I never go to the store now without a kn95. We need all the protection we can get.

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I have had Pseudomonas 3 times. Two times last year and once in 2012. I also had 2 other bacteria last year and a bout of Covid. In 2012 it took a year to diagnose. My lungs were pretty much shot at this point. I have no silica to move mucus thru my lungs. They are either deformed or destroyed. Have also had Burkhalteria 2 times, MAC and MAI since 2012. Trying to figure out how I keep getting these bacteria. I have figured out that Pseudomonus is in all of our kitchen sinks as well as medical facilities plus who knows where else. Burkhalteria comes from the water. Got that 2x and was told to put a shower filter on the shower head. I think that it either is in the water supply or comes thru the pipes. It is a very rare bacteria. I was told that no one gets that. I guess that I am the lucky one. MAC comes from dirt I think. I love to garden. Wear gloves and an N95 when gardening now always. I have been taking Azithromizen 3x a week for years to prevent that one from coming back. I have not had that one again. Appears to be working. Not sure where MAI comes from just an environmental bacteria. Trying to collect as much info as I can so that I can quit catching this crap.

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@1fancydancer

I have had Pseudomonas 3 times. Two times last year and once in 2012. I also had 2 other bacteria last year and a bout of Covid. In 2012 it took a year to diagnose. My lungs were pretty much shot at this point. I have no silica to move mucus thru my lungs. They are either deformed or destroyed. Have also had Burkhalteria 2 times, MAC and MAI since 2012. Trying to figure out how I keep getting these bacteria. I have figured out that Pseudomonus is in all of our kitchen sinks as well as medical facilities plus who knows where else. Burkhalteria comes from the water. Got that 2x and was told to put a shower filter on the shower head. I think that it either is in the water supply or comes thru the pipes. It is a very rare bacteria. I was told that no one gets that. I guess that I am the lucky one. MAC comes from dirt I think. I love to garden. Wear gloves and an N95 when gardening now always. I have been taking Azithromizen 3x a week for years to prevent that one from coming back. I have not had that one again. Appears to be working. Not sure where MAI comes from just an environmental bacteria. Trying to collect as much info as I can so that I can quit catching this crap.

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I believe I may have picked mine up while cleaning out some bathroom drains. Should never have done that! If you have Bronchiectasis be careful around plumbing drains etc.

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