Asthma and a bad Cough

Posted , 5 users are following.

Here we go again with the cold weather and cold and flu season,

as normal i have been and had my flu jab but last saturday i came down with a stonking bad cold which made me feel terrible.

With my asthma nurse's permission i upped my symbicort to 2 puffs day and night to combat it but it is still proving relentless.

Managed until Tuesday and the coughing started which has made me rely on my Ventolin inhaler more and more, could not take coughing anymore yesterday so went and saw my asthma nurse, she said my chest is clear despite me complaining of: tightness and finding it hard to breathe, using my ventolin 5 times yesterday, hurts to cough and i have a sore throat. she phoned through to my doctor and explained what was happening, he said that i needed steroids and a dose of antibiotics called doxcycline. started those today didnt want to wait until after the weekend.

Trouble is as everyday goes on i am feeling worse. I am at work and everytime i talk for extended times i cough and have to drink to make it ease.

any advice please??

3 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Dawn

    Feeling just the same as you, absoulutely roitten.  Struggling to breath, coughing, headache, and liek you it started staright after my flu jab.  They say there is no connection but I'm not so sure as this has happened to me before.  I'm using a lot of ventolin and taking cough mixture.  My other allergies are playimng me up too with sore eyes ands itchy skin for which I use fucibet and eye drops.  Seeing my dr. tomorrow so fingers crossed.

    Lizzie xxx

  • Posted

    Same here, Dawn.  I got a chest cold almost two weeks ago that has made my asthma kick up.  GP said to use my Ventolin as many as ten times per day if necessary.  He also prescribed steroids.  I've been taking cough mixture as well.   Like you, I can't talk for any length of time without coughing uncontrollably and then breathing is difficult.

    Not sure I have any advice.  It seems it just has to run its course.  Take care - you're not suffering alone.

    Louise xx

  • Posted

    This is probably much too late now but I will comment anyway. I am a long term moderate asthma sufferer and I had the same problem with a winter cold which seemed to develop into a chest infection and bronchitis. I would have seen the GP but Xmas holiday season makes it almost impossible and I know they always say there is no easy cure for vrus infections. I used a steam inhaler (old Pifco Facial steamer) which helped me cough up the gunge (not a massive amount). It was an effort, but each day after finally coughing something up it felt a little better.  After a week or 2 the worst was over but I still felt that I need to to cough to expel a small amount of now clear fluid. The steroid and ventolin inhalers did not fully help. I asked for Montelukast which I had previously been prescribed for allergy and nasal symptoms, but never used after I read the side effects.

    After the first tablet the remaining congestion disappeared. I am still using the steroid inhaler, but only once a day. I have not noticed the major side effects yet, but it may slightly affect my sleep and I may be getting some slight stomach discomfort.

    If you are not susceptible to anxiety in paticular it looks to me like Montelukast is well worth a try and it can reduce the need for other medications if you have an allergic type condition.

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