Dry cough

[Alysia]

Hi, I hope everyone is doing well :hug2:

For many months, maybe more then a year now, that I have an annoying dry cough which is not getting better, and is slightly getting worse.

My lungs dr. Found only tiny obstruction in the spirometry test, which can't explain the cough. Doing inhalation in his office didn't change the spirometry test. He said that it is not asthma. X-rays of chest and sinuses are clear (except from old scars). Labs are ok, C-anca and pr3 negative. Last rtx was on Nov 1.

I cough every morning, also allways after a rest or a nap (when I stand up after I lied down). Eating or drinking can also be a trigger. I dont have any heartburn. Each cough can lasts around 20 min until it calms down. I dont have post nasal drip. No productions from the cough. It feels similar to the cough I had during the year before the wg started.

I am going to see my ENT on Thursday maybe he can help to understand what is it. I hope he will scope my throat.

Any idea what it might be ? Wg related or other ? What should I ask my docs to test ?

In my colitis group they suggested silent reflux but I dont have heartburn and my cough can come after long night without any food.

Any thoughts are welcomed.

Thank you for being here :hug1:

[Pete]

I’m not sure I would rule out silent reflux just yet. Also, chronic bronchitis and COPD should be investigated. A chest x-ray might be in order as an unexplained cough could be symptomatic of lung cancer. Sure hope it’s nothing serious...

[Masha]

Agree with Pete on the chest X-ray. I just had one with the bronchitis.
This may sound very simple, but how dry is your house? I have two small humidifiers working through the night. Tell us what the ENT says. Prayers.
Masha

[annekat]

I was going to say the same as Masha about the humidity. I can have a dry throat even after drinking water. I heat with wood so should use a humidifier. Especially in winter when air outside can be dry and wood heating happens more. But my coughing is just here and there and not enough to cause much worry. Also, your coughing for 20 minutes reminds me of what used to happen when I started taking pred. Before WG diagnosis, when prescribed short runs of it along with antibiotics for "sinus infections". When in the higher doses, like 40 or 50mg, maybe an hour or two after taking the pill, I would start a heavy, dry cough for 10-20 min. Once I was in a restaurant with friends and had to excuse myself to finish the coughing in the restroom. My ENT didn't think much of it but another doc said pred could do that. Eventually it stopped happening.. Well, I highly doubt that would apply to your current situation, but thought it might be of interest. Another thing to consider might be allergies.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[mishb]

Mine is the same
Rather annoying when it kicks in, but only lasts for half an hour or so ………... until the next time.
Sometimes I can manage to cough out a piece of dry crust, obviously down from the sinuses, but most times it is just there and especially after I drink water or have something to eat.
Thoughts were gerd/silent reflux, but doctor thought that then it wouldn't clear up after a little while, without taking anything for it.

I also don't think that humidity is the problem because I still had it on holidays in Singapore last year, and that was super humid.

I would also welcome any home remedies to fix this.

[richard052018]

I don't have much to add medically, but I just think you're great around here and I hope you get the care you need to get rid of that cough. Blessings to you.

[annekat]

I have some elderberry lozenges I got at a supplement store which I take once in awhile when a dry throat or cough is bothering me. I think they help. I don't like the lozenges that contain menthol because I think the relief is only temporary and the menthol makes it worse.



Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[whatthewhat]

Our daughter had an inexplicable cough and finally she was compliant with a prescription for a once a day inhaler and that did the trick. It was this weird dry cough kind of like yours, not all day. The doc had also recommended a humidifier, and they also ran tests for everything. So, basically, I agree with everyone, especially the post about how great you are!

[annekat]

Whatthewhat, I'm guessing this once a day inhaler contains a steroid such as fluticasone, and a common brand name is Flovent, which I take. Some people take it twice a day. But the point is you take it not in direct response to the symptom, but as a preventative, if taken regularly. A dry cough can be a type of asthma, even if you don't think you have it. The steroid reduces inflammation in the airways and opens them up, reducing the need for the rescue inhalers some people keep on hand in case of sudden coughing or trouble breathing. So I'm not saying you or whatthewhat's daughter have asthma, Alysia, because I don't know that, but you might ask your doctor about this. Or it could be a slight bronchial or subglottic stenosis. And I agree about humidity, but not the kind that occurs during hot weather in some geographic areas. I've heard the humidity in the eastern third of the US can be crushing and very hard on asthmatics. But a humidifier in a comfortably cool room could be very helpful. I hope you get this figured out!








Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[mikecaven]

I had a cough for two months. Finally diagnosed with sinusitis and Bronchiecstasis. Had sinus surgery 2 weeks ago. Now doing better. My cough was somewhat productive but was sometimes dry. I have had WG since 1981. This was my third sinus surgery.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikecaven]

I also took 3 weeks of antibiotics


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Alysia]

Thank you so much, my friends, for your kind words and thoughtful wise comments... I love you :blushing::wub:

It is amazing, Michelle, that we both have exactly the same cough (my sister from down under) and also that whatthewhat's daughter also had a similar dry cough. It makes me think that it is wg related.

The lungs dr. Rulled out asthma. Chest X ray was clear. I don't have shortness of breath. So it cant be COPD.

Anne, I guess that if it was allergies then the pred might be treating them ?

It is very humid where I live (10 km away from the mediteranian).

I saw my ENT on Thursday. He only has scope for the nose in his office so he checked my throat with a little mirror. He said that there is no indication for silent reflux, Thanks God. Also the throat and the vocal cords looks normal. He couldn't explain the cough.

@whatthewhat (https://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.com/forum/member.php?u=7529) what meds does your daughter use in the nebulizer ? I think it might worth the try. Will see what my lungs dr. Will say. I will see him on April.

@mikecaven (https://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.com/forum/member.php?u=395) now that you mention the antibiotics I recall that in the first years of WG I also had a cough (can't remember how dry it was) and antibiotics helped it.

Thank you for being here. God bless you.

[annekat]

Alysia, I'm not really thinking you have allergies, but if you did, the amount of pred you are taking might not necessarily be enough to treat them, while a larger amount would. But a doc might choose to use a localized steroid inhaler for allergy symptoms rather than increase the amount of pred that is going through your whole system. My last pulmonologist, who was treating me for Wegs, and whom you might remember I didn't like much, really didn't want to give me a steroid inhaler during grass season, my worst allergic time, saying that the pred and mtx I was taking should be enough . But it wasn't, I was having trouble breathing, and I had some extra pred, and I upped my dose myself, and it helped. When he found out, he went ahead and prescribed me a steroid inhaler because he didn't think I should be on that much pred. The next year, when grass season came around, he forgot all about that and once again hesitated to give me an inhaler. I protested that I couldn't breathe, and he gave me some samples he had of a steroid inhaler. This is the same man who had prescribed me inhalers before he knew I had Wegs. He retired, and my current pulmy insists on my using steroid inhalers even though he knows I have Wegs and take pred. It isn't just for allergies, but for my lungs in general. Others might disagree with his approach, but I do think that just a little pred might not be enough for all allergy situations. And any doc might choose a steroid inhaler over more pred.



Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[Alysia]

Alysia, I'm not really thinking you have allergies, but if you did, the amount of pred you are taking might not necessarily be enough to treat them, while a larger amount would. But a doc might choose to use a localized steroid inhaler for allergy symptoms rather than increase the amount of pred that is going through your whole system. My last pulmonologist, who was treating me for Wegs, and whom you might remember I didn't like much, really didn't want to give me a steroid inhaler during grass season, my worst allergic time, saying that the pred and mtx I was taking should be enough . But it wasn't, I was having trouble breathing, and I had some extra pred, and I upped my dose myself, and it helped. When he found out, he went ahead and prescribed me a steroid inhaler because he didn't think I should be on that much pred. The next year, when grass season came around, he forgot all about that and once again hesitated to give me an inhaler. I protested that I couldn't breathe, and he gave me some samples he had of a steroid inhaler. This is the same man who had prescribed me inhalers before he knew I had Wegs. He retired, and my current pulmy insists on my using steroid inhalers even though he knows I have Wegs and take pred. It isn't just for allergies, but for my lungs in general. Others might disagree with his approach, but I do think that just a little pred might not be enough for all allergy situations. And any doc might choose a steroid inhaler over more pred.



Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info, Anne. I am on 5mg pred for wg but also on 6mg budezon for my colitis, which is also a steroid. I think I will ask for allergies tests. Its easy to get them done here.

[NatriceRomeo]

Hi Alyssa,
I can very much commiserate with you! I had a couch for several weeks, my PCP was very frustrated with me & to be honest not nice about it either. I had a rheumatologist app a few weeks later & my chest x-ray was negative. The rheumatologist prescribed some inhalers. After a further week, had a CT scan done that showed something but no one knew what it was. Got a new Dr-pulmonologist whom did several more xrays never showing anything. Finally got a bronchoscope done. My right lung is really inflamed & oozing blood. It appears as the Wegeners has migrated to my lung. However-all chest x rays say it’s negative! It’s frustrating. However, if you know there is something wrong-I would assume there is something wrong. I wish you luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Alysia]

Hi Alyssa,
I can very much commiserate with you! I had a couch for several weeks, my PCP was very frustrated with me & to be honest not nice about it either. I had a rheumatologist app a few weeks later & my chest x-ray was negative. The rheumatologist prescribed some inhalers. After a further week, had a CT scan done that showed something but no one knew what it was. Got a new Dr-pulmonologist whom did several more xrays never showing anything. Finally got a bronchoscope done. My right lung is really inflamed & oozing blood. It appears as the Wegeners has migrated to my lung. However-all chest x rays say it’s negative! It’s frustrating. However, if you know there is something wrong-I would assume there is something wrong. I wish you luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing Natti. Are you feeling any better ?
Was the bronch and the cough the only indications that wg was active ?

[NatriceRomeo]

Hi Alyssa, thank you for your thoughts. I think I am slowly getting better. I did not have blood drawn to see what my ANCA was but yes, the cough and bronch and weight loss were the only things that suggested the Wegeners was active. This is actually a new phenomenon for me as my Wegeners was just associated with sinuses and joints prior to this. I wonder how common this is for it to progress. I hope this finds you well, your cough is hopefully controlled? Sending positive and well thoughts your way.
Natty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk