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Brooke
02-09-2010, 09:14 AM
Is coughing at night and in the morning when I wake up due to my Wegener's? Or maybe acid reflux? Or both? Anyone else have this problem?
Also, I am wondering how long I should wait to see if the methotrexate works before I would try something different? I have been on it for probably 3 months now.

thanks.

elephant
02-09-2010, 09:25 AM
I think three months is long enough to find out if the methotrexate works. Brooke how are you feeling. Do you feel more tired? If you notice other symptoms acting up it could be a WG flare. I know methotrexate can effect the lungs. It's good to rule out why you are having a cough, I would see your pulmonologist first. Of course mention it to your Rheumy.

Jack
02-09-2010, 06:32 PM
You need to see a specialist to get the cough checked out. Mine turned out to be Bronchiectasis and causes me big problems now. I only sleep for a couple of hours at a time before waking up to cough. :(
It also drives everyone else in the house mad - easy to live with for a week or two, but gets a bit wearing after ten years.

jola57
02-10-2010, 04:38 AM
Before being diagnosed with Wegs I used to wake up few times in the middle of the night with coughing fits, it was a dry choking cough. This happened during the day sometimes too. I learned to cary a water bottle with me since that seemed to calm it down. Since being put on cyclo and now mtx I have not had a cough other than when I have a cold. I would listen to Jack and have it checked out.

Sangye
02-10-2010, 06:23 AM
Definitely gotta get it checked out, Brooke. Mtx side effect (lung infiltrates) or Wegs activity are the most likely culprits and have to be ruled out. I also think 3 months of mtx is long enough to see a difference.

Do you wake up coughing in the night or are you already awake? If you're sleeping, it could be sleep apnea.

Brooke
02-10-2010, 07:36 AM
Thanks for the responses. I have been coughing way before I was ever on methotrexate. I cough on and off, doesn't matter if I am awake or not. Sometimes I wake up from coughing and sometimes I am already awake.

DEE
02-10-2010, 05:50 PM
coughing driving me mad too, doc gave inhaler to try to heip dont know that it does got sore throat agian so coughing and trying to swallow is interesting went for a meal with work coleagues last nighf had two coughing fits two of them had been on first aid course all day ask if i coukd wait to choke to death as choking was part off the course tomorrow !!!!! at doc tomorrow and wg clinic next week will have to try and sort ouy then

mickoko
02-13-2010, 08:20 AM
Its best to have it checked out, i started coughing about a year or so ago and i have just been diagnoised with bronchiectasis , just like jack has, and beleive me it is annoying.They say it was caused when my lungs collapsed when i first got wg, and it has come on gradually ever since. I have now been refered to a lung physio to learn how to try and control it with various gadgets and breathing exersises. Hope you get it sorted and start feeling better.

Jack
02-13-2010, 06:46 PM
Welcome to the Bronchiectasis club mickoko. It is very exclusive! I think there are now three of us on here with it.

I went through all the inhalers / flutter balls / breathing exercises thing with two different hospitals, my GP and a nurse, but did not make much progress. Frustratingly, neither of the consultants would accept that it was connected with Wegener's and there is not much written on the subject, but to my mind it all fits together very neatly. Bronchiectasis is caused by lung damage, particularly infections, foreign objects or pollutants and Wegener's is the master when it comes to imitating infections. If the two are not connected I guess we must just be very unlucky indeed!

DEE
02-13-2010, 06:46 PM
thanks seen doctor says chest sounds clear and seeing wg consult thursday will let you know what happens

DEE
02-13-2010, 06:50 PM
mine been worse since i had chest infection two weeks ago not had a nights sleep since by that i mean my usually four hours

elephant
02-14-2010, 12:41 AM
That is not fun Dee. Feel better soon. I agree with Jack, I too think that Wegeners causes silent lung damage and now we have symptoms that we have to live with.

Sangye
02-14-2010, 02:13 AM
Jack, I think bronchiectasis is related to Wegs, too. It's the most likely explanation.

mickoko
02-14-2010, 05:00 AM
Thanks Jack, its nice to know i`ve joined another exclusive club apart from the wg club. I`ve been trying to tell my specialists all along that i have someting wrong, but all they have said is "We think its just an infection in your lungs". I look forward to being poked and prodded again. Hopefully things will get better one day but I don`t hold out much hope!

Jack
02-14-2010, 05:21 AM
Bronchiectasis does make you very prone to lung infections. I take co-trimoxazole (antibiotic) every day, but sometimes have to switch to amoxicillin. The warning sign for me is when the sputum starts to turn green.

mickoko
02-14-2010, 05:29 AM
I have been on co-trimoxazole before and it did no good at all, but amoxicillian, i`m alergic to anything with penicillin in so i`ll just have to try the breathing apparatus and whatever else they come up with. If not I`ll just have to grin and bear it like I do when other parts of me start failing and stop working properly. Thanks again for your advice jack and i will have a word with my specialists when i see the in a couple of week.