Cough

[katwoman]

I have developed a terrible dry cough for about a week now, on Monday my Rheumy put me on antibiotics sayings its the summer flu going around (been on Pred & Methotrexate for about 5 weeks now.) But I am concerned about this cough, I don't think its part of the flu as I have had no other symptoms of a flu (eg: cold,fever etc).

I have nearly finished the course of antibiotics but my cough has got worse to the point where I am coughing until I vomit, kept nothing down yesterday (so I don't even know if my methotrexate go through my stomach before i vomited after my meal). And I find its worse if I talk, so keeping talking to a minimal (much to the delight of my work colleagues).

Unfortunately, its the weekend so can't speak to Rheumy and honestly just don't feel like he is really worried about it - but now with the vomiting I am concerned and was wondering if it could be a side affect of the drugs or even part of WG, as I have read of a few of you mention about your cough...

[Sangye]

Kat, please get a chest x-ray asap (possibly a chest CT also). Mtx can cause lung infiltrates which makes you cough. It's a reaction to the mtx and means you cannot stay on it-- very dangerous. There's no way to tell without x-ray and/or CT.

If you can't get to your regular docs, go to the ER and tell them you're on mtx and are concerned about "lung infiltrates." It's a famous reaction.

[Jack]

Agree with Sangye. This sounds like no ordinary cough and should not be dismissed. Get it checked out now, but bear in mind that the ER docs will not have a clue so you need to do your homework first.

[deb]

Hi Catwoman. I also developed a horrible cough the last three weeks and have no voice again. It often seems to be part of my wegner's. But this time the doctor suspected it wasn't. He went ahead and upped my predinizone but told me if it changed during the holiday to go to ER and have them check my lungs. I did end up going but there was nothing abnormal (not sure ER doctor knew what to look for) but they did an X-ray. anyway I ended up back in Doctors office and he sent me straight to ENT to check. It turned out I had a sever sinus infection and a very bad case of thrush covering my vocal chords. At least there is no sign of a flare this time and my sed rate is still low. Be sure to check it out. It can do a lot of internal damage no matter what the problem is.
Deb

[katwoman]

My Rheumy on Monday was like here are antibiotics and if it doesn't clear up you may need a chest x-ray....and lets not mention as i was leaving (early i had mentioned work had sent me home) he was like now you need to get back to work as soon as possible..omg maybe he thinks works is the cure..lol!

I have had a really quiet weekend (as i normally do these days) and the cough remains (although without talking I find I am not coughing until I vomit) but it is a very deep cough remains none-the-less. I did have mouth ulcers from the methotrexate (rheumy didn't mention about folic acid, which i found out about talking to other methotrexate users) and seeing the cough started after mouth ulcers/sore mouth mum is worried it might be ulcers down the throat..what to do!

I am going to call my GP in the morning, I feel like I'm just an inconvenience to to my Rheumy.

[Jack]

I feel like I'm just an inconvenience to to my Rheumy.

Then you need to find a new one!

[katwoman]

Jack, I know I do! He is the only one in a 4 hour radius of where I live and keeps telling me he deals with other WG patients...I wish I could say can you supply me with there the name and addresses (like a trade reference).

Oh his other comment was for me to go to see ENT and said he will follow his lead regarding medication and the activity of wegener's - is that normal? I know that they all work together but shouldn't he know from discussions with me and blood tests how WG activity is going?

[Jack]

In my experience, ENT specialists know nothing about Wegener's.

[katwoman]

In my experience, ENT specialists know nothing about Wegener's.

You are right, my first visit to my ENT he actually had to look it up in a medical book, although very concerned about me, other then seeing the crusting etc in the nose doesn't have any experience with WG and has admitted that he only goes on by what he see's in my nasal passages and from the symptoms I am tell him I am experiencing. He does not feel comfortable in recommending treatment for a life threatening illness, its actually refreshing to hear a specialist honestly admitting they no nothing about WG and also doesn't charge me for consultations (as I have mentioned before he said 'not your fault you've got this god awful disease)!

[pberggren1]

Even my ENT admitted he knows very little about WG, just the ear, nose, and throat involvement part. He said he always waits to hear from me and my Rheumy as to what to do. He said he is here for me to tell him what to do and offer suggestions and any help possible whenever I need it. He said the Rheumatologist is the one that knows the most about Vasculitides such as WG because of the inflatmation part and alot of Rheumys also study internal medicine and immunology which makes them even more knowledgable about the goings on of WG.