Coughing at night

**Brooke** · 02-09-2010, 10:14 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, 10:25 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, 07:32 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, 05:38 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, 07:23 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, 08:36 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, 06:50 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, 09:20 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, 07:46 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!