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Debilitating Cough!

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Posted 4/6/2013 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Does anyone else have lung inflammation that cannot be explained? I have had two catsans and a bronchoscopy. No diagnosis. They call the inflammation ground glass opacities. Well I thought it was under control because I weened myself off of Celebrex meant to control the cough. It turns out the Cymbalta I just went through withdrawal hell with was suppressing it. The cough is back full force. I am getting off the drugs in order to get pregnant. The first round of fertility treatments did not work and now that the cough is back I don't know of any safe options. My doctors are not being very helpful at all. I can suffer with the pain and depression for a year if it means I can have a child. The cough is downright debilitating. It's violent I can not walk or talk and my entire ribcage will become bruised. I wonder if anyone here has been in a similar situation. Thanks for reading this!
Posted 4/6/2013 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
That sounds really rough. I have pretty bad asthma, and I know that the coughing from that can be debilitating.

Fibromyalgia isn't an inflammatory illness. Some people have inflammation along with fibro, but it is from a co-existing condition and not the fibro itself. I'm also not aware of coughing being a common fibromyalgia symptom (?).

Have you been tested for asthma/allergies? I know ground glass opacities can show up in asthma patients. Also, if you have drainage from allergies (down the back of your throat), that can cause coughing/inflammation. Even if that isn't what is causing your coughing, there is an Asthma/Allergy forum on this site, and the people there may have some insight or advice.

Another thought, is it possible you have a sulfite sensitivity? I recently developed a sulfite sensitivity, and I have to be careful of the amount and type of sulfites I consume, or I will have lots of coughing.

I hope you find some answers soon. I know how miserable uncontrollable coughing can be. (((Hugs)))
Posted 4/6/2013 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
I know this is different, but may be something to consider.

In the late 90s, my husband suddenly had trouble breathing. Took him to the ER. I don't recall any cough, but from reading the signs and symptoms of this condition, cough is one. It turns out he had acute pericarditis (the pericardium is the thin membrane around the heart).  Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium.  It actually went away by itself after a while--think it was a couple or few weeks. I did read sometimes surgery is needed to remove the fluid, but my hubby didn't need that done.

It seemed kind of rare---the older doc my hubby saw had only seen it once, and the nurse had never heard of it.

Maybe something to consider? Best wishes for answers soon. Will pray you find some.
Posted 4/6/2013 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
Have you seen a lung specialist?  It could be something like asthma, from what I was reading, but there are many other things that can give this image in x-rays.  I would head to a lung specialist if I were you...if you haven't already.  I wouldn't fool around with that.

 

Austen is correct in saying that fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory illness. 

 

Please let us know what you find out and don't stop searching.  Coughing like that is horrible.  I use Mucinex DM for bad coughs and you might ask your doctor about that.  The DM stands for dextromethorphan and it's a cough suppressant so you aren't coughing all of the time.  But when you do cough, it's a productive cough.

 

Sherrine

Posted 4/6/2013 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
I have been to a pulmonologist. He did all the asthma and allergy testing. He found inflammation but could not explain it. I have had biopsies he did a lung wash. Nothing. The cough was being controlled by prednisone at the time. The cough is non productive and my breathing is fine. The inflammation is not in the bronchioles it's in the tissue it's self. I have tried DM it does nothing but get me stoned. I have not looked into sulfites but I eat mostly fresh foods. Will have to do google it. I have no heart issues I has an EKG not to long ago. I am going to have to find a different lung doc I guess.
Thanks for the input you folks gave me some stuff to think about.
Posted 4/6/2013 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
Have you been checked to see if it's silent reflux? I had silent reflux and it kept my lungs inflammed until I had the surgery to fix the reflux.
Posted 4/7/2013 9:25 AM (GMT 0)
Leelu,

Sorry to hear you're going through so much. Maybe you have allergies? I use to have a persistent cough that wouldn't go away. I discovered from an allergist that I needed to stay away from cigarette smoke, pets, dust, mold, and pollen.

I also discovered I needed to stay away from dairy products. They increase our phlegm and they can even increase asthma symptoms.

Hope you're doing better.
Posted 4/7/2013 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
I forgot about the silent reflux. I have that too, and my allergist believes it contributes to my asthma.

It does sound like you have turned over every stone you can think of (and had every test), but I encourage you not to give up. I have an inner ear disorder that causes vertigo, and it took me one internist, two neurologists, and three ENT's before I was properly diagnosed. The last two ENT's were at a university teaching hospital, and the first one sent me to the last one who specializes just in ears before I was finally diagnosed. I had lots of tests and an incorrect diagnosis before I eventually got to the doctor who was able to help me. Do you live near any research or teaching hospitals? If so, it may be worth a try. They often have teams of doctors who work together on difficult cases.
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