HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Azathioprine + persistent cough/cold

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/6/2015 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
I am now in week 11 since starting on Azathioprine and I'm finally starting to see some measurable improvement with my UC after what has been more or less a 2-year flare. But, I have had a persistent cough and sinus congestion for the whole 11 weeks. It's worst in the mornings - I'll spend an hour coughing up green aliens. Then a dry cough stays with me for the rest of the day, on and off. Obviously I don't want to take antibiotics. Does anyone have any magic remedies that they can recommend? I already take Vitamin C 1000mg every morning.
Posted 2/6/2015 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried a netti pot or you could try a PPI? I never had a problem when I was on 6mp.
Posted 2/6/2015 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
PPI? Proton thingy? Nope! I was more thinking along the lines of gut-friendly herbs and natural cough/cold remedies. :)
Posted 2/6/2015 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
a dry cough is usually a sign of acid reflux and prilosec helps a lot with that. you could also try "gutsy chews" which are good for acid reflux.

as for your sinuses, i'd also recommend a saline flush.

basically, what nssg says!!
Posted 2/7/2015 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
If I was coughing up green stuff every morning I think I would risk antibiotics ... especially since you are on aza. Sounds like you have an infection and you don't have a strong enough immune system to fight it off. You could end up very sick if you don't get it taken care of.
Posted 2/7/2015 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like me. I take azathioprine, thought i was getting a sinus infection or cold about a month ago. I lost my voice and even thought i might have the flu. I was coughing up phlegm a lot in the mornings, dry cough (which i have had most of my life). I finally saw the ENT thinking it was for sure an infection of some sort. Turns out I have LPR which is silent reflux. A lot of people get reflux without having actual heart burn. He prescribed me a stronger version of prilosec and its been helping ever since. Im not 100% perfect, but much better. It sounds like you may also have reflux. I would highly reccomend seeing an ENT they can tell you from a endoscope whats going on.
Posted 2/7/2015 8:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the feedback. I have a GI appointment in a couple of weeks so I'll bring it up then.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply