HELP...constant cough & shortness of breath

Hello HealingWell Community,

I am a major sufferer from year round allergies. I struggle the worst in the spring and fall usually around the time year that the seasons are changing (right now). My top allergens are mold, pollen, grasses, and weeds. I have seen doctors and specialists in the past however they are unable to find anything to give me relief. I am constantly clearing my throat or coughing because I feel like I have a non-stop supply of mucus. I am very short of breath at times which I thought was due to asthma however I had three different tests done to see if that is the case and the tests came back negative. The only thing they want to attribute the shortness of breath to is my severe allergies. On top of all of these things; I also have the severe sinus pressure at times, terrible itchy and watery eyes, and any other symptoms that come with allergies. Does anyone else suffer this bad or have similar problems? I need to find something that will work for me so I can get relief. Obviously my main concerns are...coughing and clearing my throat constantly and being so short of breath. It does not seem normal to me! Someone please help me!

PS-The only thing I take is Zyrtec which is over the counter. Also; I use over the counter eye drops as needed but those are probably damaging my eyes due to the frequency of having to use them at times. Is there something better that I should be taking or using?

Nope and I avoid second hand smoke at all costs because I am allergic to it. It makes me feel terrible to be around it! I have smoked before and it was about 12-14 years ago. I only did it for a short period of time and I would have referred to myself as a "social" smoker.

Have you been assessed for asthma? Make an appointment with a pulmologist for an assessment.

I am in the same boat, and I am beginning allergy shots next week. I am on several medications, and this is the first year I ever had any signs of severe allergies. In March I formed a cough which kept getting worse and worse and then it turned into having a lot of issues breathing. After ruling out bronchitis, pneumonia, etc, I tested positive for several allergies. I believe these shots are fairly affordable, try and find an allergist, get tested, and then you can start on shots shortly after they know what to inject you with. I am on several medications which only mildly alleviate my symptoms, so I am hoping the shots clear me up! Good luck to you, you're not the only one dealing with it.

NAC ( N-Acetylcysteine ) is both an anti inflammatory and mucous moderator, and researchers claim is useful to both prevent COPD and asthma, slow the rate of lung-function decline in those diseases, and moderate and thin bronchial congestion.

Some of the people I've dealt with, which have serious congestion issues, ' swear ' by it. I take it mainly as an anti-inflammatory, as inflammation is the root cause of the permanent and irreverseable damages to the airways and aveoli of the lungs.

NAC is currently an OTC supplement which can be found at better Q health product stores or on-line retailers.
I get 100 capsules for about $ 28 cdn. Important to make sure you don't go for the lowest price though. Low priced is always low Q and most lilely contains contaminants, like heavy metals, arsenic, etc. Check for the Quality assurance labels as GMP ( good manufacturing practices - protecting purity and potentancy ) or USP ( US standards )

NAC also needs vitamin C to be taken along with it, as alone it won't properly metabolize. 1 gm/600 mg is recommended.

Post Edited (JohnCa) : 5/29/2011 4:49:20 PM (GMT-6)

drink plenty of water and try coffee in the morning. if you are broke you can reuse coffee grinds and just add some new coffee. i am from brooklyn and unfortunately have had some financial difficulties myself. you can also make your own nettie pot which is basically water and salt. i went into a drug store and bought a glass nose dropper (empty) and made my own solution. try also to get hold of some hydrogene peroxide. add some to a jar (try 1/10th) and fill the rest with water...this is your mouthwash and is helpful in clearing the throat of bacteria and stuff.

best of luck

I am in the same boat as you, and I have had asthma for 50 years. What works best for me is generic sudafed (the kind that is behind the pharmacist counter now a days) and benadryl, and robitussin DM MAX with the 200mg of Guaifenesin.

I know this nettle pot thing is popular now, but for years I have been mixing 1 well rounded teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pure baking soda to 2 cups of warm water, getting in the shower and squirting the mixture in each nostril straight back towards the back of my head with a 60cc irrigation syringe. As the mixture starts to go down my throat I sort of clear my throat to make it come out of my mouth. Gook will come out your nose too. When I feel like I am getting a sore throat this works miracles.

I am supposed to be doing this 2 to 3 times a day, but I do it only once a day because it is not the funnist thing to do. I got the recipe from an ENT, but it calls for 4 cups of warm water, 2 - 3 heaping teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. I should be following the exact instructions but like I said, it is not fun and half the dose once a day seems to work. It is much cheaper and works much much better than a nettle pot. (I still have doctors try to push the nettle pot on me.)

Last year I was found to have a swollen larynx what attributes to my cough and throat clearing. I do have reflux and am taking a proton inhibitor twice a day, and have elevated the head side of my bed. I still have the larynx problem and need to see the ENT again for other suggestions since the problem began when I had Pertussis last year.

Hope this helps. Good luck.