Posted 7/30/2015 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
I have had a severe chronic cough for more than 18 months. They proven with all kinds of tests that it is NOT neurogenic cough, GERD, or other things. It is definitely asthma. My pulmonologist has (finally) decided that my 'regular' asthma has converted to cough variant asthma (I tried to tell him- and others- that was what was going on more than a year ago). I've had every test I know of, tried every drug and drug combination they can think of and they are now sending me BACK to Duke Medical to see their Cough Variant Asthma team (I saw the head of interventional pulmonology already). I think that Bronchial Thermoplasty might give me at least some relief. But the doc that does that at my pulmonology practice has not done it for cough variant asthma and hasn't seen any studies on it, so won't do it unless some one with more experience than she has says it might work. I understand her position, but am not looking forward to another long trip up to Duke and seeing yet another doctor or team of doctors, who will most likely want to do /repeat more tests.
OK I've vented... now my question ....
Has anyone here had or heard about using thermoplasty for cough variant asthma? I know it has been used in Canada and maybe in the UK or other European countries much longer than in the US. If I can find ANY data about it, I might be able to convince my doc to consider it.
If you know or have read about this, please share. I hate coughing up a lung all day for this long -- it is wearing me out, and driving my family crazy listening to me and worrying about me.