Persistent cough for one and a half year after chest infecti

I had acute pneumonia and after coming out of hospital took antibiotics. They also gave me Airflow as its called here a Formoterol/Budesonida capsule puffer. Now having had a persistant cough and wheezing for some 20 months prior to the pneumonia my cough has mostly gone due to the puffer. I'm supposed to take it twice a day, every 12 hours but have not needed it more than once a day. It relieves the tightness in the chest in the mornings and takes away the 'hurt' of the lungs.

Hi, I have the same symptoms too.  I am a 46 year old female and have had asthma since childhood, this is now controlled by steroid inhaler (Seretide) since year 2000.

I have suffered with recurring chest infections for the last 2 years, and cough up phlegm every day which can range from white in colour on a good day to green when feeling at my worst and have an infection.  I usually feel fine in the morning (unless I have an infection), but the symtoms appear to kick in by about 2 to 3 p.m.every day causing my lungs to ache and my chest to rattle with phlegm and I become extrmely tired and restless.

I have been to several GP appointments and recently referred to a specialist.  A CT scan 4 weeks ago found 'nothing significant' am awaiting the results of allergy tests currently.  This illness is really getting me down as I feel ill on a daily basis.  However, to all the Doctors I have seen I appear to be a medical mystery.

Google the Mystery Chronic Cough

It has taken 4 years of coughing persistantly, numerous visits to several doctors and specialists until finally one doctor requested a CT scan that clearly showed the problem.
Also had several chest xrays, spirometry tests, blood and alergy tests, all sorts of puffers and antibiotics but all showed clear.

Last week I was called back into the lab and was told I had
mild Brochiectasis.

Look this up on Google and you may find its what you have as every doctor and specialist I visited except one, did not diagnose Bronchiectasis.

Coughing is the body's natural defence of sputum or object caught in your throat. Mucus gathers in the bonchial tubes and is normally expelled but if there is damage from a previous or current disease the mucus gathers in the tubes and becomes a hot spot for bacteria which causes further damage and the cycle increases.
If you are coughing up yellow or green plegm you probably have an infection in your lungs and a heavy course of antibiotics is required to kill the bacteria.
There is no cure but Bronchiectasis is manageable and the main problem is further infection. All depends how advanced the disease has damaged the cilia or the hairs that normally move the mucus along the bronchial tubes.

If all your tests show nothing then request a CT scan which is normal practise for Bronchiectasis.

Treatment has advanced and I am using a nebuliser with hypertonic saline 7%. This is a recent development and appears to be reasonably successful. The salty mix induces coughing and possibly assists in knocking off the bacteria. Coughing can last 10 minutes or more while clearing the lungs. The sputum is lighter viscosity and does improve the outlook for the day. I am pleased with the results so far but will have a cough to some degree for the rest of my life.
I am told I should have a normal life expectancy as long as I use the nebuliser and exercise and act when infection shows in the material coughed up.

I hope this is helpfull to someone out there as I could not believe I had a mysterious unknown disease and read everything on the net but nothing mentioned Bronchiectasis.
Dont forget, ask for a CT scan.

cheers
Ray

I also have persistent cough and bring up lots of mucous. The CT scan showed some scarring and something unclear on the left side of my lung as well. The infectious disease specialist told me I might have an infection that is not easily treatable and it's called mycobacterium. It's a cousin of tuberculosis but it is not contageous. I drank parsley tea for 7 days which Dr. Bee (online website) proposed and the phlegm seemed to improve and also the cough. Don't take tea for more than 7 days though because it will ruin your kidneys. Drink 4 cups a day and one teaspoon of fresh parley per each cup. Drink it for 7 days (4 cups each day), and then stop. The doctor still has to take sputum sample to see what kind of an infection it is.

Hi John, Your story just about fits mine yet I went to Mexico rather than india with that said I have had over $25,000 worth of test. this is driving me crazy i would glady pay $25,000 to solve my problem

Hi all,

On this topic, I do have the same, a cough which won't go away, started about a year ago, after a cold/sinus infection. Did lung CT scan, OK, chest X-ray OK, endoscopy with mild reflux found, thyroid u/s. Tried nasonex, for sinus inflammation,and symbicort, nexium and omeprazole, tried prednisolone and none of them work. Now trying antibiotic, rulide, apparently is used as an antiinflammatory drug, stops the macrophages getting too active and causing the inflammatory response and also helps with quicker emptying of the stomach, hence reduce acid reflux. I'll have to take this for a month, but I already don't see any improvements. I am really worried, I am starting to get frequent headaches and the throat is sore as well from clearing my voice all the time. I sometimes feel the lymph nodes a bit painful under my jaw line and I do get pain in the upper back, left side.I feel like tI have to tell the docs what to do and they say they don't know why the cough is there. I am thinking to ask for a bronchoscopy and then go to homeopath. I am also thinking about a scan of the head, but too much radiation is not good as well ! Please all of you, keep us informed with your own experiences in trying to find an answer to this ! Ina

I am 51 years old and have had similar conditions as the you all for the passed three years. Chest congestion, weezing , dificulty breathing. I have never smoked, and am in otherwise good shape. In the passed three years I have had asthma medication proscribed with little to no change, I have had sinus surgery which had a temporary benifit especially because I was previously unable to breath threough my nose. But the Asthma like conditions do not go away. I am costanly caughing up phlem and weezing. I had asthma for most of my life and the doctor sais I have mild asthma now. How can this be?

Hi John I too have been coughing for quite sometime now. I have been on asthma inhalers and started taking allergy pills which I may say helped somewhat, but not fully eliminating the problem. I have experienced acid relux at times but cannot seem to pin-point the ideal problem. The weather obviously makes a difference but I am now quite concerned!!!

I just found this post and I'm so glad because I was really thinking it was lung cancer. I am a smoker and have had this cough for nearly 2 years. Ive had a chest X-Ray and that was clear.
I am a 58 year old male. I had stopped smoking for 10 years then stupidly started again 5 years ago, worst mistake I ever made.

A chest X ray is not good enough. My mother had a chest X ray, they could not see anything and she was having a 7 cm tumour in the right lung, they could only see it with CT scan when I specifically asked for it. Unfortunately, it was stage IV lung cancer which has spread to bones. She passed away 8 months after diagnosis. I hope this helps.

Thank you for this post. I am going to look into this. I have had a persistant cough for 17 years and took every medicine and test you could think of for years and finally gave up wasting money on specialist with no answers.

Hi John I have exactly the same symptoms as you have described and i have taken the same medication also. yet nothing has worked I am also 34 and I have never been ill previously and this is the first time i have had to take antibiotics.

I am not a smoker.

In 2010, Flu knocked me down. After flu was gone, I had lingering cough for at least 8 months. The cough gave me all sorts of headache and chest pain. My GP gave me z-pack, Amox, cough suppressor, cingular, and steroid shot. None of them worked. Finally,  I went to see a lung specialist.  I had Chest X ray and different type lung tests. All showed normal.  Finally the Doc said I had cough variant asthma. I  never had asthma in my life. The specialist prescribed me two inhalers - PROAIR and ADVAIR. Finally they helped me. I had no cough for two years. 

Last December I had flu and lingering cough afterward for a month. I got better with Z-pack to cure acute bronchitis. Two weeks no cough. Then, I started to cough again with blood streak in the mucus three times in two weeks. That really scared me.  I went to see the doc and x ray showed negative.  GP won't let me do chest CT until I am done with my Amox and still cough blood. I will keep  update my result later. Anyway, wish my story helps some of you. Having a bad cough is very disturbing.

Hi John,

I'm from Australia and i'm glade to find out i'm not the only one with this. I had it for four years and still do so there is no good news I can give you. After seeing EN and throat specialist,lung specialist,gastroenterologist  and haveing EMI on the throat,lungs plus a bronochoscopy and other test the verdict was that i;

1: Had silent refux now knowen as Gord.

2: Scarring of the lungs.

3: Plus pockets of pus in my lungs that my body keeps producing.

I now see a Gastroenterologist every three years and he has put me on pariet twice a day to help the silent refux. This has stopped the coughing which had got to the point that I would stop breathing. There is nothing that they can do for the lungs as it is permanent dammage which was brought on by bout's of bronchitis causing the scarring and pockets of pus in the lungs. I hope I have helped in some way please let me know how you go and if the find any cure for the phlegm as this is what causes the sound at night. When this happens cough an bring up the phiegm it will help stop the noise and help you get sleep. Lorelle:-)