Been coughing for a week now. Nothing seems to stop the coughing (non-aviation)

N918KT

N918KT

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
716
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Display Name
Display name:
KT
Hey all. I have been sick for at least a week with almost non-stop coughing. It started on Thursday or Friday with a scratchy throat and a little cough. But it then progressed into coughing at certain times. Sometimes I cough very hard at certain times that it makes me feel awful.

I went to the college infirmary last Monday to see what was wrong. I told the doctor that I have been mainly coughing and he asks if I cough up mucus. I said sometimes, yeah. He said that I may have some kind of upper respiratory infection or something like that, and he then prescribed me antibiotics (Z-pac), Robitison, and some cough drops. He told me to take the antibiotics every day for 5 days and come back if the coughing doesn't go away.

Well I took my last antibiotic today and the coughing still hasn't gone away. I felt the same still from 5 days ago. The Robitison and cough drops don't help very much either.

I had an upper respiratory infection like that for a couple of weeks last summer and when I got the Z-pac, by the end of 5 days, the coughing was gone. I don't know why I'm not cured by now? Maybe I got immune to the antibiotics and the antibiotics don't have an effect on me?

What should I do to stop the coughing? Any way to control the cough?
 
Laxative should do

On a serious note, there was a nasty bug last spring here in FL - I know a ton of people (me and my wife included) who'd coughed for a month and nothing would make it better. Then after 4-5 weeks it just went away. Hope it never comes back, felt like crap.
 
You have something that can only be diagnosed over the internet?
....
See the doctor again. Or maybe a better one.
 
Agreed. See the doc again.

Acute bronchitis has those symptoms but so do a lot of other things. Ask me how I know.

My doc (nurse practitioner actually) did the azithromyacin (z-pack) 5 day thing with a bronchial inhaler to allow me to sit up straight (I hadn't even noticed my poor posture and tight chest causing it, after I gave up and went to her clinic after five days of coughing), and it was another five days before I felt almost normal. The inhaler was whatever they give asthma patients not a steroid. She said if it didn't clear she'd go to the steroid but she tries to avoid them.

The Z-Pack was mostly prophylactic. I hadn't started coughing up a rainbow of colors yet, but as she put it... You will if this goes on long enough. Just take it. They kept all the gunk clear.

I try hard not to take prescription or other drugs. I just don't like the idea. Body can fight off almost everything given reasonable time and rest. But this bug this year drove me nuts with the coughing.

And the usual ... Lots of water. You'll hate that because it'll make you cough up more and nose run and all that crap. But flush. Water. Give the cells something to work with. And don't take drugs that dry you up unless directed to. That just makes it harder for your bod to get the crud out.

Stomach muscles start to hurt from coughing about the sixth day. Well if you're a wimp in the six-pack area like me, that is. LOL.
 
You have a cold. Takes up to two weeks to feel better. I'm not a doctor but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once.
 
The reason the z-pack did not bring relief is that you have a viral "cold". Antibiotics will do nothing for a virus. The post-nasal drip is what keeps you coughing. That can sometimes last for weeks. Mucinex ( guaifenesin ) can help thin out the nasal secretions and get rid of them more easily. I do recommend a Neil Med sinus rinse used with distilled water, you can pick one up from many local pharmacies. I also usually prescribe Tessalon Pearles for my patients, a pill that helps suppress cough. Most important is tincture of time!
 
FastEddieB said:
Are you on meds for high blood pressure?
Click to expand...
No, he's not on lisinopril. he's pretty young, eddie....

GO BACK TO THE DOC (though if it's a dry "hack" it's probably just the 6 week bronchitic phase after the virus...) GO BACK TO THE DOC.
 
bbchien said:
it's probably just the 6 week bronchitic phase after the virus...
Click to expand...

So here's my question:

Many (most?) of my colds and/or sinus problems ultimately evolve into bronchitis. Last summer I had a sinus infection (went to the doctor), it turned into bronchitis, went to the doctor again, and my lungs sounded so bad he immediately sent me for a chest x-ray to make sure I didn't have pneumonia.

Are there any measures to prevent or minimize the follow-on bronchitis?
 
The REASON you go back is because staphyloccal pneumonia which sometimes supervenes (esp. after begin given a broad spectrum antibiotic for a viral condition) is best caught early.

There really isn't much you can do for the bronchitis- all the treatments are just for symptomatic relief. Tessalon pearles have no proven efficacy.....but if you think you feel better with them.....okay. sigh.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone. I will go back to the college infirmary. Only problem is that the infirmary is not open on weekends. :mad2: So I guess I have to go back on Monday.
 
Kevin... is an off campus doc available to you? My experience in college infirmaries (granted, a loooong time ago) was that those caregivers weren't the best when it comes to items beyond band aids and very simple Dx's.
 
bbchien said:
The REASON you go back is because staphyloccal pneumonia which sometimes supervenes (esp. after begin given a broad spectrum antibiotic for a viral condition) is best caught early.

There really isn't much you can do for the bronchitis- all the treatments are just for symptomatic relief. Tessalon pearles have no proven efficacy.....but if you think you feel better with them.....okay. sigh.
Click to expand...

Chicken soup, moist humidifier, more chicken soup.
 
mnewb1 said:
The reason the z-pack did not bring relief is that you have a viral "cold". Antibiotics will do nothing for a virus. The post-nasal drip is what keeps you coughing. That can sometimes last for weeks. Mucinex ( guaifenesin ) can help thin out the nasal secretions and get rid of them more easily. I do recommend a Neil Med sinus rinse used with distilled water, you can pick one up from many local pharmacies. I also usually prescribe Tessalon Pearles for my patients, a pill that helps suppress cough. Most important is tincture of time!
Click to expand...
As we both know, antibiotics for viral infections are not just worthless but potentially harmful. Antibiotic resistance is becoming a real problem. Another issue is C. Difficile as the result of antibiotic use. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/c-difficile/DS00736
 
Last edited:
PaulS said:
I know a lady who had C diff, she was miserable for months, not fun. :no:
Click to expand...
My mom almost died from it. She was so weak she could not get out of bed without assistance. The gastroenterologist misdiagnosed her as having some rare granulomatous colitis after reaching for the expensive scope as an initial diagnostic tool. I took her to UAB medical center in Birmingham where a 3rd year medical student ordered the basic tests and they had the answer the next morning.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top