Constant cough / allergies / rhinitis

Babooshka

Hello there

I'm rather miserable at the moment, as is the case mostly every year at this time, my year round allergies flare up badly, at end October for some reason. However there isn't much let up year round. It began about 5 years ago, I went to a chest specialist for a cough I could not get rid of, stayed for 7 months and was worn out by the time I got to him. After a bronchoscopy and asthma testing, no firm diagnosis was made. He did say that there were slight flat bronchioles similar to bronchiactasis traits but nothing to write home about much, that other people with the same type thing would not notice it most likely - he said the allergies trigger the cough, sending the whole cycle into overdrive and causing inflammation of the entire system, which is what happens, I feel like I can't breathe, I get headaches, eye aches (that over tired feeling) and my whole body racks from a horrible hacking cough, sometimes for weeks on end. I am on relvar inhaler and prescribed also a nasal corticosteroid, along with anti histamines. The allergy tests were mainly dust mite, nothing else much showed up. He said immunotherapy or anti biotics could be the next options if it hasn't gotten much better in the next few years.

Here I am 5 years later, I can't believe my body has to rely on all of this stuff but soon as I stop taking one thing it all gets really bad again. Can anyone advise if they found any treatments useful, salt therapy, anything ? I am sick and tired of these flare ups and the cough is so awful that it's debiliatating and I can't get a good nights sleep and end up tired and cranky for weeks on end when I have it. it also bothers me that in my 40's I am on so many meds.

Thank you for reading

TargetWidow

Hi, my son now 8 had all the symptoms you describe for about 5 years from birth. Every October as you described right up until April or May every year. He was so little the docs were slow to give any meds and they said he was too young to diagnose asthma properly. Allergy tests were.never suggested but strangely you should say you're allergic to dust mites the only thing I can point to that changed the first autumn he didn't get sick I had bought a Dyson Animal cyclonic vaccum. We had removed all carpets and curtains to no effect (except for the stairs carpet for our own sanity with two small kids). I had what I thought was a really good vaccum but this left it in the dust literally!. He has never had any symptoms since then. They're expensive, but I saved the cost of the Dyson in the first year of not being at the doc's every 5 mins with him. Best of luck.

Babooshka

TargetWidow wrote: »

Hi, my son now 8 had all the symptoms you describe for about 5 years from birth. Every October as you described right up until April or May every year. He was so little the docs were slow to give any meds and they said he was too young to diagnose asthma properly. Allergy tests were.never suggested but strangely you should say you're allergic to dust mites the only thing I can point to that changed the first autumn he didn't get sick I had bought a Dyson Animal cyclonic vaccum. We had removed all carpets and curtains to no effect (except for the stairs carpet for our own sanity with two small kids). I had what I thought was a really good vaccum but this left it in the dust literally!. He has never had any symptoms since then. They're expensive, but I saved the cost of the Dyson in the first year of not being at the doc's every 5 mins with him. Best of luck.

Thank you so much I will check those out, we have a dyson but not that one so it may help at home. I think work is also the issue as it's dusty in parts too. It is awful, another flare up again after only about 2 weeks respite....I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Thanks for the tip. Hope your soon is ok now.

Dick Swiveller

What medication are you taking? And what are the symptoms - excluding the cough. Do you have any sinus issues?

Babooshka

Dick Swiveller wrote: »

What medication are you taking? And what are the symptoms - excluding the cough. Do you have any sinus issues?

No sinus issues, no facial pain, just very bad rhinitis, dry nasal passages first thing followed by constant blowing nose for half an hour and sneezing and coughing fits that go on all day. Chest specialist put me on Relvar inhaler for it which I am still on, if I come off it the cough comes back so much worse. I was also on a nasal corticosteroid spray but I stopped taking it, I really don't believe that long term it can be doing more good than harm at this stage as it's almost 6 yrs now. And an anti histamine for the allergies. Maybe it's time to revisit as he did mention immunotherapy if it continued long term, but, I can't afford it all, it's so expensive.

Dick Swiveller

Babooshka wrote: »

No sinus issues, no facial pain, just very bad rhinitis, dry nasal passages first thing followed by constant blowing nose for half an hour and sneezing and coughing fits that go on all day. Chest specialist put me on Relvar inhaler for it which I am still on, if I come off it the cough comes back so much worse. I was also on a nasal corticosteroid spray but I stopped taking it, I really don't believe that long term it can be doing more good than harm at this stage as it's almost 6 yrs now. And an anti histamine for the allergies. Maybe it's time to revisit as he did mention immunotherapy if it continued long term, but, I can't afford it all, it's so expensive.

I would recommend you see Paul Carson. He has a private practice in Stillorgan. He is an expert on hay fever and allergies and is a very nice man. He can stick a camera up your nose to figure out what is going on. If you have inflammation in your nasal passages then a nasal spray is a must. I use Rhinocort every day and find it great. The other brands have an ingredient called Benzalkonium Chloride which can easily irritate the passages, but Rhinocort doesn't contain it. The nasal spray is safe to use long term. Have you tried Xyzal antihistamine tablets? They are prescription hay fever tablets that are good.

Anyone, I would really recommend you see Carson. He cleared up a very stubborn bout of sinusitis I was suffering from for a long time. Here is a link to his website.
https://www.allergy-ireland.ie/

I strongly suspect your cough is related to problems in your nose.

Babooshka

Dick Swiveller wrote: »

I would recommend you see Paul Carson. He has a private practice in Stillorgan. He is an expert on hay fever and allergies and is a very nice man. He can stick a camera up your nose to figure out what is going on. If you have inflammation in your nasal passages then a nasal spray is a must. I use Rhinocort every day and find it great. The other brands have an ingredient called Benzalkonium Chloride which can easily irritate the passages, but Rhinocort doesn't contain it. The nasal spray is safe to use long term. Have you tried Xyzal antihistamine tablets? They are prescription hay fever tablets that are good.

Anyone, I would really recommend you see Carson. He cleared up a very stubborn bout of sinusitis I was suffering from for a long time. Here is a link to his website.
https://www.allergy-ireland.ie/

I strongly suspect your cough is related to problems in your nose.

I think it is too, thanks a million for this, is he very expensive? Same as all consultants fees I guess?

Babooshka

Dick Swiveller wrote: »

Rhinocort doesn't contain it. The nasal spray is safe to use long term. Have you tried Xyzal antihistamine tablets? They are prescription hay fever tablets that are good.

Anyone, I would really recommend you see Carson. He cleared up a very stubborn bout of sinusitis I was suffering from for a long time. Here is a link to his website.
https://www.allergy-ireland.ie/

I strongly suspect your cough is related to problems in your nose.

Where can you get Rhinocort? Is it prescription only? thanks

Dick Swiveller

Babooshka wrote: »

I think they are too, thanks a million for this, is he very expensive? Same as all consultants fees I guess?

Babooshka wrote: »

Where can you get Rhinocort? Is it prescription only? thanks

Yes, Rhinocort is prescription only. I got it prescribed by an ENT after I had flare ups on Nasacort. Now, that's just me. You mightn't have a problem with the other nasal sprays. Everyone is different. Carson is 50 or 55 euro. Same as a GP. I did an allergy test there for a good bit but I wouldn't recommend it. It just showed I was allergic to pollen and dust mite - which most people with allergies are.

As far as I know he is one of the few hay fever experts in Ireland. He worked for years in a hospital in Australia specifically in that general area - hay fever/eczema, rhinitis etc. I definitely think it is worth seeing him if your problems continue.

Babooshka

Thanks I will look into it