Dry Cough Persistent

[mel2surf]

I am 47,in good shape,don't smoke,drink a few times a week,and have been

in Jomtien/Pattaya for 2 years now. About 3 weeks ago I developed a condition

where I felt a nagging small,dry cough from deep in chest,and greenies (greenish phlegm)

in the mornings,but during the day felt fine otherwise.It seemed to get worse after a few drinks

and I also run a large ceiling fan in my condo almost constantly.

Does this sound like bronchitis? I used to get over these types of sicknesses in about 5

days,but in LOS it seems to last forever (the hot,humid air I guess) eh?

Thanks for any advice,

mel2surf

[moldy]

I am 47,in good shape,don't smoke,drink a few times a week,and have been

in Jomtien/Pattaya for 2 years now. About 3 weeks ago I developed a condition

where I felt a nagging small,dry cough from deep in chest,and greenies (greenish phlegm)

in the mornings,but during the day felt fine otherwise.It seemed to get worse after a few drinks

and I also run a large ceiling fan in my condo almost constantly.

Does this sound like bronchitis? I used to get over these types of sicknesses in about 5

days,but in LOS it seems to last forever (the hot,humid air I guess) eh?

Thanks for any advice,

mel2surf

It sounds like a small chest infection and that means it might be bronchitis. The greenies are a good sign. Don't be alarmed if there are small streaks of blood in the phlegm.

Reckon you need to get your chest checked out purely as a precautionary measure against TB, and I reckon a doctor will decide to prescribe a course of low strength antibiotics.

As you so rightly observe things get worse out here. I think you probably started with a virus and latterly it may have become bacterial, that also seems to be the way of things out here.

The moderators give good advice.

[seonai]

Check out this thread and have a test http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=153822

[Sheryl]

Sounds very much like bronchitis. The textbooks say usually viral and no need for antibiotics; A Thai doctor will almost certainly prescribe a course of antibiotics.

My personal experience in this part of the world has been that if there is a noticeable amount of sputum of very yello or green coloration, antibiotics are advicable.

The tetracyclines are most commonly used, doxycycline 100 mg twice a day being the most convenient form but avoid if any history of allergy, and don't self-treat if you have any chronic diseases (heart, liver etc).

Drink plenty of fluids and don't take cough supressants unless absolutely necessary and then only at night. When you get up in the morning, inhale some steam (cup of coffee or boiling water is fine), take some deep breaths in and cough up as much of the gunk as you can, it's important to get the stuff out. (Dispose of it in sanitary manner and wash your hands after to avoid infecting others).

If it doesn't clear up with say a week to 10 days of this -- of if you at any point develop fever or shortness of breath -- this then chest Xray is indicated.

[freitag1]

If this persists also include reflux disease (GERD). I had a similar condition last year and was running from doctor to doctor hospital to hospital and finaly found out by myself that it was reflux that caused this.

[ArtfulD]

I had the exact same thing for about 3 weeks, cleared up about a week ago now....didnt take anything for it tho.

[mel2surf]

Thanks very much everyone.

Although it's been 3 weeks- plus,the dry cough seems to be less,and happen

mostly in the mornings during coffee and green tea...the sputum

has changed back to clear,and I do rid myself of it as soon as it comes.

I forgot to mention that when I was a kid (47 now) I had asthma,it then sort of

went away,came back hard ONE time at age 24 (bad..had to be hospitalized for 3 days) but

went away again,.. I walked pretty regularly,started drinking ALOT of purified water,and

I haven't had asthma since,although I'm constantly clearing out some type of phlegm.

Having lived in Thailand for 2 years now,I haven't walked as much,but I do drink alot of clean water.