Cough - 3 weeks+

[mommysboy]

One thing is for sure if you didn't suffer in Bangkok you don't have allergies to excessive heat or traffic pollution.

[Lekong]

I have a very common and simple remedy for cough. It works so so so so well on me. I just eat raw ginger if I am coughing and the coughing will disappear immediately. Try eating raw ginger and see if it works same like in me please. One does not know. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[SlyAnimal]

Ok got my blood test + x ray done (I was surprised how quickly they got the results back).

X-ray came back clean

Blood test shows that I have a viral infection (Dr said Acute Bronchitis)

So he said to just keep taking the medicine he gave me earlier in the week + ensure I get enough rest etc.

Such a relief to know it's something "normal", I've never coughed this violently before though, so guess I just got unnecessarily worried because I'm not used to being sick lol (And because I was worried about my son).

[Sheryl]

Sounds like the bug that is going around. Can last quite a while.

[mommysboy]

Not surprised you felt rough. These bugs aren't like anything I experienced in Blighty. They hit hard, and go on and on.

Can you get any time off work?

Or if you have to go, keep a scarf or the like wrapped round your face when commuting.

Rest is essential.

[fitnesspm]

I've had the same thing for about 3 weeks now. It's slowly getting better so I haven't bothered seeing a doctor about it. I cough up some green shit usually in the morning but during the day, only the cough (my shirt off, fan blowing on me) triggers it. A cold air conditioner usually triggers it too.

Eat plenty of vegetables everyday to give your immune system a boost and get an extra hour of sleep everynight. Let the body fight this infection off.

I also thought it could be MERS but i've been slowly getting better!

[SlyAnimal]

Not surprised you felt rough. These bugs aren't like anything I experienced in Blighty. They hit hard, and go on and on.

Can you get any time off work?

Or if you have to go, keep a scarf or the like wrapped round your face when commuting.

Rest is essential.

Exams the week after next, which will be relaxing. English camp this Sun/Mon though, so not much time to rest this weekend. I can take days off if/when I need to, but prefer not to

Anywho, this thread is pretty much all wrapped up / resolved, so I'm going to close it.

Thanks again to all who gave me advice etc. I probably wouldn't have gotten a blood test / x ray without the advice in this thread (And so I'd have still been in the dark about what I had).

[SlyAnimal]

Ok I'm going to re-open this topic, as I'm still suffering from the same cough (8 weeks now).

Since my previous post:

My son (4 months at the time) was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to hospital for a week, he also had a problem with his digestive tract or something because he was swallowing all of the mucus, as well as of course the bronchitis which he got from me. That's cleared up, but he's still got the same cough that I have, it keeps waking him up when he's trying to sleep etc. The doctors have prescribed him various medicines etc which we give him each day, his doctor seems quite good. His main problem isn't the cough, but problems with his digestive system, which is a sorta side effect from his bronchitis.

With my bronchitis, when my son was admitted to hospital, I went to see a doctor there, to see if there was anything else which they could do for me (And it was convenient, since I was there anyway). First time he prescribed me some anti-biotics, which seemed weird to me, but he told my wife "It might help" (I was like... huh.... you just verified via a blood test, xray & looking down my throat that I have a virus, and no infection, yet you're prescribing anti-biotics...), but I was willing to try just about anything to get rid of it, particularly since I'd seen how sick my son was.

Next time I went to see him, I told him I'd had no improvement, he actually asked to admit me to hospital, which I thought was a bit over the top, but I was willing to try anything if I thought it might help. They gave me some medicine which kinda numbed my throat so I coughed very infrequently, it was great, they also gave me more anti-biotics, but I figured I'd let them try what they wanted to try. Doctor didn't even ask me how I was feeling before he discharged me, when he wanted to prescribe me more antibiotics I turned them down.

I likewise haven't been back for the followup appointments (He wanted me to come back every 3-4 days, a 50km drive for the family (He refuses to see me without my wife present) when I felt like he was grasping at straws just wasn't doing it for me (I preferred my countryside doctor's service & he seemed better, despite Thai people thinking only city doctors know anything, his advice of "it's a virus, we can give you medicine to relieve your symptoms, but your body has to fight it off, so just get lots of rest etc" seemed a lot more straight up than "it might help").

Anyway, so now it's been about 8 weeks I think, and I'm still coughing. No sore throat, no rattling in my chest or anything like that, no sneezing and no fever (to the best of my knowledge), actually most of the time I feel fine, but then a few times each hour I'll have coughing fits (More if I'm talking/moving/chaning positions, less if I'm just sitting down at the computer or driving). I don't get dizzy as often as I was for a while there, and I don't "choke" while coughing that often either, but it's still usually violent coughing fits. I sometimes have a little mucus, but it's usually clear (or the colour of what I've recently been eating), and usually a bit of other fluids (water), as I'm usually drinking a lot of water. I haven't been to work for about 3 weeks, not after seeing how sick my son got from this (admittedly that was 1 week of exams & 2x short weeks, so only really 5 teaching days).

I'm about to head off to see if one of the clinics are open this evening, to see if there's any new advice from my doctor. From what I've read online, sometimes it can just sorta linger? Do you think it's still infectious (i.e. Should I goto work this week). How long do you guys think this might last? I had thought it'd be well over and done with by now, but it's still around. Is there anything else which you think it might be, or things which I could do to help to get rid of it (Other than resting, eating veges & vitamin C etc).

I'm thinking about taking this week off work (All of the boys are at cadets, so I can't teach anything which goes towards their grade anyway, so easy for other teachers to cover, I might ask to take it unpaid so they can pay the teachers who cover for me), although I don't know if it'll actually help with getting rid of it. Since after 3 weeks off work, I'm still not better, so rest doesn't seem to be enough, although if I'm still infectious then it's not worth the risk of infecting others.

[Gandtee]

Are your house fans and a/c filters clean. I was coughing during the night for a while then cleaned the fans( I don't have a/c) and I seemed to improve. I guarantee that if I and the family sleep in and air conditioned room, one or all of us will have a chest problem. I also take the Thai herbal cough mixture Makarm pom as and when. It is made by the herbal hospital in Prachin buri, but my wife now buys it in an outlet near us. Maybe you can find an outlet near you. I hope you recover quickly.

[SlyAnimal]

We have aircon, the filters should be clean in the room I've moved to though as it's the first time it's been used (I moved out of the room with my wife/son so that we can all get more sleep, as otherwise every time anyone coughs, we all wake up). Also I usually cough just as much both inside & outside of the house, and with/without the aircon on.

I went to the doctor this evening, he's given me some different medicine to what he gave me before + recommended I rest & drink warm drinks rather than cold. He asked the questions I expected him to ask (I'm so glad I've gone back to him instead of the other doctor I had), and said that if I haven't shown any improvement in 3-4 days, he'll recheck my blood etc.

[faraday]

The persistent coughing is irritating the lungs & throat.

I strongly recommend that you try an inhalation of Friars Balsam, which I have used many times over the years, to great effect.

http://www.drugs.com/uk/friars-balsam-bp-leaflet.html

http://www.herbaled.org/THM/Compounds/friars.html

It will help.

[Sheryl]

I continue to suspect that this is irritation form post-nasal drip secondary to allergy or possibly chronic sinusitis. I Suggest you see a good ENT specialist to confirm. Where do you live?

[mommysboy]

I can relate to this as post nasal drip. I think Sheryl's advice is most likely bang on.

I still wonder if it us something in your house, less so after your explanation mind.

The other impression I get is that you live s full on energetic lifestyle. I did a stint of teaching and it is one of the most exhausting jobs ever.

Teachers routinely suffered what you describe to a greater or lesser extent.

So.show you need to find some relaxation time.

[SlyAnimal]

I live in Roiet (About 50km from the city though).

My doctor in Roiet did an x-Ray of my head, reading on Wikipedia about sinusitis, that now makes more sense. He didn't pickup anything from the X-ray though (And I don't have a sore throat or any problems with my nose). The doctor in Roiet didn't impress me though, so I wouldn't be surprised if he missed something on the x-ray.

I might ask my doctor here if he thinks it could be sinusitis and if he's able to test for it & maybe offer a referral when I see him again later this week. From looking at the sinusitis symptoms, some of the questions he was asking make more sense now.

If it were sinusitis, would that perhaps explain why my son & I have a much worse cough than my wife? (I.e. A kinda natural/genetic susceptibility? I think one of my aunts (by blood) had to have an operation on her sinuses a few years back.)

Also yes I think that a lack of sleep etc was part of the cause. As having a young baby (who's a night owl) + having to getup early for work might have left my body more susceptible to illness. I've had essentially 2-3 weeks of no work now though, without any improvement.

[mommysboy]

It is puzzling why you should suffer such severe symptoms now, after all you have been in Thailand a long time, but if it is an allergy then it is something quite pervasive, no farmers near you indulging a hobby of 24 hour crop burning for instance?

You could have sinus issues without anything showing up on an xray, most commonly sinus pressure, whereby pressure builds during the day and then the sinuses drain late at night producing gagging and coughing, and in my case even vomiting.

I too have a young baby and got in to a similar state as you though not as severe. You see if you your body never has time to recover, the problem just kicks in again within hours or even minutes of getting up.

Hope the baby is better soon. Poor mite.

Might be a clue, if both of you have similar issues, then an environmental issue in or around the house is a very likely cause.

[Sheryl]

A proper exam would include more than an Xray, there would also be a scope introduced through your nose to directly visualize the nasal passages and sinuses.

Given where you live and the general quality of ENTs upcountry I think you have 2 choices:

1. Come to Bangkok and see a good ENT, which I can recommend.

2. Self-treat for presumed post-nasal drip. This would be: loradatine or zyrtec once a day at night (antihistamines) and Nasonex nasal spray 2 sprays in each nostril once a day (need to prime it first- decreases inflammation in the nasal passages). I would also recommend Redoxan (vitamin C + zinc) 1 per day. All of these are readily bought OTC. Give it 1-2 weeks and if it improves, allergy was likely the culprit.

For night time, if cough is keeping you up (and again assuming this is a dry, non-productive cough) take Brown Mixture, available at 7-11, green package with red tiger on it. Liberal dose, but only at night. When you first wake up in the morning, have some hot drink (coffee, tea, whatever you prefer) and take in some deep breathes and try to cough out any phlegm that may have accumulated during the night as the brown mixture will have suppressed your cough reflex and it is nto good to have phlegm collect long in the airways or lung.

[spidermike007]

Could be allergies. Try Claritin and see if it helps. Otherwise it might be an allergic reaction to pollution. Do you live in a big city? Alot of dust and particulate matter? I had a similar issue in LA many years ago. Cured it with air filters. But they have to be very good and powerful. Samsung makes a good one. 15,000 baht at home pro. I use one even here on Samui. Dust and particulates are killers. You can develop an allergy to pollution over time. May be your issue.

Edited August 10, 2015 by spidermike007

[evadgib]

A halved and pierced red onion about the size of a tangerine sitting in a small tray with just enough water to keep it hydrated works wonders for respiratory probs when placed in a bedroom overnight.

It's great for contraception too as the wife bolts for the spare room!

HTH

Edited August 11, 2015 by evadgib

[Kitsune]

What's your diet like?

You need to load up your system with antioxidants, to help your cells fight back .

Eat at least 20 portions of fresh fruits a day.

For example;3 oranges+ 6 bananas+ 4 slices of pineapple (half a pineapple) + one whole Papaya + 2 apples

Favor red fruits which are packed with antioxidants: Papayas, berries, red grapes, pomegrate, roselle herbal tea, goji berries etc. and citruses which are excellent for respiratory issues; Oranges, lemon, limes...put them everywhere in juices, smoothies, salads, squeezed over any food before you eat.

.

If you don't have time put everything in a blender and drink them as smoothies. Then add fresh ginger (excellent for inflammation) in the mix. But bring your own smoothie with you as if it was a medicine you need to drink very often.

Get some curcumin powder and sprinkle every thing you eat with it.

Try to avoid cooked food for a while, especially fried, and meats, prefer salads, or if you need cooked foods have soups and curries.

Cook every soup or curry you have with curcumin and dried goji berries (you find them dry in supermarket)

Absolutely NO SUGAR (2 tablespoons of sugar paralyze your immune system for 16 hours).

Try to cut down on process foods too.

Drink a lot of water,obviously no alcohol, no pops, no artificially sweetened juices.

Herbal teas without sugar or fresh juices.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Kitsune

[mommysboy]

What's your diet like?

You need to load up your system with antioxidants, to help your cells fight back .

Eat at least 20 portions of fresh fruits a day.

For example;3 oranges+ 6 bananas+ 4 slices of pineapple (half a pineapple) + one whole Papaya + 2 apples

Favor red fruits which are packed with antioxidants: Papayas, berries, red grapes, pomegrate, roselle herbal tea, goji berries etc. and citruses which are excellent for respiratory issues; Oranges, lemon, limes...put them everywhere in juices, smoothies, salads, squeezed over any food before you eat.

.

If you don't have time put everything in a blender and drink them as smoothies. Then add fresh ginger (excellent for inflammation) in the mix. But bring your own smoothie with you as if it was a medicine you need to drink very often.

Get some curcumin powder and sprinkle every thing you eat with it.

Try to avoid cooked food for a while, especially fried, and meats, prefer salads, or if you need cooked foods have soups and curries.

Cook every soup or curry you have with curcumin and dried goji berries (you find them dry in supermarket)

Absolutely NO SUGAR (2 tablespoons of sugar paralyze your immune system for 16 hours).

Try to cut down on process foods too.

Drink a lot of water,obviously no alcohol, no pops, no artificially sweetened juices.

Herbal teas without sugar or fresh juices.

IMO this is an extreme and unhealthy diet. Not only is it unbalanced, but actually contains way too much sugar, and would cause most people real gut issues. Everyone needs quality protein, complex carbs, animal fats, and a variety of vitamins and minerals only available from a balanced diet.

Not only that, aside from referencing the importance of antioxidants, it is not at all relevant to OP's illness.

[SlyAnimal]

Ok just got back from the doctors again.

I asked him about sinusitis and he said it was something he's considered but that I don't have any of the symptoms with my nose that he'd normally expect.

He also suggested it could be aggregated by allergies but didn't seem convinced (I think because I have no history of this + I've lived in the same town for years & when he tested my blood he could see I had a virus from my white blood cell count or something).

He said that he was just speaking to one of his old teachers this week who had a similar cough for 2 months, so it might just take a while to get over.

He's prescribed me 2 different types of strong anti biotics so that he can cover his bases and make sure it's nothing bacterial that isn't showing the regular signs.

When I mentioned that a couple of times I've sorta thrown up a little from coughing (not much, and not often, only a little fluid when I've been lying down & had major coughing fits shortly after large meals). He said it could be ____ I forget the name but something where your stomach acids come up and get into your bronchi or similar. He asked me a few questions about that, like time between meals & bed, but wasn't confident on that though as I said I've only had that a few times. He recommended I avoid food with a high fat content & avoid overeating.

He's said that if I don't get better by the end of these anti biotics he'll probably want to use some tube to look into my lungs etc, and do a chest CT scan, but isn't sure if that'll help anyway as I may simply need to slowly get over it myself (like his teacher did). Although I've had this for 2 months now, so am at a similar stage to when his teacher's cough cleared up lol.

So I'm just going to take the medicine he's given me and hope it clears things up (must be the good medicine too, as the consultation+medicine cost ฿800, 4x what I usually pay with him).

[mommysboy]

Acid reflux, or GERD. It is quite a common symptom. Basically acid in the stomach rises in to the air tube, where it irritates the lining. A coughing fit is enough to cause it, and then the acid in turn can cause a coughing fit. A simple antacid may help.

It may be a case of slowing down as much as anything, if you are always on the go, your body doesn't have much chance to recover. Also I noticed with myself, when I am outside for a few hours, or in a classroom, office, shopping centre, etc, then I will likely have a runny nose in the evening. It is not a specific allergy, just that there are a lot of irritants about.

There has been one heck of a broncho virus doing the rounds. Doctors get a feel for such things. He is likely right.

[MRYANG]

I have had something similar. After some futile attempts with diverse kinds of magical pills I fasted on water for 7 days. I haven't been sick since then and this was soon 10 years ago.

At least it is free to try albeit the psychological fight against hunger the first 3 days drives you nuts. After that it is easier. People will tell u fasting is bad for you, has never tried and never will. The body is an amazing healing machine if u allow it to.

PM me if you need advice on modus operandi.

[Sheryl]

It was indeed reflux (GERD) he was referring to but there is nothing to indicate you have that so I wouldn't worry. As I said before, it is absolutely normal and common for a severe coughing fit to lead to vomiting and does not mean anything other than that you had a severe coughing fit. The issue is not the few instances of vomiting after a fit of coughing, it is why the cough. And as others have mentioned, as well as your doctor, there is a viral illness making the rounds which leads to a prolonged cough that in some people lingers for a very long time.

While it commences with a viral infection often an allergic reaction sets in. Again I suggest trying an antihistamine at night such as zyrtec or loradatine (same as claritin). Also again suggest redoxan (zinc + vit C). These are both very simple, safe and OTC thinsg.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Do you take any blood pressure meds?

I first started on Enapril. Which is an ACE inhibitor.

All was well for about six months but then I developed a cough.

It started small but then developed into something dreadful tantamount to a smokers cough.

I had no idea that it was linked to the blood pressure drug, but after some research read about the ACE cough.

I changed my meds to Loranta and, after about a month the cough got better.

[Kitsune]

IMO this is an extreme and unhealthy diet. Not only is it unbalanced, but actually contains way too much sugar, and would cause most people real gut issues. Everyone needs quality protein, complex carbs, animal fats, and a variety of vitamins and minerals only available from a balanced diet.

Not only that, aside from referencing the importance of antioxidants, it is not at all relevant to OP's illness.

-There is ZERO sugar in this diet.

Sugar in the first sense of the term is the industrial brown or white granulated stuff that is in every processed food and happily travels through your guts into your blood to cause damage to your blood vessels and immune system.

On the other hand, "fruit sugar" or fructose, when non isolated by food industry and shoved in every food, but consolidated by the fruit fiber is a whole complex food that does not pass through your (probably damaged) gut lining (since you don't make the difference between the two) and does not harm your cells.

- Safe recommended protein content of global food intake is 6-7%, raw broccoli has 17% protein, spinach 19%,cabbage 31% that should easily make up for the fruits.

- Never said not to eat complex carbs, just pointing out things to favor and avoid. Having said that, gluten has often been associated with lung diseases, so I would stick to rice, preferably red and avoid wheat, rye, barley, etc...

As previously mentioned antioxidants are the OP's main concern

A diet rich in antioxidants may protect against the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even improve lung function, according to data published in the European Respiratory Journal.

http://www.ersnet.org/news/item/4115-antioxidants-improve-lung-function-.html

Edited August 15, 2015 by Kitsune

[Sheryl]

The OP does NOT have COPD.

Fructose most definitely is absorbed in the gut. And like sucrose (conventional table sugar) the body quickly breaks it down into glucose.

Fructose from whole fruit as opposed to fructose syrup will digest more slowly thanks to the fiber, and that is better, but it will still digest pretty fast and cause a spike in blood sugar. Whether this will be a problem or not depends on whether the individual has any degree of impaired glucose metabolism.

If indeed fruit (or any other food) did "not pass thorough the gut lining" there would be no point in eating it for other than its bulk and any nutrients in it would not be obtained.

The protein in vegetables lacks some essential amino acids and is thus not are "complete" proteins, though indeed there is protein in them (and also in grains). It is necessary to also have some "complete" proteins to provide the limiting amino acids.

Now please let's get back on topic. Which, again, is not COPD or anything remotely like it.

[Kitsune]

The OP does NOT have COPD.

Fructose most definitely is absorbed in the gut. And like sucrose (conventional table sugar) the body quickly breaks it down into glucose.

Fructose from whole fruit as opposed to fructose syrup will digest more slowly thanks to the fiber, and that is better, but it will still digest pretty fast and cause a spike in blood sugar. Whether this will be a problem or not depends on whether the individual has any degree of impaired glucose metabolism.

If indeed fruit (or any other food) did "not pass thorough the gut lining" there would be no point in eating it for other than its bulk and any nutrients in it would not be obtained.

The protein in vegetables lacks some essential amino acids and is thus not are "complete" proteins, though indeed there is protein in them (and also in grains). It is necessary to also have some "complete" proteins to provide the limiting amino acids.

Now please let's get back on topic. Which, again, is not COPD or anything remotely like it.

If you quote, quote FULLY, otherwise it's plain dishonesty, the sentence said may protect against the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even improve lung function.

It's a PROTECTION AGAINST SOMETHING AND AN IMPROVEMENT OF LUNG FUNCTION.

Never said COPD was the OP problem,but improving lung function might actually help the OP.

Yes fructose causes a spike in insulin level,but the spike is less than a sugar spike and does not harm your cells like sugar.

No," fruits or other foods are not passing through our gut lining" and floating into our blood vessels thank God for this. "Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before the blood absorbs them and carries them to cells throughout the body. The body breaks down nutrients from food and drink into carbohydrates, protein, fats, and vitamins. "

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Anatomy/your-digestive-system/Pages/anatomy.aspx

Amino acids are the links that form protein chains, you have 20 different kinds of amino acids found in plants and animals. The unique combination of these 20 different amino acids is what makes out a specific protein, This is why you can have hundreds of thousands of different proteins as there are many combinations possible of these 20 amino acids. Two important types are essential (your body can't make them) and non-essential (you can it yourself) amino acids. ALL essential amino acids are made from plants, not animals.

It's not me saying it, it is Janice Stanger, Ph.D. nutrition expert at 13.30 mn of this video

[mommysboy]

Hmm! Why is it a lot of health nutritionists look like they need a big plate of pie and chips ?

Getting back to sinus issues/post nasal drip, there is a distinction between sinusitis which is an infection, and sinus pressure. The latter is actually more painful and troublesome by my own experience, but can't really be diagnosed by xray.

But by tapping an index finger around the facial bones, or better still getting a trusted partner or friend to undo a paperclip and prod the same, then you can get a pretty good idea that there is a problem. The most likely areas are just above the brow, and in the gap between the cheek bone and upper teeth. Numbness or tingling is a sign of swelling.

The major symptom is an 'iron mask' feeling to varying degrees. Or pain if particularly blocked. And light headaches. Teeth clenching too. Then gagging and a fit of coughs when the sinuses drain, usually in the evenings, or after a shower.

Allergies also can be difficult to pinpoint, and then tend to be classified as non allergic rhinitis if there is no obvious cause. It is something I can write about with some considerable experience as a patient.

OP, it is perfectly possible to be sitting in the doc's office, with a clear allergy test slip, and sinus xray, and yet be clearly suffering an allergic effect. it's about the symptoms, what is really happening.

About 9 or 10 months ago someone came on the boards with a very similar tale to your own. he'd been living in Bangkok for 3 years without a problem; staggering in itself ! He then suffered a virus and became generally allergic.

Many of us arrive in Thailand unaware of having some allergy or other, simply because our countries tend to be cooler and cleaner. We might be aware that we are coughing or sneezing a bit more, or have a little bit of a headache, but dismiss this from awareness quite easily. When a troublesome virus comes along it is possible for that minor issue to suddenly become a big problem, and I think this may now be your most compelling concern.

[BlackJack]

looking back on this post and now into December I see and hear everywhere people coughing and hacking away

I called around and its everywhere from Chang Mai to Phuket.

Hard to shake off.

I get it every few years.

This time it seemed to coincide with the wet season and then when the water stopped the temperature in the drains increased. The smell was something that you could nearly eat.

I conclude that I got a lung full of bacteria laden hot air as I walked over the drains.

I was told that all of the other posters remedies work but this thing takes weeks to get over.

Good luck.