Hacking cough - for 4 months

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 2:20 am

My 14 yo daughter has had a hacking cough for 4 months already. We've been to the doctor a few times and it's definitely not in her chest. She feels OK just coughs. During the day too, but a real lot when she goes to sleep (or maybe that's what I mostly hear).

The Dr is sending her for a chest x-ray even though he really thinks there's nothing there cause he doesn't hear anything.

He gave her an inhaler for two weeks to see if it could be asthma - It didn't help

I vacuumed her bed for dust mites and cleaned the whole room for Pesach.

She doesn't have any allergies that we know of.

I think the Dr is stumped

Any suggestions?

Health is a Virture

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 2:29 am

take her to an allergist.

etky

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 2:41 am

Post nasal drip? It can trigger a cough. Maybe see an ENT.
Sometimes gastric reflux can also cause a cough. Both would be exacerbated by a sleeping position.
Refuah Shlemah!!!

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 2:57 am

I'll suggest all that to the doctor. Anyone have any more ideas?

chani8

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 3:45 am

Sounds like an allergy to me too. We're allergic to everything. We live off mucolit and lortadine. Life brand has something natural called Tuss drops which help a bit if you take a lot. We prefer to just take the meds, though.

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 3:50 am

Try keeping her totally off junk food and sugars for a few weeks. I've seen this as a cause in my family and friends for unexplained coughs.

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 4:00 am

tf wrote:

Try keeping her totally off junk food and sugars for a few weeks.

Yeah right... That ought to work on Purim Very Happy

. (or any other time here) - I'm sure she'd rather cough (it only bothers me) than give up junk

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 4:12 am

chani8 wrote:

I have lortadine!! It's great for colds (doesn't make you sleepy). I only have 9 pills. How much should she take (says it's good for 24 hours)? Morning or night? This would be the easiest cure (I love drugs). Is it allergy season now? She's been coughing since November.

I actually got the box loratadine from the pediatrician when I brought her two weeks ago and he gave her the inhalers. (I got it from him just cause I like to have in the house and in the evening in our kupa he's the only one there so it's a good time to get these types of drugs). It didn't occur to him then to suggest that she takes it.

ChutzPAh

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 6:55 am

Has she been tested for pertussis ?
It sounds like it might be an allergy or post nasal drip.

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:06 am

She hasn't been tested for anything.

What sort of allergy causes hacking coughing?

Will sleeping on two pillows help if it's a post-nasal drip? (or what will?)

Scrabble123

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:09 am

Does she possibly have a chronic sinus infection?

I 2nd the pertussis suggestion because my friend's daughter (also 14) was coughing for months until they realized it was pertussis: It was too late to treat it, but at least she had a name.

Also, some people become very drowsy from Lortadine (me) so before you give it to her in the morning, test it out in the afternoon. Usually if you're very drowsy eating will help. I sometimes take it and know that I'll become very drowsy and moody (like disconnected feeling) until I force myself to eat a double portion of something substantial.

Refuah Shalaima.

chani8

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:10 am

Sanguine wrote:

Take one an hour before bed so it has time to work. Also advise her to stay away from dairy products in the evening. Israel has allergy season all year long, except when it's snowing.

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:46 am

Scared me with pertussis.Very contagious. Looked it up

Quote:

The classic symptoms of pertussis are a paroxysmal cough, inspiratory whoop, and fainting and/or vomiting after coughing.

Don't think she has it. I'll try Chani's allergy ideas especially since she said "Israel has allergy season all year long" (great Rolling Eyes

)

Scrabble123

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:52 am

My friend's daughter did not have any of those symptoms at all. She just had a hacking cough for a 3 months before diagnosis. She still has a hacking cough even now and then and she was diagnosed in Sukkos. She never fainted or vomited, and the mother took her to an Allergist and ENT as well (before she got the pertussis diagnosis)........ I'm not scaring you, but it's worth bringing up.

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:56 am

Scrabble123 wrote:

So it eventually goes away? Is it still contagious?

Imhappy!

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 7:57 am

I logged in just to post this for you...
like the psoter above. its worth to check out.
iyh it is not that . but pls do ask it to be checked out... my nephew was just .... same symtoms...

Scrabble123

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 8:07 am

Sanguine wrote:

So it eventually goes away? Is it still contagious?

CDC on Transmission wrote:

Pertussis is a very contagious disease only found in humans and is spread from person to person. People with pertussis usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria. Many infants who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease (Bisgard, 2004 & Wendelboe, 2007). Symptoms of pertussis usually develop within 5–10 days after being exposed, but sometimes not for as long as 3 weeks.

While pertussis vaccines are the most effective tool we have to prevent this disease, no vaccine is 100% effective. If pertussis is circulating in the community, there is a chance that a fully vaccinated person, of any age, can catch this very contagious disease. If you have been vaccinated, the infection is usually less severe. If you or your child develops a cold that includes a severe cough or a cough that lasts for a long time, it may be pertussis. The best way to know is to contact your doctor

Health Dept. MN wrote:

Persons with pertussis can spread it to others in the first 3 weeks of coughing if not treated with antibiotics. After a person with pertussis has taken antibiotics for 5 days, he or she can no longer spread the disease.

Although the cough can last longer than 3 weeks, a person is no longer contagious after the third week.

CDC wrote:

Q: Are most coughs pertussis and does everyone with pertussis "whoop"?

A: There are a lot of causes behind a person's cough and not every cough is pertussis. In general, pertussis starts off with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. But after 1 to 2 weeks, severe coughing can begin. Unlike the common cold, pertussis can become a series of coughing fits that continues for weeks. The best way to know if you have pertussis is to see your doctor, who can make a diagnosis and prescribe antibiotics if needed.

The name "whooping cough" comes from the sound people make gasping for air after a pertussis coughing fit. However, not everyone with pertussis will cough and many who cough will not "whoop."

Teens and adults, especially those who haven't been vaccinated, may have a prolonged cough that keeps them up at night. Those who do get the coughing fits say it's the worst cough of their lives. And the cough may last for weeks or months, causing major disruptions to daily life and complications like broken ribs and ruptured blood vessels.

Infants may not cough at all. Instead, they may have life-threatening pauses in breathing or struggle to breathe. Any time someone is struggling to breathe, get them to a doctor right away.

My friend's daughter was put on antibiotics with the rest of the family even though she had a cough for much longer than 3 weeks (it was months at that point). She had infected other children at her school as well as other kids in her family. The Health Dept. advised that everyone in their home needed to take antibiotics at that point. It's important to at least discuss it with your doctor and she what his/her opinion is.

Sanguine

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 8:44 am

Wonder why the dr didn't think of it. He didn't actually hear her cough.

amother

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 10:09 pm

Another PA chiming in- definitely sounds like it can be pertusus- maybe record her next couphing spell and have the dr. listen to it.

chani8

Tue, Feb 24 2015, 10:32 pm

My first thought about the pertussis was, but isn't your DD vaccinated. Then I did a google search and sure nuff, there may be a pertussis problem in Israel. Interesting how the vaccines aren't working. OP, I hope that's not the case with your DD, but I think you should check it out in case she needs antibiotics.