Question:

I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways. On using my inhaler it would relieve the symptoms for a few hours, this would happen a couple of times a day. I now have a constant bad cough and slight wheeziness which although the reliever eases when it is really bad does not get rid of completely, I am having difficulty getting my breath all the time even after using the inhaler. Is it still likely that this is asthma and my medication needs to be changed/adjusted or could I possibly have something more serious (bronchitis,TB)? I am a 33 year old male and until three months ago I was having no breathing problems whatsoever. I will be making an appointment to see my Dr. next week but anything in the meantime will be of great help.

Response:

I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways.

Just out of curiosity, can you feel where the congestion and irritation is?  Does it feel like it’s deep in your chest, or higher up in your windpipe or larynx?   A cough that is high up in the larynx area can be a symptom of sinusitis.  Do you have any other sinus-related symptoms like purulent post nasal drip, etc.? — Steven D. Litvintchouk                   Disclaimer:  As far as I am aware, the opinions expressed herein             are not those of my employer.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways. On using my inhaler it would relieve the symptoms for a few hours, this would happen a couple of times a day. I now have a constant bad cough and slight wheeziness which although the reliever eases when it is really bad does not get rid of completely, I am having difficulty getting my breath all the time even after using the inhaler. Is it still likely that this is asthma and my medication needs to be changed/adjusted or could I possibly have something more serious (bronchitis,TB)? I am a 33 year old male and until three months ago I was having no breathing problems whatsoever. I will be making an appointment to see my Dr. next week but anything in the meantime will be of great help.

It sounds like cough-variant asthma. If your only drug is the reliever [terbutaline], it may be time to add a preventor drug; typically a steroid inhaler like Pulmicort or Flovent, to treat the swollen bronchial tubes. Ellis

Response:

GERD can sometimes mask as/exacerbate asthma and tends to "act up" when one is lying down. Just something to consider.http://www.lapsurgery.com/gerd.htm http://www.gerd.com/articles/recent/abstracts/1355.htm Not sure where you live but if the "heating" season has started up, perhaps an allergy or something in your heating system is irritating your airways? Just two ideas.. best wishes.. Not a doctor..see yours.. Hope this helps. J – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways. On using my inhaler it would relieve the symptoms for a few hours, this would happen a couple of times a day. I now have a constant bad cough and slight wheeziness which although the reliever eases when it is really bad does not get rid of completely, I am having difficulty getting my breath all the time even after using the inhaler. Is it still likely that this is asthma and my medication needs to be changed/adjusted or could I possibly have something more serious (bronchitis,TB)? I am a 33 year old male and until three months ago I was having no breathing problems whatsoever. I will be making an appointment to see my Dr. next week but anything in the meantime will be of great help.

Response:

No sorry, just lungs in general or lower chest area. No other symptoms,definately no nose problems. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways. Just out of curiosity, can you feel where the congestion and irritation is?  Does it feel like it’s deep in your chest, or higher up in your windpipe or larynx?   A cough that is high up in the larynx area can be a symptom of sinusitis.  Do you have any other sinus-related symptoms like purulent post nasal drip, etc.? — Steven D. Litvintchouk Disclaimer:  As far as I am aware, the opinions expressed herein are not those of my employer.

Response:

 The doc did initially put me on a steroid but as I only needed the reliever a couple of times a week he decided this was not necessary, everything was fine until it got a lot worse recently. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways. On using my inhaler it would relieve the symptoms for a few hours, this would happen a couple of times a day. I now have a constant bad cough and slight wheeziness which although the reliever eases when it is really bad does not get rid of completely, I am having difficulty getting my breath all the time even after using the inhaler. Is it still likely that this is asthma and my medication needs to be changed/adjusted or could I possibly have something more serious (bronchitis,TB)? I am a 33 year old male and until three months ago I was having no breathing problems whatsoever. I will be making an appointment to see my Dr. next week but anything in the meantime will be of great help. It sounds like cough-variant asthma. If your only drug is the reliever [terbutaline], it may be time to add a preventor drug; typically a steroid inhaler like Pulmicort or Flovent, to treat the swollen bronchial tubes. Ellis

Response:

Thanks, had a look at the site. From information given I don’t think it’s GERD as I have no digestive problems eg heartburn.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – GERD can sometimes mask as/exacerbate asthma and tends to "act up" when one is lying down. Just something to consider.http://www.lapsurgery.com/gerd.htm http://www.gerd.com/articles/recent/abstracts/1355.htm Not sure where you live but if the "heating" season has started up, perhaps an allergy or something in your heating system is irritating your airways? Just two ideas.. best wishes.. Not a doctor..see yours.. Hope this helps. J I went to my Dr. a couple of months ago with breathing problems and was diagnosed as having asthma. Because I was only getting one or two attacks a week it was decided to prescribe a reliever inhaler (terbutaline sulphate) to be used when I had an attack. At the time I also had a cough which I was told was a symptom of the asthma. However the cough has in the last two weeks got really bad, I am now waking in the middle of the night with coughing fits but no narrowing of the airways. On using my inhaler it would relieve the symptoms for a few hours, this would happen a couple of times a day. I now have a constant bad cough and slight wheeziness which although the reliever eases when it is really bad does not get rid of completely, I am having difficulty getting my breath all the time even after using the inhaler. Is it still likely that this is asthma and my medication needs to be changed/adjusted or could I possibly have something more serious (bronchitis,TB)? I am a 33 year old male and until three months ago I was having no breathing problems whatsoever. I will be making an appointment to see my Dr. next week but anything in the meantime will be of great help.

Response:

I have no digestive problems eg heartburn.

I did not have these symptom either but still had GERD.

Response:

I know I keep harping on this, but anyone with asthma needs to be checked for GERD.  I NEVER had heartburn. Some chest pain that I attributed to asthma but never heartburn.  My first symptom of GERD was scaring of the esophagus so severe that I started choking on food (like gagging but lower.  Kind of like a cat with a hairball)  By then I had severe Barrets and ended up needing Nissan fundoplasty surgery.  And that drastically cut down my asthma symptoms (I honestly think I had the asthma first and that the asthma and asthma medicine triggered the GERD which in turn made the asthma much worse.) — Jo Firey (‘     <’) (v)     (v) ^^       ^^ "You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to."    _^..^<_      meow….

I have no digestive problems eg heartburn. I did not have these symptom either but still had

GERD.

Response:

If you have been diagnosed GERD you may be interested in joining a study I am doing. It seems that persons are reporting improvement of GERD using Clear.ease – a combination of bromelain and papain that is dissolved in mouth between cheek and gums. You would take the Clear.ease one 3x a day dissolve in mouth for 20 days. If you are interested in this trial, ask your doctor to write to me at the Clear.ease will be sent to him/her for you. No charge of course to you. Information on Clear.ease is at http://www.ent-consult.com/clearease.html You don’t need to change any current medication. Best wishes, Murray Grossan, M.D. http://www.ent-consult.com

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -If you have been diagnosed GERD you may be interested in joining a study I am doing. It seems that persons are reporting improvement of GERD using Clear.ease – a combination of bromelain and papain that is dissolved in mouth between cheek and gums. You would take the Clear.ease one 3x a day dissolve in mouth for 20 days. If you are interested in this trial, ask your doctor to write to me at the Clear.ease will be sent to him/her for you. No charge of course to you. Information on Clear.ease is at http://www.ent-consult.com/clearease.html You don’t need to change any current medication. Best wishes, Murray Grossan, M.D. http://www.ent-consult.com

Seems like an odd way to run a clinical trial. "Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off."    General Colin Powell

Response:

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