Cough Developing Out of the Blue?

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

Never heard of Lisinopril. Has it helped him & how long has be been taking it? I assume he doesn't want to just take it forever for the rest of his life. (I'd hope to never have to take anything for the rest of my life.)

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/art-20047480

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor. It is used to manage chronic and acute high blood pressure, congestive heart failure amongst other things. It can also help improve recovery after heart attacks. Millions of people use lisinopril long term. A cough is a very common side effect, but how bothersome the cough ends up being varies widely. It can also be worse when the med is first started and gradually diminish with time. There are other ACE inhibitors, but they also have side effects, some worse than lisinopril's. Taking a med like this isn't a matter of "wanting". It may not be optional, but a matter of weighing pros versus cons and choosing the lesser of two evils; such as taking one pill a day that gives you a cough versus damaging your heart permanently and ending up dying sooner because of it.

Personal anecdote FWIW: I had a mild heart attack 4 years ago and was prescribed lisinopril during recovery. My typical BP has always been within normal range. Cardiologist discontinued it after about a year. I did develop the typical cough at first, but it gradually stopped. I've known several people who've taken lisinopril or other ACE inhibitors to help manage hypertension for decades. Some of them complain about a cough, others don't.

[Hawk J]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

I used to be able to drink tea but had to stop 10 years ago because it just doesn't agree with me. .

I don't know which tea bothered you. Sometimes, i drink Great Value Black Tea, from Walmart, with 2% milk(or powdered) & sugar. It tastes pretty good to me.
I hope your cough goes away soon.

[guidoLaMoto]

A couple points about chroinc cough--

The cough & bronchospasm reflex are protective so you don't inhale bugs, dirt, etc and to clear out excess secretions...but your lungs don't have any brains and they only know how to do one thing-- cough...so any irritation of the airways results in a cough.

Besides foreign bodies, any inflammation from infection, allergy, excess fluids (as in CHF) and acid reflux can cause bronchospasm, & cough. Even sudden changes or extremes in temperature or humidity can cause bronchospam/cough in asthmatics.

Any cough that lasts more than a week or so probably isn't infection (exceptions- TB, post-pertussis & post CoV)....Chronic coughs are often dry-- not much mucus-- as opposed to obviously productive,....COPD is a combination of emphysema & chronic bronchitis, the ratio of each and the amount of mucus varying from pt to pt.

Treatment is aimed at the underlying cause when possible- antibioitcs where applicable, meds to reduce acid &/or regurg when applicable, anti-inflammatories like prednisone, inhaled steroids if needed....Things like anticholiergics & sympathomimetcs ("cold tablets") reduce mucus production but don't make it stop. They often make it worse because now the mucus is thick and you can't cough it out....

...so called cough drops can work just by making you unconsciousloy swallow more often..any chewing gum or hard candy will do as much.

ACE inhibitors are well known to induce cough (up to 25% of those treated). If you really need that sort of med, just switch to an ARB-- same benefit but without the side effects.

Less comon causes of chronic cough include sinus or airway & throat tumors, aneurysm of the aortic arch, pharyngeal diverticulum, various causes of dysphagia, etc etc....

...but the vast number of cases are just from irritation from dust, mold, "sinus problems."

[D217]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

I've had this cough since spring 2021. It's not all of the time, but when I do cough I bring up mucus.

Oreganol p73 works great on the lungs and mucus.

https://www.northamericanherbandspic.../oreganol-p73/

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by guidoLaMoto

Things like anticholiergics & sympathomimetcs ("cold tablets") reduce mucus production but don't make it stop. They often make it worse because now the mucus is thick and you can't cough it out....

...so called cough drops can work just by making you unconsciousloy swallow more often..any chewing gum or hard candy will do as much.

Learned many, many years ago that "cold tablets" can make cold/flu related coughing worse (or delay getting rid of the junk that triggers it) and that sucking or chewing something can help relieve an irritable cough or sore throat. Whatever you're busy working in your mouth promotes salivation, which in turn soothes and makes you swallow more frequently. It can also encourage you to drink more which is good in itself. No need for medicated cold lozenges that shouldn't be used more than a specific number of times per day. When a doc diagnosed my mononucleosis many years ago, he suggested sugar free hard candies or lollipops to help relieve weeks of sore throat/cough. A bag of old-fashioned peppermint or menthol flavored very hard candy is my preference.

[Forever Blue]

UPDATE - It's now Feb 2023.

So I had started taking those 3 meds in mid-Dec 2022 & they stopped my coughing after several days & did for a good 1.5 mos. Around mid-Jan, the coughing seemed to return, but just here & there. Now in mid-Feb, it really started back & I decided to start taking the Benzonatate med again. (I was never able to get the Predisone refilled yet & I took the Trelegy inhaler here & there.)

I don't know if the Benzonatate works on its own though. Been taking it the last 8 days & it isn't working as well as when I took it WITH the Predisone (in which I only had a 5-day supply of that..1 pill/day). The Terlegy inhaler doesn't seem to work on its own either.

I have another appt Mar 10th right after I finally take this set of pulmonary function tests.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

UPDATE - It's now Feb 2023.

So I had started taking those 3 meds in mid-Dec 2022 & they stopped my coughing after several days & did for a good 1.5 mos. Around mid-Jan, the coughing seemed to return, but just here & there. Now in mid-Feb, it really started back & I decided to start taking the Benzonatate med again. (I was never able to get the Predisone refilled yet & I took the Trelegy inhaler here & there.)

I don't know if the Benzonatate works on its own though. Been taking it the last 8 days & it isn't working as well as when I took it WITH the Predisone (in which I only had a 5-day supply of that..1 pill/day). The Terlegy inhaler doesn't seem to work on its own either.

I have another appt Mar 10th right after I finally take this set of pulmonary function tests.

Sorry to hear your cough came back.

You should consider going to purchase an OTC like prilosec to see if adding that helps. If it does, it's possible the coughing is related to stomach acid like mine.

I had my doctor prescribe me more omeprazole, generic prilosec but it wasn't working. I went to Walmart, decided on one called famotidine that works well when I take it which is only if my gut starts burning. I've learned to live with the cough/mucus issue.

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

Sorry to hear your cough came back.

You should consider going to purchase an OTC like prilosec to see if adding that helps. If it does, it's possible the coughing is related to stomach acid like mine.

I had my doctor prescribe me more omeprazole, generic prilosec but it wasn't working. I went to Walmart, decided on one called famotidine that works well when I take it which is only if my gut starts burning. I've learned to live with the cough/mucus issue.

Thanks a lot for your concern! My coughing was never that severe (just ongoing & consistent), so I can wait 2 more weeks to talk to the NP again to see if there's anything else she can prescribe.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

Thanks a lot for your concern! My coughing was never that severe (just ongoing & consistent), so I can wait 2 more weeks to talk to the NP again to see if there's anything else she can prescribe.

Mine isn't really severe. Every now and then I'll cough, bringing up mucous.

I did months of prilosec generic that didn't do anything. Taking the generic nexium worked some but my insurance doesn't cover it. It's over a hundred a month. If my coughing was worst I may have paid that much but refuse to when it's not that bad.

I'm just glad to know it's not throat cancer like I originally thought when I woke up with what felt like a walnut in my throat. My body was fighting the HPV virus that causes tongue and oral cancers so I was freaked out.

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

Mine isn't really severe. Every now and then I'll cough, bringing up mucous.

I did months of prilosec generic that didn't do anything. Taking the generic nexium worked some but my insurance doesn't cover it. It's over a hundred a month. If my coughing was worst I may have paid that much but refuse to when it's not that bad.

I'm just glad to know it's not throat cancer like I originally thought when I woke up with what felt like a walnut in my throat. My body was fighting the HPV virus that causes tongue and oral cancers so I was freaked out.

Actually, I shouldn't have even said my cough was, "consistent", just ongoing, but not consistent. I'm trying to see if just the Trelegy inhaler & Benzonatate meds alone will help w/o needing that 3rd (nasty-tasting) Predisone med. Then, every once in a while, I seem to have a lttle coughing fit.

Glad it's not cancer either for you!