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Suggest Treatment For Productive Cough And Nausea

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Posted on Fri, 13 May 2016
Question: I have had this cough for like 2 months and just recently went to the doctor and she put me on doxycycline and a proair inhaler... I literally get sick when I take the antibiotic and I feel totally fine except for this cough that will not go away and what make it bad is I'm coughing up phlegm... What can I take to quit coughing up that junk?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (18 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Some thoughts on your situation:

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

I am sorry both for your nausea from the Doxycycline and for the continued productive cough.

Is the phlegm you cough up discolored all of the time? I mean not just when you get up and clear out. And can I assume there is no fever? Has a chest xray been done?

Is the doxycyline working in any way? For example you had a fever before and now it's gone; or the phlegm was discolored and now it's not so much?

Are you having any nasal symptoms?


And here are some suggestions:
1. If the mucus is discolored most of the time, you may need a different antibiotic.
2. Do you think the mucus you cough up is coming from down your throat? I'd suggest
Nasal saline wash (spray bottles or nettipot)
Decongestant (pseudoephedrine)
Mucolytic (guaifenesin such as Mucinex or generic + lots and lots of water)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (5 minutes later)
I have never had a fever with this.. I did have a cold a couple of months ago but the cough never went away and that is why I went to see the doctor... The phlegm is mainly clear it sometimes is green and sometimes I can't cough it up it's just like a wet cough and very annoying.. I stopped taking the doxycycline a few days ago, I still use the inhaler, not sure what it supposed to do.... But I feel fine and I'm not sick just a cough.. I have never had a chest xray she did listen to my lungs and said it was bronchitis...
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (44 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Suggestions:

Detailed Answer:
If the mucus is mainly clear and you don't have a fever, you probably would not benefit from an antibiotic.

The inhaler is albuterol - it is to open the bronchi up if your chest feels tight. If that doesn't do anything for you, you can skip it as it is usually an "as needed" medication.

Since the mucus is sometimes hard to get up, use the guaifenesin plus lots of water.

Since it is a wet cough, consider pseudoephedrine. As you may need this for awhile, you may want to take just 30 mg rather than 2 pills (60 mg) every 6 hours.

If you develop a fever, or the cough gets worse, or there is discolored mucus throughout the day, then it is time for a chest xray.

I had something like this for about 1 and 1/2 months

Do your best to take care of your immune system right now so it is better able to kick this thing. Go to bed early, rest, good nutrition. Eat foods with plenty of vitamin C.

I hope you are feeling better soon!

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Productive Cough And Nausea

Brief Answer: Some thoughts on your situation: Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, I am sorry both for your nausea from the Doxycycline and for the continued productive cough. Is the phlegm you cough up discolored all of the time? I mean not just when you get up and clear out. And can I assume there is no fever? Has a chest xray been done? Is the doxycyline working in any way? For example you had a fever before and now it's gone; or the phlegm was discolored and now it's not so much? Are you having any nasal symptoms? And here are some suggestions: 1. If the mucus is discolored most of the time, you may need a different antibiotic. 2. Do you think the mucus you cough up is coming from down your throat? I'd suggest Nasal saline wash (spray bottles or nettipot) Decongestant (pseudoephedrine) Mucolytic (guaifenesin such as Mucinex or generic + lots and lots of water)