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What Causes Persistent Dry Cough Despite Taking Medication?

Posted on Fri, 4 May 2018

Question: My 3.5 yr old son is having severe dry cough (no fever or cold) from almost a month.
All the doctors say it is allergic cough mainly due to cold. and have been prescribing the same meds with different names.
Ambrolite Levo; Ascoril LS+; levocytrizine/ montelucast; Budecort/ Levolin nebulizers; Azithromycin; Clarithromycin; Lupituss; zerotuss; Prednisolone/ Decazor

But all these meds have failed to stop the cough over this one month. The cough usually gets bad at morning; evening and makes him vomit (please note that i live at a cold place, but we keep him indoors in a very warm room and keep a steamer running as well).

Please suggest me some cough suppressent which can cure or ATLEAST relieve his cough. How much zerotuss/ lupituss and steroid (omnacotril/ decazor) can i give (currently 5 ml thrice a day, which does not help at all).
His X ray was also done which is also normal.

The patient profile got mixed up somehow. Please ignore the additional info section for medical history; known allergies and current meds. Instead consider the below please:

Medical History
occasional allergic cough throughout this year, mainly dry cough

Current Medications
clarithromycin; Zerotuss; Montelucast; Decazor; Budecort.

Known Allergies
cold air suspected to aggravate cough

User Selected Specialty : Pediatrician, Pulmonology

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (50 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Give him foracort /formonide /budamate Nebulization.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Best treatment of allergy is identification of allergen and if possible complete avoidance of it.
So get done allergy testing and avoid things allergic to him.
Instead of levolin, he should be given foracort nebulization because foracort /budamate /formonide is having combination of formoterol and budesonide.
Formoterol is better than levolin (levosalbutamol).
Also give CPM (chlorpheniramime maleat) and dextromethorphan syrup. Commonly available trade names are cheston CS, arodil D, Corex DX etc. These syrups are good cough suppressants and it has not been given earlier in his case.
Dose of zerotuss is enough for him. Don't give more than 5ml thrice a day.
Don't give omnacortil more.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your son. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (6 hours later)

I have been giving decazor bd 5 ml since 3 days and clarithromycin 5ml bd since 3 days.
Should I continue or stop both Meds and give only cough suppressants, nebulization and anti allergic.
I feel he has started coughing up mucus and has blocked nose as well. And he sweats profusely while coughing.
Please sugggest

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Better to give mucolytic and expectorant drug.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Since he is producing mucus, better to give mucolytic and expectorant drug.
So give ambrolite syrup. Don't give lupituss or zerotuss or other cough suppressants.
Continue Clarithomycin for 2 more days.
Taper down decazor syrup (don't stop all of a sudden).
Continue anti allergic and Nebulization (foracort).
Also start paracetamol (anti inflammatory) for sweating.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your son. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj