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Had Pneumonia And Chronice Bronchitis. Taking Zpacks, Prednisone And Codeine. Diagnosed Sleep Apnea. Suggestions?
My husband had pneumonia and chronice bronchitis in Fla starting March 15. He has been left with a persistent cough that leaves him breathless and very weak when a spell starts. He has been to many doctors even a pulmonologist and nothing is working. He has been on zpacks, prednisone and codeine cough medicine, all to no avail. I feel he is getting weaker and the coughing spells more frequent (75 - excellent health-takes only aspirin - plays softball) from this coughing.
My next step is an ENT. About 15 years agos he had a throat operation to remove excess skin from his throat. He was a big snorer and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I am thinking perhaps the skin has grown back and was exacerbated by the pneumonia and bronchitis, or that there is scar tissue in the throat. Can you give me any other suggestions.? thank you very much.
My next step is an ENT. About 15 years agos he had a throat operation to remove excess skin from his throat. He was a big snorer and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I am thinking perhaps the skin has grown back and was exacerbated by the pneumonia and bronchitis, or that there is scar tissue in the throat. Can you give me any other suggestions.? thank you very much.
Sat, 18 May 2013
Hi
Thanks for your query.
Coughing spells can happen in variety of conditions like cough variant asthma, eosinophilic bronchitis, acid reflux disease, chronic infection etc.
I strongly suggest you to go for few tests like spirometry with reversibility testing, methacholine challenge test to look for airway hyper-reactivity, blood examination for eosinophils and total IgE. Sputum examination for eosinophils.
Also go for a Ct scan of chest to rule out any mass lesion.
Upper airway secretion can trickle down in trachea causing chronic cough, this can be mechanism what you are suspecting.
Meet the pulmonologist with above said tests...
Best wishes
Thanks for your query.
Coughing spells can happen in variety of conditions like cough variant asthma, eosinophilic bronchitis, acid reflux disease, chronic infection etc.
I strongly suggest you to go for few tests like spirometry with reversibility testing, methacholine challenge test to look for airway hyper-reactivity, blood examination for eosinophils and total IgE. Sputum examination for eosinophils.
Also go for a Ct scan of chest to rule out any mass lesion.
Upper airway secretion can trickle down in trachea causing chronic cough, this can be mechanism what you are suspecting.
Meet the pulmonologist with above said tests...
Best wishes
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