Wellness

[NoelSeven]

For two winters in a row now, I've come down with a bad cold which is made much worse by then having an asthma flare with it.

Here's my question:

How do you know if the horrendous cough you develop with a cold is the cold or maybe bronchitis, or is it your asthma kicking in?

[Annabellethecat66]

If I were you, I'd contact my Dr or go to an outpatient clinic and let them listen to your chest.

Why take a chance?

[gulf coast girl]

I suffer with my asthma every day of my life.I can't even sneeze without wheezing right afterwards. So whenever I have the slightest feeling that I'm developing a cough, I always start taking any or whatever nasty cough syrup that's in the house. If I take some 2 nights in a row usually by the 3rd day I'm all better and not really coughing at that point. I use Advair daily and Albuterol as needed, which for me is everyday of my life.

[151949]

For me when i cough with a cold I cough a few min and stop - when I get bronchospasm from my asthma it starts out as a cough that I can't stop coughing and it escalates up to the point that I am actually choking and gagging. I have to sit up if I am lying down and the continuous coughing will last for several min. when I can barely get a breath in. The difference between coughing with a cold or bronchitis is mild in comparison to the bronchospasm from an asthma attack. When I finally stop coughing I am gasping for air , wheezing and usually my chest really hurts.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/17/2015 annabellethecat said:

If I were you, I'd contact my Dr or go to an outpatient clinic and let them listen to your chest.

Why take a chance?

I did go, Thursday. She couldn't tell by the sound so I had a chest x-ray. It wasn't pneumonia (which she thought it might be) but it had progressed to a pretty bad asthma flare.

I wish I'd caught the asthma reaction sooner, that's what I'm wondering about. I had no idea asthma was involved.

I don't know how to tell the difference when it's happening.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/17/2015 gulf coast girl said:

I suffer with my asthma every day of my life.I can't even sneeze without wheezing right afterwards. So whenever I have the slightest feeling that I'm developing a cough, I always start taking any or whatever nasty cough syrup that's in the house. If I take some 2 nights in a row usually by the 3rd day I'm all better and not really coughing at that point. I use Advair daily and Albuterol as needed, which for me is everyday of my life.

Thanks! I get what you're saying, preventative care!

I did take my usual Coricidin, but it got so bad it had no effect. It's been 11 days now and that dang cold is still going strong.

Now I'm on Dulera for as long as I have the cold (off QVar for that time) and Albuterol if needed.

I'm wheezing and yucky still

[sfnative]

Noel,

Slip into an urgent care center and have at least an NP listen to your chest. Best would be for you to see if your PCP could open up a 5 minute slot for you so he/she could listen to your chest and visually check out your throat and nose.

Get better soon!

[betteb]

Noel, I'm sorry you are feeling bad.

Do you have a rescue inhaler? Since you know your lungs are clear, you might try a couple of puffs next time you start coughing.

I don't tolerate inhaled steroids for asthma control very well, so I only use albuterol when I start having a flare.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/17/2015 happy housewife said:

For me when i cough with a cold I cough a few min and stop - when I get bronchospasm from my asthma it starts out as a cough that I can't stop coughing and it escalates up to the point that I am actually choking and gagging. I have to sit up if I am lying down and the continuous coughing will last for several min. when I can barely get a breath in. The difference between coughing with a cold or bronchitis is mild in comparison to the bronchospasm from an asthma attack. When I finally stop coughing I am gasping for air , wheezing and usually my chest really hurts.

That happened a couple of times for me, too, with this bout. This is new to me, I've taken treatment for years and this is only the second time the asthma has been a real issue.

I'm drinking coffee today instead of tea, since coffee is supposed to help.

I'm sorry to read it gets so bad for you, HH

[NoelSeven]

On 1/17/2015 sfnative said:

Noel,

Slip into an urgent care center and have at least an NP listen to your chest. Best would be for you to see if your PCP could open up a 5 minute slot for you so he/she could listen to your chest and visually check out your throat and nose.

Get better soon!

Hi sfn

I did, Thursday. It was so bad, my MD thought it was pneumonia, but no, the chest x-ray ruled that out, it's asthma triggered by the cold. She said: "Well, at least now we know your trigger."

DH never gets colds and he coughed with this one for almost three weeks. Awful sounding, deep.