How long is a cough "normal"?

Anonymous

How long is a cough "normal"?

Jen2Mom

I just celebrated my one-year anniversary of my bi-lateral mastectomy but am so concerned about about this horrible cough I have had for almost 2 months. It started out as a diagnosis of bronchitis and I was given a round of antibiotics but it never improved. My pcp ordered an xray that was clear. After 2 more weeks I called my oncologist who said that sometimes it takes awhile to get over bronchitis and she gave me a round of prednisone. Here I am 2 weeks past the steroids still coughing. My pcp just called in a z-pack and said if I didn't improve to come in...at what point to I become concerned? I work at a school and the school nurse has listened to my chest and said it sounds clear. My cough is deep, semi-productive but I feel like almost 2 months is a long time...Clear chest, clear x-ray...do I push for a CT next????

MinusTwo

Are you taking Mucinex? Are you using guaifenesin? Has the pcp done any blood tests to see if you have an infection? Have you been to see a pulmomologist? Maybe you need an inhaler? I'd try all those things before I started worrying about cancer. You work in the schools. This horrible cough has been going around since October now. Everyone I know has had it for a long time.

Beesie

When I had bronchitis years ago it took me 3 rounds of antibiotics and about 6 weeks on a prescription cough syrup before it finally cleared. And then, for the next couple of years anytime I got a hint of a cold, it almost immediately started to move into my chest, so I went through antibiotics a few more times. Finally after a couple of years that stopped happening and a head cold was just a head cold.

I'd say that at this point if your doctors, including your oncologist, aren't concerned that it's anything more than bronchitis, you shouldn't be either.

wallycat

Pre-cancer, when I got back from a vacation trip to china, singapore and hong kong, I came back with a cough that lasted over 7 months. I was never given anything for it. I swear I cracked a rib one night and the headaches from coughing so much...but it eventually went away. Bronchitis is making the rounds here and 4 neighbors had it; one ended up in the ER...

gb2115

Reactive coughs can last a long time, but it's crazy the Prednisone didn't help. Maybe back to the PCP and see if pulmonary is the next step. I don't think there's harm in seeing pulmonary for peace of mind.

Hope you feel better!

Yogatyme

Coughs can be so concerning but the good news is your chest X-ray was clear. My SIL had a terrible cough and finally was given Trilogy which helped a lot. She is a smoker so it probably would work better if she didn’t smoke. My husband has a friend who was treated for thyroid cancer and developed a terrible cough. Also treated w Trilogy and has had remarkable results. I hope you are better soon

NineTwelve

Maybe I can help. I have lung mets that were diagnosed with a chest x-ray. The fluid around my lungs (clearly visible around my cancer side lung on the xray) was causing me to cough when I laughed, or walked or leaned back. Basically anything that temporarily compressed my chest and further restricted the amount of air that could get into my lungs would cause me to cough. If your scan was clear, I would worry about other things besides mets to the lung.

Ingerp

Also think about if you've added any OTC meds/supplements lately. I started taking Flonase (or something similar) when I was getting Herceptin to help dry out my nose. Realized the start of an ongoing cough was around the same time. Sure enough, coughing is one of the SEs. I stopped the Flonase and the cough went away.

hapa

I had the same experience with Bronchitis as Beesie, back when I was a teenager. The cough that would not go away, the antibiotics and prescription cough syrup, and the recurring chest colds. I think I actually got diagnosed with bronchitis every winter for a while there.

OTMom

Yeah, I've had a cough I can't kick this year too. I got a cold in early september that turned into a sinus infection and a nasty cough and it's been back and forth since then. I can get it somewhat under control with my asthma meds but my doctor keeps wanting me to get off of them because it's not typical for me to need them for maintenance- usually just for a short time after a virus and then I'm good. Every time I wean off I start coughing again. I'm having some problems even on the asthma meds and I feel like my doctor thinks I'm being a hypochondriac. Wondering if radiation could have made my airways a little more reactive. And of course I can't totally shake the possibility that my lung nodules have decided to become problematic, but I think it's more likely that I'm having weird asthma stuff. My niece was hospitalized last week with asthma despite never having had any breathing problems before. Maybe it's just a bad fall/winter for this? I hope you find an answer soon.

wallycat

One last thought on the cough...I know that silent GERD/Reflux can present as a cough and no other symptoms. No pain, no "heartburn," no belching, blah, blah...just a cough. If you've tried everything else, maybe try a pepcid for a week or so and see if that does anything. The ingredient in pepcid is one of those that "may help prevent cancer recurrence" ...so not a total waste. Good luck.

Jen2Mom

Thanks guys for the reassurring words!!! A few more weeks of mucinex for me!!!

RatherBeSailing

Jen2Mom -

A couple of thoughts. Where I live in the Northeast there has been a really bad cold going around where the cough lingers for weeks. So it could be as simple as that.

But have you spoken with your oncologist or radiation oncologist about the possibility of radiation pneumonitis? I see you had radiation to both chest wall and nodes. I had chest wall, axilla, supraclavicular and internal mammary nodes and ended up with a large dose to my lung and developed pneumonitis. Only symptom at first was an odd feeling in my lung. A year later it evolved into shortness of breath. It can often be treated successfully with a course of steroids, but only if you catch it pretty early.

My doctors never hear anything amiss on auscultation, despite the fact that I now have diagnosed fibrosis. And I believe the only way to really diagnose it is with a high res CT, that chest x-ray is not sensitive enough. So if you don't feel better soon, I would push for a CT. Hate to say it, but my doctors didn't want to admit there was a problem.

Best of luck to you!

Kimm992

Also awful coughs going around where I live too!! I've had a productive cough for 4 weeks now and it is just now starting to get better very slowly. This virus circulating right now is doing a number on people's lungs...

AliceBastable

I smoked for decades and only coughed when I had a cold. I quit over a year ago, and I've coughed more in that year than I ever did as a smoker. I've had CT scans due to a different cancer, and the latest one showed some lung damage from radiation, so I guess that explains it. And I guess the RO was a lying SOB when he said I wouldn't have any damage.

WC3

I've had coughs with two serious lung issues and, at the time, I could not differentiate them from my dust allergy cough but my mother could. It's her mom super power.

KorynH

I had s cough for 8 months this year. I saw every specialist in the book to include Pulmonology and lung biopsies. Ultimately ENT diagnosed me with silent reflux. After 1 day on 40mg proton pump inhibitors the cough stopped.

momand2kids

Hi

had the same thing a few years ago--turned out to be a nodule on my . thyroid-- which had to be removed--- not sure if your scans did the thyroid area, but it is worth checking-- I never had a thyroid issue, always normal tests--- no evidence from a clinical exam-only a ct scan of the the thyroid area showed it-- I had been coughing for over 4 months-- been on antibiotics, etc.. nothing worked--- thyroid out--all better!!!

marijen

momand2kids what kind of cough did you have. I have an annoying cough and a thyroid nodule. It’s a dry cough I guess.

KorynH

I had a cough for 8 months last year - went through everything to learn the cause including bronchoscopy!

Turned out to be silent reflux

momand2kids

Marjen it was a dry cough that just would not resolve....

Anonymous

Hi all, saw this thread and feel like I need to add my story. I started a dry cough in August (not productive). It was annoying, not deep but annoying. It was worse when I would lay down to sleep so I slept propped up. I added a sinus headache and a few other symptoms and was told I had a virus. Saw an ENT, agreed virus, called my Oncology office and they told me this was a matter for my General Practitioner. The cough really sounded like reflux which my mom has had for years with no heartburn so I started taking prilosec. Came down with laryngitis in Sept. GP still says virus. After 2 weeks gave me asthma med singular for "reactive airway disorder". Didn't help. Have mammogram and annual check up at Cancer Ctr on 10/2. Beautifully clear mammogram. Onc. PA agrees with GP I have a virus although I am insistent and concerned it is something more and I haven't been able to take a deep breath for a couple of months although my lungs are clear and my pulse oxygen great (blood work also perfect but it always has been).

Cut to the chase, saw a new ENT, have a paralyzed vocal cord, ordered CT and its due to seriously swollen lymph nodes in my superclavical area - also have huge cluster of lymph nodes in my chest putting pressure on my wind pipe. Had a chest xray, all clear.

I wish I had had a neck CT earlier ! My swollen lymph nodes are deep and under bone so not very detectable or obvious by touch. I had seen 5 doctors and a couple more than once and no one picked this up although they all felt my neck for lymph nodes, listened to my lungs and did the normal vitals checks. I was stage 1 in 2008, no lymph node activity at that time and my risk for recurrence considered to be low after treatment (incl. years of femara).

My good news is that it hasn't seemed to spread to bones or organs. Fulvetrant gave me almost immediate relief to my wind pipe pressure and I can sleep fine. Voice is still "not normal" but slowly getting better - may not ever go back to what it was but time will tell.

I am a great advocate for myself but can't believe how long it took for me to get answers. My oncologist retired 5 years ago and I was put in to a "Wellness Clinic" at that time (due to my low risk of recurrence) but I go to a top rated NCI . I told my GP (also new to me bc my previous GP retired) that I had breast cancer in 2008 and am very concerned and she was very dismissive.

Please get a neck CT! Most likely it will be clear but if not, you can start treatment.

marijen

Thanks for your reply momand2kids.

Aprilgirl, did they biopsy the swollen nodes? That’s a terrible story. Could you feel the clavicle ones? I know I will only get an xray if I ask because my lungs sound clear always even when I had the flu and a terrible cough last spring.

Anonymous

After the neck CT they did biopsy the swollen node under my clavicle. It is a challenging area to biopsy due to the arteries in the area and most of the swollen lymph nodes are in an area they cant access (too deep and/or under bone). They were not detectable by touch except for one that was by touch after the first biopsy - seems like the biopsy added to the swelling or they were just continuing to grow. It took 2 biopsies to get results and the waiting was just awful. Also, the ENT had to order the biopsy and they don't seem to be able to get them as quickly as a cancer center. Cancer center couldn't order it or take over until I had a conclusive cancer dx from the biopsy. I live in the Seattle area and go to UW and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance which is a leading NCI. This process was unbelievable. Good news is that I really like my new oncologist and she got me completely scanned asap as soon as I saw her. Pet, bone, head MRI etc etc. Within days of our first appt.

I can't tell you how frustrating it has been but now that I have answers and I can breath normally (which makes me think fulvestrant is working!) I am trying to focus on the positive and let go of my anger at the amount of doctors I saw and the dismissive behavior of all of them. I left out a few details such as my husband taking me to the ER in early September for the intense left side sinus headache at night - they did a CT of my head and that was clear. I honestly thought I had a brain tumor. Too bad the CT scan wasn't from the neck up. My laryngitis started the day after that ER visit.

Left sinus headache, left ear ringing continuously, left vocal cord paralysis (which was my final symptom that got a new ENT to notice) and left side original breast cancer. I felt like I was in a bad episode of House. I kept telling them as symptoms piled on "you know I had left side breast cancer - doesn't this seem like it could be related??". I had to fake rib pain to get a chest xray while I was waiting for my 2nd biopsy results as I was about to lose my mind waiting for results and the fact that they didn't get enough tissue the first time was really hard to take. I have a client that is an oncologist (too far away for me to see him as a patient) who told me to fake rib pain and go to urgent care to get a chest xray to ease my mind. My oncologist client also called in an rx for ativan. He is amazing.

My new advice is to exaggerate or fake symptoms to get some answers if doctors aren't taking you seriously. I was really relieved when my head CT was clear - didn't occur to me that I needed a neck CT because I AM NOT A DOCTOR! Ugh.

Edited to add: Mammograms have been perfect and this skipped my lymph nodes near my breasts but went to my superclavicle nodes on the left side and mediastinal lymph nodes in my chest.

marijen

So the whole saga took about five months, two medical clinics, many doctors a lot of denial but in the end you have a great Oncologist. Except now you are stage IV. I am really sorry to hear that. Is your thyroid ok through all of this? I don’t get why doctors are so stubborn.

Anonymous

Thyroid is ok from what they can tell. Yep. It took 3 clinics really because my GP and the first ENT are at another local large clinic/hospital. My mammograms have been crystal clear and beautiful and I haven't missed one. It didn't come back in my breast or in the lymph nodes near my breasts. My question is why don't they do an occasional pet scan, say every 4 years to check on other areas? It is such a non proactive process, at least for me.

marijen

i agree with you one hundred percent! They keep looking at the breasts when it could be anywhere in our bodies! Seems pretty dumb! So much wasted money when they could have caught it earlier. Like you said you have to fake a few symptoms but then it never occurred to you that it would need a neck CT. I will remember your story if they blow me off.

TB90

My understanding from Canada is that these tests often result in more questions than answers. It may rule out one issue and then introduce multiple new issues that leads to unnecessary testing and high anxiety. Health care doesn’t want to pay and our system could not cope with the increased demand for resources. We don’t have the resources or funds and your healthcare system won’t approve because of the need for profit for your providers. If you pay privately, you can receive. I mean outside of your provider. Always comes down to $.

KBeee

APrilgirl. I am so sorry you're dealing with this, and am frustrated for you that you were dismissed. I hope you wrote every single doctor to let them know the result and tell that that you hope they are not so dismissive with future patients.

Anonymous

Thanks KBee and Marijen - I consider myself a great advocate but this this was a tough lesson. I appreciate the support and my hope is that by sharing it on these boards I can help out a sister!