I have a problem that I’m hoping someone can help me with !
I have had a dry, tickly cough for well over a year now. As my cough reflex doesn’t work very well, I end up almost choking and gagging when I can’t cough properly. It is also badly affecting my sleep.
I have been to my GP, seen four different doctors at my surgery, but am no nearer finding a treatment.
(I think they are just putting it down as “another MS” thing and not bothering to look any further ! )
I’ve had a chest x-ray, no problem there.
I’ve had a lung function test, also no problem.
I’ve been given an inhaler, Corsodyl spray, antibiotics and Omeprazole gastric capsules,
None of which has helped. Neither has sucking Strepsils like they’re going out of fashion !
I want to push for further investigation but unless I can be sure this has nothing to do with my MS, I fear I will be banging my head on the proverbial wall !!
Does anyone here have this problem ?
Have you found a treatment that works ?
Any help or advice would be very, very much appreciated !
I’m not diagnosed but I recently had “throat” issues. I was struggling to swallow a full mouthful of food, and on a few occassions food/drink went down my windpipe which was awful, and had me coughing and spluttering.
You don’t actually say it…but do you mean the phlegm/sputum go down your windpipe when you cough?
I went to see my GP when I was suffering and she said that I had lost my gag reflex and cautioned me to eat mashed food or soup. (i was due to see neurologist within days)
Although it had almost cleared up by the time I saw him, I feel I have been left with a slight weakness, and stuff easily goes down my windpipe whereas this has never happened before.
My neurologist has referred me to a gastro consultant to get swallowing/throat looked at.
Does this sound a bit like what you’re going through? If so, its really horrible and I found it quite scary, and you should get a referral.
i had this two years ago as my maternal gran and uncle both died with throat cancer thought i had beeter get it checked out went to a throat specialist who told me i had an inflamed throat but wasn’t cancerous it took a speech specialist to identify that i was drinking too much caffeine cut it down and throat miragulously sorted itself out
Hi Seb, I get a very tickly throat somtimes when I try to go to sleep. It feels like something is trying to crawl up my throat and makes me cough. Would consider a tapeworm but I’m far from skinny!
I have no idea if it is MS related so can only echo what others have said about getting it checked out (also, a friend of mine was on statins and had this for ages, is a well known side effect).
I had a very dry tickly cough that annoyed the life out of me for a few years, especially when trying to get to sleep.
It was ‘cured’ when I was diagnosed with diabetes and my blood glucose levels were back under control. I don’t know if it was the diabetes that caused the dry throat, but I think so. I’m not an expert by any means. I expect you’ve had blood glucose tests already so I doubt you’ve got diabetes.
Have you tried asking your GP to be referred to a Speech and language Therapist ?- They can assess your swallow and see if it’s related to the muscles you use for swallow - may or may not be MS related???/ Hope this helps
Seb, I often get a very dry odd throat sensation and find drinking milk lines the throat and stops me from choking. Try it, thought Id share because it can get quite frightening when it happens. I sometimes feel like Im swollowing and breathing at the same time, thus my mechanism goes all wrong. Im sure it is ms related, and quite bothersome. Do let us know how you get on.
I have had exactly the same thing for over a year and it’s been driving me crazy especially the sleep disruption thing. Been through the same thing as you with numerous doctor visits, chest x-rays etc etc but no joy. So taking things into my own hands and with the help of ‘Dr Google’ I’ve found this article which I think hits the nail on the head. Nothing else has been so accurate that I think this has to be it.
My problem is probably Aspiration Pneumonia which sounds scary but when I read about it, it made sense - I’ve been doing that swallowing down the wrong way more often over the past year or two and choking, and feel like there is mist or steam at the top of my chest almost all the time. I always feel like I have too much mucus (I know, gross!) but at least now I feel like this is it I don’t feel like I’m going crazy anymore. Yet another thing to battle with but I am taking this article to my doctor next week - let’s see if they can do anything.
