Author Topic: What could be causing my cough? (Read 11030 times)

JamieD · « **on:** October 02, 2007, 11:10:22 pm »

Hi All! Please no flames.

I have had a chronic cough now for about 3 weeks. It comes and goes. Some days I have it and some days I don't. My doctor says I am not developing PCP, and I am taking a TMP-SMX prophylaxis. I don't understand though why I am coughing so hard. When I cough I feel like I am about to regurgitate my food. This cough started when I began bingeing and purging again, about three weeks ago. I don't have any shortness of breathe, even when I exercise nor do I have a fever. I am scared its PCP though, even though my doctor insists its not.

JohnOso · « **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2007, 11:34:49 pm »

Why would you discount what your doctor is saying?

Did you tell him that you're bingeing and purgeing?

Ever thought you might have aspirated some stomach acid from the vomitus?

Lots of unanswered questions here. Best to be honest with your physician if you haven't already.

Cerrid · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2007, 02:21:18 am »

Do you smoke? Did you get an X-ray?

Dachshund · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2007, 04:24:47 am »

This is all way above our pay grade and no one should diagnose you over the internet. I agree with John about providing your physician with this information. My only suggestion would be that you seek the help of a mental health professional to deal with the emotional problems you seem to be experiencing.

Jeffreyj · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2007, 04:47:03 am »

Do you have any postnasal drip that may be causing it? Any allergies? Just a stab in the dark...
Best of luck sweetie!

BT65 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2007, 06:44:47 am »

I agree with Auntie Doxie. This is a little more than what we could advise on. Please, please, seek out help. You're worth it.

J.R.E. · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2007, 08:35:04 am »

Quote from: JamieD on October 02, 2007, 11:10:22 pm

I have had a chronic cough now for about 3 weeks. This cough started when I began bingeing and purging again, about three weeks ago.

Jamie, What does this tell you ? You need to seek professional help for the eating disorder. You are probably irritating your esophagus.

MOONLIGHT1114 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:32:46 am »

Hi Jamie~ I agree with seeking help for the eating disorder, but also wanted to share with you. I have a friend who has been coughing for the last month or so. You and I live in the same area, and I wonder if its allergies? It has been SO dry here, and then we got some heavy rain a week ago, and now its very dry again. From what I remember, ragweed comes out in late summer, and when it rains and the ragweed is washed away temporarity, you're dealing with mold spores (yes, really) due to the humidity and moisture. So, perhaps its allergies, but still, talk to someone about the eating probs you've been through. Neither is helping your system at all, sweetie.

~Cindy

aztecan · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:46:53 am »

Hey Jamie,

None of us are doctors nor should we diagnose you over the internet.

That said, I think you may have hit on something when you noted it started when you began binging and purging again.

I agree with Ray and the others, you must be candid with your doc regarding your eating issues if you haven't already and consider addressing the underlying issue of the possible eating disorder.

I don't want to sound like and old fart handing out advise, but the things you do to your body when you are young really do come back to haunt you when you get older.

Trust me, I know the hard way.

Please take good care of yourself.

HUGS,

Mark

puertorico2006 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2007, 10:15:40 am »

I'm not sure if its the binging and purging but i know i used to do it when i was younger also and it killed my throat (one of the reasons i stopped) and when the acid irritates your esauphagus you do cough ....

That said it could still be something else so check with your doctor...

-josh

beefbud · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2007, 11:54:08 am »

THIS IS NOT A DIGANOSIS

However, i had a nagging cough (pre HIV diganosis) that hung on for MONTHS. I had a barium swallow done, tried steroidal nose sprays (in case of allergies), numerous chest x rays....all showed or did nothing.
Finally we decided to try prilosec for GERD (Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease) twice a day for 2 weeks then once a day after. It cleared it up. With GERD just cause there is no heartburn doesn't mean anything.

As everyone else has said though...see your doc for a real set of tests to figures whats ailing you.

JamieD · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:06:13 pm »

I asked on here cause my doctor sort of poo-pooed my fears. She listened to my lungs and didn't say anything other then "you don't have PCP".

beefbud · « **Reply #12 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:18:50 pm »

Hey Jamie

then tell them we need to check for something else! I went for 2 months with a misdiagnosed Tertiary 2 Syphilis infection (The HIV made the tests show negative) and got severely ill...I had to keep saying IM NOT WELL CANT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, finally after a biopsy of one of the rashes that had now covered my body it turned up...YEP it was Syphilis.

Screw them...if somethings wrong keep pushing for an answer. Sometimes its the only way you're ever gonna get one.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #13 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:30:43 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 03, 2007, 12:06:13 pm

I asked on here cause my doctor sort of poo-pooed my fears. She listened to my lungs and didn't say anything other then "you don't have PCP".

But did you inform him of the bingeing and purging?

JamieD · « **Reply #14 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:39:04 pm »

Quote from: philly267 on October 03, 2007, 12:30:43 pm

But did you inform him of the bingeing and purging?

yes.

She said nothing for the entire session other then "Hi Mr. H, how are you?", "take a deep breath", and "You don't have PCP".

JamieD · « **Reply #15 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:44:00 pm »

Does anyone know if it could be Orlistat? I have been taking it to help me lose weight, although I didn't tell my doctor this because I fear he (or the she) will try to have me committed to a mental institution.

MOONLIGHT1114 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:49:35 pm »

I would try seeing a specialist, an ENT doc......

Dachshund · « **Reply #17 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:50:09 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 03, 2007, 12:06:13 pm

I asked on here cause my doctor sort of poo-pooed my fears. She listened to my lungs and didn't say anything other then "you don't have PCP".

Did she poo-poo when you told her you were bingeing and purging? As you can see you have received diagnosis that range from allergies to syphilis. Six weeks ago I had a sore throat and cough brought on by a sinus infection, but that in no way means you have one. We do you a grave disservice offering you guesses about your health. If you're truly concerned see your doctor. However, one thing I think everyone can agree on is that you discuss your eating disorder with your doctor or a mental health professional. Now that is something that should not be poo-pooed.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #18 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:56:39 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 03, 2007, 12:39:04 pm

yes.

She said nothing for the entire session other then "Hi Mr. H, how are you?", "take a deep breath", and "You don't have PCP".

Personally I would question the doctor's qualifications if they didn't discuss you're bingeing and purging with you.

Dachshund · « **Reply #19 on:** October 03, 2007, 01:02:02 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 03, 2007, 12:44:00 pm

Does anyone know if it could be Orlistat? I have been taking it to help me lose weight, although I didn't tell my doctor this because I fear he (or the she) will try to have me committed to a mental institution.

I hope you are not jerking our chain, but to be quite honest with you I'm beginning to doubt the veracity of your story.

Who prescribed Orlistat for you and if true, why would they? You certainly are not obese and I seriously doubt you need a fat blocker. This drug would never be prescribed to a person suffering from an eating disorder. If you fear being committed by your doctor then you are far beyond being helped here. You need to seek the help of a professional...honestly.

edited to add:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601244.html

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2007, 01:06:21 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 03, 2007, 12:44:00 pm

I have been taking it to help me lose weight

Why would you be trying to lose weight? You're bingeing and purging already. This does NOT compute at all for me, and we've all seen (or many of us) pictures and videos of you with your shirt off and I can safely say you don't need to be losing any more weight.

Please see a mental health profession experienced with this issue, and if you feel you are not getting the proper care from your medical doctor find another one.

JamieD · « **Reply #21 on:** October 03, 2007, 05:08:35 pm »

Quote from: Dachshund on October 03, 2007, 01:02:02 pm

I hope you are not jerking our chain, but to be quite honest with you I'm beginning to doubt the veracity of your story.

Who prescribed Orlistat for you and if true, why would they? You certainly are not obese and I seriously doubt you need a fat blocker. This drug would never be prescribed to a person suffering from an eating disorder. If you fear being committed by your doctor then you are far beyond being helped here. You need to seek the help of a professional...honestly.

edited to add:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601244.html

Nobody prescribed to to me. I bought it online. And its OTC in the USA anyway.

JamieD · « **Reply #22 on:** October 03, 2007, 05:14:55 pm »

Sorry I am not understanding what isn't computing for you. I'll try to explain better.

During the day I restrict my calorie intake, and take Orlistat with each meal. At about 1 am when everyone is asleep I binge on food and then throw it back up.

BTW- I contacted the other doctor in the office, whom I like very much, and he told me I need to stop vomiting and to take some Zantac. He said I was aspirating or something to that effect. I told him I was take 6 DS TMP-SMX a day and he got very upset with me. He keeps trying to refer me to a psychiatrist who he went to medical school with, but I don't want to take anymore medications then I already am.

Ann · « **Reply #23 on:** October 03, 2007, 05:29:25 pm »

Jamie,

I'm not sure what you want us to do for you? Coping with hiv infection will be more difficult if you continue to abuse your digestive system. Only you can decide what to do - whether to start taking care of your body or continue to abuse it. The choice is yours.

Ann

Dachshund · « **Reply #24 on:** October 03, 2007, 05:29:43 pm »

I don't need an explanation to realize you need the help and care that only a mental health professional can give you. Your explanation of destructive behavior confirms that. Good luck with your health.

JohnOso · « **Reply #25 on:** October 03, 2007, 05:47:32 pm »

Jamie,

Spot on comments by Ann, Auntie Doxie, et al......

You really need to talk to a counselor to sort out the "why" of all this self-destructive behavior.

It could mean the difference between life and death.

(and 6 Bactrim daily??)

John

JamieD · « **Reply #26 on:** October 03, 2007, 06:12:10 pm »

Quote from: JohnOso on October 03, 2007, 05:47:32 pm

(and 6 Bactrim daily??)

John

I am seeing someone, but I have been bingeing and purging since I was 15 and I am 21 now. I stopped for about 2 years though.

6 Bactrim because if I were developing PCP thats what they would give me to cure it.

anniebc · « **Reply #27 on:** October 03, 2007, 06:36:14 pm »

A few questions:

1..Are you having your bloods monitored on a regular basis

2..If so what are your CD counts

3..Are you having other symptoms other than just a cough.

The reason I ask is because your Doctor should only be prescribing Bactrim to prevent PCP if your numbers are below 200 or if you have experience a fever of over 100 F..or if you have shown any signs of fungal infection in the mouth or throat.

So it's not clear, at least to me, why he has prescribed Bactrim...just asking out of curiousity.

As for the Bulimia then you really need to get help..if you are not honest with your Doctor how can he possibly help you, and he's the only one who can.

Hugs
Jan

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #28 on:** October 03, 2007, 06:47:23 pm »

Jan, I might be wrong but he stated that his doctor got mad at him for taking 6 Bactrim/day. I think he's stated in other threads that he's gotten things from overseas.

Who knows.

JamieD · « **Reply #29 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:26:36 pm »

Philly

I get 3 months worth of medication at a time. Thats why I have enough to take 6.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #30 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:34:33 pm »

So did you doctor prescribe this to you or not?

anniebc · « **Reply #31 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:39:00 pm »

Thanks Philly I must have missed that somehow.

Jamie..you shouldn't be taking prescription meds that have not been prescribed to you by your own Doctor..if he has prescribed them, then obviously he did not tell you to take 6 a day.

Jan

JamieD · « **Reply #32 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:46:57 pm »

Yes, I was prescribed 1 DS Tablet 3x a week.

Moffie65 · « **Reply #33 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:59:59 pm »

Jamie D,

You will not survive HIV if you continue to mess with your body in these manners. I know, I have burried people like you who have tried to kill themselves with not sticking to the doctors' orders, AND messing with your body by vomiting your food. Your body needs all the nutrients you can stand right now, and you are doing your body a dis-service by prompting your immune system to turn on you.

You do so very much need a therapist who is very qualified to deal with eating disorders, and listen to them. Otherwise threads of a thousand posts will do you no good. You have to want to save yourself, none of us can do diddley for you if you don't want to live. Vomiting your much needed nutirents at any time of the day is not normal, and for people with HIV, will definately destroy you! This disease is not a fashion coment, but is programmed to destroy your immune system. You are helping that event on by your refusal to do the right thing.

You now have HIV, deal with it, and learn to live with it. No matter what you do, if you continue on this path, you will have little control over what HIV will do to your body.

I apologise for the insensitivity of this post, but Jamie, maybe you need to hear the truth at some point!

Love.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #34 on:** October 03, 2007, 08:16:58 pm »

I will totally, 110% second what Moffie/Tim just said. There are a lot of things here that you should not be doing -- the self medicating, the bingeing/purging, and then on top of that taking some other thing to lose even more weight. It's bad enough to have anorexia issues when you are HIV negative, but it's wildly NOT A GOOD THING for someone that is HIV positive and with what I assume (you declined to reply to anniebc/Jan about your lab numbers) are low cd4 numbers.

You seem determined not to address the underlying mental issues causing all of this, but it's really to your severe detriment.

These issues are NO JOKE.

JamieD · « **Reply #35 on:** October 03, 2007, 08:37:45 pm »

I know, philly, believe me I do. Like I said, I have been doing this since I was 15 and I am 21 now. I never imagined at 15 that I would be doing this 6 years later. I have made a lot of progress over the past few years, and I even went 2 years without puking. Bulimia used to consume my every waking moment, literally. I was constantly thinking about food and bingeing and purging like 4 times a day. I've been forced into treatment centres when I was younger.
I know its not healthy, but I find it so hard to be stressed and not eat everything in sight. Food makes everything feel better and then I realise I don't want to be a fat cow, so I purge.

JamieD · « **Reply #36 on:** October 03, 2007, 08:38:56 pm »

I'm actually going to go to the emergency room tonight. I am waiting for the ambulance to get here. I am having a hard time breathing, and I have a rash all over me. My doctor said its an allergic reaction and I need to go to the hospital.

Night guys. $:-\$

milker · « **Reply #37 on:** October 03, 2007, 11:28:56 pm »

Take care of yourself. Moffie's post is spot on. Please listen to him, please let people take care of you, you are not in a position to do it right now. I wish you the best.

Milker.

englishgirl · « **Reply #38 on:** October 04, 2007, 02:40:55 am »

hi jamie,
you need to re-read what moffie said and follow his wisdom.
no need to add anything other than that you need to ensure that you are seeing the correct professionals for all of this, and if possible one that you need to try to find professionals who can talk to each other as all your problems seem to be linked in that they interreact.
you need to go further than telling us about this, you need to make positive changes to your behaviour. and stop the self-medicating right now.
good luck.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #39 on:** October 08, 2007, 05:10:41 pm »

Jamie, so what happened at the emergency room? What did the doctors say?

JamieD · « **Reply #40 on:** October 08, 2007, 05:57:43 pm »

I had an anaphylactic reaction to all the TMP-SMX. It wasn't all that serious though, not like my reaction to penicillin.

My cough has gone away since I haven't been puking, but I am just not eating much instead. The less I weigh, the fatter I seem to get :-( My family asked me if I was okay and I told them I was fine. I look disgusting. You can see the muscles in my cheeks and my jaw when I chew. It's so hard though. When I look in the mirror I look fat and blubbery. But I recorded myself eating and it looks really disgusting. I've lost 16 pounds in the last 5 weeks.

Sorry for the venting. Thank you for being nice to me everyone and not flaming me. I am orry I have bene a fucking bitch before.

marc11864 · « **Reply #41 on:** October 08, 2007, 08:33:52 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 08, 2007, 05:57:43 pm

...When I look in the mirror I look fat and blubbery. But I recorded myself eating and it looks really disgusting. I've lost 16 pounds in the last 5 weeks....

Yeah, see that's the funny thing about nutrition. The less you get of it, the more you look flabby and sickly. I'd say it's about time to do something serious to turn this trend around or you won't just look bad, you'll wind up dead.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #42 on:** October 08, 2007, 11:37:31 pm »

Quote from: JamieD on October 08, 2007, 05:57:43 pm

I had an anaphylactic reaction to all the TMP-SMX. It wasn't all that serious though, not like my reaction to penicillin.

My cough has gone away since I haven't been puking, but I am just not eating much instead. The less I weigh, the fatter I seem to get :-( My family asked me if I was okay and I told them I was fine. I look disgusting. You can see the muscles in my cheeks and my jaw when I chew. It's so hard though. When I look in the mirror I look fat and blubbery. But I recorded myself eating and it looks really disgusting. I've lost 16 pounds in the last 5 weeks.

Sorry for the venting. Thank you for being nice to me everyone and not flaming me. I am orry I have bene a fucking bitch before.

Jamie, you need MUCH more help with this eating disorder than we can offer on this forum. We CAN offer moral support, of course, but it begins with you and your own self image. Trust, I know nothing of this issue but I'm sure it's horribly unpleasant for you.

But it's only going to complicate your HIV situation if you don't quickly get a handle on it. Others have beaten this and you can to, it's just going to take a lot of work with the proper professionals.

Oh, and PLEASE do not self medicated with things like TMP-SMX. Less is more, as they say (or rather Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.)

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Author Topic: What could be causing my cough? (Read 11030 times)