Mid-night coughing attacks

Auntie_Rose · Post by **Auntie_Rose** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:55 pm

For the 3rd night in a row I have woke up with terrible coughing attacks. The is a "tickle" that has bee developing at the back of my throat, where it feels like the air hits. Once I start coughing and wake up I have had a hard time stopping then the whole cycle repeats.

I have raised the humidity thinking that maybe my throat was drying out- Last night I almost drowned from rain-out (I'm making a hose cover tonight). It isn't my mouth (leakage) It is the very back of my throat. Once I get it calmed down and go back to sleep it happens again about 1 hour later. I'm starting to feel like I did before treatment.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Sharon

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:23 pm

Maybe you need to ask your MD about it - it may have nothing to do with Cpap, but could be developing cold, or ???

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:03 pm

It could be due to post nasal drip. You might try an antihistimine and see if that helps.

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:08 pm

How about reflux? Many people with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease....including myself), can have stomach acid come all the way up to our throats. It may help to raise the head of your bed on 6" blocks and see if your coughing eases up. Also, don't eat within 4 hours of going to bed.
Sometimes I think our saliva just drips down the wrong tube and can make us have those horrible coughing spells.

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 3:41 pm

[quote="Auntie_Rose"]For the 3rd night in a row I have woke up with terrible coughing attacks. The is a "tickle" that has bee developing at the back of my throat, where it feels like the air hits. Once I start coughing and wake up I have had a hard time stopping then the whole cycle repeats.

I have raised the humidity thinking that maybe my throat was drying out- Last night I almost drowned from rain-out (I'm making a hose cover tonight). It isn't my mouth (leakage) It is the very back of my throat. Once I get it calmed down and go back to sleep it happens again about 1 hour later. I'm starting to feel like I did before treatment.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Sharon

You know I sometimes have that same thing happen and I also raised the humidity to see if that helped. I got rain out and had to lower it again but I have been thinking the problem may be that I momentarily start breathing through my mouth just enough to dry me out and cause the cough. Do you think you might breathe through your mouth sometimes?

neverbetter · Post by **neverbetter** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:21 pm

If it just started out of nowhere...
change the filter on your cpap
take extra zink for colds

MartyR · Post by **MartyR** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:34 pm

what does the term "rain out" mean

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:28 pm

I immediately thought acid reflux before I even read the post. You don't have to have heartburn to have reflux. It can be silent--I never had heartburn and had damage to my esophogus. Look into it. Lots of posts about it here and lots of info on the web--search for silent reflux.

Jen

grumpygirl · Post by **grumpygirl** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:43 pm

WOW!!! I have the same problem. It began before I started CPAP and I went to the local "doc in a box" and she gave me some nasal steroids. It helped a great deal and seemed to indicate that the cough came from post nasal drip. However, the steroids contributed to my growing fatique and I noticed that when I stopped them I felt alot better. Now, the cough has started again some nights (last night) and I am really frustrated because even nasal antihistamines make me tired. I am very drug sensitive. SO, I have started using a saline solution called Simply Saline that I bought at CVS. It acts similarly to a neti pot I think, by flushing out the nasal cavities and getting rid of allergens etc. Some days it helps and some it does not. For example, last night I woke up around 3 and started the coughing and finally the only thing that helped was a Vicks cough drop. By that time I was afraid to start CPAP again for fear I would just have to RIP it off again. I may have to resort to the antihistamine (Astelin spray)again to get some sleep. Let me know if you come up with any solutions. I think it may also happen because my throat drys out terribly during the night and when I take in a breath it tickles the back of my throat and that nasty cough begins. I thought I was the only person in the world that had this problem-I'm sorry you are dealing with it but it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one!!!

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:11 pm

Do you not cough at all during the daytime? I only ask because some BP meds cause a dry tickle in the back of the throat. Lisinopril did that to me.
Kathy

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:22 pm

Hey Kteague, I take Lisinopril. Now that makes me wonder????

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:56 pm

DieselGal,
A dry, tickling cough is listed as a possible side effect of that class of drugs (Ace Inhibitors). Mine would come on abruptly a feel like a feather was tickling the back of my throat. Changed to another type of med and the coughing stopped. Did the same thing to my mother. But it happened during the day too.
Kathy

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:11 am

Yes, I've heard that ACE inhibitors can definitely cause that cough too.
This is another weird idea..........I used to clean my ears.....maybe a little too often...and I developed a chronic cough. My husband told me that there is a nerve that runs alongside the ear canal and when stimulated, can cause a cough. I quit cleaning my ears so much and the cough went away!

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:34 am

I learn something here everytime I sign on!
Thanks guys.

Auntie_Rose · Post by **Auntie_Rose** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:15 pm

Thanks for all of the great ideas.

It does help to know that I am not the only one. I do take Claratin (Generic- OTC) for undiagnosed allegies. Until recently it seemed to help my post nasal drip (the only symptom)

I do cough during the day. I also am on a med (generic- can't remember the name) for HBP. But my "dry cough" started long before that. Generally anti-histimines make me goofy and wired, then sllep is not an option.

I am going to call my ENT and see what he thinks. He is very pro-cpap and young so I think he is open to change.

Sharon

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