Chronic Cough: Persistent Symptoms and Seeking Solutions - Pulmonology

Chronic cough, persistent cough that does not resolve?

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Hello, Doctor: (The following content is a bit long; thank you for your patience!) This year, I have once again relapsed with my chronic issue: coughing.
I remember being frequently ill since the first grade of elementary school, sometimes with a common cold, sometimes just a cough without other symptoms, and at times, other cold symptoms would resolve, but the cough would persist.
I have visited many clinics and hospitals before finally recovering.
My childhood memories are vague, but during high school and college, I would start coughing every autumn and winter (I currently live abroad, which might be due to the colder climate compared to Taiwan? If I go out without a mask while coughing, breathing in the cold air feels like choking, leading to severe coughing).
Sometimes I also have other cold symptoms (like a runny nose), but most of the time, it’s just the cough, or the cough does not improve.

Since I now live abroad with my family, I have seen local doctors.
During high school, I coughed for a long time each year; once, I coughed for three months and missed school.
The cough was severe, causing dry heaving, and it felt like my insides were about to be coughed out.
My chest hurt from coughing, and I even coughed up blood, which led me to the emergency room.
The hospital suspected tuberculosis, but after extensive tests (including blood and urine tests), everything came back normal, and they could not identify the cause.
I don’t know why I cough incessantly; they only prescribed cough syrup and advised me to rest and drink plenty of water, but it didn’t help much (I have tried many over-the-counter and prescription medications, all containing Dextromethorphan HBr).
A teacher at school suspected I had whooping cough (because I was coughing for so long), and encouraged me to see a doctor, but the doctor also could not find the cause of the cough.

The most severe incident occurred one winter when I coughed to the point of chest tightness, pain, and difficulty breathing, accompanied by night sweats.
My pale complexion (the teacher said I looked like I was dying) led to a report to the school, and I was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
I was dehydrated and received IV fluids.
They also performed X-rays and various tests, but again, everything was normal, and the hospital could not explain my severe coughing.
They prescribed antibiotics, which were ineffective.

During high school and college, I consulted many doctors (including traditional Chinese medicine practitioners).
Some doctors suggested I might have allergic cough, while one said I had asthma (but I thought asthma was a condition that caused difficulty breathing and prevented vigorous exercise? I don’t recall having asthma as a child; is it possible to develop it later in life?).
One traditional Chinese medicine practitioner diagnosed me with chronic cough, while another said I had bronchitis.
I have taken the medications they prescribed, but they didn’t seem particularly effective.
I am unsure about the allergy medications; the doctor suggested I take over-the-counter medications long-term for a year, but I often forget to take them, so I’m uncertain about their effectiveness.
The doctor who mentioned asthma prescribed me an inhaler (I’m not sure what it’s called), but it didn’t seem to help much.
Regarding traditional Chinese medicine, I suspect I might be allergic to the herbal concoctions because I experienced very uncomfortable reactions after consuming them, such as dizziness, nausea, and chest tightness, so I stopped trying them.

Now that winter is approaching again, I have been coughing non-stop since the morning of November 3rd.
I have tried cold medications and cough syrups, as well as a throat lozenge called Troche 2mg that a friend gave me.
This lozenge seemed effective the first time I tried it, as I didn’t cough at all that night and slept soundly.
However, when I took it again the next day, it was completely ineffective, and my coughing worsened.
What started as a light cough has intensified, and I now feel my chest vibrating and aching.
I fear that, as in previous years, I will end up in severe pain, feeling like my lungs are about to burst.
Over the years, I have tried various home remedies, herbal treatments, and foods, but nothing has resolved my coughing issue.
Ultimately, I would cough for a long time and then, for reasons unknown, it would just get better.
I can cough for three to four months during seasonal changes, and this chronic cough has significantly impacted my life, causing me great distress!
Do you have any suggestions, Doctor? Should I see a pulmonologist here again? (I have previously only seen family doctors or gone to the emergency room.) Lastly, I would like to add that I do not smoke or drink alcohol, my family does not smoke, and we have no pets or stuffed animals at home (so I’m unsure if I have any allergies).
My parents do not have similar issues, so it shouldn’t be hereditary.
I also follow the dietary advice from a pediatrician I saw in first grade, avoiding spicy foods, fried foods, and ice products, and my family typically eats light meals, so I rarely consume greasy foods.
To this day, I still don’t understand why I am the only one in my family who is constantly coughing! I apologize for the many questions, as I am genuinely troubled, but I hope to receive your advice.
Thank you very much!

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P, 20~29 year old female. Ask Date: 2017/11/07