I've had many bouts before. I have asthma and obstruction. But this is the worst ever. All day, I cough consistently. At night, I cough almost continuously. I'm concerned that, at the least, this will hamper my recovery and at worst, may mean permanent damage.

Nothing is helping me: not my inhaler, not the breathing treatment I received in the ER, not the oral steroids (I know; in fact, I often warn about them since I was on them for more than three years due to an inaccurate Lupus diagnosis. I will take them, however, if my life is in jeopardy. And when you're coughing as violently as I am and are wheezing and struggling to breathe, it IS life threatening), not OTC and not codeine cough medicine, not antihistamines or decongestants.

I'm taking Zithromax.

I hope I won't need to see my pulmonologist.

I have a sleep disorder as it is, but I'm hardly sleeping with this going on. It's wearing thin. I've been in despair and depressed.

I don't know why nothing seems to help me. In the past, I have found relief with some of the above.

It may be slightly better tonight.

Has anyone had this problem, severe bronchitis that you first thought was pneumonia, bronchitis that doesn't seem to respond to treatment?

I'm at wit's end. I can't go on coughing like this.

My husband is sick, too, and hardly EVER coughs. Even he has bronchitis, though not nearly as severe. In fact, we were in beds next to each other in the ER!

So sorry you are feeling so bad. That stuff is nasty... no doubt.

I don't have any cure-all's up my sleeve.. only a couple of thoughts to share.

I am fading fast so this will be quick. Take it or leave it... and hopefully you will feel MUCH better either way.

1. Sleep sitting propped up.

2. Hot baths to let steam in... get sweating/toxins out.

3. Lay on a hard floor on your back. Place your two hands behind your head... fingers touching the skull just above where the neck meets the skull. Rest the weight of your head on your finger tips for a bit. Then slowly move your finger tips up a bit higher and hold that position. As you relax.. let the fingers move up again.. and a bit to the right.. then to the left... very slowly.

You are trying to relax the muscles covering your skull by a sort of massage method. This may help relieve the tightness and may allow the sinuses and "reflexes" to act better.

4. Place a WARM.. not HOT heating pad or sock filled with dried beans... on the top/back of your head for a minute or so. Massage the area underneath lightly when you remove the heat.

5. Lay on your back and use a WARM.. not hot... heating pad on your lower rib cage for a minute or two.. then move it to your upper chest.. just under your neck. Do NOT fall asleep with a heating pad on.. ever.

I know.. pretty lame suggestions.. but maybe something will make you feel a tad better?

I also find eating horseradish.. not straight.. I mix it in sourcream or ketsup and use it as a dip with veggies.. well.. it MIGHT help?

Hang in there.. ok?

Let us know how you are doing when you get up.

I appreciate these tips. I still cough sitting up. I have to try the other suggestions. I'm actually avoiding bed tonight because I figure: if I'm going to hack all night long, I may as well be doing something fun at the same time! I will get there eventually, though.

You said you're fading fast. Have you been spending too much time in the sun? It does cause fading. Okay, I'm getting goofy now.

putting a few drops of tea tree oil in a steam bath and inhaling the steam deeply several times at night

alternating moist faceclothes very hot and very cold (as hot as you can stand without burning yourself) laid across the sinuses (forehead and cheek/nose area); moist hot towel across the chest.

WASABI SAUCE! CLEAR them lungs!

So sorry you're not feeling well at all!

My little guy gets icky lungy type stuff, too. He's inevitably wheezy and such at the end of a cold...

And er doc once suggested that we keep a cool mist humidifier going in his bedroom each night.

We do and he gets sick MUCH less often now.

I have an AWFUL cold right now, that I fear is moving into my chest (which just hurts reading your post!).

The second I started sleeping with that cool mist humidifier (No, I did not steal my little man's humidifier! We have two, well, actually, three), I was so much more comfortable at night! As sick as I am, I slept thru the night. Now, I wasn't coughing last night, like I am now, but I'm bet it would make you a bit more comfy.

The er doc said that the cool mist humidifier helps keep the stuff in the lung moist and loose, thereby, easier to get up and out of there.

Well, I can't say enuf good stuff about that humidifier.

I hope this helps, and I hope you get some relief soon!

I'm sorry you are suffering now!

I appreciate the suggestion. As a matter of fact, it's so dry here because of our forced-air heat and frigid temps. I have a cool-mist humidifier, but I had to order a new filter for it. I got it today.

I always run it in the dining room because I'm worried about it making the bedroom too moist due to its size. I'd like to get a small one, too.

They ARE helpful, that's for sure!

I just have your run-of-the-mill CMH from WalMart.

Good luck!

Not sure if you are doing something for candida, if not... you may want to do something for it.

SF722 really helps my lungs sometimes.
Lyme affects my lungs very much, but sometimes if the candida is out of hand,
it really affects my breathing.

Nystatin helps my breathing very much too.

If you are on steroids and antibiotics, your yeast overgrowth may be sky high.

Yeast overgrowth near killed me several months ago while I was on the flagyl/biaxin.
I had to go off antibiotics to treat it.
I think? the reason I had such terrible yeast overgrowth back then was because of the probiotic I was taking, it was a very low dosage one. I since switched and much better. Maybe it was the combo antibiotics, too.

I am now on the Doxy, this antibiotic seems to get INTO my throat and lungs much more then the other antibiotics, it is a tough one though for me, the herxing, lots of throat herxing which is so scary.

I'm sure that yeast is complicating matters. Fortunately, I have only been taking ABX and steroids since Monday morning.

Once I stop the active Zithro (I know it works even after I stop taking the pills), I will begin with oregano oil and probiotics systemically.

I have taken IV Doxy. I understand the fear of throat Herxes, too. Sometimes, for instance, I get stabbing pains in my throat. Cranial-nerve involvement, apparently. The first couple of times, I thought I was choking on something.

oregano oil was not strong enough for me
to treat the candida after I had been on long term antibitoics.
I thought you had been on anitibiotics for a long time before.

I am taking something called Undecyn. It is by thorne Research, and was on it about 11 years ago... back then, it cured my asthma... but back then, I only had had lyme about 3 years.

I will post to you later if the undecyn helps my breathing... I am taking it while on Doxy, because got it for free and know the candida is not that great.

Undecyn is like the SF722 but has other ings in it. It is very very good, but must be taken for at least 3 months.

Just got over the flu and was told to take Mucinex (over the counter) phlem buster. not spelled right. Anyway, it helped a lot.

Also, I know if you gotta take asthma meds to breathe, it's hard to cut back, but they just made me very nuts and I have tried like crazy not to take them.

Mucinex is an expectorant. That's the ticket.

Feel better.

I think it's moving into a more dry, raspy cough now.

My twin sister who has lupus and scleroderma, I think she has lyme) has asthma attachs, big time hives and heavy duty bronchitis every winter. Her specialist said when the asthma and hives arrive (they seem to come at same time), instead of an inhaler (steroids) to have someone scratch your back for about 20 minutes. So far this winter the back scratching has helped.

As for the mold, she and her husband found out about a year ago, that there is asbestos insulation in the attach of their very old farm house (110 years). Her husband has been working on taking out this insulation for last 2 years, not knowing it was asbestos. Both she and husband have been using this area as a storage bin for years, lots of climbing in and out over the slanted ceiling and walls. The attic has been sealed off and waiting for government cleaners to come in and take it out properly.

In the meantime, the last time I was home visiting her, I bought her a heavy duty hepa filter, I have one and it is fantastic. I bought in 6 years ago, replaced big filter once and still going strong. I found it to be much better than a cold or hot humidifier. Also no feather pillows, wool blankets, down-filled quilts.

As for mold in trailer, hepa will probably help a lot. Along with all the great advice from Tincup and others, I give a massage to my 23 year old daughter who every winter gets severe ear, throat and sinus infections. She was seeing a massage therapist for about a year and she has taught me how to the massage, too expensive for a student to be able to afford. If you can afford it, see if you can get a massage, there are many different techniques, this technique works with the lymph nodes.

It's strange, I used to get the flu which was just straight coughing 24 hrs a day, it would start just like that and then stop about just like that about 6-7 weeks later. No antiobiotic or anything helped. This winter no cough so far, keep my fingers crossed. Well I sure have blathered on, but hope this helps.

Sending healing thoughts your way and keeping you in my prayers.

Corinne: I'm so sorry that your sister is in poor health. I'm very sorry that she and her husband have had asbestos exposure, too. I hope they will not suffer long-term effects.

I imagine a Hepa system for our home would be expensive, unfortunately. We're of very limited income (and high debt!). It's a wonderful idea.

I appreciate all of your tips! And I hope your cough doesn't return. It is the weirdest thing. We're supposed to go away for the weekend in February, and I hope I'm not still hacking! (We got a free vacation, and we had to reschedule once already. We want to enjoy this. It's rare that we can have a pleasure trip.)

Beverly: Thanks for those healing thoughts and prayers! They are much appreciated. And hugs to you, too!