# 4 Year Chronic Cough?



## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

I found out about a year ago I was slightly Hypothryoid. I had this bloodwork done because I wanted to check and see if my iron was low (can cause a cough) but it wasn't.

The one 'thyroid' number on my bloodwork was 5.9 and my general doctor wanted to prescribe me 100mcg generic Synthorid. After a second opinion, I decided not to take any medication until about a year later, my tiredness/fatigue, sex drive, mood, hair shedding, etc got much worse. When I got my bloodwork back in November, the number went up to 7.9, which apparently means it is producing less than before. This time, he prescribed me 50mcg of generic synthorid and I have been taking it every day an hour before I eat breakfast since November 10th.

But here's the tricky bit, I have had a chronic cough for four years which 8 doctors have failed to find any relief, treatment, or diagnosis. I have had a brohncoscopy, chest x-ray, chest CT, breathing tests, athsma/methacholine challenge test, sleep apnea tests, and have even seen an infectious disease specialist... none of which has even given me any relief. I've tried treatment for post nasal drip, acid reflux, everything almost...

Now, a friend tells me that a colleague of hers had a chronic cough with a thyroid tumor/nodule.

*Does anyone here have any insight into my situation?*
I plan on getting my "levels" checked again this month to see how the 50mcg is doing and I would like to ask for a referral to a thyroid specialist. My general doctor basically told me I would, "have to live with it [my cough]," which really made me angry.

Thank you so much. 

-Liberty

EDIT:
Also, I'm a 20 year old female, generally healthy otherwise.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Interesting. I suggest asking your doctor for a thyroid ultrasound. If your thyroid is enlarged and/or has a nodule, it can make your neck feel "crowded" and could make you feel the urge to cough or clear your throat.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Yes; you do need an ultra-sound of your thyroid as per Octavia!

Welcome to the board!


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## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

I had an enlarged thyroid with some fairly big nodules and also developed a chronic dry cough for many months. I ended up needing a thyroidectomy for a lot of reasons, but post-surgery, my dry cough stopped completely...so it's possible it's a nodule or something causing your cough. I agree with Octavia and Andros about the ultrasound. At least you'll know one way or the other.


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

Thanks everyone.

Do you think I would be able to feel the(se) nodule(s)?
I did an at home experiment where I swallowed water in a mirror, but that didn't work (probably because I have a fat/short neck). Haha.

Anyway, I've tried feeling my thyroid with my hands for any lumps, but I don't feel anything that seems odd, just the middle wind pipe part, and then the muscles to either side.

Thanks again.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You can't always feel the nodules. And even if you could, sometimes its really hard to notice them because they are so slow growing. You'll really need an ultrasound.


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

Thanks; I ask about an ultrasound when I discuss my next bloodwork, which I plan on getting in the next couple weeks.

Also want to point out that my family history is my Aunt (64), Grandma (85), and Grandpa (88) all take synthetic thyroid medication, but I don't know about my mom's side of the family because they never go to the doctor and I don't really talk to them because they're crazy. Haha.

I don't know if that puts me in any kind of higher risk or not.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Not always. Sometimes the goiter/nodules take the path of least resistance and can develop inward rather than outward.

Let us know when your ultra-sound is scheduled!

Hugs,


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

I got my blood taken yesterday. Apparently my Thyroid is "fine" (when taking the 50mcg) but that my cholesterol is a little high.
I'm not sure what to make of this. I have a decent diet and limit my processed foods to almost nonexistent.

I really--really wanted my thyroid to be off because I've felt terrible lately... (which would mean I could be fixed by a higher dose), but that's not the case.
Fatigued, weary, just so tired all of the time. Sleeping for 12 hours straight at a time.
Bones/joints aching. Still coughing like a dog barks. (Though never smoked anything a day in my life).
I'm just so frustrated with this. I'm not sure now if I need to see a thyroid specialist or not since my thyroid is "fine" but he only goes by one number, when a friend of mine says thyroid should be determined by multiple numbers on a blood lab sheet.
I don't know what to do or how to feel better.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Never, ever accept "fine" or "normal." Insist on seeing those results!


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## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

Fatigue and aching joints could be a Vitamin D deficiency. Have you ever had an antibodies test for any type of autoimmune issue? Just some guesses here.


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

No, I've never had any tests like that. Just overall general blood tests.

Today, I woke up from a 12 hour sleep. Drove an hour to school, drove back, went to one store for dog food, went to another for groceries, and came home. By the time I was putting away my groceries and trying to make myself something to eat, I was so exhausted I had to sit down--right there--on the floor. It's been four hours and I still feel just as weary.
It's like when you first wake up and try to open a bottle, but you realize you can't because you just woke up and you're really weak--but it's like that all over my whole body. It comes and goes, but has been particularly bad today. It' never goes away enough to be productive at home.

I work standing up cooking in a restaurant three days a week for 6 hours at a time... and it takes me those four days I have off just to recover. I feel like it's all I can do to watch television or do a little homework.

I feel just like I did before I started taking the 50mcg of Levothyroxine.

A friend tells me I should switch from Levothyroxine to Synthorid because Levo can be inconsistent and not as good?
She also tells me her doctor tests her thyroid on multiple numbers on a blood test, but my blood test only had one number my doctor refers to.
Another thing she said was that four-five months may not be long enough for my medication to kick in and help me, despite my levels showing I'm at "normal/fine."


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

joplin1975 said:


> Never, ever accept "fine" or "normal." Insist on seeing those results!


I'm sure I will see them Monday on my appointment. This was just a phone call from the nurse. But the doctor wanted to see me because apparently my cholesterol was still high. (Due to Hypo).


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

I'm back from my ultrasound...

The technician said, "well, you have a perfect little tiny thyroid! It's really tiny. That's really good. I wish mine was that tiny."

So, I have no nodules and that is not causing my cough.

***
I've been taking 50mcg since November 10th and my thyroid level shows perfect: when do I start to feel better, (not talking about the cough)?
I still have no energy to even to the dishes, let alone anything else. I'm fatigued all of the time and any time I am not in my bed, I'm wishing I was in bed. I can't believe how weak and weary I feel. I didn't feel like this a year or so ago--I felt fine then.
Is there anything I can do to feel better?

Thanks.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

Hi Liberty,

Hypothyroidism and under-treated hypothyroidism can cause pleural effusion, collection of fluid around the lungs, and/or pericardial effusion, collection of fluid around the heart. I had the later. The fluid contains mucin or mucous. One of my primary symptoms was a persistent cough. It was annoying and I ignored it for only so long before it really affected every part of my life. Other symptoms started to plague me as well. My pericardial effusion was due to being under-treated for hypothyroidism.

Not only that, the actually clinical signs, ones that an x-ray or other tests could see didn't show up until I was quite ill. The x-ray showed a slightly enlarged heart that the ER doctor told me was due to hypothyroidism and being under-treated. He was almost deadly wrong. One of many misdiagnoses and one of 11 ER visits before getting a proper diagnosis.

I'll never forget how awful I felt while under-treated for hypothyroidism. Sounds just like your situation. Just a single outing to the doctor's office left me completely exhausted. When it was the worst, I couldn't go more than ten feet without having to stop and catch my breath. Of course I had both the pericarditis and the under-treated hypothyroidism together. All I could do was sit around the house or lie in bed.


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

Thank you for the information.
How could I be under-treated if my thyroid level on my blood work is fine while taking my synthetic thyroid medication (levothyroixine?)
I don't feel fine, but my lab work says my level is normal for my thyroid.

As of quickly studying Pericardial Effusion on MayoClinic's website, the only symptom I have is cough and the hypothyroidism. How do you tell if your hypothyroid is under-treated if your levels are fine on the blood work?
I'm a little confused.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

Liberty said:


> Thank you for the information.
> How could I be under-treated if my thyroid level on my blood work is fine while taking my synthetic thyroid medication (levothyroixine?)
> I don't feel fine, but my lab work says my level is normal for my thyroid.
> 
> ...


Hi Liberty,

I got the pericarditis and pericardial effusion after getting treatment for hypothyroidism. However, I had the hypothyroid symptoms well before I was ever diagnosed with it, and my test results proved that. I kept the copies. In 1998, my TSH was 4.6 (top of the range 5.74). My endocrinologist said I should've been treated for hypoT. My treatment didn't start until 2003!

For me, it was the long standing symptoms being untreated and then later under-treated hypothyroidism which caused my pericarditis and pericardial effusion.

I was reading online yesterday that for those with hypothyroidism the pericardial effusion is filled a cholesterol like substance.

I had myxedema by the time I got diagnosed and the mucous substances which accumulate with that also can fill the space between the pericardial sac and the heart.

A pleural effusion is also caused by the same two things, cholesterol or mucous.

I had the cough on and off since 1998 until I was treated for pericarditis and pericardial effusion in 2007. Then later chest pain which radiated to strange places including collar bone and left scapula and down my sternum. My abdomen was swollen.

Doctors assumed I had sleep apnea because of the symptoms I described and my cough.

You said your TSH was "just fine." What exactly is the test result and the range? Most doctors call "just fine" in the middle of the range.

Just about where mine is right now would be called "fine" by some unknowledgeable doctors. And I feel like crap. I'm glad I've got a long hallway in my house. I use the walls to balance myself or I'll fall over from my full range of horrible symptoms. Nope, I'm not fine at 2.88!

I've heard "it's fine" way too often. I always obtain a copy of my lab tests and I keep a record of them.


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## Liberty (Mar 8, 2015)

Thanks for the information. When I got my bloodwork done a month or so ago, my TSH was at 0.57 while taking 50mcg of Synthroid daily.

I'm *still* experiencing Hypothyroid symptoms after taking the medicine daily since November (5 months). I had blood taken again four days ago, but I haven't gotten the results back yet. Hopefully this doctor checked T3, other hormones, etc. She didn't act like there was anything she could do for my fatigue, tiredness, moodiness, soreness, aches, depressive fits, or heart... (My BP is fine when they check it, but I have low fits where I'm dizzy, heartbeat is heavy/sluggish feeling, faint, etc.)

I'm disapointed with both doctors I've seen who act like I'm making this up.
I do not feel well and I'm tired of doctors who act like they don't care.


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## aliciahere (Apr 16, 2015)

I would suggest to make sure you get full blood work for your thyroid. Especially Free t3, free t4, anti-tpo. Specifically ask your Dr. For them.I would also suggest looking into celiac disease. It is also a blood test. It doesn't always manifest in gut issues, and would explain your symptoms including your cough.


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