Mild persistent cough

JGE
JGE Member Posts: 51
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am 18 months out of treatment for Squamous base of tongue. For the last couple months I have had a little annoying cough that just feels like a little tickle in my throat. Not a wet cough. I had a cold/flu that was pretty bad and seemed to start it off though it may have been completly unrelated. I always look for simple explainations first.

Anyway, anyone else have a mild cough? Anyone find out it was something more serious? I do have a PET scan coming up so that is good. But I am starting to get pretty worried about this cough.

Seems worry just goes with this thing!

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    As you state, worrying comes
    As you state, worrying comes with the territory, but it is similar to the old saying that "it ain't paranoia if they're really after you".

    Regrettably, I have some experience in this area, as I complained of a persistent -- but mild -- cough when I visited my family doc about a year and a half after my surgery and treatment. I had been receiving the customary three-month scans without any alarms raised, but when I offered that I should not be coughing since I hadn't smoked in all of that time either, my doc scheduled an out-of-sequence scan.
    Ultimately, I had a lobectomy in January of 2008. It was still small enough that they could not determine whether this cancer in the lung was new growth or metastasis, but they bet on new (else they would not have done the lobectomy). It was large enough, though, to be positively identified as more SCC.

    I do not mean to alarm you (I am now NED, by the way, No Evidence of Disease). This is simply meant to advise that when you have concerns, take them to your doctors and require assurances, either through trusted explanations or tests such as scans, that nothing is growing where it is not supposed to be growing. Since you have a PET scan scheduled for the near future, perhaps they can extend its scope if it is not currently designed for examination of your lungs.

    I wish you the best.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
    Hi JGE

    I am about 5 years out of treatment and still have a little nagging dry cough at night; I am not sure as to why believe it mostly to be caused by the dryness. If it worries you call your ENT and let him take a look, also try some Moisturizing sprays at night and see if it helps. The two I use are biotene Moisturizing Mouth Spray that you can get at Walgreens and Stoppers 4 that I get on line at www.drugstore.com

    All the best to you my friend
  • JGE
    JGE Member Posts: 51
    #4
    Hondo said:

    Hi JGE

    I am about 5 years out of treatment and still have a little nagging dry cough at night; I am not sure as to why believe it mostly to be caused by the dryness. If it worries you call your ENT and let him take a look, also try some Moisturizing sprays at night and see if it helps. The two I use are biotene Moisturizing Mouth Spray that you can get at Walgreens and Stoppers 4 that I get on line at www.drugstore.com

    All the best to you my friend

    One for and one against
    Well I certainly hope mine is the "dryness" and not the 2nd primary! My last scan was last July. I was scheduled for a scan in June but asked the doctor to move it up to this week because of my concerns. He doesnt seem worried but cant explain the cough since everything looks good otherwise. The doctors always spend a fair amount of time looking down my throat and feeling all over me.

    Thanks guys for your input.

    Anyone else have squamous go to lung after treatment?
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
    JGE said:

    One for and one against
    Well I certainly hope mine is the "dryness" and not the 2nd primary! My last scan was last July. I was scheduled for a scan in June but asked the doctor to move it up to this week because of my concerns. He doesnt seem worried but cant explain the cough since everything looks good otherwise. The doctors always spend a fair amount of time looking down my throat and feeling all over me.

    Thanks guys for your input.

    Anyone else have squamous go to lung after treatment?

    Good Advice from Joe
    Joe offers very good advice and insight.... I also recommend as you have stated, have your ENT thoroughly scope your throat and areas of concern, he is one of your most important professionals.

    Good Luck & God Bless
    John
  • ballonk
    ballonk Member Posts: 39
    #6
    Nagging Cough
    Hi JGE: I had a nagging cough for 4 years following the end of my radiation treatments. I complained about it but my doctors could find nothing wrong. My RO said he thought it was sinus trouble.

    After 4 years, I had to find a new internist because my old one had moved. I mentioned it to the new internist and she reviewed the meds I was taking. As soon as she saw the blood pressure med I was taking, she said that she thought that was the culprit. I was taking "Enalapril" - an ACE-inhibitor and she switched me to "Norvasc" - a calcium channel blocker. She said a cough is a common side affect of ACE-inhibitors. Once I switched, the cough went away. And my quality of life greatly improved because I was able to sleep better at night.

    I do have a mild cough when I wake up in the morning but it clears up after I have my coffee. After my chest xray last year my RO said the xray was clear except for a small amount of scar tissue from the effects of the radiation.

    I'm glad you'll have another PET soon and I pray you'll get relief from your cough soon.

    Kathy
  • JGE
    JGE Member Posts: 51
    #7
    ballonk said:

    Nagging Cough
    Hi JGE: I had a nagging cough for 4 years following the end of my radiation treatments. I complained about it but my doctors could find nothing wrong. My RO said he thought it was sinus trouble.

    After 4 years, I had to find a new internist because my old one had moved. I mentioned it to the new internist and she reviewed the meds I was taking. As soon as she saw the blood pressure med I was taking, she said that she thought that was the culprit. I was taking "Enalapril" - an ACE-inhibitor and she switched me to "Norvasc" - a calcium channel blocker. She said a cough is a common side affect of ACE-inhibitors. Once I switched, the cough went away. And my quality of life greatly improved because I was able to sleep better at night.

    I do have a mild cough when I wake up in the morning but it clears up after I have my coffee. After my chest xray last year my RO said the xray was clear except for a small amount of scar tissue from the effects of the radiation.

    I'm glad you'll have another PET soon and I pray you'll get relief from your cough soon.

    Kathy

    Thanks!
    Thank you everyone for your comments. PET scan came back all clear from head to thighs! No trace of uptake or cancer in my body as of now. 1 1/2 years from treatment and going for 40 more years!!

    All you newbies... do what your doctor says and in less than 6 months you will be moving on with your life. Of course there are exceptions and there are adjustments but the changes are tolerable and manageable and you WILL get to be yourself again!!!

    Whatever you do, never lose HOPE!!
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #8
    JGE said:

    Thanks!
    Thank you everyone for your comments. PET scan came back all clear from head to thighs! No trace of uptake or cancer in my body as of now. 1 1/2 years from treatment and going for 40 more years!!

    All you newbies... do what your doctor says and in less than 6 months you will be moving on with your life. Of course there are exceptions and there are adjustments but the changes are tolerable and manageable and you WILL get to be yourself again!!!

    Whatever you do, never lose HOPE!!

    Now I'm Tickled
    JGE,

    Woo Hoo! Excellent news - glad the wait is over.

    Was feeling bad when I got in today, laid down for 1/2 hour, got up feeling no better, and now cold, and was greeted with gossip about hypochondriac relative. Logged in to CSN, and a few minutes later, I'm reading "PET scan came back all clear.". Thank you for sharing your good news - I needed it. Keep it up.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #9
    JGE said:

    Thanks!
    Thank you everyone for your comments. PET scan came back all clear from head to thighs! No trace of uptake or cancer in my body as of now. 1 1/2 years from treatment and going for 40 more years!!

    All you newbies... do what your doctor says and in less than 6 months you will be moving on with your life. Of course there are exceptions and there are adjustments but the changes are tolerable and manageable and you WILL get to be yourself again!!!

    Whatever you do, never lose HOPE!!

    Congratulation


    Glad to hear you have a clean report, don’t worry just be happy

    You are so right never lose hope.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    JGE said:

    Thanks!
    Thank you everyone for your comments. PET scan came back all clear from head to thighs! No trace of uptake or cancer in my body as of now. 1 1/2 years from treatment and going for 40 more years!!

    All you newbies... do what your doctor says and in less than 6 months you will be moving on with your life. Of course there are exceptions and there are adjustments but the changes are tolerable and manageable and you WILL get to be yourself again!!!

    Whatever you do, never lose HOPE!!

    Great News and Follow-Up
    Glad to hear your news was good.... I have a PET scheduled for August.

    Like Joe said, it seems everything becomes a concern once you have been on this horse. Little aches and pains in my mouth, throat and chest that once I'd never think twice about, letting them go away on their own, is now always a concern.

    It's good to be proactive and like I said, now I'm very aware of any little aches and pains out of the norm.

    Continued Good Scans for you and all of us,
    John
  • thegirlfriend
    thegirlfriend Member Posts: 142
    #11
    Skiffin16 said:

    Great News and Follow-Up
    Glad to hear your news was good.... I have a PET scheduled for August.

    Like Joe said, it seems everything becomes a concern once you have been on this horse. Little aches and pains in my mouth, throat and chest that once I'd never think twice about, letting them go away on their own, is now always a concern.

    It's good to be proactive and like I said, now I'm very aware of any little aches and pains out of the norm.

    Continued Good Scans for you and all of us,
    John

    Happy Day!! all clear for
    Happy Day!! all clear for you!!
  • JGE
    JGE Member Posts: 51
    #12
    Skiffin16 said:

    Great News and Follow-Up
    Glad to hear your news was good.... I have a PET scheduled for August.

    Like Joe said, it seems everything becomes a concern once you have been on this horse. Little aches and pains in my mouth, throat and chest that once I'd never think twice about, letting them go away on their own, is now always a concern.

    It's good to be proactive and like I said, now I'm very aware of any little aches and pains out of the norm.

    Continued Good Scans for you and all of us,
    John

    Thanks everyone!
    That is why I posted my follow-up. Sometimes on the blogs you dont get to hear any updates on people. We come on here when we have issues or concerns but then if they are resolved favorably we don't get to hear that. I personally LOVE and NEED to hear peoples good news sometimes.

    Probably won't be scanned again for at least a year so I am going to try and get as much mileage as possible out of this scan before the doubt and worry starts to set back in.

    I hope the same results for everyone!!!

Discussion Boards