Being sick sucks!
Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Being sick sucks!
I haven't been on the forum much lately. I still check the "alcoholism" and "12 step" forums daily but I've been pretty low energy lately. Just before Thanksgiving I had what I thought was bronchitis, but I didn't have a fever and my GP treated it as asthmatic bronchitis (i've never had asthma in my life). I took a round of antibiotics, prednisone and cough syrup and it cleared up in about a week.
Two weeks ago the symptoms started to come back, and they have gotten worse than last time so I just saw my doctor today. Same diagnosis...perfect vital signs, temp is normal, o2 is a little low for me (94 instead of 98). Don't know what's causing it yet but my GP put me on the same regimen of meds plus he added an albuterol inhaler and said if it comes back again it's off to see the pulmonologist.
This is how I feel:
But my sobriety is strongly intact as I am sneaking up on 7 years!
Two weeks ago the symptoms started to come back, and they have gotten worse than last time so I just saw my doctor today. Same diagnosis...perfect vital signs, temp is normal, o2 is a little low for me (94 instead of 98). Don't know what's causing it yet but my GP put me on the same regimen of meds plus he added an albuterol inhaler and said if it comes back again it's off to see the pulmonologist.
This is how I feel:
But my sobriety is strongly intact as I am sneaking up on 7 years!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
Congrats on 7 years, grunge. Probably not too uncommon to have two URI’s in 2-3 months, but it still sucks anyway.
Do you have a pressure cooker? I love taking hot bone broth with an absurd amount of garlic cloves, onion, turmeric, black mushroom, then other veggies just cooked deep into it, then sip on it all day when I am sick. It’s soothing and it seems to make a difference.. Avoid sugar and processed foods, take vitamin C, get way more sleep than you think you need, avoid stress, get enough protein. Build that immune system back up.
Self care time. I hope you have enough time for that, and work allows you some time to rest.
Do you have a pressure cooker? I love taking hot bone broth with an absurd amount of garlic cloves, onion, turmeric, black mushroom, then other veggies just cooked deep into it, then sip on it all day when I am sick. It’s soothing and it seems to make a difference.. Avoid sugar and processed foods, take vitamin C, get way more sleep than you think you need, avoid stress, get enough protein. Build that immune system back up.
Self care time. I hope you have enough time for that, and work allows you some time to rest.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,238
When I first saw your title, I emmediately thought
and agreed that being sick does suck, but what kind
of sick is he talking about. Addiction sick? Because
that is a sickness that affects many and is serious
and is treatable.
I also thought before clicking to read your
post, oh no, did he return to his addiction.
So, when I read your post, I felt a sense of relief
and was glad to read that it wasn't a return back
to old habits that often lead back to addiction.
Being sick otherwise does suck. It doesn't make
us feel good for sure. I am happy that you followed
thru and went to see your doctor and with their
help, you can be on the road to recovery fast or
find out what it is that is keeping you sick still and
work thru that to heal once again quickly.
There are many who disappear for sometime to
return to us to report that they have gone back
to their addiction for different reasons with one
basically being that they let go of their recovery
support or lifelines and got complacent and thus
returning back to their addiction.
Thank you for being responsible in your own
recovery and that even tho you are not feeling
good, you didnt reach for alcohol or other vices
that would keep really sick.
So glad you came here share with us how you
are doing otherwise with 7 yrs sobriety.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
and agreed that being sick does suck, but what kind
of sick is he talking about. Addiction sick? Because
that is a sickness that affects many and is serious
and is treatable.
I also thought before clicking to read your
post, oh no, did he return to his addiction.
So, when I read your post, I felt a sense of relief
and was glad to read that it wasn't a return back
to old habits that often lead back to addiction.
Being sick otherwise does suck. It doesn't make
us feel good for sure. I am happy that you followed
thru and went to see your doctor and with their
help, you can be on the road to recovery fast or
find out what it is that is keeping you sick still and
work thru that to heal once again quickly.
There are many who disappear for sometime to
return to us to report that they have gone back
to their addiction for different reasons with one
basically being that they let go of their recovery
support or lifelines and got complacent and thus
returning back to their addiction.
Thank you for being responsible in your own
recovery and that even tho you are not feeling
good, you didnt reach for alcohol or other vices
that would keep really sick.
So glad you came here share with us how you
are doing otherwise with 7 yrs sobriety.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Sorry you aren't feeling well Grungehead, hope that they can track down the source and that it gets better soon. Congrats on your upcoming 7 years, I rounded that corner not long ago myself. I think back to how much sicker I would have been if i would have been drinking sometimes and it maybe makes being ill a little more tolerable.
Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Originally Posted by Stayingsassy 
Congrats on 7 years, grunge. Probably not too uncommon to have two URI’s in 2-3 months, but it still sucks anyway.
Do you have a pressure cooker? I love taking hot bone broth with an absurd amount of garlic cloves, onion, turmeric, black mushroom, then other veggies just cooked deep into it, then sip on it all day when I am sick. It’s soothing and it seems to make a difference.. Avoid sugar and processed foods, take vitamin C, get way more sleep than you think you need, avoid stress, get enough protein. Build that immune system back up.
Self care time. I hope you have enough time for that, and work allows you some time to rest.
Do you have a pressure cooker? I love taking hot bone broth with an absurd amount of garlic cloves, onion, turmeric, black mushroom, then other veggies just cooked deep into it, then sip on it all day when I am sick. It’s soothing and it seems to make a difference.. Avoid sugar and processed foods, take vitamin C, get way more sleep than you think you need, avoid stress, get enough protein. Build that immune system back up.
Self care time. I hope you have enough time for that, and work allows you some time to rest.
Well we know it's not bacterial as my GP has done WBC panel and it's normal, plus I have no fever and my vitals are all good, so probably not cardiac related either. I do have GERD and I have had more flareups lately since Zantac (and it's generics) were taken off the market. I have yet to find anything else on the market (at least at that price point) that is as effective for me. Sometimes people just develop adult onset asthma out of the blue, but my suspicion is that it is allergy related...I just haven't tied down the source yet. It always starts with constant post nasal drip, then develops into a dry nagging cough and eventually bronchitis like symptoms. The post nasal drip seems impervious to all of the sinus/allergy combinations I have tried so far, and I've tried a bunch.
Thanks for all the well wishes everyone. Taking a drink to soothe my misery hasn't crossed my mind. It's taken many years but I finally came to the realization when I got sober this time that the "cure" (alcohol) has been and ALWAYS will be worse than any problem I could ever face.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
This is kind of verboten here to give this kind of advice but a lot of what you’re experiencing might be tied to something you’re eating. Consider an elimination diet: it can’t hurt (although it’s hard giving up food we like even for a little while) and it might help, sometimes what we are eating causes allergy like symptoms and worsens infections, especially if it’s a lot of grains and sugars. If your post nasal drip is constant, something in your residence (mold, dust) your clothes (detergent) your soap, or your food might be activating a histamine reaction. More than one item might be causing the problem so if you isolate one, your body is able to handle just the one better....like in spring, when the grasses get you, if you eat in a way that doesn’t trigger it, you can have much less symptoms than if you eat allergic things at the height of pollen season, it’s like one can kick off the other.
Anyway....I’m not giving medical advice, I swear.
Take care grunge and make the broth, you won’t regret it. 20 cloves of garlic!!
Anyway....I’m not giving medical advice, I swear.
Take care grunge and make the broth, you won’t regret it. 20 cloves of garlic!!
sober style
Join Date: May 2016
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 2,387
Hahaha being sick does suck, very succinct way to put it. Get well soon, Grungehead! I had brutal asthma as a kid but thankfully don't have to deal with it that much these days. Still have the old albuterol inhaler around here somewhere I'm sure. Breathing problems can be incredibly frustrating, that's for sure.
Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Well I made a rookie mistake. I picked up my prescriptions at Walmart around 8:45PM (right before they close) and then did some grocery shopping. I got home and put up the groceries and cooked something to eat so I would have food in my stomach before taking the Prednisone and Augmentin. By the time I took the Prenisone it was after 11PM plus I took my first hits off of the Albuterol inhaler. I didn't really think that through too well as I am typing this at 6:00AM and I'm WIDE AWAKE!!!
: 
: 
: : Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Originally Posted by Stayingsassy
This is kind of verboten here to give this kind of advice but a lot of what you’re experiencing might be tied to something you’re eating. Consider an elimination diet: it can’t hurt (although it’s hard giving up food we like even for a little while) and it might help, sometimes what we are eating causes allergy like symptoms and worsens infections, especially if it’s a lot of grains and sugars. If your post nasal drip is constant, something in your residence (mold, dust) your clothes (detergent) your soap, or your food might be activating a histamine reaction. More than one item might be causing the problem so if you isolate one, your body is able to handle just the one better....like in spring, when the grasses get you, if you eat in a way that doesn’t trigger it, you can have much less symptoms than if you eat allergic things at the height of pollen season, it’s like one can kick off the other.
Anyway....I’m not giving medical advice, I swear.
Take care grunge and make the broth, you won’t regret it. 20 cloves of garlic!!
Anyway....I’m not giving medical advice, I swear.
Take care grunge and make the broth, you won’t regret it. 20 cloves of garlic!!
Do you recommend any store brands of bone broth? I do have a crock pot but not a pressure cooker. I'm thinking about ordering some bone broth from Amazon and then adding the other ingredients you suggested to it.As to figuring out the asthma mystery I didn't think about the food angle, although as a single guy who lives alone...but does most of his own cooking...my diet doesn't change a whole lot. I thought about the dust possibility (google dust mites if you want to get grossed out), but I did a major clean up of my house and changed all the HVAC filters after the first bout in November (while I was in the early phase of that prednisone taper
). I guess mold in the HVAC system is a possibility as it's an old system (coils were replaced but old ductwork). Although it seems weird that the problem would crop up during the cooler, dryer months here. There is no visible mold anywhere in the house (house was extensively remodeled right before I bought it).I keep coming back to my issues with GERD (acid reflux). Ranitidine (Zantac) worked great for me and I rarely if ever had any flare ups while on it. Oddly enough it was recalled early in the fall of last year (unacceptable levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine) and I ran out of it a few weeks before my first episode of asthma in mid November. My acid reflux started flaring up shortly after I switched to a different H2 blocker which didn't work well for me (Pepcid). So I switched to a PPI (Prilosec) but it gave me some unwanted side effects, so right now I'm basically using Tums. It works fine short-term but doesn't help much overnight unless I wake up and take some more. Another thing I've noticed is that when I have a bad coughing episode I can taste/feel the acid reflux even more. Recently when I was researching what could cause adult onset asthma GERD/acid reflux showed a strong correlation. Acid reflux can trigger a protective nerve that causes the airways to tighten up to prevent acid from entering the lungs. The only thing about the GERD angle is that it doesn't explain the postnasal drip that seems to kick everything off.
I will take your advice and try the elimination diet, but I'll have to wait until my course of Prednisone is over as I imagine it will mask any changes I might see.
*This message was brought to you in part by Prednisone 60mg.
Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Originally Posted by Grungehead
The only thing about the GERD angle is that it doesn't explain the postnasal drip that seems to kick everything off.
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
In adults and children, irritating acidic juices may back up from the stomach into the esophagus (swallowing passage) and throat. This is frequently called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. This condition may occur at any time, but it happens more often when you are laying down. A common anatomic condition known as a hiatal hernia predisposes people to acid reflux. The most commonly recognized symptom of acid reflux is “heartburn" due to irritation of the lining of the esophagus.
Most people do not know that acid reflux can also cause voice problems or symptoms in the pharynx (back of throat). This can happen to someone even if they are not aware of any heartburn and is sometimes called silent reflux, atypical reflux or laryngopharyngeal reflux.
The following information is intended to help you understand acid reflux and the steps you may take to reduce this problem. It is important to realize, however, that the healing of the irritated vocal folds, throat, or esophagus will take time, and you should not expect immediate results.
Symptoms in Adults
Symptoms of acid reflux may include:
Hoarseness
Excessive mucous or phlegm
Throat clearing
A sensation of a lump in the throat
Sore throat
Choking spells
Wheezing
A sense of post-nasal drip
In adults and children, irritating acidic juices may back up from the stomach into the esophagus (swallowing passage) and throat. This is frequently called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. This condition may occur at any time, but it happens more often when you are laying down. A common anatomic condition known as a hiatal hernia predisposes people to acid reflux. The most commonly recognized symptom of acid reflux is “heartburn" due to irritation of the lining of the esophagus.
Most people do not know that acid reflux can also cause voice problems or symptoms in the pharynx (back of throat). This can happen to someone even if they are not aware of any heartburn and is sometimes called silent reflux, atypical reflux or laryngopharyngeal reflux.
The following information is intended to help you understand acid reflux and the steps you may take to reduce this problem. It is important to realize, however, that the healing of the irritated vocal folds, throat, or esophagus will take time, and you should not expect immediate results.
Symptoms in Adults
Symptoms of acid reflux may include:
Hoarseness
Excessive mucous or phlegm
Throat clearing
A sensation of a lump in the throat
Sore throat
Choking spells
Wheezing
A sense of post-nasal drip
https://www.uofmhealth.org/condition...ryngeal-reflux
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
I’ve had this issue on and off through my life. gerd + postnasal drip, though not the asthma or breathing trouble although it can all be connected.
Do you have gerd more after you eat? At nighttime? When is your last meal, and do you eat a lot at night? Sometimes changing your meal patterns, avoiding food 4-5 hours before bed, or inserting some fasting periods 4-8 hours long in the day can help. When I had gerd, what I ate or drank made a huge difference. If I ate a sandwich, I suffered all afternoon with it. If i ate a salad, nothing. So mine was related to types of food, but its not necessarily that. Even now if I drink coffee with milk in it, I have gerd all day long, literally eight hours of it it’s awful. But if I drink coffee with oat or almond milk, I am fine. So mine is gluten and dairy, two of the best things ever of course ☺️ And whiskey!! I used to get it after sipping whiskey, had to shoot maalox with the whiskey. Do you smoke? That can be a direct cause.
My thinking is gerd is lifestyle related, most of the time. Yours may not be, but it’s worth figuring out what might be making it worse.
I had a period where I had PND and it made me cough all the time and that worsened the Gerd from the pressure of coughing, too.
So if you’ll be awake a lot from steroids ☺️ You can come up with a plan!! Haha I tell people all the time to avoid their steroids before bed but looks like I’d be preaching to the choir here.
Hope the prednisone is helping your breathe better.
Do you have gerd more after you eat? At nighttime? When is your last meal, and do you eat a lot at night? Sometimes changing your meal patterns, avoiding food 4-5 hours before bed, or inserting some fasting periods 4-8 hours long in the day can help. When I had gerd, what I ate or drank made a huge difference. If I ate a sandwich, I suffered all afternoon with it. If i ate a salad, nothing. So mine was related to types of food, but its not necessarily that. Even now if I drink coffee with milk in it, I have gerd all day long, literally eight hours of it it’s awful. But if I drink coffee with oat or almond milk, I am fine. So mine is gluten and dairy, two of the best things ever of course ☺️ And whiskey!! I used to get it after sipping whiskey, had to shoot maalox with the whiskey. Do you smoke? That can be a direct cause.
My thinking is gerd is lifestyle related, most of the time. Yours may not be, but it’s worth figuring out what might be making it worse.
I had a period where I had PND and it made me cough all the time and that worsened the Gerd from the pressure of coughing, too.
So if you’ll be awake a lot from steroids ☺️ You can come up with a plan!! Haha I tell people all the time to avoid their steroids before bed but looks like I’d be preaching to the choir here.
Hope the prednisone is helping your breathe better.
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,906
Grunge, I hope you feel better soon! I used to get asthmatic bronchitis 3-4 times a year. As I've gotten older, it's happened less and less.
I used to be on a medication that beat the pi$$ out of my immune system and the dr was able to narrow it down to that. So I dropped it and I've not had the same issues I did before. You might ask about that.
Anyway, garlic, vitamin C and zinc are my staples. feel better soon!
I used to be on a medication that beat the pi$$ out of my immune system and the dr was able to narrow it down to that. So I dropped it and I've not had the same issues I did before. You might ask about that.
Anyway, garlic, vitamin C and zinc are my staples. feel better soon!
Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
Just a quick follow-up to the "saga". After finishing my round of antibiotics and steroids I felt much better, but within a couple of weeks the postnasal drip and constant dry cough was back. At the suggestion of my sister I bought an air purifier to see if that might help. Within 24 hours of getting it the postnasal drip and cough started to improve. Now at 3+ days the postnasal drip is about 90% better and the cough is GONE!
Still not positive on the exact source but I'm guessing dust mites? I probably don't dust often enough, but I also live in 30+ year old townhouse that isn't exactly airtight. The HVAC system, although rebuilt, is also that old and is not exactly airtight. I change the filters (one upstairs and one downstairs) every 3 months and they never look the slightest bit dirty, so I'm guessing intake air is bypassing those filters quite a bit.
Whatever the source is I'm really happy that this air purifier seems to be filtering it out of the air and out of my life!
Still not positive on the exact source but I'm guessing dust mites? I probably don't dust often enough, but I also live in 30+ year old townhouse that isn't exactly airtight. The HVAC system, although rebuilt, is also that old and is not exactly airtight. I change the filters (one upstairs and one downstairs) every 3 months and they never look the slightest bit dirty, so I'm guessing intake air is bypassing those filters quite a bit.
Whatever the source is I'm really happy that this air purifier seems to be filtering it out of the air and out of my life!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
Originally Posted by Grungehead
Just a quick follow-up to the "saga". After finishing my round of antibiotics and steroids I felt much better, but within a couple of weeks the postnasal drip and constant dry cough was back. At the suggestion of my sister I bought an air purifier to see if that might help. Within 24 hours of getting it the postnasal drip and cough started to improve. Now at 3+ days the postnasal drip is about 90% better and the cough is GONE!
Still not positive on the exact source but I'm guessing dust mites? I probably don't dust often enough, but I also live in 30+ year old townhouse that isn't exactly airtight. The HVAC system, although rebuilt, is also that old and is not exactly airtight. I change the filters (one upstairs and one downstairs) every 3 months and they never look the slightest bit dirty, so I'm guessing intake air is bypassing those filters quite a bit.
Whatever the source is I'm really happy that this air purifier seems to be filtering it out of the air and out of my life!
Still not positive on the exact source but I'm guessing dust mites? I probably don't dust often enough, but I also live in 30+ year old townhouse that isn't exactly airtight. The HVAC system, although rebuilt, is also that old and is not exactly airtight. I change the filters (one upstairs and one downstairs) every 3 months and they never look the slightest bit dirty, so I'm guessing intake air is bypassing those filters quite a bit.
Whatever the source is I'm really happy that this air purifier seems to be filtering it out of the air and out of my life!
To be on the other side of all that illness, esp when they’re about to send you to a specialist, is major big breath sigh of relief for you.
I’m happy for you
sober style
Join Date: May 2016
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 2,387
Originally Posted by Grungehead
Just a quick follow-up to the "saga". After finishing my round of antibiotics and steroids I felt much better, but within a couple of weeks the postnasal drip and constant dry cough was back. At the suggestion of my sister I bought an air purifier to see if that might help. Within 24 hours of getting it the postnasal drip and cough started to improve. Now at 3+ days the postnasal drip is about 90% better and the cough is GONE!
Still not positive on the exact source but I'm guessing dust mites? I probably don't dust often enough, but I also live in 30+ year old townhouse that isn't exactly airtight. The HVAC system, although rebuilt, is also that old and is not exactly airtight. I change the filters (one upstairs and one downstairs) every 3 months and they never look the slightest bit dirty, so I'm guessing intake air is bypassing those filters quite a bit.
Whatever the source is I'm really happy that this air purifier seems to be filtering it out of the air and out of my life!
Still not positive on the exact source but I'm guessing dust mites? I probably don't dust often enough, but I also live in 30+ year old townhouse that isn't exactly airtight. The HVAC system, although rebuilt, is also that old and is not exactly airtight. I change the filters (one upstairs and one downstairs) every 3 months and they never look the slightest bit dirty, so I'm guessing intake air is bypassing those filters quite a bit.
Whatever the source is I'm really happy that this air purifier seems to be filtering it out of the air and out of my life!
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