<human>: Hi, I have had a really bad cough for four weeks now. It started with long coughing fits in the day and these have reduced but have been added to by coughing fits at night which feel like they go on for ever. Also during these I cannot breathe in which initially caused me to panic but I found I could breathe in if I calmed down but this took some time. Chemist gave me a Ventolin inhaler to open airways during attack which helped a bit. Also I have an almost constant tickling sensation in the back of my throat and at night for the last week my chest has felt tight - ventolin inhaler has helped relieve this. Finally I feel like something is stuck in the right hand side of my throat but cant normally cough it up as cough is generally unproductive, except first thing in the morning when I am able to cough up some clear phlegm but also tend to vomit as well. Occasional dry mouth at night doesnt help. Really getting fed up with this now - went to doctors two weeks ago who thought I had the after effects of a viral chest infection and thought it would all clear up within a week - now two weeks on there is no sign of this. Can you advise? Thanks
<bot>: Hi and thank you for choosing Chat Doctor to post your health concern. I read carefully your question and my opinion is as follows:From what you describe it seems to me that all these paroxysms of intense coughing lasting up to several minutes, the tendency to vomit after cough(possessive vomiting) and the duration of cough(4 weeks) match with the clinical presentation of pertussis infection. I don't know about your vaccination status (incomplete or absent pertussis vaccination)Pertussis is a respiratory infection that lasts about six weeks, starting with a catarrh phase followed by a paroxysmal phase and convalescent phase. Vaccinated adults usually develop only prolonged bronchitis. Treatment usually involves an antibiotic, but it only helps if administered in the first or second week of symptoms. In your situation Ventolin inhaler that your doctor prescribed helps to reduce the paroxysms and would help also if you start antitussives such as dextrometorphan, codeine.another less possibility of your health problems is even the beginning of an asthma since very frequently it can be precipitated from a viral infection. It would help me to support this if I would have a well given medical history(allergies, familiar history of asthma)and physical examination Spirometry is useful for diagnosis and the treatment need to be guided by its value. I hope my opinion is help to you. Wish you good health. Kind regards Chat Doctor. 