Breathing Difficulty, Cough. Having Chronic Lung Infection. Permanent Solution?

Posted on Sun, 22 Jan 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 Answered on

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : Dear Sir, my mother age:56 yrs. ht:5 ft. wt:47kg is suffering from chronic lung infection, coughing continuosly, problem in sleeping due to cough & laying down problem, having breathing problem since feb.'2011 , please help us how we can solve her illness.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (34 minutes later)

Hello.

Thanks for posting your query.

I understand, your mother is suffering and being treated for Fungal pneumonia. She has trouble breathing while lying down and has generalized swelling of the body.

I would like to add here that any patient with orthopnea (difficulty in breathing while lying down), has generalised swelling of the body and pneumonic patch in the x-ray must be evaluated for cardiac diseases as well since pulmonary edema (water collection in the lung) can also present as a pneumonic patch on the x-ray and orthopnea is a feature of failure of the left heart. Kindly consult your doctor for an ECHO scan of the heart.

Kindly consult your doctor to get these tests done.

Hope I have answered your query, kindly get back to me with the reports I have asked for.

I wish your mother speedy recovery.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (57 minutes later)

Dear Sir, my mother is coughing continuously & making trouble in stomach. Only water comes out as cough. how can we control her coughing.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (45 minutes later)

Hello.

Thanks for writing back.

Syp. Linctus Codeine is a very good cough suppressant, but it cannot be given during an active infection.

For her the best solution would be saline nebulisation or steam inhalation. Kindly take a second opinion from a multi speciality hospital having pulmonology, cardiology, XXXXXXX medicine to solve the problem permanently. I strongly recommend this.

I hope I was of help, if you have no further doubts please accept my query.

I wish your mother a speedy recovery.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil