Anybody else had it? I'm suffering my third chest infection in as many months, and yesterday, started with this. Cue one trip to A&E at 3.00 this morning, a course of steroids, another change of inhalers and the somewhat disturbing news that my peak flow score was 'life threatening'. However, I argued enough to be allowed home, on the proviso that if I should have further difficulties in breathing, I would reattend the department. Anyway, moaning apart, the staff on duty were brilliant, so chapeaux to them, I just need to get used to the frankly pant shi**ingly scary blackouts.
Well scary I should think, but essentially a mechanical problem rather than a life threatening thing?
Can you fix it by taking concious steps to avoid the loss of BP when you cough?
I'm thinking of sitting/lying down, or actively tensing up your leg muscles while coughing?
I dont really know...
...can you rob some TED stockings?
I dont suppose a pair of the wife's hold-ups would work? I'm struggling to get any further advice than 'try to suppress the cough'. It's scary (to me) as it came on so suddenly, but when I've spoken to my GP or the staff in A&E, they give me the impression that this is not that unusual, and not that major. 😐
It's relatively easy to understand; as you increase your thoracic pressure to start a cough, you reduce venous return to your heart, which in turn reduces the blood available to be pumped to your head.
Therefore you effectively faint.
You need to increase that venous return somehow, or cough more gently rather than taking huge breaths and huge coughs.
Easy to say, but not easy to do...
Too right - the tendency to become anxious / panic because of what might happen becomes all too easy. Just hoping that once the infection's dealt with, this becomes less of a problem. One positive is that my chest x-rays and ecg's all came back clear.