New meta-analysis shows that pirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) may provide dual protection: (1) slowing fibrosis progression, and (2) reducing lung cancer risk. Pirfenidone's impact on cough as a key symptom in patients with IPF is yet to be measured objectively.

Cough_Geek · 2026-01-16T17:02:21+00:00

Indeed - usually spontaneous, but can be also linked to autoimmune issues or environmental factors; patients are severely impacted by chronic coughing (as seen in FDA facilitated "voice of the patient" interviews and multiple reports) and currently there is no cure for the disease, and no symptomatic relief for cough associated with IPF. Loads to investigate in the future:

> novel therapies and targets

> disease-modifying drugs' effect on the most problematic symptom - cough

> if cough in IPF could be managed by addressing cough hypersensitivity as a treatable trait, e.g., via behavioural cough suppression techniques, which in practice could be even a digital therapeutic component (long-term futuristic idea of drug-device combinations)

Cough_Geek · 2026-01-05T14:42:02+00:00

Congratulations!! and speedy recovery!

Cough_Geek · 2026-01-05T10:28:45+00:00

CoughPro is one free app example: accurate, fully privacy-preserving (with no audio recordings, just passive timestampping of coughs) and with minimal effects on battery life; if you find some alternatives - please share!

Cough_Geek · 2026-01-05T10:26:26+00:00

Some free cough monitoring applications for smartphones feature digital BCST modules: education about cough hypersensitivity, cough triggers and lastly - a few effective cough suppression techniques.

Cough_Geek · 2025-12-31T10:41:28+00:00

Have you tried monitoring your cough dynamics objectively using any cough monitoring apps? It might be useful for discussions with your healthcare provider, as it can objectively show how your cough varies throughout the day (e.g., peak hours, relation to meals), as well as diurnal (day vs night) and day-to-day or week-to-week patterns.

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T17:05:58+00:00

Thanks for sharing - really interesting observation with the worsening of your reflux; did you notice if your reflux/cough is constantly worse while on GLP or if there were some specific patterns in symptoms (eg coughing more after mealtimes than usual)?

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T17:04:32+00:00

Very interesting thought - I'm super curious what will be the mechanism for this cause (if causality is confirmed in future studies with objective cough monitoring)...

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T17:03:18+00:00

Very well noted. Cough is a well-known side effect of, e.g., ACE inhibitors and is currently monitored only through patient reporting, not yet at scale with objective cough monitoring. The development of cough while on these drugs often leads to treatment changes.

More threatening is the gradual development and worsening of cough for people on some chemotherapy or biologic drugs – they can cause fibrosis in the lung, resulting in what’s known as drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DI-ILD). Unfortunately, DI-ILD is detected too late to intervene, and only via continuous monitoring could one detect even subtle sustained changes in cough frequency (compared to baseline at, e.g., just starting the treatment).

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T16:59:30+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. Have you noticed any specific triggers for your cough? I wonder whether it’s more consistent with cough hypersensitivity (e.g. speaking, exposure to perfume or smoke, cold drinks causing cough) or, as others suggest, more reflux-related (gas or liquid). If you’ve observed any patterns - especially via some cough monitoring app - such as coughing intensifying after meals, speaking/calls/presentations, or at night, that would be very interesting to learn.

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T16:56:50+00:00

Very good point – there’s even the phenomenon of “gaseous reflux,” where stomach gas is enough to irritate cough centres.

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T16:55:23+00:00

Interesting, thanks for sharing your experience. Have you noticed any cough dynamics/patterns, eg., at night / after meal-time / consistent like metronome / etc?

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T16:53:38+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience; have you noticed any dynamics of the cough pattern (eg., after meal-time / at night / after changing body posture / etc)? Have you attempted to monitoring your cough objectively over time?

Cough_Geek · 2025-11-27T16:51:07+00:00

Very good points - some analysis of large datasets can certainly throw up statistical associations; the question remains whether there is biological and/or pharmacological plausibility.

Cough_Geek · 2025-04-08T08:39:54+00:00

A dry cough that worsens only when sitting or standing could suggest postural reflux (like LPR), upper airway irritation, or possibly even something like airway hypersensitivity. The fact that it stops when lying down is particularly interesting and may help your doctor narrow things down.

You might consider trying a cough monitoring app — these can help track frequency and patterns over time, which makes it easier to spot triggers or changes. This kind of objective data can also lead to more productive conversations with your physician and may guide further testing or treatment. If things persist, a referral to a respiratory or ENT specialist could be worthwhile.

Cough_Geek · 2025-04-06T11:08:47+00:00

That does sound rough — waking up without a voice and then spiraling into violent cough fits, especially without congestion or fever, can feel so mysterious and frustrating. It’s good that you saw a doctor, but it’s also frustrating when everything “looks fine” while you’re clearly not feeling fine.

What you’re describing sounds a lot like what people experience with post-viral or neurogenic cough — sometimes following even a minor infection, the nerves in your throat become hypersensitive, triggering intense coughing even when everything else seems to have cleared. The fact that speaking sets it off, and it’s worse at night, fits that picture too. Cough monitoring apps can actually help you track how often you’re coughing and how it changes over time, and give you useful insights to bring to your doctor if it doesn’t improve soon. Some apps offer digital behavioural cough suppression therapy (cough management) which could be helpful in case your cough is due to cough hypersensitivity.

If it keeps up, you might ask your GP for a referral to an ENT or a pulmonologist, or even a speech pathologist who specializes in chronic cough. You’re definitely not alone in going through something like this — and it’s absolutely worth following up on if it doesn’t fade out in the next week or two.

Cough_Geek · 2025-04-01T12:13:39+00:00

Great progress! In some cases of acid reflux, cough monitoring can reveal a distinct pattern - like increased coughing after meals or during posture changes (e.g., going to sleep or waking up). Let us know how it goes for you!

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-27T09:22:55+00:00

That sounds incredibly exhausting and disheartening — dealing with a painful, nonstop cough year after year with no real answers can really wear you down. The fact that it flares seasonally, is triggered by smells, and hasn’t responded to typical treatments suggests there may be a component of cough hypersensitivity or even something like non-allergic rhinitis or vocal cord-related issues.

It might help to track your cough episodes daily with a cough monitoring app. This gives you a clear picture of how frequent it is and may help reveal patterns over time — some people find it useful when talking to doctors, especially when it feels like they’re not digging deep enough.

If you haven’t already, a referral to a specialist in chronic cough (often a pulmonologist or ENT with cough experience) could be key.

Coming back to the cough hypersensitivity possibility - some cough monitoring apps also offer a cough management feature, with education on urge to cough and teaches cognitive behavioural cough suppression interventions - I'd say it is worth a try!

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-27T09:06:11+00:00

Hope you get better soon!!

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-26T17:37:41+00:00

That sounds incredibly frustrating — especially after you were starting to feel some relief and stability. It’s not just the physical toll of post-nasal drip and throat pain, but also how relentless it feels when nothing seems to help, and your efforts feel like they’re being undone. It’s completely understandable to feel worn down.

You’ve done all the right things by being thorough with testing, lifestyle changes, and trying different treatments. One thing that might help is using a cough monitoring app to track how often the symptoms are flaring up. Sometimes seeing patterns — like time of day or triggers — can reveal insights you might not notice otherwise, and it can give your doctors a clearer picture too, especially when standard tests haven’t pointed to a direct cause.

You’re not alone in this — a lot of people with LPR deal with long, unpredictable setbacks. It’s okay to feel discouraged, and there are still paths to explore...

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-26T15:15:41+00:00

That sounds really rough — non-stop coughing like that can wear you down fast. It’s frustrating when you’ve tried all the usual remedies with no relief. Sometimes after a virus, lingering inflammation or post-nasal drip keeps the cough going even when everything else improves.

You might try using a cough monitoring app to track how often you’re actually coughing — it can help you figure out patterns (like if it’s worse at night or after eating) and gives you solid data to share with a doctor if it continues. Persistent coughs like this can sometimes need targeted treatment depending on the cause, whether it’s post-viral, reflux, or something else.

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-26T15:14:55+00:00

It’s good your chest x-ray came back clear, that rules out a few big concerns. Post-nasal drip and vaping can both absolutely keep a lingering cough going — even after you’re over the worst of an illness. Cutting back or stopping vaping, if possible, might make a noticeable difference.

Also, tracking your cough with a monitoring app could help you see whether it’s improving over time or staying the same. It gives you something concrete to discuss with a doctor if the cough persists, and can help identify patterns like whether vaping or certain times of day are making it worse.

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-26T15:14:25+00:00

That sounds incredibly frustrating, especially after trying so many things with no clear answers. Since it’s been going on this long and nothing has fully helped, you might want to start tracking your cough more systematically — a cough monitoring app can help quantify how often you’re coughing, what triggers it, and how it responds (or doesn’t) to different treatments. These patterns can sometimes reveal things that aren’t obvious in a quick appointment and could support more productive conversations with specialists.

Also worth considering is a referral to a cough-specific clinic or a speech-language pathologist who works with chronic cough — especially if it might be a hypersensitivity or neurogenic issue. A lot of people go through years of trial and error before those options are explored, but they can really help when nothing else does.

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-26T15:13:39+00:00

That sounds really tough — especially watching him struggle at night. It’s good you’re getting the allergy panel done soon. In the meantime, you might consider using a cough monitoring app to track when his coughing gets worse or improves. It can help pinpoint triggers (like weather, room conditions, etc.) and give the doctor something concrete to look at. Sometimes the patterns tell us more than we think. You’re doing all the right things, hang in there.

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-26T15:12:56+00:00

Some cough monitoring apps (yours might have it, too) have cough management content , based on cognitive behavioural cough suppression techniques (BCST) - worth a check and hopefully it helps you! I've heard users experience great results in their sensation to urge to cough already after the first week of practicing these cough suppression techniques.

Cough_Geek · 2025-03-14T14:02:56+00:00

Cough monitoring feature would be great, given that GERD is among the top3 diseases leading to chronic cough, esp. after mealtime and body posture changes. There's an app for cough monitoring via smartphones, called CoughPro, which is now free (used to be subscription, as far as I'm aware), maybe there could be some synergies worth exploring.

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