Thanks Patsy, it's worth a try, I will let you know if it helps.
Patsy said:
Yes 'keeping chin down' surprised me too - natural reaction is head up and gasp for air. However I'm told chin down opens the airways.
Patsy
Yes… Definitely have a speech pathologist test your swallowing if u r coughing and choking while eating. Tell your doctor that this is happening and (s)he will need to refer you with a drs order. There are A LOT of different things and strategies (like head turns, chin tucks and other special swallowing techniques as well as diet consistency changes) that they can determine will help you. They will use a modified barium swallow which is a moving X-ray of your swallowing. If you are coughing and choking you could end up with aspiration pneumonia or even choke to death! (I am a speech pathologist who used to do these tests but currently am a stay at home mom. Btw… My mom, two aunts and an uncle have SCA type 6 which is obviously hereditary…
As I said before I take 300 mg of COQ10 daily but I take it all at once in the morning when I get up. I'm going to try your suggestion Michael and take 100 mg 3 times a day...thanks!
Hi JC,
A little story to share. Once I need to walk up a hill. Before that, I met a lady who went the same direction as me, the only difference was, I got nothing to carry but she got some heavy stuffs. Half hour later, we both arrived the destination. I was sweating, panting and deadly tired, but looked at her, she was talking to her friends and smiling >< no sweating nor panting. I was so curious and asked her why. She said it was simply daily regular exercise to her. Everyday, she has to walk down the hill and buy stuffs, then bring it back to the hill. She did this several times in a day. I think she is around in her 40-50.
Exercise is something we do everyday, the result comes from the accumulated frequency. Try to look at the environment around you, make use of it to do exercise that you can manage and benefit to you. If you want to train up certain muscle, try to learn more from the web. Like this one, http://www.6packproject.com/muscle-anatomy-diagram/, Also, the relationship among muscle and ligament....etc. Remember, warm up is important before starting workout and cool down is necessary when completing a workout.
Sometimes, getting close to the nature and do exercise could give you something that you have never imagine before.
Enjoy life : )
Charmaine
I also suffer from these coughing fits but no longer to the point of wheezing like I did 5 years ago. I have no idea if what I did was responible for weaning them but it could help others. My doc prescribed Pulmicort. I've also lost a little weight since then and excercise a little. I also know from the nurse who worked with my dad, who died from complications due to Ataxia, that we should drink something cold before something hot. Not sure what the logic is there.
hi Rose,
i went to a swallowing therapist and i'm supposed to thicken my liquids with "thicken up" which i did for about a month. i stopped because it didn't taste good and it is good to hold your chin down when you sip. as for food try to eat meals with alot of gravy and cut it up very small. if your getting acid reflux you can buy over the counter (zantac) antacid or get a script from your doctor.
lorraine
I have recent coughing attacks. I went to a speech therapist years ago. I did not have coughing issues at the time. But I remember her telling me that when swallowing, I should hold my chin down. I have noticed that this does help.
I have gluten ataxia and get coughing fits sometimes. Besides giving up gluten which has helped a lot I take a couple of teaspoons of a homeopathic syrup called Throat & Bronchial Syrup from a health food store. I also carry cough drops with me. Hope that helps.
I gave up gluten which helped a lot so I don't cough as much now. Otherwise, I just use a homeopathic cough syrup called Throat and Bronchial Syrup from REDD Remedies which seems to do the trick. Giving up gluten may help you to walk better too since gluten attacks the cerebellum of the brain which is your balance center.
Michael Ward said:
Since I was 30 I would cough for no apparent reason?
This was the start of Ataxia.
At 45 it started effecting other parts of me.
At 53 I have Ataxia at a higher degree.
Back to coughing:
For years I heard specialist say it might be this or it might be that?
They were guessing constantly!
TEST for Asthma, Allergies, Stomach Acid, Acid Reflex?
In Nov 2010 when I was properly diagnosed with Ataxia (Possible SCA?)
It all comes clear as to why I would cough for no apparent reason?
Eating bread impossible without coughing.
Talking on the phone and suddenly have a cough fit?
Random Cough fits?
After Coffee Cough Attacks!
Sometimes I would lose my breath completely as if I was choking?
The cerebellum controls the nerves for swallowing. (Mine is Compromised.)
So in my vain attempt to control this aggravating condition i DO THE FOLLOWING:
1. Drink Water
2. Keep my nose clear (Kleenex Boxes in every room).
3. Gluten Free (This has reduced my coughing and improved my speech).
"Some see no benefit, however we are all different. I just know what works for me."
4. Sleep helps. A Good sleep cycle can help however I suffer from extreme insomnia.
[I quit taking meds due to the side effects.]
5. Eat slow and at health food and stay away from fast food and processed food.
6. COQ10 Bioavalible source at 100mg with your meals so 300mg per day spread out works best for me.
6. PROBIOTICS keep your digestion system healthy. Your feel better anyway!
This 6 points have reduced my attacks by 80%. I don't know which one does the most good however I feel these thing are better than doing nothing.
What do I have to lose?
have no help John
but yes i have started coughing at stupid times also
have enough trouble eating my meals but now have this stupid cough to put up with
rant over
what is co10 never heard of it before
Like the idea of chocolate milkshake think i willl give it a go
thanks
Loz
Hi,
My coughing will begin when I use the phone. Besides I have hypertension and certain drugs prescribed for BP also induces coughing. So ataxia and hypertensive drugs can induce cough.
I seem to choke and cough some. But not as much as I used to. When I start I slip a piece of gum in my mouth so I have something elce to concintrate on, chewing the gum and swallowing my salvia regularly andreally focus on be more in the moment because of that gum. I have to calm myself down and now I guess that is my clue when I have gum not to stress and concintrate so I don't bit the inside of my cheek by chewing slowly etc. I notice that when I get excighted my throat seems to close up more. I also concintrate on speaking lower because when I speak higher I tend to stress out my vocal cords and start couphing.
I also use the trick of drinking water throught the day because to me it's like exercising my thoat to keep knowing when I need to swallow on a regular basis so that doesn't seem to happen as much but that still does when I forget to be in that moment. But it seems to work for me.
Everything I do anymore takes effort and being more in the moment. I feel as thouh I'm tricking my self constantly and it's becoming a habit for me now. I look at them as little games I have to play with myself now. In fact untill someone brings up a question or problem I actuall kinda forget what I do until I think about it. When I started working on everything and concintrating on my health in every way you can imagine it took more effort. I still ask questions to Dr's or people that can give me short cuts to things almost all the time. Health interests me even more now having ataxia.
Everyone seems to be a little bit diffrent even having the same kind of ataxia. So I guess it just comes down to trial and error. I know it does for me anyway. But I'm thankful to be open and try diffrent things to even see if they could work for me. Not everything I try does work out but I think it's worth trying it anyway to find out if I'm one of those. A few years ago @ a NAF Confrance there was a speach Therupist there. She talked about speaking lower not to stress out the vocal cords and the gum. That's where I got that idea. And it helps. There re lot's of tips about it here that are really good and I will try them also. Thanks everyone! More food for thought! I love this! :0) Thanks! :0)
Yes I frequently have tickle cough when using phone, also cough wakes me [gagging] during the night and when I nap on the recliner seat. Citrus drinks are also a problem. I read in Saga magazine that older people often have persistent cough as symptom of heart problems and should always get it checked out with GP. That's if you can get appointment with GP! Our receptionist says unless it is an emergency, no appointments this week or next week; you will have to call again next week... we dont take appointments more than a week in advance.
Hmmm..
BTW why has the print on heat suddenly changed to 'bold' ?
Patsy
I have a bit of coughing when something goes down the wrong way.No problems eating except dropping food all over myself.I do wear a bib and feel like a baby.Am fed up with washing clothes more than I used to.
i have fredreich's ataxia and i've noticed the same thing, not necessarily with swallowi ng but just an on and off cough. sometimes it will get realy bad then go away for week. it's weird because as far as I know my heart is fine so that is not the issue.
I dont normally have hayfever [runny nose] but this very hot weather makes me husky!
BTW I am told that this bold print is being used to improve visibility - good idea :)
Getting back to 'coughing'... my sister in law has MS and has recently been tested for 'everything' especially heart weakness but the results were all negative.
She has been referred back to MS nurse.
I like Jeanie's post.. very helpful and lots of logic too.
Seems like Speech therapist 'title' is quite deceiving - they deal with swallowing and coughing too.
Patsy x
I tried the whole tuck your chin in when you feel one coming. Boy did that work for me stopped it dead in its tracks!
lol.. yep.. definitely go for the whopping cough vaccination - was that meant to make us laugh. trouble is, the laughing starts the coughing lol..
Patsy x
Hi-My coughs are increasing in frequency. There doesn’t seem to be a cause for it-it just kind of does its own thing.
I especially have trouble with foods that have different textures, like grapes or oranges; however, some foods I avoid, and others I take extra time with…and by extra, that could mean an extra 15 minutes of figuring it out and chew time.
I have my water on-hand - talking, caffeine, and carbonated drinks seem to make it worse-coordinating all of all of these outcomes can be sometimes an attempt on the high wire at a five-ring circus…so I try to avoid those things when possible.