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The history to this is last year after a normal headcold I developed a chest infection which aggravated my asthma to the extent that I am on the maximum meds they can give me but I still have a persistant cough. I was refered to the clinic back in February after my third chest infection and when I saw the consultant on 11 April she ordered a barium swollow test as she suspected reflux as a possible cause. She wanted me reviewed after 6 weeks. This week I finally got my appointment! He was a nice guy but a locum covering the actual consultant who is on maternity leave. He starts off saying, "I notice you have a long history of asthma and ulcerative colitis!" I said "no" - to which he looked surprised - "I have not got ulcerative colitis. I have microscopic colitis" - blank look from him. "So you don't have any ulcers?" "No! I have inflamation which shows up in biopsies taken during a colonoscopy which are then examined under a microscope." Still blank expression on said Doctor's face. He then asks me if I am still coughing to which I replied "Yes". He reviews the bloods that were taken at the first visit and says with surprise "Your IgE levels were low". I explained that as I had been on antihistamine since the beginning of March (the bloods were taken on 11 April) that was probably why. "Hmm! You're a bit of a mystery!" The upshot is I am now being sent for a scan of my lungs to see if that provides any clues. He then asked, "Are you on any medication for the colitis?" I told him that I have been taking steroids for the last couple of months. He was surprised that my cough hadn't improved due to the steroids! I explained that when I had the chest infections and antibiotics plus prednisalone it did improve but the budesonide does not appear to make much difference! So it is official - I am a medical mystery!!
Anne
If you ever feel too insignificant to be noticed, you have never been to bed with a mosquito!
How frustrating, Anne. Did they determine if reflux is contributing to the cough/asthma? It can do that. I hope the lung scan gives you some info and you get breathing well again soon.
Nancy
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~The Dalai Lama
I'm sorry to "hear" that you're still having that persistent problem. Regarding the cough, I have a question, "Are you by any chance taking lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor often used to treat hypertension and other issues)? Lisinopril is notorious for causing a dry cough, but of course doctors never seem to remember that when searching for a reason why a patient has a cough.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex - no!
Brandy - cough is (usually) silent over night but by noon it starts and continues until about 8pm? as an average. If infection is on board that changes. Sometimes clear/white opaque/ vaguely dirty white opaque -/ mildly light green/ green. No clear pattern other than if I have no infection it is a daytime issue and worse 10am to 8=9pm. Only time it is a night issue is because of viral infection and associated asthma response!
Anne
If you ever feel too insignificant to be noticed, you have never been to bed with a mosquito!
I had an unusual cough (for me) that lasted several months. I am a non-smoker but had asthmatic bronchitis when I was young. It felt a bit like an allergy cough. It went away right after I started on low dose naltrexone. Deb
But, of course you are not to a mystery to those who learn.
In today's medical industry, too many professionals appear to be the amateurs and "amateurs" (read informed patients) appear to be the professionals. As Hamlet would have said: there is "something is rotten in the state of Denmark"
After a bunch of blood testing last spring, one doctor said, "well, you have a lot going on here!". And, when I told another doctor that I'm starting to feel like a hypochondriac, said "no, testing shows that you really do have a bunch of stuff that you're dealing with."
But that's where disappointment with the medical system sets in. They know how to detect some of the stuff but they still don't understand the inter-connectedness of symptoms. And if there's not a clear-cut pharmaceutical to slap on it, they just use a shotgun approach and prescribe a bunch of stuff that interacts with each other, causes new problems, and leaves you worse off.
My GI doc says that I am in a league all by myself. He doesn't even need to look at my chart to know what we are going to talk about. My GP's partner who I had to see recently when my GP was out said that I have a lot going on: MC, hypothyroid, adrenal insufficiency, oh yea I probably haven't shared this...I have pericardial effusion which is fluid around my heart found inadvertently on a CT scan for possible kidney stones. The cardiologist says it is from being hypothyroid and they haven't got my meds correct yet. He and GP rec an endocrinologist but when I tried to make an appt. with the one they rec she isn't taking new patients this year. Said to fax records and maybe after the 1st she would take me. Great!
- "I have not got ulcerative colitis. I have microscopic colitis" - blank look from him. 
"So you don't have any ulcers?" "No! I have inflamation which shows up in biopsies taken during a colonoscopy which are then examined under a microscope." Still blank expression on said Doctor's face. He then asks me if I am still coughing to which I replied "Yes". He reviews the bloods that were taken at the first visit and says with surprise "Your IgE levels were low". I explained that as I had been on antihistamine since the beginning of March (the bloods were taken on 11 April) that was probably why. "Hmm! You're a bit of a mystery!" The upshot is I am now being sent for a scan of my lungs to see if that provides any clues. He then asked, "Are you on any medication for the colitis?" I told him that I have been taking steroids for the last couple of months. He was surprised that my cough hadn't improved due to the steroids! I explained that when I had the chest infections and antibiotics plus prednisalone it did improve but the budesonide does not appear to make much difference! So it is official - I am a medical mystery!! 
