12 March 2024

Cough study update

Went for my first in-person appointment today! Was moved up a couple of weeks when I realized I had double-booked with my mammogram, and it turned out the clinic had a cancellation. Whoo!

This morning, I spent three hours getting bloodwork done, various pulmonary function tests, providing medical history, weighed and measured, informed consent, urine sample, blood pressure, oximeter, etc. etc. Now I’m wearing a device to monitor my coughing for 24 hours. Next, I will get a chest x-ray.

I have two or three more visits before I am “officially” part of the study. Then I start my medication (or placebo). Then we shall see what we shall see.

10 March 2024

Got new tennis shoes!

So of course it's snowing!

Also made this hoodie to throw on after tennis or a group run on a cold day.



01 March 2024

Three more weeks

Till my initial appointment! Wow this trial process is long.

In other news, they have asked me to keep taking the PPI for now. Meanwhile I only today made the connection that my crazy ravenous appetite seems to have begun when I started taking the PPI. Maybe will stop taking it now, whether they like it or not. Having bad heartburn again today.

Or maybe it was PMS... spotting today, which would be 26 days since the last one, which is pretty normal I guess. 

OH MY GOD I was thinking it seemed like a lot less than 26 days since the last one... I was counting from 3 February to 29 February, forgetting the period that started 10 days ago...

Forgive the histrionic formatting but if ever there was a reason to be histrionic this is it

28 February 2024

The next steps

Heard from the researchers this morning, asking if “the GERD medication that was prescribed to you improved your cough partially or completely?”

Sigh. I wish.

I let them know nothing has changed; in fact this week has been terrible! Hoping to start the trial medication soon (crossing fingers I don’t end up as a “control” with a placebo.

26 February 2024

Another Monday check-in

Yesterday was the worst for coughing. I went to bed last night thinking, “must remember to write a blog post about how bad today is so I don’t forget.” And I’m still coughing this morning!

I think my follow-up call with the doctor is supposed to be this week. I’ll reach out to them if it’s not. Because this does not feel good. 

19 February 2024

Monday check-in

It’s a holiday Monday, and I’m grateful that I got to sleep in today after a weekend of hiking, archery, attempting a high ropes course, and sleeping on a camp mattress that was profoundly uncomfortable. Very grateful to remember I had some Aleve in the cupboard. And that I pre-booked a visit to my physiotherapist.

Also, I had spotting yesterday, and seem to have my period today, 17 days from the last one (16 if you count yesterday as the beginning). Previous was 84 days. Just a slight fluctuation. Sigh.

This has also come with an upset stomach. Or maybe that’s from all the processed food I ate over the weekend. Either way, I’m still taking the PPI, and it still doesn’t seem to be helping my cough or my digestion (TMI processed food gives me terrible gas... I wonder if it’s related to my sensitivity to propylene glycol, an ingredient found in everything from shampoo to salad dressing).


15 February 2024

Overdue check-in

Said I was gonna do this daily, whoops...

Firstly, my physio asked me to keep track of how long it lasts when he “fixes” me, quantified as “when can you do a shoulder check on your bike.”

Last time he fixed me was Friday. Saturday was fine. Sunday was twingy. Monday I didn’t ride but tried turning while walking and it was twingy. Tuesday was definitely the “this hurts” stage. 

Secondly, the proton pump inhibitor (PPI—did I remember that right?) effect. 

So far, no change to cough.

Had one night last week which was extremely bad, up in the night with heartburn on top of coughing and indigestion. Things have settled down but I am still coughing. Also having mucous in stool, which is weird but not a problem otherwise.