Your symptom pattern â cough worsening on lying down, after meals, talking, and laughing, with a sensation of incomplete breath and air hunger â is very suggestive of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) or GERD-related cough, possibly alongside functional breathing pattern disorder. Normal PFT and borderline FeNO make classic asthma less likely. A trial of anti-reflux therapy and evaluation by a speech therapist for breathing retraining may be more helpful than just inhaler therapy.
Next Steps
Ask your pulmonologist about a GERD/LPR trial and consider a gastroenterology consultation. Breathing retraining with a physiotherapist can also help. Please consult me directly on Practo for a detailed evaluation.