<p>I have a regular old chest cold. Feeling much better, but have that lingering cough. Have been drinking hot liquids, taking the occasional cough drop, took some Mucinex the last few days, some Delsym last night that did not help. Definitely not worth going to the doctor for, and I’m not overly fond of heavy-duty OTC medicines. I’d just like to be able to sleep at night.</p>
<p>What has worked for you?</p>
<p>Codeine. Really, go see a dr. It’s worth it.</p>
<p>Being allergic to codeine, I like to go for Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat tea with a little honey in it. It’s what all the professional vocalists I know drink when they’re feeling a little cruddy.</p>
<p>Barring that, Nyquil plus my typically-prescribed Lunesta is a one-two punch to the head… but probably not a good idea. The one time I took both at the same time, I don’t think I’d have woken up if you’d set me on fire… Now I just take my prescribed Lunesta along with Dayquil and a cup of Throat Coat tea at bedtime.</p>
<p>Menthol drops.</p>
<p>I did some of the TM “Breathe Easy” and today switched to “Throat Coat”. They do help but I don’t think are enough to get me through a night. I do like the idea of codeine–wish it were OTC here like in some other countries. I just hate to bother the doctor unless I’m in really bad shape. I’ve never taken a sleeping pill in my life, and haven’t taken Nyquil in years, although might break down and do that if this keeps up much longer. (My memory is it pretty much fries me for the following day.)</p>
<p>Miami–by menthol drops to you mean cough drops with menthol? My personal fave has been the old-fashioned Ricola. It will calm my throat down for a while.</p>
<p>Fisherman’s friend is the only cough drops we use. The kids think the taste is nasty. They like the mint flavored ones better.
It’s available at health food stores and very affordable.</p>
<p>I don’t have any of my own suggestions, but there was a thread recently on this subject:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/790198-coughing-remedies.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/790198-coughing-remedies.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks, Ai. I was pretty sure this was not an original topic but always seem to have a hard time searching threads on CC. I’ll go read that one now.</p>
<p>Just bumped up that thread–think I’ll try the Vaporub and socks tonight!</p>
<p>I have been battling the H1N1 flu and pneumonia for the last month. Cough is something I have been dealing with. The last time I was at the Dr he told me basically all the cough medicines you buy OTC do nothing. They might coat your throat. I am allergic to codeine so I have not been able to use the good cough syrup.
What I have been doing. Living on lozanges. I basically always have one in my mouth. I find the menthol do work better but I prefer the taste of others. I also always have a glass of water next to me. When I start coughing I drink some water and let it sit on my throat for a moment before swallowing. I start to cough the minute I lay down even at a slight angle. I have found the only way I get any sleep is to sleep totally propped up and laying on my side. It isn’t the most comfortable.
Popcicles help briefly.</p>
<p>I have had a couple of bouts of horrid bronchitis with cough that lasted for weeks. I pretty much followed mom60’s plan. Cough lozenges constantly and water at hand. My allergist at that time recommended warm lemonade, and I did find that soothing. Try to have all your liquids warm. I also get much worse lying down, so often have to sleep propped up if I’m sick.</p>
<p>I have used Nyquil with success, but it does make me feel drugged the next day. I don’t do well with codeine–it gives me nightmares! </p>
<p>During one of these episodes, I attended a theater festival with my D (trip planned long before illness). I had to keep a lozenge in my mouth every second during the plays so I didn’t start coughing.</p>
<p>You need a lot of rest with a serious cough so your body can heal itself and you don’t get pneumonia.</p>
<p>Hope you both feel better soon, my LB and mom60.</p>
<p>Ha! Just saw your post on the other coughing remedies thread about your H offering to put you out of your misery at 1 AM last night! Been there. </p>
<p>So why not try this plan tonight? Just plan to sleep either on your couch or in a recliner if you have one. Put comfy pillows and quilts all around you and have a table nearby with your cough lozenges and a pitcher of water (or carafe of warm water would be better). You could do the Vicks on the feet too. Make it a cozy, comforting location for yourself tonight and don’t even try to sleep lying down. </p>
<p>That whole lying down, coughing, waking up thing is exhausting (to say nothing of annoying to the spouse trying to sleep). I have done this a few nights in a row when I’ve been sick, and it did seem to help.</p>
<p>Try to take a nap mid-day like this too.</p>
<p>Buckley’s is the only OTC cough medicine that I’ve ever found that works. It’s a Canadian product and I’m not even sure if it’s available in the U.S. Two family members who are MDs recommend it to their patients over anything else. The company slogan is “It tastes awful. And it works.”, which is right on both counts. :)</p>
<p>mom60–so sorry to hear about your troubles. Best wishes for feeling better soon.</p>
<p>bookiemom–DH has been sleeping on the sofa a floor below me the last couple of nights to let me have the bed. I still managed to wake him up. (I honestly believe he was thinking about me, not himself, when he made the offer. 
)</p>
<p>I have been keeping water by my bed but will increase my lozenge/cough drop intake. Hadn’t really thought about propping myself up but will do that too.</p>
<p>And I’m thinking that the Vaporub will be a good story to tell, might just work according to testimony, and at least will remind me of the days when my mom would rub it on my chest. There is some comfort in that, right?</p>
<p>Lemon drops do just as much good as a cough drop… cheaper and tastier, too.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>No doubt! Last year I read about a study that supposedly showed that codeine works no better than a placebo, but I say poppycock. It works like a charm.</p>
<p>It sure does! While I like Ricola drops, I would not recommend anyone taking one in bed. Might actually fall asleep and choke.
One more thing - for a persistent cough. Get checked out make sure it’s <em>just</em> a cough. If you have inflammation in your airways then you might need and inhaler or prednisone.</p>
<p>I actually sleep with a cough drop in my mouth. I am sleeping propped up. I am on an inhaler.
For a normal tickle cough I think the Vit C Halls citrus drops work well and taste better. I have found for the cough I have right now the citrus drops don’t do the job.
I also tried the Chloraseptic sore throat lozenges. They numb the throat. They taste nasty but when my throat was so raw from so much coughing I did find they gave a bit longer period of relief.</p>
<p>mom60: I found Chloraseptic lozenges the best during my worst cough episode. (I couldn’t think of the name in my earlier posts.) And not to tell you what to do, but probably should stop the cough drop in your mouth while sleepy of sleeping due to choke hazard.</p>
<p>I used to suck on Lifesavers as a college student to try to stay awake and read all the long novels I had to read as an English major. Later, when I had a toddler and was worried about her choking on tiny things, I realized, hmmmm, that wasn’t very smart with the Lifesavers in college!</p>