Best cough suppressant?

[cabanafrau]

Delsym works best for me. Also, I had a random cough that got worse when I went to bed - turned out to be reflux irritating my throat. Try an antacid....

Reflux issues is actually why I suggested the sugar free gum. I'm not exactly sure why it helps, but a nurse suggested it for my mother and it helped so much she doesn't need any meds.

 

[SharonZ]

Delsym for me.

 

[asta]

Is it just a cough or a cold cough? If it’s just a cough it could be your medicine you are taking if you take any. Happened to my wife she had to switch high blood pressure medicine.

It is just a cough. I am not taking blood pressure medicine. I only take glipizide for diabetes and every sinus medicine known to mankind.

Ear, nose and throat doctors cleared my sinuses as the cause. I don’t show any allergies after three years of allergy shots. Currently I am seeing a pulmonologist who is looking at something going on with my lungs. Tests keep showing different bacteria that is there one test and not the next test. I do have minor scaring in my bronchiole that might cause me to harbor common bacteria that everyone else can resist? The latest doctor just put me on Gabapentin to see if that calms the nerve in my throat that is causing the cough. I have only taken three doses so far and I don’t like how much it sedates me overall but I will give it time. Back to the doctor this week so I will see.

 

[asta]

Thank you so much for saying that (the reflux thing). This past year I have occasional reflux during the day. Nothing I've taken anything for, because it's so sporadic and I guess mild. But, I have a dry cough sometimes throughout the night and it wakes me up, and I can feel a dryness on 1 side of my throat. No other symptoms. I take honey when it happens, which sometimes helps, sometimes doesn't. I never would have thought of reflux. Do you recommend a specific antacid? Tums??

In order to rule out reflux for my persistent cough my doctor said that I needed to take nexium. He ruled out Tums and other over the counter medicines as too mild to really help.

 

[asta]

You still have that cough?? I remember you posting about it late last winter, or spring, I think.

People think I'm nuts when I say that Tylenol helps people sleep, but it does. I'm glad you found something that helps.

I still have that cough (over three years now). I am so tired of this. Interrupted sleep and no one wants to be around someone with a loud barking cough. I have seen two ear, nose and throat doctors, two allergists, breathing specialist, pulmonologist and last week an infectious disease doctor. I have had three CT scans, sinus surgery and have just had a hospital procedure to flush out my lungs. I am exhausted! Also extremely grateful for good insurance.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I still have that cough (over three years now). I am so tired of this. Interrupted sleep and no one wants to be around someone with a loud barking cough. I have seen two ear, nose and throat doctors, two allergists, breathing specialist, pulmonologist and last week an infectiuos disease doctor. I have had three CT scans, sinus surgery and have just had a hospital procedure to flush out my lungs. I am exhausted! Also extremely grateful for good insurance.

I am so sad for you! It sounds like it really disrupts the quality of your life. Praying you can find a solution.

 

[maslex]

Get an expectorant instead of a suppressant and the problem will go away faster.

what does an expectorant do? I don't need anything to help cough stuff up. There's nothing there. It's just a dry aggravating cough. And it doesn't keep me up at night at all. It's all during the day.

 

[NYCgrrl]

what does an expectorant do? I don't need anything to help cough stuff up. There's nothing there. It's just a dry aggravating cough. And it doesn't keep me up at night at all. It's all during the day.

I'm not a medical professional and don't play one on TV or the net.
That being said....to my way of thinking a persistent dry hacking cough is a symptom of something else and I would see a doctor about it if I'd already ruled out say environmental possibilities like changing the humidity level of my space.