Hacking cough help?

[funkychunkymonkey]

What helps a hacking cough at night that wont make me feel tired the next day? Also what tricks do you know of to sleep though the night with a cold? Im miserable and havent slept much. I have tried sitting up to sleep, having water in bed to drink at night, cough drops and dayquil (been trying this since nightquil puts makes me usless the next day).

 

[happygirl]

Benadryl seems to work for me

 

[Alphabetsoup]

I have high blood pressure, so there are lots of cold meds that I can't take. I found this cough remedy online researching home remedies for coughing when I had a really bad cold last year.

Take Vicks Vapor rub and smear it on the soles of both feet (from just below the bottom of your toes, clear to your heels). Put socks on (I prefer a heavy pair of wool socks). Then sit back and wait.

When I use it I usually stop coughing within 5-10 minutes and it lasts for 4-6 hours.

I found it was fantastic at night, but even taught some of my classes with my feet done up like that too!!

Another thing that I found soothing was to sip 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, mixed in 6 oz of hot water (not boiling, hot, but sippable) with 1-2 teaspoons of honey. I found that this also helps sooth a really sore throat too.

 

[C.Ann]

Mucinex - everyone I know swears by it - although I've never tried it myself..

And sleep with a cool mist humidifier running in your room - as well as the heat down as low as tolerable.. Nothing will make you cough more than dry, warm air!! I use one every night for several health issues - with NO heat on..

Good luck!

 

[anniemae]

a spoonful of honey.

 

[PebblesMK]

The vicks feet thing does work, as weird as it sounds. But my go-to solution is a cup of hot tea and i mix in a lemon menthyl coughdrop and a bunch of honey. It's so soothing and calms my throat right away.

 

[phorsenuf]

Mucinex - everyone I know swears by it - although I've never tried it myself..

And sleep with a cool mist humidifier running in your room - as well as the heat down as low as tolerable.. Nothing will make you cough more than dry, warm air!! I use one every night for several health issues - with NO heat on..

Good luck!

Doesn't Mucinex break up things? I would think that would make things worse. She needs a cough suppressant so she can sleep.

Feel better soon.

 

[C.Ann]

Doesn't Mucinex break up things? I would think that would make things worse. She needs a cough suppressant so she can sleep.

Feel better soon.

Yes - she should be taking it during the day to break up (and bring up) the gunk - which will eliminate much of the coughing (if not all) at night.. I would steer clear of a suppressant - it's creating a breeding ground for bacteria..

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I use sinus medication. I think the cough is caused by post nasal drip, and taking two of these dries it up in a couple of minutes. Benadryl would probably do the same thing. I don't wake up feeling tired from the medication.

 

[LuvOrlando]

You nixed my remedy for the cough (old fashioned now behind the counter need Id to get it Nyquil) but I do have some hints that might be useful. #1, most coughs settle over time if you stay lying down so don't drink so much at night so you won't have to get up and use the rest room. Try to resist the temptation to sit up while in bed. Tip #2 is if you are having a REALLY bad coughing fit, steam interchanged with cold air SHOULD settle the airways down. Just sit in a hot steamy bathroom room for a few minutes then switch to sticking your head either out the window or into the freezer, back & forth for a while... things should improve.

PS, don't take a cough lightly, especially if it is increasing in frequency or if it begins to sound shallow and/or dry (not a deep wet stuff is moving sound). If you have a high fever or are having trouble taking in deep breaths get to a Dr or ER immediately.

I hope you get some sleep, feel better

 

[monkeybug]

I use sinus medication. I think the cough is caused by post nasal drip, and taking two of these dries it up in a couple of minutes. Benadryl would probably do the same thing. I don't wake up feeling tired from the medication.

Yup! Same here!
I used to get the "cough until you gag" cough, but since my Dr. told me to take an antihistamine (I use claritin) and sudafed, no more hacky cough! Yay! I use mucinex D most of the time now. It has 12 hour sudafed and the mucus breaking stuff.
When I was pregnant and couldn't take those, my Dr. told me to use balsamic vinegar. Just take a tablespoon full to stop the itch in the back of the throat. Sounds weird, but it worked (temporarily).

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I know you said you don't like Nyquil, but it's the only thing that really works for me. If it makes you feel tired the next day, perhaps try taking it eariler the night before - like 10 or 11 hours before you have to get up. Maybe sleeping longer and giving it more time to wear off will help. When I have a bad cold and cough, Nyquil puts me right to sleep and keeps me from coughing all night.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I once had a cough so bad and OTC stuff wasn't working so I went to the doc and beggedfor something stronger. I got cough medicine with Codeine. I think 2 days later the evil thing was gone.

If the meds you are taking aren't working, perhaps it is an allergy or more serious illness than a basic cold situation? (my friend got pneumonia once and my brother always is getting brochitis or other lungh issue and he required much stronger meds and antibiotics to resolve the problem.)

My last cough I had was during icky morning sickness and I was limited to very basic cough medicines. A basic robitussin knocked it out--which was good, b/c coughing with morning sickness--ain't purdy.

 

[Buckalew11]

I've been drinking Nyquil (and only the real stuff) on and off since July for this darn cough of mine.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I've been drinking Nyquil (and only the real stuff) on and off since July for this darn cough of mine.

I have this persistent nasal drip that makes me cough... nobody seems to know what to do... I too, have had it since the summer.

 

[Buckalew11]

I have this persistent nasal drip that makes me cough... nobody seems to know what to do... I too, have had it since the summer.

I believe I had the H1N1 flu in July and it immediately went into pnuemonia. And I've been coughing on and off since July.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I had a dry "tickle" kind of cough for about 2-3 weeks. No congestion and not coughing anything up. I used Delsym, a cough suspressant, and it actually did work.

 

[kellyg403]

Timely thread...I leave for WDW tomorrow and have had a cough since about Monday morning. Out of the blue it came. Now I have the sinus thing going on too. I am going to the dr. first thing in the morning before we leave for our trip just in case.

Until then I am going to try the Vicks on my feet and the Mucinex as others have stated. My cough is productive but the reality is that I have not as productive as I would like it to be.

Kelly

 

[livie1205]

I had a nasty case of bronchitis over the last few months and my dr gave me something called teslon pearls (sp?) , it a little clear ball and it works better then anything I have ever used! I can take one and not cough again for 8 hours...they first tried the cough syrup with codine and it did nothing but the pearls are like GREAT!

 

[golfgal]

I know you said you don't like Nyquil, but it's the only thing that really works for me. If it makes you feel tired the next day, perhaps try taking it eariler the night before - like 10 or 11 hours before you have to get up. Maybe sleeping longer and giving it more time to wear off will help. When I have a bad cold and cough, Nyquil puts me right to sleep and keeps me from coughing all night.

I was going to suggest this as well or try taking 1/2 of the dose vs the full dose.

I once had a cough so bad and OTC stuff wasn't working so I went to the doc and beggedfor something stronger. I got cough medicine with Codeine. I think 2 days later the evil thing was gone.

If the meds you are taking aren't working, perhaps it is an allergy or more serious illness than a basic cold situation? (my friend got pneumonia once and my brother always is getting brochitis or other lungh issue and he required much stronger meds and antibiotics to resolve the problem.)

My last cough I had was during icky morning sickness and I was limited to very basic cough medicines. A basic robitussin knocked it out--which was good, b/c coughing with morning sickness--ain't purdy.

Codeine is a good solution too.

I've been drinking Nyquil (and only the real stuff) on and off since July for this darn cough of mine.

A persistent cough for 5 months warrants a trip to the doctor.