Dr. Hive: S/O Coughs--I.Can't.Stop.Coughing................

[MariannNOVA]

Imp already knows this -- it is likely similar to what she had and thank goodness I am NOT pg in any number of weeks.

 

anyway, one of my grand-daughters visited last week on the tail end of this, and she stopped coughing the day after arriving -- NOW I have it and the kids are about 2 or 3 days behind me.

 

Not exagerating -- I cannot go more than a minute or two without coughing -- not a productive cough. Dry, Raspy, almost choking. I am drinking tons of water and cough medicine doesn't help except for 10 or 15 minutes.

 

I am not going to the walk in doc in the box -- I already know I would be there for 4 or 5 hours.

 

I can wait and go to our family practice tomorrow morning at 7am - established patients can walk in without appointments (is that redundant?).

 

I should just wait, and if nothing improves go tomorrow a.m., right?

 

Does anyone have any secret remedies, suggestions, etc?

 

TIA

[justLisa]

Oh this just SUCKS. I'm in the midst of it with DS. DS and DH both get this dry annoying cough that won't quit. It happens every time they get sick.

 

Humidity can help. We have a cool mist humidifier and I literally follow DS around with it LOL. He spends more time sitting on the couch since he is not feeling great, so I set it beside him and he breathes the mist in. Cough medications NEVER seem to work. If you can stand a spoonful of honey or sip on warm tea with honey all day, it helps a bit.

[Angel]

Oh man, I'm right there with you. :grouphug: I caught it Wednesday morning and we went out of state for Thanksgiving Wednesday night. We just got back last night and it's just getting progressively worse. I'm sure it's bronchitis but I hate to go to the doc because I was just on antibiotics the beginning of Oct for a sinus infection. *sigh* Mine is a little loose but nothing is coming up. If I'm real still and keep cool, it seems to help, but sometimes it doesn't matter and I'm coughing over and over.

 

I'm :bigear: if someone has got any suggestions. My humidifier died last year and dh will probably get me another one today.

 

:grouphug:

[ktgrok]

Vapor rub on your chest and a vaporizer or humidifier.

[MariannNOVA]

Oh this just SUCKS. I'm in the midst of it with DS. DS and DH both get this dry annoying cough that won't quit. It happens every time they get sick.

 

Humidity can help. We have a cool mist humidifier and I literally follow DS around with it LOL. He spends more time sitting on the couch since he is not feeling great, so I set it beside him and he breathes the mist in. Cough medications NEVER seem to work. If you can stand a spoonful of honey or sip on warm tea with honey all day, it helps a bit.

 

I did purhase the humidifier when grand daughter came last week and we only used it one night.

 

I should set it up, right?

[MariannNOVA]

Oh man, I'm right there with you. :grouphug: I caught it Wednesday morning and we went out of state for Thanksgiving Wednesday night. We just got back last night and it's just getting progressively worse. I'm sure it's bronchitis but I hate to go to the doc because I was just on antibiotics the beginning of Oct for a sinus infection. *sigh* Mine is a little loose but nothing is coming up. If I'm real still and keep cool, it seems to help, but sometimes it doesn't matter and I'm coughing over and over.

 

I'm :bigear: if someone has got any suggestions. My humidifier died last year and dh will probably get me another one today.

 

:grouphug:

 

I'm so sorry - it seems like tons of people have had it, and the other tons have it -- I don't have alot of friends on FB, but we are in two groups -- had it or have it. :glare:

 

If I sit still, I am almost fine -- I can go longer without coughing. I know that tonight it will be awful -- just like last night. Otherwise, I feel fine -- at the very beginning, I thought this was an allergy attack, b/c our temps were close to 70. I know that if it doesn't stop, I will develop bronchitis and I will end up with an inhaler.

[Angel]

I know that if it doesn't stop, I will develop bronchitis and I will end up with an inhaler.

 

I had bronchitis almost every year as a child because my parents smoked. I am almost sure that I'm already at the bronchitis stage. I was really hoping to tough it out without going to the doc but I would hate for it to get bad and get pneumonia (though really that only happened once). I have a ridiculously busy Monday and Tuesday and am trying to figure out how to get through.

[Starr]

This is one time you might want to consider taking up drinking, alcohol, when you want to sleep. It's a cough suppressant and will relax you. :D

[MariannNOVA]

This is one time you might want to consider taking up drinking, alcohol, when you want to sleep. It's a cough suppressant and will relax you. :D

 

 

I did THAT last night -- I had TWO black russians when dh and I went out to dinner. I felt fabulous -- honestly. BUT, it didn't make me tired, or knock me out or anything -- I felt FABULOUS, and I wasn't coughing, but I didn't sleep.

 

Maybe I should try again tonight!;)

[MariannNOVA]

I had bronchitis almost every year as a child because my parents smoked. I am almost sure that I'm already at the bronchitis stage. I was really hoping to tough it out without going to the doc but I would hate for it to get bad and get pneumonia (though really that only happened once). I have a ridiculously busy Monday and Tuesday and am trying to figure out how to get through.

 

My parents didn't smoke and I had pneunonia was I was twelve. I typically will get it every couple of years since then.

 

One year I had pleuresy - OMG! THAT was more painful than labor contractions!

 

The pharmaist just told dh that I only need cough lozenges since the cough is non-productive.

[LittleIzumi]

:grouphug::grouphug: Honey helps too, when you get tired of the cough drop taste.

[Miss Cornelia Snook]

Just another suggestion for a spoonful of honey! And I hope you feel better soon. I am home from church with a bad cold, myself.

[La Texican]

Slather Vicks on the soles of your feet, back and chest. Put on socks.

 

Alternatively (and this is tough) squeeze a couple lemons into a saucepan. Simmer to a light boil. Sweeten with honey and try to drink one cup. Even with half a bear of honey it's tough.

[MariannNOVA]

:grouphug::grouphug: Honey helps too, when you get tired of the cough drop taste.

 

Just another suggestion for a spoonful of honey! And I hope you feel better soon. I am home from church with a bad cold, myself.

 

Thank you both! I am saving the honey for tonight when it really seems to ratchet up. MCS: feel better!

 

I cannot tolerate vapor or menthol in cough drops -- I am here with plain old loaded with bad for you sugar Luden's -- I LOVE them.:D

 

ETA: They ARE working.

[MariannNOVA]

Slather Vicks on the soles of your feet, back and chest. Put on socks.

 

Alternatively (and this is tough) squeeze a couple lemons into a saucepan. Simmer to a light boil. Sweeten with honey and try to drink one cup. Even with half a bear of honey it's tough.

 

I had to do the Vick's thing with grand daughter last week.

 

I love the lemons in the saucepan - I CAN do that - lemons have a natural decongestant, you know. Thanks for that tip - I had forgotten about it.:)

[misidawnrn]

I get bronchitis every.single.year! I don't have enough breath to walk to the bathroom from the couch...about 10 feet. It sucks. One year I had it and went to the wedding of a friend from the Carribean. Her mom made me Ginger tea with a piece of ginger that she whacked with a knife, steeped in water, and lots of honey. It worked. Now I make it every time I get sick. Hope you get better soon!

[MariannNOVA]

I get bronchitis every.single.year! I don't have enough breath to walk to the bathroom from the couch...about 10 feet. It sucks. One year I had it and went to the wedding of a friend from the Carribean. Her mom made me Ginger tea with a piece of ginger that she whacked with a knife, steeped in water, and lots of honey. It worked. Now I make it every time I get sick. Hope you get better soon!

 

My dd31 SWEARS by ginger tea. What an excellent idea. Thank you!:001_smile:

[AuntieM]

Oh dear, you need something with codeine in it (did I spell that correctly?). Can your doc call something in to the pharmacy?

 

And the vap-o-rub on the feet? Marvelous! A good linament like Icy-Hot will do the trick if you don't have the original stuff.

 

Tea is all temps - hot, iced - will help keep your throat from getting raw. Stay hydrated!

 

Chicken soup, cliche but proven to help. DH also makes a run for a quart of hot & sour soup from the Chinese place.

 

A cool mist humidifier is good but no substitute for a long steamy shower or your head under a towel over a pot of boiling water.

 

Sleep, sleep, sleep. No comedies (laughter is not a good medicine when the giggles render you hacking and unable to breathe), but you could cuddle up with a good suspense or bonnet flick to keep your thoughts off the cough.

 

I hope you feel better soon!

 

When I get this way, I also take a decongestant or use my nasal corticosteroid because there's usually some cough-inducing post nasal drip involved.

[MariannNOVA]

Oh dear, you need something with codeine in it (did I spell that correctly?). Can your doc call something in to the pharmacy?

 

And the vap-o-rub on the feet? Marvelous! A good linament like Icy-Hot will do the trick if you don't have the original stuff.

 

Tea is all temps - hot, iced - will help keep your throat from getting raw. Stay hydrated!

 

Chicken soup, cliche but proven to help. DH also makes a run for a quart of hot & sour soup from the Chinese place.

 

A cool mist humidifier is good but no substitute for a long steamy shower or your head under a towel over a pot of boiling water.

 

Sleep, sleep, sleep. No comedies (laughter is not a good medicine when the giggles render you hacking and unable to breathe), but you could cuddle up with a good suspense or bonnet flick to keep your thoughts off the cough.

 

I hope you feel better soon!

 

When I get this way, I also take a decongestant or use my nasal corticosteroid because there's usually some cough-inducing post nasal drip involved.

 

AuntieM, AuntieM!!!!! Where have you been? :grouphug: I've stopped talking b/c even doing that brings on fits of coughing. I will do what you have suggested as well as the things the other wonderful women here have suggested. I CANNOT get bronchitis THIS week! CANNOT! I took a zyrtec and that has helped. I haven't had to eat a cough drop since I did that.

 

Our house goes back on the market right after the first of the year (you know, like the second of the year) -- our agent, though, (the woman from whom we bought this house) has us on 'preview' on Craigslist so we can get our days on market down to zero.:grouphug::grouphug: