To think that cough medicines are a waste of money?

[Lockheart]

Whenever I have a cold or the flu I always, always end up with a horrible tickly cough that takes weeks to go; and I have one now. I get that horrible needling tickle that starts very suddenly and without warning, which makes me flush hot and cough until I'm sick. I can't sleep for more than an hour (at the outside if I'm lucky). I keep having to run from my desk at work to the bathroom to have coughing fits. I can't eat a meal without spraying it everywhere at some point or another.

I must have been through every single cough linctus under the sun, from glycerol to Covonia to Benylin to that Buttercup one that tastes overpoweringly of thyme to pholcodine linctus. I've been through so many cough sweets I'm amazed I still have any teeth left. I've got an anaesthetic throat spray that works for about 5 minutes. I've had no end of water, lemon and honey, pineapple juice, and warm squash.

Why does none of it work? You'd think with all the technology we have now they could come up with something. I just want something that will stop the tickling in my throat and let me sleep

Yes my pharmacist told me that none of them worked. Only thing that works for me is smothering myself in Vicks vaporub

I'm a fan of honey. It also worked well when our Labrador, who doesn't know about the placebo effect, had kennel cough.

Vicks on your feet.

Don’t laugh just do it. (If you google it you will find loads of links). Really helps a cough at night, no side effects, what’s not to like?

mermaid at this stage I'm willing to try anything! Will add Vicks to the shopping list.

Even if it only works because I'm lying in bed concentrating on the fact that I've made a conscious decision to rub my feet with Vicks rather than concentrating on my cough

I agree with other post that most if not all cough syrups are a waste of time and money .
Anithisamins work for me for long term relief ( the one a day time for a week or so )
Try Dequacaine lozenges for a more immediate solution,they are actually meant for sore throats and because they have a powerful pain killing properties they stop that cough cause you through is sore problem .
To get the best out of them put the lozenge as far back on your tongue as you can and leave it there for as long as you can ( at least 15 mins ) and sip warm water at the same time if you can , its not easy but worth the practice.

they also work well for tooth ache put one between you gum and cheek an just leave it there . , dont do it for more than two days or it may cause a ulcer . ulcer and tooth ache not a good combo !

OP ask for Robitussin by name
People seem to want to keep it secret.

the only decent cough mixture ever was Gees linctus but it got discontinued due to its popularity with junkies,
You should have seen the pharmacists face when i asked for it, before i knew it had been discontinued.
the best cough fix is pineapple juice tbh,

Codeine linctus - works on the actual cough reflex. Obviously a bit hard to get but the pholcodeine simply does not work for me. Happily i don't get any other effects from codeine apart from no cough.

I have cough variant asthma - only diagnosed in my late 30s - and I have similar symptoms to you after colds. I have an inhaler (symbicort) and codeine tablets - the really weak ones, 8mg I think. The combination suppresses the cough long enough for me to get to sleep. Get yourself checked out for asthma, the inhaler has made a huge difference to me.

Don't you ever watch the celebrity autopsy shows? Most of them seem to die of some sort of chest infection caused by, amongst many other things, using too much cough medicine and not being able to hack up their phlegm

If you want to stop coughing enough to get a decent night’s sleep then Covonia Night Time works - none of the others do. It’s an over the counter pharmacy only medicine. It makes you drowsy so you can’t take it during the day, but it’s terrific stuff.

Before bed take a fairly hot shower and splash some Olbas Oil and clove oil in it. The steam really opens your airwaves. Then put Vicks Vaporub on your feet (this is weird but it works - and also makes your feet lovely and soft) and take the Covonia Night Time.

Doctor said your coughing for a reason. Taking cough medicine soothes it for a little while but does nothing to get rid. Your basically post-poning the help your cough is doing iyswim.

Basically taking Calpol when in full blown labour, it ain't gna do shit.