DH’s cough is driving me mad

[tired38]

DH has had a persistent cough since the week before Christmas. He’s coughing almost all the time and it’s not getting any better.

He’s bought some cough medicine which is totally useless. I’ve been begging him to go to the doctor but he never gets round to it and accuses me of nagging.

He drinks four nights a week - I think he should quit completely until the cough has cleared up, just in case it’s something to with the alcohol, but he hasn’t.

Honestly the noise is doing my head in and I can’t take it much more. I’m 28 weeks pregnant and wanted him to sort it out before the baby gets here, but it seems like that’s not going to happen.

He also keeps me awake at night as I can hear him coughing next door when I’m in bed and he’s watching telly (we’re in a flat and the bedroom is next to the lounge).

My head hurts from it all and I’m starting to feel claustrophobic and fed up in our home. I know my constant nagging is probably getting to him but what else can I do?!!

AIBU?

YANBU.
Is he wearing the Dressing Gown of Doom?

Haha no - he insists it’s not a big deal and he’s fine, but it’s honestly driving me mad! Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones and I’m overreacting. I just wish he’d take some proper steps to sort it as it makes my head ache!

A cough can take 8 weeks to clear, and that's a normal not needing a doctor's visit. If he feels well otherwise, then he's doing the right thing.

Make sure the air isn't too dry.

A cough can take 8 weeks to clear

Oh - I’m sure I read on the NHS website to see the doctor if it hadn’t cleared up in three weeks. Maybe I’m being too harsh on him...

No, its 3 weeks. He needs to see a doctor

Sympathies OP, my DH is the same.

Buy him several packets of Jakemans Cough Sweets and throw them at him until he caves in and has one. They’re the bees knees.

Thought so Northern. I just can’t bring myself to nag him anymore about it - it’s exhausting! I wish he could just take responsibility for his own health. Sorry for the rant - I had five hours sleep last night and am at the end of my tether.

@LongGinShortTonic do they really work?

Aww...I feel for you....but also for him too if I'm honest. I'm prone to persistent coughs...its miserable . I always feel really embarrassed by it....but it really can't be helped. Doctors aren't helpful as most of the time it's viral so antibiotics won't help. Jakemans throat sweets are great and give a little short term respite. But it really just needs to work it's way out which can take time, I'm afraid

Coughing drives me mad. I know people don't do it deliberately but it's the most annoying sound in the world. Yanbu.

Thanks Fudge - it sounds like I am being a bit U. And hope you're not suffering at the moment!

Is it still chesty and phlegmy?

If not, and he just has a dry, lingering cough, he could try a cough medicine with Dextromethorphan at night (may cause drowsiness).

It's the only thing I know that is actually a cough suppressant (apart from Heroin, which I have not tried).

A cough lasting for more than 3 weeks can be the sign of something much more serious going on. My Mum had a persistent cough for weeks, turned out she had lung cancer and died 10 months after her diagnosis.

Tell him to get to the GP

Thanks PigletJohn. No, it’s more dry and lingering. I will look into Dextromethorphan.

It’s 3 weeks as it can be a sign of something more serious

Well he should definitely be making an appointment with the GP just to get checked over.

I agree the Jakemans are really good though, the black ones in particular.

My DH too. It’s been the worst winter of illness for us. DD brought tonsillitis home from uni, we both got colds and coughs but mine was tickly and now better, DH’s is chesty and productive- been a couple of weeks now. I feel for him but because he’s tall and a man, his coughs are so loud. He has a headache from coughing and so do I!

Most chest infections go on for weeks without antibiotics. Yes if you’re worried get checked but if it came on with a cold I wouldn’t be so worried about cancer and think more about infection.

PS night nurse can knock you out enough at night to stop the cough.

My husband had a persistent cough a few years ago. When he eventually went to the Dr he had pneumonia

Nothing you can do. Seems to be colds going round causing this, I've had it. You don't get many symptoms other than a sore throat followed by coughing. I've been coughing since before Christmas and it's getting worse. Cough medicine is doing nothing, nor are any cough sweets. He can't help

PS night nurse can knock you out enough at night to stop the cough

Christ, be careful. I said nightnurse was a cough suppressant and got a load of abuse via PM by a very strange person

But yes, nightnurse suppresses a cough.

Oh really? When you’re desperate for sleep, night nurse every time!

Yep, I hear that. Always my go to

I only voted YABU because alcohol doesn’t cause coughing.
But you YANBU to insist he see a doctor. It may be just a viral cough and chest infection. But in addition to other possibilities mentioned, he could have developed asthma. Asthma can develop later in life and viral coughs are triggers for it...also makes any cough last weeks longer than in a normal person.

Remind him that unmarried men die earlier because they don't have wives 'nagging' them and if he doesn't go to the doctor then divorce and a shorter life expectancy will be his fate.