Really bad coughing fits and I need to present soon?

[coughingcoughingcoughing]

I have a cold and keep having coughing fits where I can't stop coughing and nearly vomit or am left gasping for air. It's really unpleasant. I need to present something later this afternoon at work and on Monday, and I'm dreading it in case I have a coughing fit during it.

I've had to go off camera in meetings this week due to having these coughing fits. It's only since i had COVID a year ago that colds always result in me having coughs like this.

Is there anything I can buy or do to try and reduce the coughing fits? Last time I had a cold (in December) the cough lasted 6 weeks, I went to the GP and they said everything sounded fine when they listened to my lungs

I’ve had something similar myself recently, all I can recommend is a packet of pocket tissues, big bottle of water, throat sweets and chewing gum to try keep your throat moist and try avoid coughing. Good luck!

Have you got any codeine/medicine with codeine in? Used to be able to buy codeine linctus for coughs, but I think it's been removed from sale recently (due to potentially being abused, not because it's bad). It's a cough suppressant. I've used co-codamol before to get through work without coughing too much.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice, blah blah

Sympathies - I’m like this (& have always been badly affected by coughing) but I have found over the years that dealing with the anxiety of the idea it will become a bad coughing fit is actually the most effective way of not having a bad coughing fit. So I do try to actively suppress the urge to cough and remind myself it’s just a cough etc.

Ask a pharmacist to give you something to help. A cough can be temporarily suppressed but it’s really there to keep your lungs clear of mucus. Otherwise, cough sweets are all you can take.

Argh I get this, it’s awful. I don’t find water helps, try a thick milkshake? Sucking sweets also helps me.

Some kind of strong spirit with a high alcohol content such as vodka or brandy mixed with honey. I would go for 30 ml. Make sure you swallow in small sips and do it slowly, trying to keep the liquid in your throat before you swallow it. It kills a lot of bad stuff like viruses. Worth a shot (pun intended!)