Can't stop coughing and I have presentations and a job interview this week

[lkjhgfghj]

I've got a cold and it's given me an awful chesty cough, I can't stop coughing until I'm nearly sick or until I can't breathe. I've had the cold for a week now and instead of feeling better it just seems to have gotten worse.

I work from home and tomorrow I have to present and led a meeting. On Tuesday I have a job interview.

The coughing fits are awful, and are exhausting. I often need to stand up or lean over. Water doesn't help. When I'm just a participant in a meeting I turn my camera off and mute myself, but in a job interview or when presenting I can't just do that.

I don't know what to do. I already get anxious about presenting. Is there any medication that I can get over the counter that will help? I know it sounds ridiculous a cough being such an issue but the coughing fits are awful, it's only since i've had COVID that my colds have been like this

Sadly no, there's no effective medicine for a cough (plenty of placebos). All you can do is drink and suck boiled sweets to keep your throat as moist as possible.

I was suffering similarly from Covid when i had an interview just before Christmas. I considered getting in touch in advance to ask for it to be delayed, which in retrospect i think they probably would have accommodated, but decided to go ahead. Large glass of water and i let them know at the outset that i had prolonged coughing from covid. I did cough quite a lot, and just muted, then continued. If you don't think they'll be able to move it, then do whatever you think might help... wear a scarf, hot drink or water beside you, throat sweets, cough syrup, ibuprofen, and let them know! Good luck. (I was successful in mine, despite performing fairly poorly IMHO)

Codinex cough medicine if you can get it.

Night Nurse do a day time version called Day Nurse, which is non drowsy and stops coughing instantly, lasts a good while too. Might be worth a try.

Codeine suppresses your cough reflex, so will make you stop coughing but it can make some people feel a bit away with the fairies so might not be suitable for a job interview. If you do decide to try it, you can buy co-codamol over the counter in pharmacies but it contains paracetamol so don't have anything else like lemsip at the same time.

You can get cough suppressant medication, not sure if it’s available OTC in the UK though

I had this. Fresh pineapple works. I tried it as a last resort when going for an interview! I think dry cough syrups include a cough suppressant too. Good luck, but do try and relax and tell people at the start you have a cough, mute when needed, they will understand and be sympathetic, we have all been there!

The coughing might be caused by a nasal drip. You could try a nasal spray that clears the nose, stops the drip and the cough

I has the same type of cold / cough a few months back. It's only a temp fix but I would suck on a couple of fisherman friends before making a phone call or a meeting and it worked to relax and suppress the cough for a while. You could explain the issue prior to starting the presentation incase you need to suck on one part way through.

My husband had pneumonia recently and had some horrendous coughing fits, to the point of almost making him vomit/pass out. He found some relief with codeine linctus (cough syrup containing codeine). Obviously not something you can use for very long because of the codeine, and won’t actually treat the cause of the cough, but can suppress the coughing for a while. My H used it a few times just to get some respite!

Call 111 for advice

i had this a few weeks back and it was bronchitis, I was given an inhaler and antibiotics which shifted it

People recommending codeine - codeine makes me go absolutely doolally so make sure you test it out first!

Steam can help with a cough, try running the shower just before your presentation. If you can get hold of a ventolin inhaler that will work too (NB not a doctor, obvs!). Lots of water and definitely explain to them at the beginning. Good luck!

People recommending codeine - codeine makes me go absolutely doolally so make sure you test it out first!

That’s a good point @LaviniasBigBloomers. Especially if the OP hasn’t taken it before. The effects can be different for everyone. Codeine makes my OH feel great, but it makes me feel spacey and dozy so good to test it first!

Thank you all, I'm off to Boots to pick up some of your suggestions.

Do you think I should go to the GP? It's only been a week. Last time I had a cold a couple of months ago the cough lasted 4 weeks so I went to the GP, but at that point they said my chest sounded clear and it was just a particularly nasty virus that had lingered.

I feel ok in myself aside from the cough, a bit tired and rundown but nothing out of the ordinary for a typical cold, but the cough is giving me a headache.

Also don't worry I will be wearing a mask! I don't want to spread this to others but I don't have anyone else to go to the pharmacy for me

Take some cocodomol but don't tell the pharmacist it's for a cough or they won't let you have it.

Also just take it occasionally as it can be addictive if used for too long

Take an antihistamine just incase it's post nasal drip aggravating it sounds mad but helps me

My go to with a persistent cough is indigestion medication. Works a treat

I find fizzy drinks really help when you have a coughing fit as it seems to coat the throat a bit. Especially if it's got sugar in it. I could drink a pint of water and it wouldn't make any difference when coughing. Also a hot drink in a flask if you're out and about.

Bronchostop pastilles work wonders for me. There's also a cough bottle version but not sure about that.

I have this too OP.
Awful especially if you have to give presentations etc.

The best things that help me:

1. Jakemans cough sweets - yellow packet
2. Constant sipping of water to prevent dry mouth.

I cough until I vomit, struggle to breathe, can’t speak. Tore a muscle in my side last time.
Gp not concerned, just gave me painkillers for torn muscle.

Good Luck.

I second the fisherman’s friends advice as a short term measure. I used to present all the time in my job and they were the only things that temporarily helped when I got bad coughs. Sending sympathy as it’s awful!

lkjhgfghj All the GP will do is either tell you to wait it out or give you antibiotics, which won't work it it's viral anyway.