How do pharmaceutical companies get away with the lie that is cough “medicine”?

[Coughmedicinedoesntwork]

Seriously, how are they allowed to sell this stuff? I must have tried every brand and type of cough medicine including liquids/syrups/tablets/lozenges and NONE of them work. They do not stop or help a cough. Had everything pinned on Covonia but again doesn’t work.

I’m talking about those awful coughs you get when you have a cold, with these useless products specifically being targets at cough and cold sufferers. I even tried a humidifier and what a waste of money that was too. In fact everything I’ve read is a waste of time and money. Yesterday I tried garlic and pineapple as “natural” remedies and they did zero to help with my cough.

I feel like we are all sold this rubbish that the medicine works and as unwell people are desperate for some relief we will try anything and these companies know this and benefit from peddling their rubbish products.

Can you tell I am fed up after another night of coughing and no sleep. I just want something to work.

YANBU it's all snake oil.

Same goes for Lemsip powders, basically paracetamol, lemon flavouring and a load of unnecessary nasties.

They sell it because the UK market is worth £570m per year and people think its works I guess

YANBU.

Why is something that is supposed to help your chest, going into your stomach?

It is quite literally going down the wrong tube.

Load of bollocks.

Unlike Vicks on the feet...... 😉

It’s disgusting that these companies knowingly sell a product that does not work. They are literally preying on people who are unwell but desperately need to try and get through the working day without constantly hacking up!!

Yeah but buttercup syrup 🤤🤤🤤

They do work if you have a viral cough.
They don’t work if you have mild asthma triggered by a cold (upper respiratory infection)

If nothing is working for your cough that you get with a cold, consider being assessed for asthma. You can develop asthma at any age.

I take codiene for coughs, only thing that works

The decongestant works though.

Snake oil.

You probably don’t want another suggestion, but I swear by honey. A spoon every time I cough, or sips of warm water with lemon, ginger and a generous dollop.

But cough mixtures just prey on the desperate. And it’s a disgrace they’re allowed.

@ADHDDDDDDDBOOM *YANBU.

Why is something that is supposed to help your chest, going into your stomach?

It is quite literally going down the wrong tube.

Load of bollocks.*

The most ridiculous ‘gotcha’ ever.

I take antibiotics and steroids orally which go into the stomach … does that not help because it doesn’t go into my lungs directly?

If you check the labels forensically, you'll see that they don't always claim it to be a "cough medicine" - more likely to be called a cough syrup, cough remedy or even just the "type" (all invented) of cough and the brand name.
Some of the OTC ones you can buy do have active ingredients that have been shown to have some benefits on specific aspects of a cough/cold (paracetamol, for example, or an antihistamine), but none of them will actually get rid of a cough.

Sadly, the only thing that works for coughs and colds is time. You can just use some of these things to make the symptoms slightly less dreadful temporarily.

Honey and lemon works just as well is much cheaper and you can take as much as you like

Ahh, the delights of the post viral cough. I’m currently on day 4. 😢

Nothing helps. NOTHING.

Chesty cough mixtures use a medication called guaifenesin. It’s not supposed to suppress your cough as you shouldn’t stop a productive cough. The guaifenesin helps to thin the mucus and therefore make it easier to cough up.

Pholcodine will absolutely stop a cough as it works to send a signal to your brain telling it not to cough essentially but you can’t use that if the cough is productive as you’ll just have all that crap sat on your chest instead of being coughed up.

I completely and utterly agree with you, OP. The only thing I swear by is Jakeman's cough sweets, the honey & lemon ones in the yellow packet.
They only work while you're sucking them of course, so useless for sleep, but 100% invaluable for sitting through meetings, public transport, etc.

I like the black Jakeman's myself, @JMSA. But I completely agree with you, OP. MIL used to be scandalised that I never had cough mixture in the house for the DC. Bad, neglectful DIL.

I thought guaifinisen was effective at loosening mucus in the lungs, making the cough more "productive" (bleugh), so not giving relief for the cough but making you cough everything up quicker. Remedies for tickly coughs though are basically honey and lemon or similar, I don't think they don't really do much other than have a soothing effect.

@ADHDDDDDDDBOOM Strangely Vicks on feet is often mentioned for peripheral neuropathy !

It is effective.
But I agree the other stuff is just honey and lemon and also Eucalyptus, which does help clear your nose a bit.

DahliaMacNamara I like the black Jakeman's too.
I am very prone to coughs especially after a cold, and had a 4 month cough after covid.
All my coughs have been investigated, x ray etc, but nothing abnormal.

Black Jakeman's does give some temporary relifef.

Thankfully have been cough free since christmas.

The ones with codeine work thougg

Why is something that is supposed to help your chest, going into your stomach?

It is quite literally going down the wrong tube.

This is actually the stupidest thing I've ever read.

I have no words.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The only thing that really works are the numbing sprays. Chloroseptic? Maybe?

I'm sure I remember hearing that there was a study done that showed sucking a square of chocolate was more effective than any otc cough syrup. So now I just do that.

Night nurse knocks you out, I find, don't know if it stops me coughing but it lets me sleep! Especially if taken with honey and lemon with a generous glug of brandy.