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.

I was thinking the exact same thing at 1130 last night when I woke up coughing. An hour after taking some dry cough stuff!

Covonia works for thickly coughs!

Codeine suppresses coughing as well.

Night nurse is so a good idea

Night nurse suppresses a cough if you want some sleep.

The first time I said that on here I got some properly snarly PMs for being so irresponsible for telling people that like. But sometimes you get desperate for sleep

None of them work. We get taught that in medical school.

Presumably the pharmacists are taught it too. I worked with a hospital pharmacist who did some locum shifts in a community pharmacy - he said he was hopeless as he wouldn't sell anything.

But everyone wants a medicine and businesses like a profit.

Jakemans cough sweets, plenty of fluids and a warm hoteater bottle on my chest are the only things I have found helpful. Also sleep propped up with pillows. In contrast my rescue dog developed a nasty cough shortly after she arrived - was concerned it was kennel cough but fortunately not. Aswell as antibiotics, the vet gave her an injection to settle the cough as she was getting very distressed by it and it worked like magic!

There isn't enough active ingredient in cough mixture (as my nan used to call it) for it to have much of an effect. A Dr once told me you'd need to drink about 2 pints every couple of hours for it to have any benefit but the other stuff in it would make you feel very sick!

I used to put Vicks on my children's feet when they were small (then socks) and it worked so I do that for me too - plus a hot toddy of hot water, lemon, little bit of whisky and honey, and a couple of paracetamol. Much better than over the counter cold medicines.

Night nurse suppresses a cough if you want some sleep.
Yes that is good stuff - the proper drowsy one (green).

Night nurse works well as a suppressant and helps with sleep. Codeine Linctus is also an excellent suppressant. In my experience at least.

However neither of them should be used if you're meant to be coughing stuff up to clear your lungs.

In which case I'd agree with you. None of the expectorant cough medicines do sod all.

Yeah I have learned all cough medicine is bull shit.
These are what I find works:

1. codeine (you can buy cocodamol over the counter so includes paracetamol and codeine but you can’t buy codeine on its own without prescription). It will make you drowsy tho but does suppress the cough.

2. Night nurse liquid to help you sleep and suppress the cough. Although they have changed the recipe so I don’t know if it still works.

3. Also I have found a chopped garlic clove taken raw everyday you have cold virus symptoms can considerably shorten a cold virus and cough (I just chop it up into small chunks, put it on a teaspoon and swallow with a glass of juice, it’s not pleasant and you will smell of garlic but it does actually work). If you take the garlic right at the start of the cold it actually gets rid of it over night, and prevents a cough altogether. I have used this trick when I had a cold starting right before a holiday. Got rid of the cold overnight and didn’t ruin my holiday.

4. Also sleep sitting up, prop yourself up with pillows and use a travel pillow for your neck. Helps to stop the coughing at night.

If you’re around someone with a cold or it’s cold and flu season you can take echinacea supplement as a preventative. It stops you catching it in the first place. I have found once you have the cold symptoms it doesn’t do much though.

Honestly get a ventolin inhaler and a spacer. Cough medicine these because we've banned any ingredients that help are useless. I used to get a tincture from the chemist he mixed up. Two tspns in a robust glass egg cup top up with boiling water and sip. Allens pine and honey balsam banned too.

Apparently the ingredients will turn us into addicts

Bronchostop works for me. Really depends on type of cough though. I prefer the lozenges

There used to be one called Potters Cough Remover which was amazing and honestly instant relief

It disappeared I think something in it got banned probably the thing that made it work

Gargling with dispersible aspirin will relieve a sore throat and cough for a short while. Most useful to do it before you go to bed, if the cough has been stopping you falling asleep. Gargle each mouthful aspirin mixture then swallow it as you would normally do.

Personally. Generous squeeze of lemon juice. Generous tspn of honey top with boiling water from kettle and sip. Even during the night if I wake with a tickle a glug of it cold helps.

They haven't banned 🚫 that yet 🙄

Can you buy a ventolin inhaler from pharmacy or do you need a prescription? I’m willing to try anything. My dd also has the cough, he’s been coughing for 4 days now with zero sleep. Poor boy had to drag himself into school today for an exam.

Pholcodine worked but that's just been banned - I think it was in night nurse and a few of the other ones

Vicks on feet works well but you need a good, thick layer

I used to take Gee's Linctus, but it was discontinued some years ago.

Ask GP they were handing them out during covid. You could exaggerate and say son has hay fever with awful cough doing exams and a nurse friend suggested ventolin inhaler. E mail them if you can.

chop up an onion and put it by your bed. You can also make an onion syrup which is good for coughs (just google a recipe) . It also helps to do some breathing exercises/chest clearance techniques (if you google physiotherapy exercises eg. active cycle of breathing and postural drainage) at intervals during the day and in the evening before you go to bed. when we are lying down, your lungs are naturally trying to clear mucous hence why coughs often worse at night and in the am.

https://pharmica.uk/service/ven?gclid=CjwKCAjw3ueiBhBmEiwA4BhspCbfB4DO9MMtSbj_vkzCF52B556NEpZLlHjCWt09MkR9FeRFsNGDGxoCQkoQAvD_BwE

Try this site

I came on to say almost exactly this

Only thing that ever worked for me for the most horrific chest problem of my life, years ago, was a course of steroids. But I’m not sure that’s usually recommended.

I’d just drink honey and lemon to soothe your throat that’ll be made sore by coughing. Go to GP if it worsens.

I’ve got a cough and cold now; I wore my thermal vest with heatgen tech (or some nonsense) that M&S

Done a bit of research yes you can ask at pharmacy

Damn, cut off my message.

Should read- that M&S sell. It really works. Keeping your chest extra warm seems to help with better uninterrupted sleep- give it a try.