can't sleep tonight...any suggestions???

[lavender1]

Am not a late nighter on mumsnet, but tonight I don't want to be lying in bed. Have a soar throat which is causing me to wake up coughing every 5 minutes, have antibiotics, but when lying down sound really gravelly...it's going around and like coughing up your tonsils (sorry to be graphic) have been in bed nearly all day and just want not to cough. Does anyone know of any immediate relief so my dh, who has to go to work tomorrow wont get coughed all over for the next few hours????

[mummytojames]

try extra pillow so your sleeping more upright make sure your bedroom windows are closed the night air will make it worse dont wrap your self up in to manyblanket as its restricting the air way
hth

[lavender1]

thanks mummytojames, night

[mummytojames]

night lavenda hope you get a good nights sleep

[lavender1]

hi again, second night of not being able to sleep and am on mumsnet hoping someone may know how to calm this soar throat. Have tried pillows but tonight tickling and really uncomfortable...or does anyone have a reaction to penicillin and what sort of a reaction is it??all I know is I don't want to go and lie down as can't breathe very well...

[lavender1]

anyone???

[bran]

I often get an annoying, phlegmy cough at the end of an illness, as a last resort I can sleep sitting up in a comfy chair with a soft blanket. I do wake up with a sore neck and backache, but at least I've had some sleep. I find that taking something like NightNurse helps me to sleep and dries up the phlegm, or if I have nothing else an anti-histimine (like a travel sickness or a hayfever tablet), or chesty cough mixture. I'm a bit reluctant to recommend any of those to you though as you're already taking antibiotics, and I don't know what's causing the sore throat.

I hope you manage to get some sleep, it's so miserable to be tired and ill, and it takes longer to recover if you can't rest.

[bran]

Forgot to say that sometimes I find a steam inhalation can ease a sore throat and cough and make it easier to breath for a bit. Depends on the type of cough though, sometimes I find it just makes me more phlegmy.

[colinsmommy]

I haven't had a reaction, but used to work in a pharmacy for 7 years. Most reactions to penicillin produce a rash, typically starting on the trunk of the body that can range anywhere from flat, red, non-itchy spots or on the more severe end turn into hives. Less common, but more severe, is anaphylaxis, which is a closing off of the throat, and SEVERE inability to breathe. Most of the time it should occur fairly quickly after taking the antibiotic. It usually takes several days for relief to occur, so they might not have taken effect yet. I usually get Robitussin DM for scratchy coughs, since the DM is to quiet coughs, and just plain robitussin is only to break up mucus. I don't know if that is the brand name in England, though. The ingredients are guaifenesin (breaks up mucus)and dextromethorphan HBr (quiets coughs).

[bran]

Are you still up lavender?? Perhaps you've dropped off to sleep waiting for a reply . Hope you sleep well, sweet dreams.

[lavender1]

thanks, am drinking warm orange squash with lots of honey in it, hopefully wont be on here too soon again (from ask jeeves soar throats)..still making me cough though

[bran]

Hope you manage some sleep - I'm off to bed myself. Good night.

[jampot]

Hi lavender - I sometimes get a tickly cough with hayfever and find an inhaler (salbutamol) helps. I'd also recommend steam and sleeping with an extra pillow. Also allergic to pencillan & cephalosporins - developed a flat but v itchy rash on my fingers to start with! Hope you feel better soon xx

[foxinsocks]

lavender, I find that gargling with salt water calms down the tickliness in the throat. It probably won't last all night but it will certainly help for a few hours. When I have terrible hayfever and I feel like I want to put a wire brush down my throat to scratch it, salt water is the only thing that calms down the inflammation!

[papillon]

I sleep with a lozenge in my mouth when sleepy... never swallowed one yet... and the constant lubrication keeps me from coughing and soothes my throat

[lavender1]

old thread I know but just wanted to ask mumsnetters...I've had this cough for nearly 3 months, if dh and I have spicey food, or beer and stuff, we cough and are nearly sick...not coughing every 5 mins now but always in the morning when we wake up...and today had a bite of sandwich and orange juice came up (sorry to be graphic) but wondered if any mumsnetters had ever had a 3 month cough and whether it was a lung/chest infection that needs to be looked at...thanks for reading this far

[MummyToSteven]

lavender - probably best to go to docs to check this out just in case, but sounds like catarrh to me - best thing to get rid of it is probably a decongestant like sudafed, or you might want to try your pharmacist or health food shop for their suggestions. It will be worse of a morning because of your nose dripping during the night. You probably notice after a curry because the spicy food will get your nasal secretions going.

[lavender1]

thanks Mummytosteven, but actually there is no catarrh at all, no nose dripping just a tickly cough..