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Original poster

DH cough keeping as awake all night

34 replies

nextwed14 · 21/01/2025 17:33

My DH has been really poorly it started with flu on boxing day with a terrible cough- he is probably only getting 3 hours sleep and he is permanently exhausted due to lack of sleep he has put his back out and his throat is red raw. Been to the GP 3 times now first time they said just a cough second time a tiny bit of crackle on his lungs so prescribed antibiotics and 3rd time still a small crackle on lungs but nothing major so has stronger antibiotics. It is no better - but the worst thing is he disturbs the whole household with his coughing. Nobody gets more than 4 hours a sleep a night and now coming up 3 weeks we are all really struggling to cope - I have an autistic son and he is close to completely loosing it- he has told DH he will never speak to him again. I am considering moving into a hotel with the kids. DH is getting cross as he has no sympathy from us. He has tried steam inhalation, whisky and hot lemon but it will not shift. Our relationship is at an all time low and feel so guilty but I am just so exhausted!

We really are at the end of our tether and I don't honestly know what to do. I just us all to get a good night sleep. Any tips??

OP posts:
ChocHotolate · 21/01/2025 17:34

Vicks vaporub on his feet? Works for small children

muffinlove · 21/01/2025 17:45

I used to get bad coughs when having cold when I was a smoker. I slept in sofa downstairs. After I changed to vaping I don't get bad coughs anymore.

Ihateboris · 21/01/2025 17:54

I've found the best thing to stop the coughing is codeine. Works a treat, but can only be taken at night as it causes drowsiness.

Completelyjo · 21/01/2025 17:56

Honestly if a 3 week cough was making my marriage the worst it has ever been I would be reconsidering the relationship anyway! 3 weeks is a normal amount of time to still be coughing after an infection or virus. What do you expect him to do??

Original poster
nextwed14 · 21/01/2025 18:31

I feel so so guilty as we are all so sleep deprived and we take it out on each other. I wish I didn't but I do - we just need some sleep as does he. Sleep deprivation is a killer and I need some help from somewhere. I have no family nearby so no where we can stay - although we could go to stay at my mums at the weekend but she lives 35 miles away but maybe 2 nights of unbroken sleep will fix us or like i said a premier inn for 2 nights so we can function for the rest of the week, but then I would feel guilty leaving him coughing and spluttering all night as he can't sleep either!!!

OP posts:
Mingenious · 21/01/2025 18:38

Codeine does work wonders for coughs.

could you stretch for a hotel for a couple of. Night for him so you can all get some rest? I’m awful when I don’t get enough sleep

GG1986 · 21/01/2025 21:27

Can he not go downstairs and sleep on the sofa? Could you get a fan for your kids room to drown out some of the noise?

LtdEdition01 · 21/01/2025 22:32

Gargle with soluble aspirin helps a sore throat.

Rattai · 21/01/2025 22:34

Can he go to a hotel instead?

JustASquareMoreChocolate · 21/01/2025 22:37

Time to go back to the GP - he needs some more treatment, discussion of codeine, and considering whether needs an x ray to look for a persistent infection or something more serious.

Yourinmyspot · 21/01/2025 22:38

My DH always gets a cough for ages when he gets any type of cold. While I’m sympathetic it does drive me insane too, I know where you are coming from.

The only thing we have found that helps a bit is Night Nurse liquid from the pharmacy. Though he often snores instead when he takes it!

cheezncrackers · 21/01/2025 22:40

Premier Inn sounds like a great idea!

irridium · 21/01/2025 22:42

Is codeine still available over the counter?

I've had a bad on/off cough since a cold in Sept. but it flares up if confined to trains when I'm on a long journey and there's lots of people vaping (usually students going home). Last time it was in someone's car who was vaping a few times a few days ago. (Couldn't avoid it as she was the driver, and I couldn't say, please don't vape for my sakes as she would have been very annoyed with me.)

coralsky · 21/01/2025 22:53

Night nurse liquid !

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 21/01/2025 22:56

I rely on night nurse liquid to sleep when I’ve got a cough. Knocks me out fully for hours.

if he won’t take it, take it yourself!

spiderlight · 21/01/2025 22:57

Oh God, you have my sympathy! My DH had the most awful cough for a solid month last winter, and just as he was starting to get over it, I came down with it and had it for a month myself. Utter misery! We should both have gone to the GP but he was being a bloke about it and I was genuinely too ill to get there. I'm pretty sure mine was bronchitis, if not pneumonia. I was so weak and worn out at one point that he had to cut up my food for me - never felt so pathetic in my life!

As mentioned upthread, Codeine is a great cough suppressant if he can take it. It might help you all sleep a bit, at least.

CombatLingerie · 21/01/2025 22:58

Sleep propped up on a couple of pillows, take some over the counter soluble Cocodamol and suck Broncho Stop lozenges this was the only regime that worked for me after a really bad bout of COVID.

CharlotteLightandDark · 21/01/2025 22:58

Covonia night time formula.

AnnaMagnani · 21/01/2025 23:00

After 3 lots of antibiotics he needs to go back to GP - he needs bloods and an Xray to see if there is still infection there or something more serious.
And as the cough is mostly at night, consideration if an inhaler is needed to calm everything down.

DancingHippos · 21/01/2025 23:04

Could it be acid reflux? Do ask GP

Also grate some turmeric, ginger and put in boiling water. Mix the sieved infusion with some honey. Get him to drink that as those are all anti inflammatory

Madamswearsalot · 21/01/2025 23:06

I had a persistent cough this time last year - nights were the worst. In the end I drank only warm/hot liquids and took ibuprofen 3 x per day. I honestly think it was inflammation causing the problem and that regime seemed to make a huge difference.

The jakemans throat sweets also helped during a coughing fit.

A Hotel for you and your children could be a plan. I think knowing you’re disturbing everyone makes the nights more stressful for the coughing one, so it could be a win for both of you to have a break.

Alltheyellowbirds · 21/01/2025 23:07

Is it worth trying earplugs? Might work just enough to get some kip.

Moier · 21/01/2025 23:07

Acupuncture.
It works! Cost me £60 worth every penny .

Until he can see one... try this.. keep repeating..

Is there a pressure point to stop coughing?

The LU-5 pressure point, located on the inside of the elbow, is directly linked to the lungs and respiratory system. Applying gentle pressure to this point can help reduce coughing by relaxing the lungs and clearing any blockages in the airways.

DH cough keeping as awake all night
Allthegoodhorses · 21/01/2025 23:10

i swear by bronchostop for coughs. When I first got covid a friend sent me some pastilles in the post and they really worked. Since then we’ve both had that really awful virus going round. One afternoon I was nearly throwing up due to coughing and went to Tesco and bought the cough medicine and pastilles again and they stopped it. I’ve since given them to others that have said they really help. It’s expensive but worth it.

TTCagain85 · 21/01/2025 23:11

An antihistamine at bedtime could be good. Post virus, there is usually alot of post nasal drip, which can be remedied with antihistamine. Also a saline nasal spray so he isn't mouth breathing and further drying his poor irritated throat. You could try an inhaler as others have suggested to help relieve his lungs. Good luck! Ps order some foam earplugs x

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