What helps settle a Covid cough. It’s making me a bit panicky

[HolyMolyRoly]

I know that sounds ridiculous, but I had a day of really bad coughing/choking and now I am getting a bit panicky with the cough.

I am about 2 weeks in to being unwell. First few days, I just felt a bit blah, annoying tickly cough, manageable. Then started to get worse and worse, tested positive last Saturday and have been really unwell since.

Had a really bad day Thursday where I was all stuffed up, thick mucus, coughing non stop, gagging, choking. It was awful I was just myself and I got really panicky.

Today the same thing happened but to a lesser extent but I could feel myself getting really worked up in case it got bad again which I know is a vicious cycle.

My chest and ribs are so sore from the constant cough as well as all the other symptoms. I’ve tried steam, hot drinks, cold drinks, fizzy drinks, Vicks, sucking on sweets, fresh air. Nothing is helping. I’ve been taking cold and flu tablets. I have read that cough medicines etc don’t really work but is there anything anyone would recommend that would give me some relief, please?

Have you tried an antihistamine?

Oh, sorry. It's miserable and the more you panic the worse it is. Try an expectorant cough medicine with guafesinin (spelling?!) in it. Make sure you drink LOADS of water because it thins the mucus that this stuff will be making you cough up.

Thanks so much both! I haven’t tried an antihistamine actually, but there will be some somewhere so I’ll give that a try thank you!

Weirdly, it is at its worst once I have cleared all the mucus (sorry!) which is actually a ‘better’ type of cough. But then my throat fells raw, dry and tickly and this is when I get the worst uncontrollable coughing where I can’t get a breath and start gagging. So I wasn’t sure an expectorant would help. But I’m willing to try anything at this stage. Thank you! Also trying to drink loads as I know I wasn’t drinking enough initially and this was making me feel worse. Thanks both!

Yes to antihistamine. The most effective for me are the old first generation kind like Piriton but, they do make you slightly sleepy so only before bed!

As above plenty of liquids but I could not stand too warm/too cold so my family joke about my Goldilocks water 🤣

Yes I always make sure any cold and flu tablets I buy have the G in.

Thank you! My antihistamines were out of date so I’ve put in an Amazon order for tomorrow for them, cold and flu with guafesinin, and cough lozenges.

Hoping something helps and I can turn the corner soon just feel so terrible. Thanks all!

Try a hot steamy shower

Dextromethorphan (I prefer Robitussin but dh swears by the Covonia stuff you have to get from the pharmacist) is great for controlling a tickly cough ime but probably best not to use if you're coughing stuff up still.

Guaifenesin thins the mucus and makes it easier to get rid of, rather than making you cough more in case you're worried about that.

Fresh lemons and honey dissolved in water. Even when it goes cold it helps so I take a big glass to bed and sip it. You could make up a flask.

But I would visit a GP if it continues. My GP said these coughs can morph into bacterial infections he's finding.

Codeine is the only thing that has ever helped my covid cough but I know some people are reluctant to take it

Thanks all, feel like it’s maybe improved a little with the antihistamine - the tickle isn’t quite so bad. Feels a bit deeper now but mucus also improved so hoping I’m on the up! It’s been exhausting and my chest is killing me!

I've got something very similar. Wk2 of coldy-flu but still testing negative for Covid. Last night was horrendous, so I took some cocodamol. Codeine is a cough suppressant. It didn't work wonders, but I managed 3 hrs sleep in 48 hrs, which was a relief!