I can't sleep because every time I lie down I start coughing. Sitting up helps the cough, but not the sleep. I spent Christmas night on the sofa so Big G could sweat out his flu fever in delirious solitude.So I went to the chemist today and asked for some medicine that would suppress my cough at night.
"Is it chesty or tickly?" asked the pharmacist.
"Chesty", I wheezed.
"Sorry, no, we've only got tickly", she said firmly, with a sidelong glance at a large shelf groaning under the weight of at least 30 different types of cough medicine.
"But I bought Benylin for chesty coughs", I explained, coughing, "but it just loosens everything up and makes you cough more. I want something that stops me coughing at night".
"Well, I don't know ... if it's chesty ..."
"What about that one?" I blurted, pointing at a serious looking bottle labelled NIGHT-TIME COUGH SUPPRESSANT MEDICINE.
The pharmacist frowned. "Hmmm, well it won't cure the cause of the cough, it'll just stop you coughing".
"I'll take it", I said.
WATER ...lots and lots of water or tea .. you need to flush out the crap .. and get some lozenges .. if you can find ZAND Elderberry Zinc lozenges they really help and taste ok .. not great but not like meds.
ReplyDeletePoor you .. seriously ...
:-Daryl
Imagine that, having the wrong kind of cough. What's the world coming to if there isn't even cough medicine for your cough. We do live in a modern society, after all, where you would expect abundant cough medicine for a chesty cough. Did you tell your pharmacist you were disappointed in him?
ReplyDeleteTo add to Daryl's -
ReplyDeletePillows. Lots and lots of pillows. Then you really can sleep sitting up. Have them behind you and around you. You'll get at least 2 hours before you slip down and start coughing. Sort out the cough with the water, then sit up, sort the pillows out, and get another couple of hours.
Better than no sleep at all and a very sore chest and throat.
GBS..... I have oodles of sympathy as I am going through the same thing! Blimmen exhausting, that's what I call it.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure which medicine I would need. I don't think it is coming from the chest but from the head & irritating the throat. Swollen glands in the neck. I am taking paracetamol.
Have to keep going with a family to support. Just hoping not to infect anyone else with it.
Sod's law, I stay well all through term time only to succumb during MY well earned holiday!
Hope you get over yours soon.
i got sick once a few years ago. got over it, but never the cough. a month and half long cough. turned out i had thyroid disease lol not that you have that, but can u imagine coughing for a bloody month & waking up in middle of night cos ya feel like your choking?
ReplyDeleteanyways, too bad you couldn't get some prescribed cough medicine with codeine. it helps a lot. so how did the cough medicine you got work out? hope everyone feels better soon.
That's tough to have a cough like that over Christmas. Hope you get better soon.
ReplyDeleteHi GBS
ReplyDeleteSo sad to hear about your irritating cough... there's nothing worse than having something that doesn't allow you to sleep!
I have had a dry irritating cough for about 6 months now but mine is a dust allergy... no matter how many times a day I clean the house I still keep the allergy, I've just learned to live with it now... X
Oh dear, hope you're feeling better GBS. So hard to sleep with a cough.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year GBS
ReplyDeleteHope you're better soon.
Frog
x
ps Get an onion, cover it in brown sugar, leave for hours, then drinks the goo...you'll be better!
Mr B, Miss E and Miss M have been just the same GBS. It's a nasty one isn't it? And it seems to come and go over about 3 weeks. Blah. Sorry you've been feeling rough. Daryl's advice sounds good, but Frog's sounds very intriguing too. I might mention it to Mr B. Take care, and Happy New YEar.
ReplyDeleteAnd you won't believe this, but your word verification is: hurts
I only laughed a little bit, honest.
I think that you have enough suggestions. I hope that you will be feeling better soon and that you have a happy, HEALTHY and prosperous New Year.
ReplyDeleteWell goodness gracious what a kind lot of bloggers you are. Thanks for all the tea and sympathy and medical advice. Thankfully my annoying cough is getting better and I almost feel close to normal ...
ReplyDeleteHi......
ReplyDeleteYour blog is really interesting... Keep posting.... Wishing you " A Happy New Year''
Great story! I can so sympathise with you on this one. My cough isn't even a cough, it's bronchitis, no cough medicines for that one.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better soon.