Ok, I need sleep, but I can't sleep, because everytime I relax enough to take a full breath, I start coughing. hard. My cough medicine (which has codiene in it, and OUGHT to be effective) is doing nothing to help, anyone know of any other ways of calming coughing that can be found in a dorm at this hour of the night? Long shot, I know, but I'm desperate.
Jen, if you read this, PLEASE don't tell nannie.
[ August 30, 2004, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: Toretha ]
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
Hard candy. Go to sleep with a piece in your mouth. Does the same thing as cough drops, but without menthol which really makes it difficult to have one in your mouth all the time.
Sugarless is best, but doesn't taste as good. (It's best just so you don't get cavities.) I got some cavities because I had about a week (maybe longer) that I used hard candy to control coughs. They were small ones, though.
Anyway... hard candy will keep you from coughing. It always helps me.
-Katarain
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Well, it's possible that a different position might help. Is the cough reflex as strong when sitting up as it is when you're on your back or stomach?
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
no hard candy to be found. Changing positions doesn't help much. its slightly less when I'm propped up sitting, but still coughing uncontrollably....
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
If hard candy helps you that's great, but I'd recommend falling asleep with a piece in your mouth, just due to the choking hazard that would present. Unlikely, I know--I slept a full night with gum in my mouth on a semi-regular basis when I was a kid--but still a possibility.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
So...what's wrong, exactly? What are you sick with?
Posted by fiazko (Member # 5812) on :
Any tea? With honey would be helpful, but it sounds like tea is a long shot. The only other thing I can think of if you don't have medicine is sipping warm water. I doubt it's as effective as tea, and I know it sounds gross, but it might help some.
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
It's not as much of a risk as you might think. I've actually woken up in the morning with a small piece of candy still in my mouth. Just lodge it somewhere, on your tongue against the roof of your mouth, or outside of your teeth.
I suppose if you are a mouth breather or talk in your sleep it could be a problem, but I don't move my mouth when I sleep--especially when I'm "subconsciously" holding on to a piece of candy.
Maybe if you don't have hard candy you could find something else. My theory is that it's just the saliva or something that's created... maybe it just keeps the throat moist. I don't know... It just works.
-Katarain
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
The problem with other remedies is that they're short term. They work fine while you're taking them and maybe a little bit afterwards, but they don't last.
Candy lasts.
Oh, I also use Vitamin C drops... still have sugar in them, but a little more like medicine and less like candy...
Suck on something.
-Katarain
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
I'm sick with something involving coughing up a lot of green stuff. I don't know what it is, although my bets are allergies. I'll try tea, though, good idea.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Yeah, I know that for many people the risk is slight...like I said, I used to sleep with gum in my mouth all the time as a kid. It's just that, on the off chance that she would choke and die, wouldn't you hate to be the person who gave her the advice that she killed herself following?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Now *that's* delightful, Toretha. Ew.
Yeah, tea seems like a good idea. Have you seen a doctor? If you haven't, go tomorrow.
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
Noeman, Good point.. Use at your own discretion, then.
I think allergies causes clear "stuff" (phlegm).
Green, yellow, etc. means an infection.
At least that's what I hear.
-Katarain
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Good god, it's 1:39. What am I doing still up? I have to work tomorrow! Well, good luck Toretha--hope you feel better soon. 'Night!
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
I'm working on seeing a real doctor. The reason I haven't so far is that the campus doctors don't examine you, and just assign a lot of very potent drugs for even the smallest things. thanks, night
[ August 30, 2004, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: Toretha ]
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Take a long, hot shower. This will help you relax all over and give your irritated mucous membranes a break, giving your body a chance to recharge.
Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :
Typically, I'd go with a sinus medicine to stop the mucus from rolling down the back of your throat, then I'd do the tea/hot water thing.
Hold the water in the back of your throat as deep and as long as possible. Just like Stormy said, the trick is to relax those spasming muscles.
I prefer phenergan over codiene as a cough suppressant. It works very quickly for me. I believe it has a topical anesthetic quality because it works best for me if I hold it in the back of my throat for a moment before swallowing and wait at least an hour before drinking anything else.
I wish you rest.
[ August 30, 2004, 01:54 AM: Message edited by: LadyDove ]
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
If you're coughing up green icky stuff, that means your infection has already moved into the lungs.
If you don't recall feeling badly earlier in the week, odds are the bug is on the way out.
I can't recommend anything at this absurd hour, but when you get a chance, make sure you get some cough syrup with expectorant - you might as well hurry the green icky stuff on it's way.
-Trevor
Posted by MaydayDesiax (Member # 5012) on :
Toretha--If you need anything, call me. I've got tons of tea (although no honey), and I do have some hard candy you can have. You know my number, I'll be over there in an instant.
Mayday
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
Thanks, mayday. I may take you up on the hard candy (by an odd stroke of luck, i actually have some tea, won it at work)
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
I told you I didn't like the sound of that cough!
Enough of your "this is normal" thing!
Yes, real doctor.
[ August 30, 2004, 08:46 AM: Message edited by: fugu13 ]
Posted by Fyfe (Member # 937) on :
I won't, but you really need to tell Mom or Dad and have them take you to a doctor. It's not that hard to see a proper doctor. Works like this: Hey, Mom? I can't sleep properly; let's go see the allergist.
Jen
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
seen doctor, got medicine, hopefully it'll work.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
What did they give you? I'm glad you went.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Good! Did you end up getting any sleep last night? What did the doctor say? Is it simply allergies or does the presence of green stuff mean there is some infection there?
I wish I could give you one of MY lungs. I worry about your breathing a lot. Particularly it scares me when you say stuff that sounds kinda like, "ah, it's only a flesh wound, c'mon I'll butt you to death," about the various really serious sounding symptoms you get from time to time and then dismiss as nothing.
Do you have an oxygen cylinder you keep hanging around with a facemask for emergencies? I would guess not. 'Twould be quite easy and most likely insurance would cover it, though I can already hear the dozens of solid logical objections you are raising to that idea.
Sorry I couldn't respond last night. Hope you feel better.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
I'm glad you are doing okay for now, Toretha.
My bet would be allergic sinusitis overlaid with infection. You also might have asthma symptoms triggered by viral infection and/or changes in weather temperature and humidity. Asthma cough tends to get worse at night. Humidity is a definite trigger for me, as is extremely hot or cold air.
Would you consider sinus irrigation? It's the most popular home remedy by far at our allergy clinic, once people get past the squick factor. Multiple good studies have confirmed that it is as effective as any medication we have for treating allergies.
Usually purely allergic upper respiratory reactions produce clear to whitish drainage, and usually upper respiratory infections are associated with yellow to green drainage. The most frequent cause of coughing up mucus in your age group would be post-nasal drainage, rather than a primary lung infection. Post-nasal drainage could also show up as a burning sore throat that is worst when you first get up in the morning (the mucus can pool in the back of the throat and act as a local irritant). It can "settle" in the upper levels of the bronchial tree -- leading to a rattling when you cough -- without any local infection there in the lungs.
However, green does not equal bacterial infection, despite lore and legend to the contrary. A well-designed (although somewhat frightening) study done before the days of Internal Review Boards and formalized human subjects concerns demonstrated the lack of correlation between color of mucus produced (yellow vs. green) and type of infection (bacterial vs the more common viral). Something like a hundred children underwent sinus taps (needle through nose into sinus) and subsequent cultures, and the outcome was unequivocal -- no association.
[ August 30, 2004, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Sara is always all about sinus irrigation. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
From personal experience, I can say it works. And with all the different respiratory meds my mom has tried, none does as much as irrigation.
Mom was right about cleaning behind your ears; she just didn't go far enough.
[ August 30, 2004, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: rivka ]
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Yeah, Sara really nose her business.
-Trevor
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Yeah.
I used to have to do it as a kid (progressive RN mom, decades ahead of her time), so why shouldn't everyone else?
Seriously, it's good stuff.
I argue against colonic irrigation, though, despite the fact that it's how Kenny Loggins met his wife (she was his irrigation technician).
Ew. Electrolyte imbalances, perforation, unecessary probe-age. Ew ew ew.
Focus on the Sinuses.
[ August 30, 2004, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Christine has used a neti pot a few times, but I never have. I probably will at some point, but I just haven't thought of it when I've needed it, somehow.
Sara, do you know anything about a practice performed by some yogis where they consume a fairly long length of cloth, but leave the end hanging out of their mouths, do a bunch of twisting around with their stomachs, and then pull the cloth back out? Kind of a "stomach floss"? I've rarely heard of something that sounded like such a bad idea, although I'll have to admit that it pretty much ties with colonic irrigation.
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
quote: However, green does not equal bacterial infection, despite lore and legend to the contrary.
Good to know!!
-Katarain
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Stomach...floss?
Considering the amount of acid and digestive muck you'd be hauling up and out, I can't imagine it would be good for you.
-Trevor
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
CT, is sinus irrigation good for a cold too? Or just allergies?
I've currently got a cold and sore throat and want it to go AWAY cause I've got a party to put on. (Oh and jobsearch too, Saudade, yes I'm doing that too! )
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Does Saudade still lurk here Anne Kate?
Trevor--yeah, the whole stomach floss thing seems like a horrible, horrible thing to do to ones body. There was a section in one of my wife's yoga books detailing how to do it, and I was...disturbed. I'll have to dig through her books and see if I can find that one. If I can I'll post about it in greater detail.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Well, I dunno, but a little evilmistressappeasement never seems amiss when she's on the warpath. Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I never did actually get her to respond to anything I ever said to her here. Always thought that was odd. I posted about squirrels and everything.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
decapitation would probobly work rather well...and the cough would not come back.
Of course, I doubt you could live with the side effects.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Noemon, yeah, she works full time and goes to school full time and cooks and keeps house too. I don't really see how she manages all that. But she's just good, I guess. Anyway, you mostly see her on during school breaks, if then, and then usually only on AIM in chat. She's gotten all disciplined and stuff about being online. I'm super proud of her. She's due to graduate soon from FAMU and makes all A's always.
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