Are there any cough suppressants that actually work?

[ElizabethBennet]

I can.not. miss class on Friday because of this stupid cough. Cough drops aren't cutting it. I feel like I've tried most of the cough syrups in the past and none of them actually do anything.

This isn't just a little cough either. It's a headache giving, make me gag I'm coughing so hard type of cough. I have midterms on Friday and would rather not be coughing my brains out during the test.

I tried calling the doctor and they wouldn't authorize me to go to urgent care or the ER. The nurse basically said drink lots of water and give it 10 days. So they were super helpful.

[TC]

Uh... that's really irritating that they won't authorize urgent care? Do you have a history of asthma? I almost always need prednisone to get a cough like this under control. Do your back and neck get itchy during a coughing fit? Is it a productive or unproductive cough?

In the mean time, try delsym and staying very very warm. Delsym is the only thing that works for me when I don't have access to an inhaler or predinsone. If it's a productive cough though, you don't really want to suppress it too much. Mucinex? 

[berbles]

Fuck that! Get the cough syrup with codeine. Demand it. It's the only thing that works when my RAD acts up and I get the cough-till-you-gag fits.

[ElizabethBennet]

Honestly, if it's not any better tomorrow I think I'm going to go to the ER anyway and deal with insurance later.

berbles, I'm not sure how smart if would be of me to take codeine before a midterm lol

[ElizabethBennet]

Sept 25, 2013 16:33:05 GMT -5 TC said:

Uh... that's really irritating that they won't authorize urgent care? Do you have a history of asthma? I almost always need prednisone to get a cough like this under control. Do your back and neck get itchy during a coughing fit? Is it a productive or unproductive cough?

In the mean time, try delsym and staying very very warm. Delsym is the only thing that works for me when I don't have access to an inhaler or predinsone. If it's a productive cough though, you don't really want to suppress it too much. Mucinex? 

Delsym does nothing for me

I had asthma as a kid, but I don't have it anymore. I was coughing up stuff this morning and but now my body just seems to be coughing for the heck of it.

The nurse said they couldn't really do anything for me so there was no point in authorizing a visit.

[TC]

If you have any history of asthma especially, yes, you need to just go to the ER.

[jane6672]

Yeah, codeine is the only thing that will do the trick.

I don't think you're supposed to drive after taking it though.

[TC]

Yeah, I don't have asthma as an adult anymore either, but I had it bad as a kid and you bet they take me very seriously when I go in with a cough that bad. It is very very common for asthma to only flare up when sick as an adult and you are entitled to a different standard of breathing treatments because of it. The nurse was an asshole.

[TrudyCampbell]

Another vote for codeine.

[berbles]

Seriously. Do you have an inhaler? I use mine, with the codeine syrup.

You need to call someone else. Explain that you can't take a test with this cough. You will disturb other students.


OMG that reminds me of a side-story:

Freshman year of HS, I was taking my history final. My BFF sat right next to me in class. I had a terrible head cold and was coughing/sniffling through the whole exam. About 45 mins into the exam, my BFF asked to use the restroom. She came back and SLAMMED a huge pile of paper towels onto my desk and yelled at me to blow my damn nose. In the middle of a final. LMFAO! Even the teacher was cracking up.

[Deleted]

Go to the er or a clinic of some sort. You can legit crack ribs if you cough hard enough. In the meantime, walgreens sells some amazing cough syrup that is their generic brand. It isn't cheap, but it works.

[TC]

Sometimes heavy caffeine can help bring the coughing under control, but make sure it's in the form of a hot drink, not a cold drink. Cold will definitely make it worse.

Edited to add -- I'm also really surprised they are poopooing it with the way whooping cough is going around right now. That seems kind of irresponsible. 

[pooh8402]

if you can't get the codeine, then try Creomulsion. it saved me last summer when I had bronchitis. it's kinda old school(my MIL told me about it) and I had go to the organic grocery store's pharmacy aisle to find it, but it worked for me.

[ElizabethBennet]

Thanks guys. I think I'm just going to go ahead and go to the ER.

and LOL berbles

I had a cough like this (after I had pneumonia) in high school and had to deal with this while taking an AP exam. It sucked ass.

[ElizabethBennet]

It is entirely possible it's caused by post nasal drip.

[Deleted]

Has anyone tried the new Mucinex liquid?

[ElizabethBennet]

Update for those that care lol.

I didn't go to the ER. I did go and get some Mucinex D and I haven't had any coughing fits in an hour. So I'm thinking it's just being caused by post nasal drip (yuck).

If it picks up tonight again I'm going to head to the ER tomorrow.

[berbles]

[janiejones]

[ElizabethBennet]

Sept 25, 2013 20:23:06 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

I'd find a new doctor, because what in the actual fuck.

Try an urgent care. If they don't give you syrup they'll give you these little yellow pills that numb your throat and the cough reflex. Tessalon I think? They work well in a pinch and you can drive:function.

I can't just go to an urgent care. It's military insurance and unless they give me prior authorization to go to an urgent care I will have to pay out of pocket.

[nursewife]

Sounds like you need the rx cough syrup with the morphing. Try to see a doc tomorrow.

[iammalcolmx]

Sept 25, 2013 16:33:18 GMT -5 berbles said:

Fuck that! Get the cough syrup with codeine. Demand it. It's the only thing that works when my RAD acts up and I get the cough-till-you-gag fits.

Word I had to get this in college 

[alzi]

Sept 25, 2013 20:23:06 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

I'd find a new doctor, because what in the actual fuck.

Try an urgent care. If they don't give you syrup they'll give you these little yellow pills that numb your throat and the cough reflex. Tessalon I think? They work well in a pinch and you can drive:function.

I love Tessalon pearls!

[2boys2danes]

OK, I get that awful cough a lot (like after every sinus infection and it lasts for.ever......anything with dextromethorphan works for me OTC if I take enough of it but I think if you can ask for what I all "liquid gold" that'll work wonders.. its actually called Tussionex and its the suspension cough syrup that's codeine based. Good luck... bad coughs suck!

[ElizabethBennet]

Sept 26, 2013 8:04:33 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Sept 25, 2013 21:07:20 GMT -5 ElizabethBennet said:

I can't just go to an urgent care. It's military insurance and unless they give me prior authorization to go to an urgent care I will have to pay out of pocket.

Do you have the option of switching doctors?

I do but it's unnecessary. The nurse I spoke with yesterday was just part of the larger hospital.

I ended up getting an appointment for today though. I was up at 430 am coughing a ton. Now my chest is hurting and I threw up this morning. I don't know if it was from the Mucinex or what, but I almost never throw up.