The "At Night I can't sleep Cough"

DDD

Well-Known Member
I've been to the Dr. and have pills to take that are suppose to be like super Z paks...whatever. I've had a chest xray and assume that's fine. BUT this night cough is driving me nuts. I swear my ribcage hurts from the sudden coughing fits. Oh yeah every time I start coughing Ace runs to lean on my leg. husband thinks that is "so sweet" that he is comforting me. (well, actually, it is kinda sweet but I want to be left alone, lol).

So...I've tried tea, tea with honey, water, warm coffee. I'd get some cough syrup but I don't want to be woozy during the night because I might trip over Ace the wonder dog. So far the only thing that has helped is posting on the Board which gets my mind off my whine, lol. Any other suggestions? Whine. DDD
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Delsym cough syrup won't make you woozy. It's also orange flavored, so it's not so icky tasting.

Hot tea with honey is good - did you also use lemon? Lemon breaks up the ickies, honey coats.

Kaz has a great, upright humidifier. I got one because el preggo throat is like the desert. Worth a try.

Also, do you sleep on your back? How many pillows? If on your back try 2+ pillows; if this doesn't work sleep on your left side with at least 1 pillow. doctor told me this last time I had a cough that wouldn't stop and... It worked.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Skip the bed... do you have a proper, oversized recliner? I've even had to make husband sleep there on his rare occasions when he just clogs up in bed (like, maybe 3x in the last 20 years...)

The recliner keeps your head and chest elevated...
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
DDD, do you have acid reflux? I used to have that same kind of cough all the time but once I started treating the reflux, the constant cough went away. If you have significant reflux, it will sometimes come up far enough to irritate and actual cause a nagging cough. I sleep propped up on several pillows which helps with both the reflux and the cough.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Personally, with the dog's reaction to your cough...........I'd go to doctor and tell him I want checked for something more serious than a resp infection. Ace may either be sensing something wrong or picking up on the smell of something wrong. (could be the only time he gets a big whiff is when you have a coughing fit)

I have on occasion a horrid night cough that scares most people. It sounds like I'm dying. I'm not. I have phlegm caught at the back of my throat just above the windpipe and it's not easy to get it out. My dogs don't even so much as look at me. The only time they ever acted concerned I had pneumonia. Mine is from sinus drainage caused by my allergy to Bruce, regardless of the allergy medications I take everyday. Smoking does not help it, but it is not the cause. No cats in my house and it magically vanishes.

Odds are if that darn phlegm was actually in the chest I could cough it up easily, but being where it gets stuck......it makes me choke, and not coughing isn't an option.....it's a reflex action.
 

keista

New Member
Ditto Insane.

Was gonna ask if the cough is OK until you lie down. If so, then it's post-nasal-drip. Yeah, even if it doesn't' seem like it. When I get this I sleep on a recliner or on the couch. Stay as upright as possible and try some benedryl or other nasal decongestant.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
This cold bug is going around. The rx. cost me $139 for seven pills...yikes. I'm hoping it will make me feel better and not just keep me from feeling worse, lol. I've never tried Delsym but if you recommend it Donna I'll pick some up tomorrow. I sleep on my left side with a pillow or two. I wish I had a recliner but that's one of those quirky things in our marriage. husband hates recliners....because of some ?? with his first wife. I "don't ask" and he "won't tell" :)

Fingers crossed that tonight is better and I don't have another whine tomorrow. I'm such a wimp at physical problems.
DDD
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
The other option is a hospital bed... <wink>

(what do you mean you don't have one... maybe time to invest in one "for your old age"???)
 

Malika

Well-Known Member
Well, DDD, I can offer my empathy in that right now I have a chest infection along with TB-type cough and it means I can't sleep well at night for coughing. Only thing that seems to help is sleeping on top of three pillows, with head and chest raised.
I'm taking antibiotics and this will soon be over - I just can't imagine it going on for long because it's horrible! I do hope your medication works and you get a good night's sleep.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
You too Malika. My diaphragm is sore (more whine, lol). Insane I can't get a hospital bed. You "know" that Ace would claim it as soon as I left home for work.......and husband would think that was "cute"...he, he, he.

by the way, I always feel guilty when I gripe about a cold or the flu or whatever. I know that many of you have serious medical issues that I have been blessed to avoid. It must seem so unfair to have a 70 + woman griping about a cough when you live in daily pain in your 30's, 40's etc. I get it :) but I'm still going to whine, lol. DDD
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
by the way, I always feel guilty when I gripe about a cold or the flu or whatever. I know that many of you have serious medical issues that I have been blessed to avoid. It must seem so unfair to have a 70 + woman griping about a cough when you live in daily pain in your 30's, 40's etc. I get it :) but I'm still going to whine, lol. DDD

I've lived with chronic pain for years, too. And yet... that "stupid" cough that makes your diaphram scream... drives ME nuts, too. It "feels" worse (emotionally) when it is something that "should" be minor...
 

Malika

Well-Known Member
DDD, this will be small comfort to you but at least you do not have my problem (I imagine and hope :)) Because I am couging so hard and uncontrollably, I am sometimes peeing myself, unable to stop...
I offer this delightful information secure in the knowledge that I will doubtless never meet any of you!
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
As if you're the only one, Malika...!
The diaphram controls SO much of our gut, and...
And who hasn't "peed their pants" laughing? (rofl has NOTHING on that level of gut-splitting gales of laughter)
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
D3

The last cough I got was SO bad they gave me beacoup antibiotics like you did, Mucinex (without the D - because it caused my blood pressure to go sky high) and she gave me an inhaler to take 2 puffs every 4 hours and like clock work the cough would come back every 4 hours. I'd take 2 puffs - and the cough would stop. That stuff was WONDERFUL. And I believe you still smoke so this wouldn't be out of line to ask for since the lining of your lungs is probably really irritated.

Lord when you said your diaphragham was irritated I thought something TOTALLY the opposite end......ROFLM IUD off. (sorry just thought you could use a good laugh)
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Delsym made me loopy, but that was before my heart attack and I reacted completely different to medications than I do now. I don't know why or how, but it's all different now. So, the heart disease could have played a role in that. it didn't make me horribly loopy - I took it during the day and was still able to work.

I swear by Robitussin, but what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

by the way, water is the best expectorant. Drink lots. It thins the mucous so that it's easier to get rid of. And run a cool mist humidifier in your room at night. If it doesn't get better when it should, I would look into asthma and reflux as others have suggested.

I hope you feel better soon.

P.S. Just because some of us deal with chronic health conditions doesn't mean we don't care/worry about others when they are sick. :) Being sick sucks no matter who you are.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Oh yeah...Star reminded me. Maybe ask your doctor about the Advair inhaler. I was prescribed it when I had bronchitis and it helped immensely.
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Try making a tea out of dried thyme leaves sweetened with honey, or a vegetable chicken soup with thyme. Thyme is a natural cough suppressant.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I love an inhaler. Also musinex D helps. I also love the tylenol that is in the cool burst bottle. If you happen to have any narcotic pain pills with codeine or hydrocodeine hanging around, those work wonderfully if you take one at night along with some cough medicine. Or a phenergan pill. Codeine is a wonderful cough suppressant. Next step up is morphine.
 
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