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Throat sweets in the night...

(14 Posts)
jinglbellsfrocks Sat 27-Aug-16 10:46:39

I am finding that Halls sugar-free sweets are the only things that soothe my cough in the night, and allow DH me to get some sleep.

Last night one did the trick beautifully and I soon drifted off. Bliss! Minutes later, woke with the thought, "it's gone down". Once the initial panic had worn off and I had ascertained that breathing is unhindered by something solid stuck in the oesophagus, I found the sweet actually lasted longer there, and still continued to do a good job.

Is this practise dodgy?

Riverwalk Sat 27-Aug-16 10:50:48

Very dodgy - it won't do such a good job stuck in the trachea!

Greyduster Sat 27-Aug-16 11:14:47

It is something DH does with catarrh pastilles and it frightens the willikers out of me. I lie awake until he tells me it's gone, but he often wakes in the middle of the night if he's wheezy and sucks them then when I'm asleep. If I had to do the heimlich manoeuvre he'd be a goner! If they are gummy and get stuck in the oesophagus a hot drink will help to sort it out. My next door neighbour came round in an absolute panic once with a large evening primrose oil capsule stuck in her throat. I made her a cup of tea and waited until it had melted. In later years she made my life such a misery, I wonder if..... No, let's not go there!

Tegan Sat 27-Aug-16 11:59:45

Yes; that happened to me once with a Strepsils when I was suffering from a bad cough and I popped one in my mouth when I was in bed. Even the shape of Strepsils are meant to suffocate; smooth and round and slip down oh so easily. I also nearly choked on a vitamin tablet once, although that was in the kitchen. I did tell my doctor [who I worked for at the time]that my healthy living had nearly killed me, which he found quite amusing.Made me think of that Emperor of China who wanted to live forever so took the most fashionable health medication of the day, which just happened to be mercury sad.

Grannyknot Sat 27-Aug-16 12:16:18

If we got anything stuck in our throats as kids, my mother would give us dry bread to eat (she'd pull off the crusts). Instantaneous relief.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 27-Aug-16 12:16:20

Sigh! I suppose it will have to be a quick swig from the bottle of cough mixture, several times a night. Can't faff with spoons on the bedside table.

Bit fed up really. sad I need sleep. I want sleep!

Auntieflo Sat 27-Aug-16 14:16:46

Bits of dry crust/bread, are good for dislodging fish bones

NanaandGrampy Sat 27-Aug-16 14:31:16

Oh now I'm going to have to thump you tell you off Jings !!

As I tell my husband endlessly the maker of that cough medicine/cold mixture spent gazillions working out the right and optimum dosage --- a swig wont cut it !!

Riverwalk Sat 27-Aug-16 14:41:27

Cough medicines are a waste of time - you'd be better off swigging from a bottle of water!

You need to find out what's causing the cough - if it's medication-induced e.g. Lisinopril you should ask for a review.

annodomini Sat 27-Aug-16 15:57:39

Agree about the water, Riverwalk - a flask of iced water by the bedside would be my preference if I had a cough.

annodomini Sat 27-Aug-16 15:57:40

Agree about the water, Riverwalk - a flask of iced water by the bedside would be my preference if I had a cough.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 27-Aug-16 16:42:28

Water doesn't do it.

It's caused partly by acid reflux and partly by a slight chest cold. The two don't go together too well.

I'm just a mess. But it will probably get better soon.

I haven't got any cough mixture anyway Riverwalk. Don't believe in it. I've got a bottle of glycerin but can't get up the courage to try it.

Never mind. Says she bravely. smile

merlotgran Sat 27-Aug-16 18:02:24

Have you tried Beconase nasal spray, jingl?

I suffer from a dry cough early in the morning during hay fever season - it's usually what wakes me up. The spray trickles down the back of the throat so it might help you sleep if you use it at night.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 27-Aug-16 18:08:29

Thanks merlot. Perhaps I'll give that a try. There could well be a bit of hay fever in with this as well. Especially as I've been sleeping with the window open.