Gransnet forums

Health

Can’t sleep for coughing - any tips please?

(32 Posts)
Kateykrunch Tue 04-Dec-18 11:54:11

I am just getting over a chesty, coughy, virus thing and feel loads better each day this week, but the cough starts late evening and persists during the night, keeping me awake and I need my sleep. I just wondered if any of you lovely peeps might have some remedies I could try, thanks in ant...

Izabella Tue 04-Dec-18 12:13:47

Could be a postnasal drip starting the cough reflex. My only suggestion is hot drinks and sitting well propped up with pillows. Hope you feel better soon. ?

shysal Tue 04-Dec-18 12:18:24

Covonia Night Time is excellent. It has to be asked for over the counter in a Pharmacy to get the full strength version. One swig and I don't cough all night.
I hope you will improve soon.

annodomini Tue 04-Dec-18 12:33:46

Vicks (or other) vapour rub on my chest, so that I can breathe the fumes, does it for me. I've also heard that if you put it on the soles of your feet it can work in some mysterious way.

SueDonim Tue 04-Dec-18 12:38:29

When my Dh had a dreadful cough that was keeping us awake at night the doctor prescribed nasal sprays. We were baffled by that but 'bingo' it did the the trick!

One was an anti-allergy spray, the other a simple saline spray.

chelseababy Tue 04-Dec-18 13:25:51

Night Nurse liquid works for me

LullyDully Tue 04-Dec-18 17:23:11

Steam is great , with a warm drink. You can of course put vics vapour rub in the steam water. I got a little steam inhaler from Boots .

SpringyChicken Tue 04-Dec-18 17:44:37

I know you'll think I'm making it up but eating chocolate will help stop a cough. That's all we use in our family. And most weeks I eat some as a precautionary measure (Ha ha). You need to have a small bar, not just one cube.
www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/news/a36300/cough-cure-chocolate/

Kateykrunch Tue 04-Dec-18 18:40:13

Thank you all, the chocolate one sounds the best lol. I have the nasal spray, the vicks and the chocolates to try tonight, hopefully will get some zzzzzzzzzz’s

MawBroon Tue 04-Dec-18 19:59:16

Bronchostop

Jalima1108 Tue 04-Dec-18 20:28:04

Chocolate starts me off coughing!!It must irritate my throat.

However, that doesn't put me off

I bought an Olbas nasal spray today for DH as I think his irritating cough may be caused by "nasal drip".

MissAdventure Tue 04-Dec-18 20:47:32

Pholcodine (maybe phlocodine?) is really good for the night time coughs.
It can be found behind the counter in Boots.

notentirelyallhere Wed 05-Dec-18 00:09:57

I had the horrible cough which has been going around and came across something new that was completely wonderful - a product called Kaloba, Pelargonium cough and cold relief syrup. It came from Holland and Barrett. Apparently pelargonium is a traditional remedy for coughs and it did the trick for me. Hope that helps someone.

Cherrytree59 Wed 05-Dec-18 00:25:17

Katiekrunch I can sympathise, nothing worse awake all night and knackered all day!

Chocolate cheese or anything creamy exacerbates my night time cough so I avoid after about 4pm.
I sometimes take a piriton.

I have found hot drink at bedtime made from lemon, ginger and honey in hot water also helps.

I still require several pillows and a plenty of water at the ready.

EllanVannin Wed 05-Dec-18 07:27:43

Raised pillows.

Twopence Wed 05-Dec-18 10:01:54

Try cider vinegar diluted with water sipped when the cough strikes. Keep it ready by the bedside.

grandtanteJE65 Wed 05-Dec-18 10:50:58

Slice an onion thinly, cover it with brown sugar and let it stand weighed down with a saucer. The resulting juice is to be taken with a teaspoon.

If you make it up in the morning, it will be ready to take at bedtime.

This is my grandmother's recipe for dealing with an obstinate cough.

Daddy (she was his mother) and I agreed it worked by scaring the cough to death, as it tastes revolting, even when you have a heavy cold, so you stopped coughing in order not to have to take any more of it.

I does work though, I have forced myself to take it as an adult.

Kateykrunch Wed 05-Dec-18 11:05:32

Well last night was another big fail, I really need some quality sleep, JE65, that sounds like witchcraft lol. I am off for a bottle of cough med today and will dose up on Sleep Aid as well. Good job I only have a Christmas Party to go to this afternoon. I am so fed up of looking like death warmed up, I am pasty faced as it is, but this look is not pretty, well it is, pretty awful!

Joelise Wed 05-Dec-18 15:27:43

Covonia or Buttercup syrup are very good, also rub Vicks on the soles of your feet and cover with socks , I know that this sounds strange but it does work, goodness knows how !

NannaM Wed 05-Dec-18 15:50:09

This is going to sound weird.....but it works! Rub a generous amount of Vicks on the soles of the feet and put on a pair of socks before you go to sleep.
Give it a try!

NannaM Wed 05-Dec-18 15:51:42

Ahh Ive just seen Joelise's post. Should have read to the end of the posts!

Kateykrunch Wed 05-Dec-18 16:29:58

Ive bought Mucus cough med and I am now hunting through the medicine cabinet for vicks for my feet! Thank you for your tips x

Smiley4 Wed 05-Dec-18 16:31:49

Eucalyptus oil helps. It’s clears your airways.
But sometimes a cough can take weeks to clear, though take heart. It will go eventually.

grandmac Wed 05-Dec-18 17:15:52

Boots Night Time Cough Relief. It works a treat and puts you to sleep too. Only behind the counter and sometimes they are out of stock.

Framilode Wed 05-Dec-18 17:52:28

When I was in hospital with pneumonia they gave me codeine to stop me coughing. I still use it now and it always works. Does cause constipation though.