Oh my gosh, I need advice. A few months ago I developed a cough which has gradually gotten worse. Now it is so bad I can't sleep more than a short time before I stop coughing again. It feels like a tickle. There is no mucus. I cough pretty much all day and night, but mostly at night. It is so far back in my throat mouth wash and gargling don't reach it. Cough drops only work when I have one in my mouth and I am awake. As soon as they are gone it starts all over again. I am already on meds for sleep but the coughing makes them no longer keep me asleep.
I am on state covered medical care and they will not pay for the medicine for mucus or for my eyes (too expensive). Any advice????
Really feel for you with that; if you can sleep then you can cope with so much more, but when you don't get enough sleep... You've probably tried it already, but the only thing which helps me when I've had a dry, tickly cough is sleeping semi-upright, with a wedge pillow and a V shaped pillow. Hope you find something which helps soon.
I haven't gotten the wedge pillow yet but I have told my husband I want one. I have never heard of a V shaped pillow. Any idea where I can get one? I am in U.S., California to be exact.
The V shaped pillow is an orthopaedic one, like the breast feeding pillows you can get- I got mine on Amazon. I have neck problems and just find it really helps me. You might find with the wedge pillow and a couple of extra pillows that you're okay. Good luck!
I know this reply is a few days after you posted so you may have found some solutions to make things a bit better so you can sleep. I have had problems with mucus cough too. I sleep pillows tilted and have had a tri pillow which I think is called a v pillow as well which others have mentioned. But I also use inhalations. In NZ we can buy from pharmacy or supermarkets a mixture containing menthol camphor and eucalyptus which we dissolve in a bowl of hot water and inhale with a towel to protect eyes etc from the hot water as we inhale. Another option I was wondering if you had tried is a vaporiser these can be used overnight and sometimes help. Obviously you may want to rum this by a medical professional first to see if this would be good for you. Anyhow thinking of you from the other side of the world
Thank you all. I did purchase a wedge pillow. It didn't help at all. There is no mucus with my cough. It is completely dry, no longer is affected by cough drops, fluid intake, candy or lozenges of any kind. I went off my cholesterol meds for 10 days ( is known to cause dry cough) to no avail. It is getting much worse and I suffer day and night laying down or sitting up.
Sorry that nothing has helped, being kept awake coughing is awful... Have you tried a humidifier for your room? And I presume you have had it checked out with your GP/ primary care doctor to make sure that you don't have any infection or anything else? Otherwise perhaps you should push to be referred to a lung specialist/ pulmonologist.
I agree with Jules re. the referral to a pulmonologist. I finally complained to my doctor about a dry cough and shortness of breath that I've had. The cough hasn't been too bad, but it's persisted for close to 2 years. Some testing, and I have a diagnosis of asthma. My point is that sometimes you need to get checked out, and that the cough is worsening means that you should seek medical attention.
jonchri said:
Thank you all. I did purchase a wedge pillow. It didn't help at all. There is no mucus with my cough. It is completely dry, no longer is affected by cough drops, fluid intake, candy or lozenges of any kind. I went off my cholesterol meds for 10 days ( is known to cause dry cough) to no avail. It is getting much worse and I suffer day and night laying down or sitting up.
Thanks Jules and stoney. I have had a dry cough for over a year but if got severe a few months ago. I also have a shortness of breath ànd discomfort/mild pain when I breath sometimes, even just laying down. My no-ex neuro has gotten me afraid to ask any questions again like when I was younger. That is why I am no longer seeing her. I am back to just doing what drs say . she period would get mad, literally, if I tried to ask anything or tell her about new symptoms.. I am working on it as best I can (social anxiety disorder) and hope I learn to trust drs again soon
If you like your GP, maybe that’s the place to start. My rheumy did chest X-rays and then sent me to the GP for follow up. I can’t tell you how much happier I am now that the cough is decreased and I have a solution for when I’m short of breath with chest pain.
Stoney, my GP already gives me 150 mg trazodone for sleep but the coughing makes it like I take nothing. If I could afford to I would try holistic remedies since none of the meds I take seem to be working. The trazodone 50 knocked me on my butt before the cough got bad. Was just tripled about 2 months ago. It is frustrating