Coughing fits driving me nuts - Allergies Message Board

tnmomofive · 05-06-2008, 10:09 AM

I am being driven crazy by coughing and nasal congestion and running.I have coughing fits off and on happens in the day or night and I hardly sleep at night because of it.This has been going on for a bit over two weeks now.My doctor had me taking Claritin but it does'nt do much at all a bit for the nasal congestion but nothing at all for the cough.I even tried a few cough syrups which don't touch it either.I was thinking about going today and getting Zyrtec to try but wanted to see if anyone knows if it can help with the cough? Or any other sugesstions would be appreciated..

dolysods · 05-06-2008, 12:42 PM

when i had it bad, i needed a rx cough syrup. I take zyrtec daily.. at times i've needed more antihistimine to dry it up so i could sleep. Can you take decongestants? Mucionex D is good during the day. Some people can still sleep and take it twice a day but i can't

golfhat · 05-09-2008, 01:14 PM

I am right there with you. i cannot talk on the phone for sure, and hardly can talk to anyone without a coughing spasm. My husband just pats me on the head and looks at me with pity.

In my opinion nothing can make a cough stop except curing the primary cause. Just treating the symptoms is not working for me. Mine is from sinus draingage due to sinus infect.
I am taking a prescription cough suppresant, plus Mucinex D....and I am still coughing my head off. I am living with cough drops for food basically.

Taking antibiotics for sinus infection---As soon as that clears up the drainage should stop and the cough will hopefullly go away. My coughing sounds like a seal barking.
How about yours?

tnmomofive · 05-12-2008, 06:20 AM

Thanks both of you for the responces...
I have been taking Zyrtec for several days now it seems to be helping some.I also got some nasal spray (Afrin) that has helped.Then I took Delsym (cough surpressant) for a few nights so I could sleep and it really worked.I woke coughing maybe twice each night instead of constant.I have not coughed uncontrolably for a few days now just a bit here and there and alot of phlem has came up which is always clear in my thoart and nose.So I am doing alot better YAY! Golfhat I feel for you ..my cough did'nt sound like a barking seal but i'd cough and cough one after another till i'd be gagging and my sternum area and ribs got sore and stayed that way for days.I had a sinus infection a few years ago and I sooo feel for you it was horrible my head felt as if it would explode and both my ears got infected antibiotics finally took care of it after about a week or so.I hope you will be all better real soon ..what your husband does the head patting sounds like something mine would do haha. Best wishes

golfhat · 05-13-2008, 08:05 PM

Well, I think I am "slightly" better today, but still not free of the 3 or 4 times a day coughing fit. Sometimes I bring up mucus (white so I know the antibiotics are killing the infect), and other times it feels like a dry cough. I know, this is ridiculous. I feel a little lightheaded from all the meds, too.

I kept both of us up last nite and yet the night before I was cough free.
What's up with that?
I am out of Mucinex D. I cannot decide which way to jump. Do I take the Tessalon and try to stop the cough, or the Mucinex and thin the mucus and cough it all up. Problem is more mucus develops.

I am on this antibio for another two weeks. Surely by then the infect will be gone. I will be visiting an allergist as well. my daughter did that & her problems stopped.

Hope you guys are better.

I went back to the doc today and complained but didn't get much help, "Just give it time"...the next thing would be a narcotic type cough suppressant and my doc NEVER wants to do that.