WAY OT:Coughing remedy?-daughter sick, deperate

I know this tractor talk but I'm desperate. I'll try to condense this: Teen daughter got head cold, went to chest, turned into cough. Real bad chronic cough, non stop all day-night for 3 WEEKS!. 3 trips to 2 docs plus several phone consults)-shot of steroid plus pills, inhaler, advair disc, two pills- one for emphysema type cough. NO RELIEF! Doc says its "viral" bronchitis that won't respond to antibiotics so wait it out. She literally coughs every 30 seconds-non stop. Has to sit in my chair at night and cough herself to sleep. Tried syrups from store, prescrip codeine, teas with honey/whiskey, lozenges. We are all tired, stressed and depressed. I have literally prayed for her relief. If it wasn't for the long wait I have contemplated taking her to the E.R. at night (don't want to sit with the gun shot victims). Doctor says he's doing all he can and there is no other remedies available to him. I have no experience with asthma and a chest xray showed only inflamed bronchial tubes. I've silently wondered if she can have a heart attack or something from continuous spells. I just can't believe theres not some sort of "numbing" inhaler to stop the reflex of coughing(just the mechanic in me thinking). Are there any sure fire home remedies? Doc is today trying to get into specialist but with tommorow being Friday I'm not too hopeful.

You can buy spray that numbs the throat, don't know how it would work for a cough.

Your daughter's been coughing for 3 weeks but you don't want to go to the E.R. because you'll have to sit with the gun shot victims??? You've been watching way too many TV shows! I realize it can be a long wait at the hospital but not even close to 3 weeks. Hospitals generally have access to several different Dr's. and specialists that could likely help your daughter, the same way they save gun shot victims lives.

Well I hear you. btdt. waiting it out is no fun, and when it is your daughter it is worse. I had an old remedy from a Newfoundland fisherman when I was there years ago. Had a horrible head cold. He said to make a nice warm cup of tea, add some lemon juice, at least half a lemon, a couple of spoons full of sugar or honey, preferably honey, and about three ounces of rum. Then chug it down as fast as I could and go to bed. I had to hold on to the walls from the kitchen to the bedroom, the effect was that fast. I sweat so much had to change the bedclothes during the night, but next day the cold was gone. Only toime in my life it worked so fast and so well. If it does not work for her you might try some for yourself.
God bless, hope she is well again soon.

I remember a spell like that when I was little. My mother took me to a chiropractor and within 10 minutes he had the congestion cleared up. The guy used a vibrator on my chest and back to where the crud came up. It wasn't a cure but gave me some relief. I remember leaving the office barely feeling sick at all.

First thing I will suggest is to avoid extreme remedies or suggestions from anyone. (me included)
If you are located in the southwest (anywhere there is desert, or wind from desert to probably central Oklahoma and east Texas, NM, Or AZ check the following information. My wife had this when she was 12 in Phoenix. It agffects her even today with scar tissue and frequent coughing/throat clearing. She does not have the disease. just scarring from it. Do not assume this is correct diagnosis it is not!! It is a possibility that can happen and does. May her recovery be swift and with no lasting effects. Jim
One of many lesser known causes

well i am not too much for doctors , but when i get a chest and head cold i make a garlic sandwich. slice up garlic cloves and then spread them on buttered bread and go to it. the bread takes the garlic bite away. then you can actually feel the garlic working in your chest. this is what i do and it works for me.

(quoted from post at 20:28:14 03/15/12) I know this tractor talk but I'm desperate. I'll try to condense this: Teen daughter got head cold, went to chest, turned into cough. Real bad chronic cough, non stop all day-night for 3 WEEKS!. 3 trips to 2 docs plus several phone consults)-shot of steroid plus pills, inhaler, advair disc, two pills- one for emphysema type cough. NO RELIEF! Doc says its "viral" bronchitis that won't respond to antibiotics so wait it out. She literally coughs every 30 seconds-non stop. Has to sit in my chair at night and cough herself to sleep. Tried syrups from store, prescrip codeine, teas with honey/whiskey, lozenges. We are all tired, stressed and depressed. I have literally prayed for her relief. If it wasn't for the long wait I have contemplated taking her to the E.R. at night (don't want to sit with the gun shot victims). Doctor says he's doing all he can and there is no other remedies available to him. I have no experience with asthma and a chest xray showed only inflamed bronchial tubes. I've silently wondered if she can have a heart attack or something from continuous spells. I just can't believe theres not some sort of "numbing" inhaler to stop the reflex of coughing(just the mechanic in me thinking). Are there any sure fire home remedies? Doc is today trying to get into specialist but with tommorow being Friday I'm not too hopeful.

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re you sure she has no whooping cough??

I had it bad this last winter, couldn't go to bed with out coughing all night. My wife is a nurse and told me to ask the DR. for a presciption for tasslon pearls (SP) . Take a couple right before I went to bed and rested all night ... These little pills were lifesavers. JC

I feel the same way about medicines and doctors, but hey, this ain't right, she isn't going to get any better sleeping in a chair. She got to go to the ER. Now. Don't wait till her heart gets too weak, or lungs fill up to a dangerous point. In the ER, she can see a couple other MD's, interested interns who will do other tests and research some ideas, and there will be oxygen and an adjustable bed to get some comfort. Get the car started now, and her in it.

Keep her in touch with a doctor; don't let it turn into pneumonia.

I just lost my friend to bronchitis we were both 32 he wouldn't go to hospital now he won't go anywhere again hhad a hard time breathing one night and died in just few minutes

My son did that when he was young. Like to drove us all crazy cause he coulden't stop even for a minute. I finally got desperate enough to give him a tablespoon full of white lightning with a pinch of sugar to help with the bite. It set him on fire but it stopped the constant cough. I didn't ever have to worry about him getting in the fruit jar after that cause he hated the stuff.

Redtom, So sorry to hear of your daughters coughing problem. Lung congestion can be from many origins. I have a similar problem, and I am using Doxycycline 100 mil. along with musinex Liquid and albuterol ipratrop and it keeps me breathing. Lungs fill up so quickly and coughing is terrific ,trying to expel the phlem.I also use penicillin (capsules).It has been suggested to go to the emergency room, and THATS GREAT ADVICE! I wouldn't hesitate to do that for one of my children . Get in the car and go. Don't hesitate. Best wishes for your daughter and yoand your family. regards LOU.ps keep us informed .

Could it be she developed an allergy while sick?? How clean is your house (and I don't mean that in any way other than just a question and don't want an answer)? Ever seen someone with a dust allergy? Pretty aggravating to be around.... Is she sick and coughing or is the cough running her down. Maybe try cleaning her up good (fresh clothes and a shower in case it's something in the air at your house) and have her stay at a friend's place...

Can imagine the strain it's puttin on you and the wife, can't stand to see a kid hurting, and would be crazy if it was my own... Do you have mold or mildew anywhere or carpet that may have picked up something tracked in from somewhere else? The cough you are describing is one of the most common signs in my area of mold in a house.
Any chance you have a decent homeopathic docter (??) around to ask advice/see? They tend to look for/fix the cause instead of cover the symptom.
Good Luck.

How is the humidity where she is? A vaporizer might help, and steam can give some relief. You have to be careful not to get burned, but breathing the steam from a teakettle, captured in a paper grocery bag works pretty well for me when I have chest congestion. It is also very important to keep hydrated by drinking lots of water, or possibly something like Gatorade.

Sleeping in a recliner will usually stop my problems with coughing when I have been laying flat. It seems to have something to do with how nasal drainage moves in my head, throat and chest.

Vicks Vapor Rub can help a person coughing feel better. I rub it on my upper chest and breathe in the vapors.

Have they tried breathing treatments with a nebulizer machine? My wife has asthma, and she is helped a whole lot by breathing in the medication through the machine.

If there is an asthma specialist in your area, you might try getting her in to that office. A G.P may not know as much about this problem as a specialist.

Good luck, it is really scary when your child is sick and you can"t seem to come up with the right thing to make them feel better. Hope she gets better soon.

My experience.. Went to another State on holidays, developed Bronchitis. Went to bed ten o'elock one night, cold room, continually coughed for 4 hours without dozing off, arose, went to kitchen and turned on the radiator, sat there breathing in the warm air till 6am., coughing gradually subsided and became infrequent Worked for me.

I agree with the steam relief.
But also try Salsa and corn chips, kinda burn the stuff out.
Also have her try drinking the hot broth of chicken noodle soup, hot/salty/spicy. May have the same effect of the salsa and chips.

She needs a chest xray, to rule out a lung infection. A old coworker of mine developed a nasty fungus in one lung and had to have 1/2 of his lung removed. The fungus was traced from the bacteria of bird p**p,.....really.

Emergency room. Don't gamble. All our advice is good for tractors and discs, don't gamble with your daughter. ER.

i agree on taking her to the er right away. could it be an allergy problem or an enviornmental issue at home or school? possibly mold, dust,radon gas or pet allergy? anything new in the house or her room? stuffed animals, pillows, some type of textile from oversea? go to home depot or menards and get a room air cleaner with a hepa filter, get a good size one, and put it in her room. see if it helps.

red tom
just a suggestion our son had a similar problem many years ago.
we had 2 parakeets doctor suggested getting rid of them end of problem.
never thought something that small would be the problem. hope your daughter gets well soon

Take her back to the doctor, and ask him/her for a prescription for Tessalon.(sp)Nickname is Tessalon Pearl.

I would take her to your hospital's Emergency Room PDQ. Hal

(quoted from post at 23:28:14 03/15/12) ......3 trips to 2 docs plus several phone consults)-shot of steroid plus pills, inhaler, advair disc, two pills- one for emphysema type cough. NO RELIEF! Doc says its "viral" bronchitis that won't respond to antibiotics so wait it out. ........ Are there any sure fire home remedies? Doc is today trying to get into specialist but with tommorow being Friday I'm not too hopeful.

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Like the others said, I wouldn't trust any advice on here. If not the ER, take her to Urgent Care. But remember that those place are designed to treat trauma and general medical issues and will not have specialists in any particular field sitting in the back. It sounds like you're past that stage(initial diagnosis) though they may be able to call in a specialist if needed which would avoid the wait to see an ID doc in his/her office. My wife is an RN and her boss is a specialist in Infectious Diseases, so I know it can be tough to hear "we're doing all we can" or "wait it out" but that's the truth sometimes. Everyone expects a trip to the doctor to end with a shot, prescription and a perfect outcome. It just isn't that way. Also, not all doctors have the same knowledge and that's why we have "specialists". Hindsight is always 20/20, but I can understand how 3 weeks of trying different things can happen. If the regular docs are out of ideas, the specialist is the next step. And don't be surprised if you get the same answer: "wait it out". I know my wife and her doc have to tell patients sometimes "there's nothing more we can do".

Find a different physician that specoalizes in respiratory illnesses. The average GP and ER physician just knows a little bit about everything.

I always come there for my legal/medical advise.

I would agree that visiting the Doc would be the best, especially lasting that long. Something has been going around up here, I heard someone call it the respiratory flu.

That said, I know a guy who swears 1 teaspoon each of whiskey, honey, and lemon juice just before bed clears up a cold. Haven't tried it myself.

"Doc says its "viral" bronchitis" - google search "viral" bronchitis for more information.

A specialist is probably your best choice at this point. An emergency room can't help any if she's stable. Be careful with remedies that just mask the symptoms but don't help the real problem.

A dry cough is probably restricted air flow. A wet cough is more serious.

Allergies? Is you basement damp and moldy?
Were the trees pollenating in your area when problems started? Any new pets, new plants or new carpets in the house? Any smokers in the house? Does she feel better at school or if she stays some place else?

Good luck.

All I know is what a neighbor told me. He was a medic in the Navy and told me honey,lemon and whiskey in equal parts.He even told me why it works and what each one does,but I couldn't tell you right now what he said. Don't need much of any of them. Make up enough to swallow in one gulp. It's nasty tasting stuff and you don't want it in your mouth for long. That's all I use.
If it's any consolation,I've had it too. It's going away slowly,but it's been two months. Just like with your daughter,it's been entirely upper resparatory. Never went in my lungs or sinus. I just try to avoid the first cough because once I get started,I'm in for a long round of it.

redtom, the only other suggestion I have is Phenergan, it is a muscle relaxer, they usually give it for stomach nausea vomiting, but I have had it perscribed as well for chronic cough. I am asthmatic as well. It relaxes the spasms in the gut as well as the broncial tubes.

But I agree with many others, I would go to the ER as well. Don't risk it.

The last 2 years, my Son and I have gotten down (each Year) with an upper-respiritory crap that would NOT get better no matter what we did..

Both times we had to go to the Dr. and get a
"Z-Pack"..got right over it both times...but the effects lingered a long time with coughing up junk from our Lungs..

I suggest getting her to a Dr immediately..
The stuff we had would definitely cause Death, if not properly Treated..
Ron

Be careful about the over the counter medicines. They are not intended for continual use. Many people have died, or had serious organ damage.

I agree with the others, may be allergy related, ask your doctor to refer her to a specialist.

O.K. you need to try this.. It worked for us.. My son has had a nagging cough..finally the wife was on the internet and found this:

Take VICKs the chest rubbing stuff... ya...rub it on the bottom of her feet then put socks on and in 5 minutes the cough left my son.. AMAZING.. Please try and let us know...

I would suggest trying to find, get a referral or whatever you may have to do in your area to locate a specialist, even if out of the area.

I do not know what it is with doctors and the medical practices today, but I will share my experiences related to same. This got a lot longer than expected !

It appears that one must be absolutely proactive with being up front, candid and very descriptive with medical professionals today, it seems you just can't get their attention for very long, you have to push until you get results, or change. Sitting around and waiting can be deadly, (not saying you're doing that just something to avoid).

My father has been dealing with asthma, COPD and some very serious recurring issues, to be honest, he's very fortunate to be above the dirt. Last October, he was hospitalized for 2 weeks, stemming from an asthma attack and its effects on his heart. 2x year he's been hospitalized and close to same in between.

The turning point was firing his doctor, well he found another, specializing in and extremely interested in determining what is causing these problems. He changed meds, he set up respiratory therapy, and my father has improved drastically, he could barely make it up flight of stairs without being out of energy, I mean to the point of collapse. The doctor suspects a long hidden bacterial or maybe viral infection, possibly dormant for a long time, hidden and hard to detect. This doctor took a serious interest in him, vs other doctor, treat what they see or diagnose, seemingly superficial, he gets better, but he's just not right and relapses. I believe he's finally found a doctor capable of providing the best medical treatment he can get for what he's dealing with.


A good friend and farmer who has planted the ground where I live since before I was around, same age as my dad, was dealing with some very serious issues, I was there at his bedside when a doctor came in and reviewed his situation, and was quite frank in layman's terms about things like the meds another doctor had him on and some other things. Well he followed what this doctor prescribed, been awhile now, so I can't recall the specifics, but this doctor was a personable guy who speaks directly to you in layman's terms about the situation, with me there and though he's a great long time friend, I'm not family, doctor told him in no uncertain terms about the change in meds and other things. Well this guy had gone through H$ll, was a complex liver issue, he's diabetic, but always went to the doctor and took care of himself, never really drank or smoked either, just good ole farming work is all he's done. The meds and the additional stress on the liver was one of the main contributing factors of his health problems. Fast forward, he's able to live and work normally. He does not work as much as he did, downsized and sold a bunch of equipment, which was probably in his best interest across the board. The change came from the doctor and the world is a better place with him still in it because a doctor took the time to look closely at his situation.

I don't like hanging out with the criminals handcuffed to gurneys either, I brought my dad into the ER in Coney Island once after a collapse, due to heat and other circumstances, The attending nurse at the reception told me I had to wait, I pointed to the car directly outside the window, with the big guy in it with his tongue hanging out, she said you have to wait, she saw him too. I hopped in the car, and drove to the ambulance dock/bay, the NYPD guys with their shot up or otherwise injured criminals handcuffed to the gurney, rushed over, got him out of the car, got immediate medical help from the hospital personnel and it saved his life. His BP was skyrocketing, he was a ticking bomb, and had I not the instinct to take action like I did, he'd have been gone, end of story.

It sounds like you need to get some additional medical help for her right away. I sincerely hope you can cut through the red tape and find a specialist or whomever necessary for a 2nd opinion or look, it is possible that the results could be different.


There is some stigma with the medical profession today, and it appears you must be very proactive with these people to get your point across, intelligently and politely, but with a stern, serious tone.

I arrive for surgery Nov 4 last fall, nurse practitioner had looked at my condition after another surgery follow up, that appeared to be vascular, said she would review it with the doctor, call me and arrange this surgery. I arrive and am prepped, the doctor whom I like and have a good opinion of, takes a look (and I've explained this problem numerous times in my visits to this facility)and realizes what I have been saying all along. He cannot perform this surgery, as its not a vascular issue, something else, and recommended a specialist who subsequently performed the surgery that I am still healing from now. The bottom line was that this nurse should have initially summoned the doctor prior to scheduling surgery at an earlier visit, and made the determination then. I still get billed a copay and insurance charged a visit, or prep for surgery that was completely unnecessary. The nurse practitioner appears like a waitress turning over tables in a restaurant, getting people in and out, keeping a pace that allows things to be overlooked that should not be, this is what I am talking about and its like that everywhere I go. The doctor who operated on me, I've met 3 times and probably spoke to him for 3 minutes total ! Fast paced world, they don't seem to care if you die, lot of them throw meds at you, treat the superficial things and to them you're good unless you stand your ground and make them do their job, by pushing the issues until either you have reached the limits of the medical treatment that apply to the situation or you get results.

The darned insurance companies like to turn their backs on you too, they have tried to cancel us out because there's only a couple people in the plan, one whose life absolutely depends on it and has a lot of high dollar claims due to the above situation that has only recently gotten much improved results, which should reduce the high dollar claims, its a catch 22 ! This resulted in a veteran, having to speak to a congressman whom is also veteran about the situation. The whole thing is a constant fight to stay alive, or so it appears looking back.

I sincerely hope you can get to the bottom of this and help your daughter get through it.

my advice is dont listen to any of us alone. Get her to a pulmonary specialist - they treat breathing problems. That said, I have chronic bronchistis (sp) if I get sick and it gets in my chest I get relief to sleep at night with prescription of Tessalon pearls - generic for benzonatate, cheap and work HTH let us know how she does, nothing more upsetting than to see your child suffer

(quoted from post at 23:03:01 03/15/12) I had it bad this last winter, couldn't go to bed with out coughing all night. My wife is a nurse and told me to ask the DR. for a presciption for tasslon pearls (SP) . Take a couple right before I went to bed and rested all night ... These little pills were lifesavers. JC

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Those little pearls worked wonders for me when I couldn't stop coughing.

Just a few facts now that its the next day. She did have a chest xray initially and there was no pneumonia. The last scrip was for the Tessalon pearls and they did virtually nothing or near to it. I know this is a tactor page and I take all advise with a grain of salt, medical, legal and otherwise I'm mostly just fishing and mostly stressed out and tired. The hospital is NOT a tv show. But, If you live near even a modest sized city the ER IS just like a tv show. Last year my boy broke his leg in the evening. They had to treat him and leave us in the hallway from 7pm til 1 am cuz all the rooms were full. This isn't a one time thing. They actually have numbers above the beds in the hallway like room numbers so they can register you there. We got to watch them sew up a leg and treat a stabbing (with his posse). All doors to ER are locked and you must be buzzed in (to prevent retaliation shooters). You are warned to NEVER walk to your car alone after dark. So, its not ANY fun way to get treatment only a last resort. Other than oxygen I don't see what else they could provide. Nothing in our house has changed in years and its relatively clean. I'm afraid our next stop may be a psychiatrist.

Sorry about the young girl. Is she taking any medicine regularly? Some meds cause coughing. Also allergies usually called hay fever. I went to allergist years ago, he thought it was all in my head. Did testing and found 23 allergies out of 25 tested. Antihistamines might help. Benadry or such. Good Luck and God Bless Dave

Go to the ER That is rough on that girl. They will take action and get her to the right doctor.gitrib

I have had trouble in the past with doctors telling me that my three month old horrible dry cough was just a cold, and it would get better on it's own. Anybody with animals knows that an animal that coughs for three months is very sick with pnemonia. One day it hit me, the powdered tetracycline that I use when my sheep get pnemonia!! I read the label and used the dosage for a 225 pound sheep,500 milligrams, about 1/5 of a teaspoon mixed in enough juice to drink very quickly (It tastes gross). I coughed up chunks for two weeks until my lungs cleared up. Later with a different doctor I told hom what I had done and he laughed, told me I had the dosage right and told me it was the same stuff as for humans. It is available in small silver packets at a farm store that has animal feed and medicine. The small packets are weaker that the stuff I have from my vet, so read the packet to get the dosage right. I do this all the time now whenever I think I am getting a lung infection. Worst part is my wife works at the doctors office.

gotta check for whooping cough, its coming back and young docs may not know its symptoms.

Sinus drainage can irratate the throat to the point that a person will cough spontaniously. BTDT. Try a saline nasal rinse? Helps me. Other than that I would get her to the ER. Good luck.

I wonder if the cost of going to the ER is the problem? If a hospital was that known for having those kind of conditions there'd be lots of security.

You need to find a different hospital. Biggest town is around 50,000 and 2 good hospitals and smaller towns around with good hospitals, 7 that I can think of off the top of my head I could go to in 50 mile from home and then the major city hospitals, several in 80-100 mile all good. Why go to a hospital like that?

Since she has had negative chest X-rays the coughing must be due to sinus drainage, I have had sinus problems since 1971. I have been desensitized to my allergies but I still need to take a 24 hour antihistamine every day. Every evening at about six I will start to cough due to the sinus drainage if I don't take my pill. I used to get 2-3 sinus infections a year, until my allergist got me onto SALINE NASAL IRRIGATION. IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!!! I strongly recommend the antihistamine and sinus irrigation. When sinus drainage gets really bad so that I am coughing constantly even with the OTC antihistamine the allergist has me take decongestant in the AM. along with the OTC antihistamine in the evening, and then night time cold medicine to be able to get to sleep. Then I am better in 2-4 days.