A forum for people who suffer from chronic or persistent coughs to share ideas... these don't have any sort of official approval so you try any of them out at your own risk. I've consigned some of the more unusual ones I received to the Oddities bin on the left. I've also listed very simple remedies separately. If you're a sufferer, good luck, and please report back by commenting on the particular posting if you find success. Or just comment to the most recent posting and I will pick it up.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Some responses to questions...

In answer to Caroline re Buteyko: it's a couple of years since I tried that method, so I can't remember what I got my pause up to - between 20-30 seconds I think.  I persisted with it for several months, but wasn't convinced that I was getting anywhere with it and found it expensive.... though I've always said, I'd happily pay a thousand pounds for a cure I knew would work.

There was a question about where I feel the tickle?? In the morning it's often in my chest rather than my throat, but later on it can be just an irritation somewhere in my throat - all over really.

I've tried hypnotherapy recently but I didn't get on with that.

I've just been to see the Speech and Language Therapist who is going to start a course of therapy in the New Year aimed at tackling my cough "habit" and bringing it more under control.  She claims success with 60% of cases, though no-one's said the cough has gone completely so far.  Worth a try I think...

I've also come off the sleeping tablets I'd been taking - they gave me funny side effects.

Merry (cough-reduced) Christmas Everybody!

10 comments:

caroline said...

I bought a book called 'close your mouth' along with the dvd, and I'm practising the breathing exercises myself, no cost involved. It is my best hope of sorting this dreadful cough, which affects my life very badly. I think I may have to get the control pause up to 40 seconds to be rid of it. Will take months and months of work, but it would of course be worth it . I have also purchased a Frolov respiration device, and will start with that after christmas. will let you know how I progress!

NickP said...

Just done some early morning (woke up at 5am and started coughing) research on those two things Caroline, and am about to order the book from Amazon - I always had the suspicion that perhaps I didn't give Buteyko enough time, so I'll give it another try.
The Frolov device I've never heard of before, but there's a lot of interesting stuff on the web about that too. I'll be interested to know how you get on with it.
Good luck with them both!

Al said...

Hi Nick,

I came across your blog about eight months ago after starting with a constant cough over fourteen months ago.It was through this blog I think that I came across the Neti pot which I bought in June of this year. Although it did clear up the symptoms of my cough (my cough is caused by a build-up of mucous which then lodges in my sinuses and I think slowly drips down my throat)and alleviated my coughing for a few hours, the mucous would build-up and I'd be back where I started.

I have been looking into general health on the internet this year and came across the idea that our diet has virtually nothing of warrant in it anymore. This then led onto eating more fruit and veg (much more than the 5 a day) but even this isn't what's finally provided the answer.

I am cautious at saying I've found a remedy, because it may not last, but I've been free from any coughing now for over a week BECAUSE my mucous has gone. What am I doing different now?

Well for over three weeks now, I've been taking a piece of raw ginger which you can get from Asda for pence. Cut a piece about 1" square and trim the peel. Then take a glass of fruit juice or water. I've been using fresh orange juice. Put the ginger in a garlic press and squeeze the juice of the ginger into the orange juice. After you've got all the juice out of the ginger, then take the rest and chop finely on a board. It should now be quite fibrous but can be split into small strands. Put this into the juice and then consume either by swallowing like tablets, or taking a teaspoon and putting the ginger in your mouth and swallowing with a swig of orange. Don't worry if you 'gag' a little while doing this.
I swear I feel my old self returning and can only put it down to this new regime. When reading about ginger I was flabbergasted to see it contains I think over 30 different chemical compounds. Contrast this with a pharmaceutical remedy which contains at most two different compounds.

I notice you've started learning piano? I teach music so best of luck with it.

Al

Lavinia said...

Hi Al, I was interested in your ginger therapy.
Is it still working for you?
How often do you take it as
I'm thinking of giving it a go.

NickP said...

The frustrating thing about Blogger is that, when people post you can't actually write back to them directly. You just have to add another post and hope that they'll read it. I'd like to know how Caroline, and Al, and Lavinia are all getting with their various remedies, but I can't do it directly....

Lavinia said...

Hi again all,
I went to see my consultant yesterday. He was going to start me on a nebuliser which apparently you use before you go out or when you're about to do something important. It aneasthetises the throat. However we haven't gone that route as I told him about Al's remedy and he realised that he hadn't suggested that to me. What he did say though is that I shouldn't be using orange juice or any citric fruit juice as it aggravates the cough. His suggestion is the ginger with Manuka honey and warm water. He has some patients taking it in the morning and before bed with some success in relieving the cough.
Hey Ho here we go! :) I'll keep you informed.

caroline said...

Nick,
is it against the rules to show our email address? it would be good to keep in touch with chronic coughers directly, I would hate for one of us to find a 'cure' and not be able to tell the others about it. Anyhow, here is my email if anybody wishes to contact me directly to discuss trials and treatments !!!
carolinemcmillan@hotmail.co.uk

Lavinia said...

Nick,

I entered a blog about 2 days ago but it's not on the site.
Any problems. Don't want to write it all again if it's not necessary.

Lavinia

NickP said...

Hi Lavinia, nice to hear from you again. Don't know what happened, but I can't find anything from that time. Would you like to try again?

Anonymous said...

I have coughed for 27 years, day and night been to all doctors no help just half to live with it. I am 82 so probably wont cough much longer. hope I stop when I get to heaven,

 
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