There was a very good article in the Daily Mail about the trial, written by Ben Spencer on June 13. Quote:
The new drug, known for now as AF-219, blocks receptors on the throat nerve which triggers the cough reflex, effectively muting the cough response.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3638098/Twice-day-pill-silence-persistent-cough-Drug-reduced-frequency-75-market-three-years.html#ixzz4I7afpBG3
Briefly, my story is a follows this was a "blind" trial in that some patients would be taking a placebo tablet, but I knew as soon as I started taking the pills that I was on the real thing, because it affected my taste quite badly. An hour later, a beans-on-toast lunch tasted of cardboard!
While that was unpleasant, the effect it had on my cough was equally dramatic - I would say it reduced it by about 75 per cent.
Over the next three months the pattern of my day was this : breakfast, tastes fine, then take a pill ; lunch, taste not very good ; evening meal, taste OK, take a pill ; night time water, funny taste.
So, take a pill, taste disrupted for 5-6 hours... taste returns.
But the effect on my cough was significant - much reduced, so much so that I wasn't particularly conscious of what is going on in my chest for much of the time. I was sleeping much better, through the night most of the time. Still coughing a bit in the morning, but nowhere near as much as "normal" with me.
My wife noticed - our morning chats over tea were not disputed by explosive coughs as much ; friends remarked on the absence of coughing.
I must pay tribute to the team at Wythenshawe Hospital who ran the trial - Professor Jackie Smith and her colleagues, particularly nurse Terri Collier - they were all very helpful and supportive.
I have told them I would not hesitate to take this drug if it were available... There's lots more detail I could go into but I'll leave it at that for now - the cough is subsiding and I might just get back to sleep.
I just wanted to put this out there and let everyone know - there is some light at the end of the long dark tunnel that is our cough experience. We just have to be very patient!
Peace and love!
Nick
