I have been sick and

[samplegirl]

coughing since Saturday. Constant post nasal drip and it makes me cough feeling scratchy. I’ve tried cough drops, mucinex, drinking lots of fluids. How can I make this draining stop it’s really making me feel horrible!

[LisaM]

1. Steam?

Try brewing up some peppermint tea and putting your head over the pot with a towel over it. Steam can really help.

Vicks Vapo-Rub (camphor) is good too.

[abqtommy]

2. I've used those methods, use a lot of Vicks. For quick and lasting relief I also depend on

Benadryl anti-congestant tabs. They do the trick but don't over-use them, all anti-congestants can retard urinary function. I 4-hour tab a day is ok for me... Don't neglect to stay warm and avoid drafts.

[Phoenix61]

3. Store brand Robitussin. nt

[PatrickforO]

4. I don't know if it will help now, but I regularly use lingusticum portieri (OSHA) root.

It's an extract, and you put a couple of good drops in a glass of water and take it.

Here's what Very Well Health says:

Osha has traditionally been used by Native American and Hispanic cultures for pneumonia, colds, bronchitis, influenza, tuberculosis, hay fever, and coughs. Today, an extract is commonly used as a decongestant. ... Among these, ligusticum porteri is known as "true" osha.

Be mindful you should test it on yourself first before taking a bunch to make sure you're not allergic.

[samplegirl]

13. Thanks never heard of it.

[smirkymonkey]

5. Ugh! I feel sorry for you! I had that for over a month!

Thanksgiving until after Christmas. I am still not quite free of it. I did all of the above plus hot tea w/ honey and lemon (soothes the throat), used Benadryl or Advil PM for the post-nasal drip at night (dried up my head and made me a little drowsy), I don't like the daytime preps because they make me racy so I just used Vicks if I needed to work and soup/hot herbal teas during the day.

It was very frustrating, I felt like it would never go away. I also tried a saline nasal rinse which helped a lot (or a neti pot if you have one). Also, one of those decongestant inhalers helps to make the sinuses feel clearer too.

For the cough, I would use hot compresses on my chest w/ Vicks lavender vapo-rub. Not sure if you are supposed to do that, but it really made me feel better and didn't seem to irritate my skin at all. The moist heat seemed to be very helpful.

Hope you can find something that works for you and that you feel better soon!

[happybird]

6. Alka Seltzer Severe Sinus Cold and Cough

the stuff works miracles. I despise taking cold meds, usually try to tough it out, but when I can’t stand it anymore, I take this.

[NJCher]

11. I second that

I took the kind in the gel cap and it was great. It does dry up the draining. I have had it since Thanksgiving. It goes away, comes back, goes away, comes back. I can get rid of it if I have enough sleep but I always push the envelope on that.

[samplegirl]

14. I have that and it seems

to help some.

[Faux pas]

7. Hand reflexology,

massage the inside middle sections of your little fingers. I've always had allergies with post nasal drip and coughing. Since I started doing this ten days ago, I haven't had to do benedryl, Vicks or anything else. It's almost a miracle! Feel better samplegirl

[samplegirl]

16. Really?????

I’ll give it a try!!! How long do you do it???

[Faux pas]

17. I do it 4 to 5

times a day, massaging both palm sides 10 to 30 times. Thumb on top, ring finger on the bottom. If you feel pain, keep massaging, it means it's working. Have fun

[Ohiogal]

8. samplegirl,

I got sick 2 days before New Years and it took me a whole month before the drainage and coughing completely went away. It sucks!!

I found that Benadryl helped with the draining that made me cough a lot, also drinking seltzer water helped me with that tickly, scratchy, throat. But overall it just took a lot of time to go away. And this gray, wet, weather doesn’t help!

I must have sounded like a croaking frog to everyone I talked to. I’ve heard of others around here who have had the same thing.

Hope you feel better soon!

[samplegirl]

9. Thank you

I just really have no energy. Then when I am awake in the night I’m sitting up coughing until nearly peeing my pants!
I hate being sick..... I’m awful! I don’t wNt to cook or clean.....that’s not me.
Really just a lump with no enthusiasm for much of anything.
I’ve been drinking loads of water and I thing the mucinex has both expectorant and supressant in it still makes me cough. Even my ears hurt inside.
I am healthy until my husband goes to work and catches sickness because they all go to work sick.
Then I get it and it seems like forever before I’m well. Also taking Vitamin C and zinc!

I am just a horrible person at being sick!

[Skittles]

10. be well, samplegirl!

oh how I hate those scratchy coughs

lots of liquids, rest and Netflix is what I would do; yes INDEED

[samplegirl]

12. Thanks Skittles

I’m trying but the coughing really does put me over the edge!

[Aristus]

15. Some loratadine might help.

I swear by it when treating my patients with runny nose and post-nasal drip. 1 tablet a day can clear you up and dry you out, and it won't make you drowsy.

Brand name is Claritin, but get the generic; it's cheaper.