How to stop persistent night time coughing?

[Chrissie66]

Hi all, I hope you’re having a good day.

My 86 year old dad has COPD and heart failure. Both conditions are being managed really well and his numbers are good.

However, like much of the UK, he has had a cough on and off since the end of January. He’s had 3 lots of antibiotics/steroids but the cough keeps coming back. Nothing is showing on XRay, sputum tests are clear, and as I said, his numbers are good.

However, once he starts coughing he can’t stop. He goes to sleep quickly at night but is woken several times by the cough. He’s pulled muscles coughing. He’s exhausted by the interrupted sleep and his mood is really low. Today he was very teary about it all which is not like him at all.

He has been taking the tiger mushroom capsules which definitely helped with the ‘normal’ COPD cough, and his drink of choice is pineapple juice; up until now it’s been really helpful, but it’s not beating this beast of a cough.

Does anybody have any go-to methods to stop coughing that work, or at least ease the coughing? Cough mixture isn’t working either.

I think a few good nights of uninterrupted sleep would help and have suggested he ask the GP about sleeping pills, but he’s scared of addiction/dependency - this is the guy stopped smoking after 45 years cold turkey when his issues started.

Sorry to have rambled on. I just want him to feel better ☹️

[seamstress69]

have him try a mixture of Bragg apple cider vinegar, honey and lemon. An old wives tale that works! Just about a Tablespoon of each in some warm water. Then give him an extra hug-it’s a scary and lonely disease!

[Chrissie66 in reply to seamstress69]

Ooh, we’ve done honey and lemon but not the vinegar. And I’ll be sure to give him an extra hug 🙂