Cough medicine help!!

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
I have an awful cold that I can't shake. And I leave on a 1 day trip of Italy tomorrow!

Being a nurse I am quite picky about the drugs I take. I am looking for the name of the Swiss version of Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) and Mucinex (Guaifenesin) an expectorant to help with the cough.

The pharmacy people just looked at me oddly when I showed them the names and active ingredients. Which usually works for me.

Anyone have any recomendations? I want to have a nice holiday!

2
Yes, I also had a horrible cough and my husband got something called Reslyn Plus from the apotheke and my cough went away in 24 hours. It costs 7 sfr, very reasonably priced. You take 24 (I think) drops of it every 4 hours or so. It was a lifesaver for me.

3
To dissolve the mucus and get your body to cough it out, they usually give ACC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

They can't find Sudafed or Pseudoephedrine here in the pharmacy? "Otrinol" might come close.

What about a drug containing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenylephrine instead?

(not a doctor, didn't play one on TV, didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night)

4
I swear by Makatussin. It kills my cough stone dead.

A friend of mine, who used to work in Switzerland as a pharmacist, put me onto it a few years back and it must be tough stuff because when I go in to get more the pharmacy staff, without fail, ask me a) have I had it before and b) warn me that it is strong.

Only drawback is that it makes you a bit drowsy as it contains codein.

Similarly, my doctor prescribed me Codipront a while back but that is only available on prescription.

None of this cures the cough it just calms the symptoms while you get yourself better.

5
And as a nurse you certainly know that it's a really bad idea to combine a mucus solvent (like ACC) with a cough suppressant (like codein) ... instant pneumonia in the making.

6
Actually, yes, this is a good point - sorry, I was thinking of one of those tickly irritating coughs but that combo you pointed out above was probably responsible for my nasty bout of bronchitis last year...

7
I always just ask for something to treat a 'toux grasse' (=productive cough), and they give me some sort of expectorant that works wonders.

It looks like (in Switzerland) Résyl and Toplexil both contain guaifénésine . I'm not sure about pseudoephedrine.

Heather

8
eh?

For the mullet wearers, are you saying don't take decongestant and cough stuff at the same time?

Or only certain combinations? And is it easy to explain why?

I've just had a cold and paracetomal with the 2 above... hasn't done me any, er, harm...

9
Yes, but tussins/tissives, cough supressants, are derived from codeine.

Hey thanks for all the answers. I know I just have to wait for the virus to run it's course. But, I'd at least like to see Italy and not just a hotel bed while I am there.

10

For Sudafed it's Otrinol. The one I have is the equivalent of Sudafed 12 hour (120mg). Not sure if it comes in smaller strengths.

Not sure about Guaifenesin.

As mentioned previously, I have also used the Resyl Plus drops. They really work well.

11
In my totally non-medical background I am guessing that if you've got a really mucassy cough, the body's aim is to keep that stuff coming out of you via a cough. If you leave all the sludge in your tubes because you are taking a cough supressant, that's where bacteria can form and problems can occur.

Umm... enjoy your lunch...

12
Sandgrounder hit the nail on the head.

13
ACC is not a decongestant, pseudoephredrine (US: Sudafed, Swissieland: Otrinol) is. ACC will make the mucus collected in your lungs thinner, making it easier for the body to expectorate it (cough it up and out).

If you make the mucus thin and then you take a cough suppressant (usually on a codein-basis, Percodan comes to mind), you prevent your body from expectorating that thinner mucus, keeping it inside where it doesn't belong, hence laying a good foundation for a bronchitis, pneumonia or who-knows-what-else.

I am still not 100% sure what you mean with your "cold and paracetamol" statement ... paracetamol (US: Tylenol) is an analgesic (pain killer) and antipyretic (fever reducer), neither of which would have anything to do with cough, lungs or mucus.

(unless the paracetamol was contained in some drug combo cold medicine, such as WICK MediNite (US: Nyquil) or similar, liquid or tablet medication)

14
I had no problems with Fluimucil 200 which contains the mucolytic acetylcysteine and no other agents.

You can search for product names and substances on the official Swiss medicament compendium .

15
Not that this thread must go on any longer. But I tried the Reslyn Plus with the Otrinol at 1pm today, and I already feel significantly better! Although the R.P. taste like total crap going down. (Have they ever heard of geltabs in this country? I still can't get over the primitive way I have to administer some meds.)

Oh, and for the record Otrinol IS exactly the same (60 mg of pseudoephedrine) as US Brand Sudafed. BEFORE they began making you sell your soul everytime you purchased it. (Thanks to the crystal meth labs.)

16
Lauren - don't tell that Otrinol factoid to the Okies, they'll all be on their way to Swissieland to buy ingredients for their meth labs.

Glad to hear you're feeling better.

17
I've had good results with a Swiss product called Bexin. I understand it is an expectorant using Dextromethorphan. I don't know the details, but it tastes like a milk candy.

18
The best cough mixture I've ever had here, came from my gynaecologist when I was ill during pregnancy.

It's called "Siropectan" and has natural ingredients - very soothing.

It is available from the chemist's and is a non-brand (made by Streuli + Co), so it only costs around 6 Fr.

It is an expectorant (auswurffördender Sirup) and is suitable for children from 2 years up.

19
I might have done this last night

I was prescribed Mucofor, GeloDurat and Tossamin, and I am guessing I should only use the latter before sleeping?

Anyone know anything about these drugs. I just took the syrup Tossamin to help me sleep but now I am coughing even more.

20
Have you tried having a really hot shower so the steam fills the room. You can then breathe it in and let it sooth your throat.

The first two medications sound like expectorants which break up the mucus. The latter (Tossamin) is a suppressant which should stop you coughing and help you sleep. I find with my coughs it helps if I have a good cough then really blow my nose. It seems to remove the excess of the crap which is making you cough.

It obviously builds up again over time but you just repeat the process.

The suppressant I take is Makatussin and that kills the cough stone dead overnight. I can't take it during the day because it knocks me out.

You have my deepest sympathies - coughs are my weak spot. It's exhausting. I can't sleep at night and I am afraid to go out in the day because I sound like an angry sea lion.