4 ms·
From what I've read there are basically no effective treatments for coughing. Dextromethorphan and guafenesin are equally useless. Or at least no better than st
by tootie 3y ago
From what I've read there are basically no effective treatments for coughing. Dextromethorphan and guafenesin are equally useless. Or at least no better than staying hydrated.
- toast0 3y agoDextromethorphan has some effect at least. Not sure that it helps much with coughing, but it does something. I've heard codine can help with coughing although again the primary effect seems to be sedation. IME, guafenesin can be helpful for making coughs more productive, hydration helps with that too, and again IME, so do spicy foods. Mixing cough suppresants and expectorants together makes no sense, but is common --- if I'm trying to clear the junk in my lungs with an expectorant, why am I supressing the coughs that are needed?
- tootie 3y agoGuafensin is the only one I've been recommended to use by a doctor but that was a few years ago. I think it hasn't stood up to scrutiny based on what I've read more recently.
- kube-system 3y ago> I'm trying to clear the junk in my lungs with an expectorant, why am I supressing the coughs that are needed? Because you need sleep too. And if a cough isn’t productive, having more of them doesn’t help, it only hurts. The ideal case is to have a minimal number of coughs that are productive.
- toast0 3y agoWell, expectorant in the morning, and suppressant before bed?
- kube-system 3y agoI usually just take a cough suppressant anytime it feels like I am coughing unnecessarily, and take an expectorant if I feel like I have phlegm stuck in me. No matter the time of day.
- tootie 3y agoPoint is, suppressants don't suppress. They don't do anything. Expectorants seem to do something but don't actually make coughs more productive.
- no_identd 3y agoI wouldn't call either useless, but which to use depends on the exact scenario. There's basically three options for coughs with support behind them, the problem is most professionals neglect distinguishing when to use which and just prescribe willy-nilly: For suppression of 'ticklish' coughing (i.e. where any form of very minor irritant in the air will set off a coughing fit): Dextromethorphan, which is an antitussive (and which is psychoactive and depending on genetics WILL make you trip even at therapeutic non-abuse doses) For 'sticky' coughs where the mucus refuses to depart: Ambroxol, which functions as a Mucolytic, i.e. it makes the mucus/phlegm thinner by causing partial breakdown of them, i.e. it fucks with phlegm composition which in turn fucks with the phlegm's rheological parameters For 'dry' coughs, where there isn't enough mucus: Guaifenesin, which functions as an expectorant (albeit as explained below, "Secretolytic" seems like the better term by far), ramping up mucus production/bronchial secretions/hydration. (avoid confabulating with Guanfacine.) And then of course for ticklish coughs/antitussive action, there's two other, much better solutions, but ones with it's own issues: Codeine & Dihydrocodeine. Works wonders — as long as your CYP2D6 doesn't function in an atypical manner, in which case it'll either not work at all or get you way too high. Part of the problem is that a lot of the literature uses the word "expectorant" in the same way I used it above, but really, the more appropriate word to describe guaifenesin is "Secretolytic". Obligatory disclaimer: this comment isn't medical advice, I'm neither a medical professional nor a medical paraprofessional, in case of concerns, contact/consult an appropriate medical professional and/or appropriate medical paraprofessional. I wish I knew why no combination of Guaifenesin & Ambroxol seems to exist on the market, but there probably exists SOME reason. To any professionals reading this: Sorry for the low quality content, I know it's very flawed