Cough Spells

[anonymous]

Hi.. I have had an awful problem the last couple of weeks with night-time coughing spells. I suppose it's really hard coughing and goes on for about 5-10 minute intervals... the problem is, I sleep through it and it's really bothering my boyfriend. It's interrupting his sleep pattern and I feel like it could potentially really screw with our relationship. It is not a productive cough, but I've been doing all my inhalers/etc right before bed and nothing really seems to help it. Occasionally I do wake up, and go into the bathroom and shut the door, but our house is very small and no matter where I am in the house, he can still hear me coughing. I am worried about my health and his sanity...

While I am seeing my doc about this tomorrow and there is potential that my lung infection is pretty flared and I will start IV meds tomorrow, in which case the cough will probably die down a few days after starting IVs and stay away for a few short weeks... then return. I was wondering if anyone had any similar problems and if they found anything that helped with this sort of coughing spell. I'm terribly worried we'll end up in separate beds and then separate houses. = (

Thanks.

-rotandroll aka D.I.B., yeah!

 

[Emily65Roses]

I can sort of relate (but not quite). My boyfriend sleeps like a damn rock and wouldn't wake up if a tornado blew through. But I sleep lightly. And he snores. Oh man, does he snore. And at quite an impressive volume. We aren't living together yet, but we stay the night at my house or his pretty often. When we do that, I often end up sleeping on the bathroom floor (where I can shut the door and not hear him). Sometimes ear plugs have worked. I'll go to bed with ear plugs in and be able to sleep. I intend to get him to an ENT before too many more years go by to see if there's something that we can work out to help his snoring (those Breathe Right strips did NOT work). If not, he'll end up sleeping on the couch a lot of the time once we get our own place. Sad, but not much we can do about it.

As for your man, there's nothing you can do to stop the coughing, really, so it doesn't have the same possibility to be quieted as Mike's snoring does. My only suggestion would be to have your man try sleeping with ear plugs, see if that helps. Wow, I was of no help at all. Heh.

 

[Allie]

earlugs, earplugs, EARPLUGS. They saved my marriage lol.

It made me crazy for awhile. One of the better stories was when I was studying for a big exam, and finally went to bed, and the end my proverbial rope, only to be awakened at 2 in the morning by Ry coughing. I sat up looked at him and went "shut the hell up Ry!" He looked at me and started laughing, so I naturally did too lol. My nerves were so frazzled at that point, and that next day was when he gifted me with my first pair of earplugs.

okay, fairly pointless story, but the moral is earplugs are God's gift to those who love CFers.

 

[anonymous]

You should sincerely try the higest quality Camomile tea. I use three tea bags in a large mug and it usually calms my night coughing down after 30 minutes or so.

Good luck.

 

[anonymous]

Are you doing TOBI or Pulmozyme right before bedtime? TOBI was notorious for giving me coughing spells when I did it right before bedtime.

 

[anonymous]

I have coughing spells when Im very sick, and they last all night. I also sleep next to my boyfriend, but thankfully he's very understanding and more worried about me then his sanity. But I know exactly how you feel. Embarrassed and frusterated. Have you tried cough syrup, with codien? Most of the time that will work for me, especially if your cough is not productive, just so you can get some sleep, cause sleep is very important when your sick. Also, In the past, I found that it didnt hurt to camp out on the couch until my regular coughing spells went away, cause if you get treated they dont last that long.

 

[Anny]

Hey,

when i read your post i have to grin a little bit because my boyfriend wakes me up sometimes when he can`t hear me wheeze (hope that is the right word in english <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> ) ...

 

[65rosessamurai]

Yes, this is a resurrected topic!!
This morning, when i woke up, I realized I was able to sleep all the way from the time my eyes finally closed, to a half hour before the alarm went off (Hate it when the "Toilet Alarm" goes off, first!), and realized how long it had been.
As I mention it to my wife, she comes back with a complaint that my coughing all night keeps her awake!! Well, what's worse than hearing that is that it was exactly what my Ex had once (or more times) said!!
On my way to work, I remember a spool on the forum covering it, and was able to recall Allie giving some sound advice, but couldn't recall what it was...til I opened the spool!
Allie, are you serious that you used earplugs?? no other ideas (sleeping in seperate rooms is out of the question--that's how the last marriage was like!!)
Though, I've insisted the wife vacuum more than once a month in there, maybe stressing that factor may cut down on my sudden coughing spells cause I am allergic to dust!!
I certainly don't want a repeat of the last marriage, which started out with complaining about my late-night coughing spells. And, I certainly don't want things to go sour because of that issue as well. Thought I'd see what ideas were available for this.

 

[65rosessamurai]

Yes, this is a resurrected topic!!
This morning, when i woke up, I realized I was able to sleep all the way from the time my eyes finally closed, to a half hour before the alarm went off (Hate it when the "Toilet Alarm" goes off, first!), and realized how long it had been.
As I mention it to my wife, she comes back with a complaint that my coughing all night keeps her awake!! Well, what's worse than hearing that is that it was exactly what my Ex had once (or more times) said!!
On my way to work, I remember a spool on the forum covering it, and was able to recall Allie giving some sound advice, but couldn't recall what it was...til I opened the spool!
Allie, are you serious that you used earplugs?? no other ideas (sleeping in seperate rooms is out of the question--that's how the last marriage was like!!)
Though, I've insisted the wife vacuum more than once a month in there, maybe stressing that factor may cut down on my sudden coughing spells cause I am allergic to dust!!
I certainly don't want a repeat of the last marriage, which started out with complaining about my late-night coughing spells. And, I certainly don't want things to go sour because of that issue as well. Thought I'd see what ideas were available for this.

 

[CowTown]

I have the exact same thing, I cough like a maniac at night....often. Most of the time I sleep through it in a daze. I wake up and can be exhausted from all the coughing. Fortunately, my husband has told me he "doesn't hear it anymore, he's used to it." So I know I'm lucky on that one, but that still leaves me to cough so much I throw up. Not a nice way to spend the night. The *only* thing I've found to help is to prop my pillow up against the bedframe, add other pillows so I'm basically sitting straight up. I try and sit as straight as I possibly can while still feeling comfortable enough to sleep. This is what I end up doing as a last resort when I'm frustrated and can't stop coughing. It usually helps me.

Another thing is to do the vest, pounding and/or albuterol right before bed.

Worst case, I take Theraflu to put me to sleep if I know I won't be able to. It's a tiring problem.

 

[CowTown]

I have the exact same thing, I cough like a maniac at night....often. Most of the time I sleep through it in a daze. I wake up and can be exhausted from all the coughing. Fortunately, my husband has told me he "doesn't hear it anymore, he's used to it." So I know I'm lucky on that one, but that still leaves me to cough so much I throw up. Not a nice way to spend the night. The *only* thing I've found to help is to prop my pillow up against the bedframe, add other pillows so I'm basically sitting straight up. I try and sit as straight as I possibly can while still feeling comfortable enough to sleep. This is what I end up doing as a last resort when I'm frustrated and can't stop coughing. It usually helps me.

Another thing is to do the vest, pounding and/or albuterol right before bed.

Worst case, I take Theraflu to put me to sleep if I know I won't be able to. It's a tiring problem.

 

[Allie]

I used earplugs for the year we lived together and half a year after we were married. Like Kelly said, afterawhile, it became like working in a bell factory...you don't hear the bells anymore. But she amy not be as used to it as I got. Try earplugs.

 

[Allie]

I used earplugs for the year we lived together and half a year after we were married. Like Kelly said, afterawhile, it became like working in a bell factory...you don't hear the bells anymore. But she amy not be as used to it as I got. Try earplugs.

 

[EnergyGal]

My husband snores and I no longer cough thanks to my transplant. This is what I do to keep his snoring sounds down to a minimum

I bought a hepa filter. IT cleans the room and there is a pleasant sound that drowns out the snoring.

When I had to go on trip I brought my CD player with head phones and I could not hear him snore. When i got really tired nothing can keep me awake. I think honeywell makes a good hepa unit. IT is kind of pricey but it works. I like it better than a sound filter because it is louder and it cleans too.

Hope this helps someone
Risa

 

[EnergyGal]

My husband snores and I no longer cough thanks to my transplant. This is what I do to keep his snoring sounds down to a minimum

I bought a hepa filter. IT cleans the room and there is a pleasant sound that drowns out the snoring.

When I had to go on trip I brought my CD player with head phones and I could not hear him snore. When i got really tired nothing can keep me awake. I think honeywell makes a good hepa unit. IT is kind of pricey but it works. I like it better than a sound filter because it is louder and it cleans too.

Hope this helps someone
Risa

 

[EnergyGal]

When he stops snoring at certain moments, I have to touch him to make sure he is alive lol because I am so use to his noises. IT is kind of hilarious when you get use to sounds and suddenly they stop.Risa

 

[EnergyGal]

When he stops snoring at certain moments, I have to touch him to make sure he is alive lol because I am so use to his noises. IT is kind of hilarious when you get use to sounds and suddenly they stop.Risa

 

[anonymous]

You can also try and take Robutussin cough. That works for me. I also sleep practically sitting up but eventually either I slump over or get a bad back ache. My doctor told me that codeine causes pnemonia (will never spell that right) in CFers so that scared me from using it, even after my mom bought a ton over in England. But if you can get some try it, i think my doctor was a freak because I have never heard that again. But think, in a way it is a good thing you are coughing...it is when your chest is too tight or you are breathing so hard you can't cough that it is a bigger problem. So he should be glad to hear you cough<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Sue 23 w/CF

 

[anonymous]

You can also try and take Robutussin cough. That works for me. I also sleep practically sitting up but eventually either I slump over or get a bad back ache. My doctor told me that codeine causes pnemonia (will never spell that right) in CFers so that scared me from using it, even after my mom bought a ton over in England. But if you can get some try it, i think my doctor was a freak because I have never heard that again. But think, in a way it is a good thing you are coughing...it is when your chest is too tight or you are breathing so hard you can't cough that it is a bigger problem. So he should be glad to hear you cough<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Sue 23 w/CF

 

[thelizardqueen]

I know that when I'm sick, my guy will occasionally hear me coughing, but he's told me that he's just gotten so used to it (did I mention he snores like a chainsaw anyway, so he probably drowns me out. LOL). Short of having either you or him sleep on the couch, I would also suggest getting him some ear plugs. I wouldn't suggest taking cough syrup with codien, as us CFer's are not supposed to suppress our coughs (and cough syrup with codein in heavy duty!). What about going to a health food store, or check your local tea aisle for some respiratory tea? I take some when I'm at my worst coughing, and it does sooth the cough somewhat. I don't remember what its called, as I haven't had to use it in awhile, but its definitly worth checking out. You can usually find it at your local grocery store in the tea aisle, or a health food store. What about getting a humidifier? I know when my apartment is dry, I tend to cough more, and a humidifier usually helps somewhat.