The one where I’m a giant baby
I’ve had this annoying coughing disease since we got back from Tennessee. I first blamed it on allergies because I live in the South and everyone blames everything on allergies. Sniffles? Allergies. Red Eyes? Allergies. Headaches? Allergies. Rotting flesh disease? Yep. Allergies.
But yesterday it seemed to get a little worse so I finally decided to hit the store for some basic cough medicines. This is a tough thing because I might (or might not, depending on who’s reading this) have gotten REALLY sick when I was 18 and trying to use cough syrup as a substitute for beer (with my friends because stupid ideas are more acceptable in groups) thinking that I would just get drunk when in reality? Much worse things happened to my mind and body and I can honestly say that it was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done. But – the fits of projectile vomiting that erupted as a result have permanently turned me against cough syrups. Unfortunately, after years of avoiding them, I realized that nothing helps coughs as well as the liquid stuff does. So – I’ve finally had to just suck it up and try to erase the nightmarish memories and drink the nasty shit when I get a cough.
BUT – it still tastes REALLY bad. Why must it be so awful? I’ve tried every flavor of every brand and the least offensive to me is the Tylenol stuff. However, it is still really nasty and while I was drinking it last night I was actually pitching a toddler-variation hissy fit. I was stomping my feet and whining, “It tastes SO BAD…” with tears in my eyes for extra ridiculousness. MrZ just sat in the bedroom ignoring me because he’s seen this very sexy song and dance before.
I just don’t get it. With all of the advances in modern technology and medicine, why can’t someone make cough syrup that tastes like a milkshake? Jeezus. It is all SO BAD and I just don’t understand why this has to be. Who cares about environmental deterioration and bringing our troops home. I want to see a 2008 presidential candidate who addresses the issue of MONKEY-ASS-TASTIN’ Cough syrup. BAH. Give me a break.
Now – pardon me while I go puke up all of the medicine I just ingested. Thanks.
ohhh there is one out there that doesn’t taste so bad…it really is like grape flavored. Crap…I can’t remember the stinkin name of it. Dimatap or something?? Can you take children’s? I don’t know if it works diffrently, but those ones definetly taste better.
Zoot, I do the same thing, right down to the feet stamping and whining to the husband who is ignoring me. My issues with cough medicine go back to my childhood when my parents chased me around house with a spoon that looked like an alligator that was filled with grape-flavored Dimetapp. I abhor them all, but I find the cherry ones to be the most revolting. Wait, no, maybe green Nyquil is worse, no, the Dimetapp … it’s a toss up. I’ve actually considered asking the pharmacy to mix those kids flavorings into my OTC stuff. But, would some banana syrup make it better or worse?
So why don’t you get the pill kind?
I’ve actually found that the gel cap Robitussin works very well. I hate the liquids too. I always have to drink something after them, but then I wonder if that doesn’t take away the strength of it? No idea.
Even though it tastes horrible, the only cough medicine I’ve found that works at all is called Delsym. Just don’t drink the whole bottle.
- am now thankful I didn’t try that cough syrup vs. beer thing myself – it had been on the radar more than once.
The Princess won’t take cough syrup unless the coughing is so bad her eyeballs are going to pop out. She will go days without sleep if its just a nagging cough – she hates cough syrup that much. I finally found a cough syrup pill (Target knock-off) that seems to work for her – and she’s finally learned to take a pill.
That’s how I feel about NyQuil. I had to take some of that about a month ago because I was just feeling miserable and I kept making nasty faces at it and whining “but I don’t wanna…” Ick. It tastes like licorice, only nastier than regular licorice if that’s possible.
oh god i did the same thing with the cough syrup/beer substitute and i believe i was also eighteen. we called it robo-tripping. so embarassing. hope you feel better! (oh you know NyQuil no longer has the ingredient that actually works so it doesn’t work for some people).
Actually, when I was in college we had a seminar about cough syrup (I know, I know…what do you want from an engineering major?) When a major producer of cough syrup changed the flavor to something pleasant (without changing any of the active ingredients that treat the cough), their case study showed that almost 80% of the test subjects declared that they didn’t think the medicine was working and would not buy the product. When they used the same exact cough medicine with the bad taste, the vast majority said they would buy it and use it because it improved their cough symptoms. So, the makers decided to keep it as it was. Sorry, Zoot!
I take the nyquil pills when I get sick, but I normally don’t get coughing fits. I always hated that crap though. Bleh. I did have one… that tasted like orange, that was childs, but it had codine in it. And it worked great. But as an adult, you have to chug the whole bottle. I’ll get the name for you later, if I can. =)
I got the name, and it’s Delsym ( I think that’s the spelling ) It doesn’t taste good, but it’s not nasty, either.
Monkey-ass tastin cough syrup.. I’m going to be laughing about that all day!!!
Feel better!
Zoot – Give Delsym a try. It is a pineapple-orange flavor & while it’s not like drinking a pina coloda or anything, it’s palatable. Plus, it works like clockwork & knocks out your cough. Good luck – hope you feel better!
I have the soultion for you. Wal*mart has there store brand of pills called mucos and cough and it works WONDERS. They have diffrent combos but that is the only one I have tried and it is wonderful. Hope you get to feeling better.
Oh yeah I can so see you doing the fit! I am similar to when I have to take Pepto!
Oh god, the pepto… Cough syrup, I actually quite like the taste of, but peptobismol? Bearing in mind that I’m having stomach issues in the first place if I’m even considering taking the stuff, there is hardly anything that is more likely to make me vomit…
Mmmm…..Dimetapp is SO tasty.
I used to fake a cough so my mom would give that to me as a kid.
But I’m with you on the rest. I try and pretend it’s a shot of Jaeger or something. It’s easier to get it down that way. You know, as long as I’m thinking I’ll be drunk.
Delsym does taste a bit better than most brands–it’s a bit gritty, sort of, if I recall correctly, but it doesn’t have the monkey-ass taste of the other brands.
When I have to take the really nasty cough syrups, I do something my aunt taught me so the taste isn’t as bad–I hold my nose while I swallow the medicine, then I IMMEDIATELY chase it with a drink of some kind (it takes a few swallows to get the cough syrup taste out of your mouth, but it’s better than just dealing with it).
If your cough is coming from post-nasal drip (a tickle cough rather than from the chest and is usually worse when lying down), try taking an antihistamine pill. It dries up the post-nasal drip and you’ll stop coughing.
I somehow got bronchitis on my vacation and have been coughing up a lung. Best thing? Mucinex. Breaks that crap right up!
I second the gel caps, but I also use the kid version of… Triaminic I think it is. Look for the orange one and take the dosage for kids 12 and over. It doesn’t taste good, but its okay. It’ll work fine, and the liquid really does work faster than even the gel caps.
You know I hate cough syrup too…but it is better than hacking up a lung!
Try Delsym (it is a liquid). It is THE BEST COUGH MEDICINE BECAUSE IT WORKS!
Its got an orangey flavor could be worse…could be better…. it rocks the cough for 12 hours so you don’t have to take it every 4-6. Seriously it works the best…and trust me I have tried them all.
From one who hates to hack too!
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Ahh, but you have never had Buckley’s. That is the WORST tasting cough and cold medicine ever. It’s absolutely horrid. It works though. Better than anything I, or my husband for that matter, have ever had. (And I’ve pretty much tried them all.)
The slogan for Buckley’s? “It tastes awful. And it works.”
When I was 18, it was totally gravol. That stuff can really mess you up…
Doesn’t the nasty-ass taste have something to do with it being a deterrent for teenaged kids wishing to drink copious amounts of the crap to get a buzz? Apparently taste isn’t a factor for eighteen year olds. Alas, the stupid things we wish we could change about the proverbial misspent youth, hm?
I agree with those that said Delsym works wonders- cause it suuure does. I actually like the taste- it’s so not cough syrupy. Use it in combination with Mucinex and you’ll be in no cough heaven.