What's the best nighttime cold remedy?

April 28, 2004 8:52 AM

Tylenol? Contact? Advil? Who makes the best nighttime cold remedy? I haven't slept for three nights because of my running nose and cough. UGH!
posted by grumblebee to health & fitness (17 comments total)

I swear by Tylenol PM. It may not relieve the symptoms, but it puts me out for the night.
posted by o2b at 8:56 AM on April 28, 2004

NyQuil works beautifully -- and DayQuil in the morning. The liquid is gross, but it also comes in taste-free gelcaps.

With the caveat that it dries out your whole body, not just your sinuses, so drink lots of water and use lotion where needed.
posted by Mr Bunnsy at 9:02 AM on April 28, 2004

Jagermeister

I'm unable to take anything with Acetaminophen (Tylenol), so It's usually aspirin, ibuprofen, or Jager. It does very well in soothing throats and a shot or two should send you into dreamland. I'm not a huge drinker (1-2 every three months), so you might need more.
posted by mkelley at 9:04 AM on April 28, 2004

NyQuil is the drug of choice, unfortunately for me it makes me very lethargic the next day. Chris Rock would recommend Robitussin. A little 'tussin goes a long way. Break your leg? Pour some 'tussin on it.
posted by vito90 at 9:14 AM on April 28, 2004

Bells. I'm not kidding.
posted by nthdegx at 9:18 AM on April 28, 2004

You may not be kidding, but what are you talking about??? Bells? The kind that ring? Just ring a bell before going to sleep and you'll be fine?
posted by grumblebee at 11:14 AM on April 28, 2004

I'm a big fan of Thera-Flu or its generic counterparts. Basically it's right-before-bed knock-out drops and is good for cold-ish symptoms and allergy-ish symptoms, including coughs. My problem when I get The Crud is that coughing keeps me up and if I have to breathe through my mouth I'm constantly aware of my lips and tongue and throat drying up as I inhale and exhale over them. In this case, anything that will knock you out quickly [see: Jagermeister, whiskey with lemon, vicodin] will work fine, especially if you slop some chapstick or vaseline on your lips to keep them from getting dry and cracking. It doesn't make me too muzzy the next day either, especially if I'm taking lots of Sudafed.
posted by jessamyn at 11:22 AM on April 28, 2004

NyQuil is the one that knocks me out. The "drying out" factor is one that can't be ignored. Drink LOTS of water before taking the NyQuil and keep drinking it during the day when you are either on DayQuil or some other drug.

It's amazing how dry you can feel on that stuff. But you don't sniff/cough/snort the whole night.
posted by grum@work at 11:41 AM on April 28, 2004

if I have to breathe through my mouth I'm constantly aware of my lips and tongue and throat drying up as I inhale and exhale over them.

I can't sleep unless I can breathe through my nose for the above reason. So The Crud for me usually goes hand-in-hand with a couple of Afrin-addled days to keep the nose clear. My friend swears by TheraFlu, which has no effect on me. I've had pretty good success with Alka Seltzer cold remedy, and nothing beats a healthy shot of your favorite spirit if you just want to pass out and sleep.
posted by archimago at 11:59 AM on April 28, 2004

Try a Hot Toddy:

In a coffee mug, add...

1 generous shot of bourbon
2/3 shot of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of honey

Top off with hot (as in recently almost boiling) water. Stir 'til the honey is mixed in. Let it cool to a sippable temperature.
posted by sad_otter at 12:28 PM on April 28, 2004

Sorry: Bells Whiskey.
posted by nthdegx at 12:37 PM on April 28, 2004

Opiates are the best for getting rid of the cough and knocking you out for a good night's rest. Of course asking for any kind of opiate will raise the "addiction" flags of any doctor.

So if you truly are sick, ask for some bromodiphenhydramine and codeine. It is a cough syrup with codeine which will act as a depressent and stop the coughing, also letting you go on the nod for as long as you like. Just don't use the jager with it, or become too attatched to it.
posted by geoff. at 12:43 PM on April 28, 2004

Nyquil makes me feel like I've got a hangover when I get up, which isn't surprising since it contains alcohol (the liquid, don't know about the caps). I'm with jessamyn on Thera-Flu. I like it because you dissolve it in hot water and drink it like tea. The warmth and the steam are pretty soothing.

My dad, who's 81, swears by the hot toddy but uses tea instead of the hot water. Of course, he doesn't have to get up and work the next day. He also likes Vics Vaporub, which can help with some of the stuffiness but it's greasy and gets all over.

If you take anything with alcohol, be careful of acetaminophen (Tylenol) as it can cause problems with your liver.
posted by tommasz at 12:57 PM on April 28, 2004

Re codeine cough syrup: Yes, it works quite well, but be aware that one side effect of codeine is constipation. Sometimes, MAJOR constipation. I can't take it for more that one or two nights before this becomes a problem, but I'll spare everyone the details.
posted by Daddio at 1:59 PM on April 28, 2004

I will second the earlier suggestion of Theraflu. I'm lucky if I can keep my eyes open to the end of the mug. It gives me that floaty codeine feeling without the "issues"...

Great stuff.
posted by Wolfie at 2:19 PM on April 28, 2004

Word to the wise about decongestants, though -- if you have certain medical conditions (cardiac, thyroid, prostate, etc.) or take certain medications, decongestants can act like speed and keep you up all night. (I learned this the hard way a few years ago.)
posted by scody at 3:00 PM on April 28, 2004

I also recommend Theraflu. It works. And it tasts a lot better now. Make sure to get the night time version.
posted by chaz at 5:13 PM on April 28, 2004