Coughing at night disrupting my sleep

The coughing thing is new for me, just started, same thing  cough until I vomit. Water doesn’t always help.

So frustrating!!

I try to eat my main meal much earlier and can usually tell when most of it has gone down ok. Sleeping with a third pillow also helps me.

Hi Sarah,

I completely understand your problem. 

Firstly try not to eat after a set time say 6pm as it’s the food that is sitting in your Oesophagus that is making you choke. Maybe even try to have your main meal at lunchtime rather than the evening. Also if you have eaten late ( sometimes we can’t

avoid it) make sure you drink lots of water BEFORE you settle down for the night as this tends to either make you bring up what is lying there or helps to wash it down. 

secondly have you looked into getting a Bed Wedge?  There are many on the market now....but the best one I got was one that inflates under the mattress to whatever height you need at your head. 

I hope this helps you.

Good luck!

If your cough is being caused by reflux from your stomach, then raising the head of the bed by 20cms will probably help because gravity will tend to stop the reflux rising.   Gaviscon Advance may also help.

​If it is regurgitation of food that has not reached your stomach yet, the raising of the bed (or a wedge, or pillows) may still help, but it will be undigested food in your oesophagus that is causing the problem.   Eating well before bedtime might help.   But if food is hanging around that long, you really need a barium swallow test to find out about your swallowing function.

 

i have had a chronic cough for almost two years now. It starts after the sun goes down. Sipping on water actually makes it worse. I finally went to a pulmonologist who sent me for a 24 hr. impedence/ manometry test. I am new to this forum and waiting on dx. All GI tests point to achalasia, but I don't have a GI in this area. Going to major medical center in 10 more days. 

My doctor gave me an inhaler, which does seem to help some. I don't eat past 4 pm. When I can't take another sleepless night I take a cough syrup - Promethazine-Codeine. This is the ONLY thing that will stop my cough and allow me to sleep. He told me to be exceptionally careful, because I could kill myself by aspirating in my sleep. With the inability to cough I could choke on my own saliva.  

We actually produce 1. 5 liters of saliva a day. This is what he thinks I am choking on at night. Haven't had a decent nights sleep in two years without the cough syrup.  I would check with a pulmonogist and see if they can help. I agree with everyone else on eating early and keeping your head up, but you can't stop your own saliva. 

Best of luck. 

 

I have just given up eating after about 5 pm.  And always eat with lots of milk, water.  Have larger meals at breakfast and noon and maybe some soup around 5ish.  Huge pain as I cook husband’s dinner which I can’t eat.  And I used to enjoy cooking!