# Night Nurse



## Mark T (Dec 6, 2011)

(not the kind that comes visiting your bed at night in a hospital)

I?ve got a moderate cough and cold right now   It?s reasonably manageable during the day but I have been finding that I?ve been struggling to get to sleep and because of the coughing I?m also disturbing my wife?s rest.

Pre-diagnosis I would have started taking Night Nurse by now.  However Night Nurse Liquid is absolutely packed full of glucose!  I?m thinking about grabbing some of the capsule form which doesn?t obviously seem to list any glucose sources in the ingredients.  But the patient information leaflet still seems to carry a caution for diabetics.

I?ll check with the pharmacist anyway, but has anyone tried the capsule form and found any issues with it?


----------



## Caroline (Dec 6, 2011)

I haven't had them, but would suggest it is better to check with the pharmacist who may be able to suggest something better for you. I hope you get better soon.


----------



## Pumper_Sue (Dec 6, 2011)

Hi Mark,
sorry to hear about your cough   Ask your chemist for some cough medication suitable for diabetics they have quite a good range now.
This will cheer you up no end though, research shows cough meds do not work and it cheaper and just as effective to have a soothing drink.


----------



## Copepod (Dec 6, 2011)

Personally, I find that a hot toddy with whisky, lemon and a bit of honey works better than any medicine from chemist to give both my partner and I a decent night's sleep - regardless of which of us is coughing!


----------



## Mark T (Dec 6, 2011)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Hi Mark,
> sorry to hear about your cough   Ask your chemist for some cough medication suitable for diabetics they have quite a good range now.
> This will cheer you up no end though, research shows cough meds do not work and it cheaper and just as effective to have a soothing drink.


Most over the counter cough medicines seem to be no more then glucose syrup - so thus comparable with a soothing drink.

Night Nurse is a little stronger it's essentially paracetamol, antihistamine and an antitussive (inhibits the cough response) combined.  Since most over the counters also contain antitussive's I assume it's the paracetamol and the antihistamine that does the job.

But your point is well given, it may be better for me to try taking ibuprofen (since it's an anti-inflammatory) *and* paracetamol at bedtime instead - although ibuprofen I seem to recall is also not recommended for diabetics either.

It will be interesting to see what the chemist recommends.

Oh, pre-diagnosis my soothing drink of choice would have been a warm stong ribena mixed with honey and lemon


----------



## Caroline (Dec 6, 2011)

One night when my cough was realy bad I had tot of Jack Daniels. It tasted disgusting but did the trick. I used to laugh at all the films describing the illicite whisky as medicine, but sometimes it realy is, and non drinkers only need a little.


----------



## Northerner (Dec 6, 2011)

I think ibuprofen is contraindicated if you take statins (or it might be blood pressure medications - can't remember. It was something I remember avoiding when I was on a plethora of pills a couple of years ago)


----------



## imtrying (Dec 6, 2011)

Hope you're feeling better soon Mark! 

Will be good to hear what the pharmacist tells you....I've never asked and just avoided cough medicine so would be great to know.


----------



## cherrypie (Dec 6, 2011)

Ibuprofen is not for everybody.
This article tells you who it is not safe for.  It is always best to check the labels if you suffer from high blood pressure etc... and most chemists are very knowledgable.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000387.html


----------



## vince13 (Dec 6, 2011)

Mark, OH and I have both been down with this flu-type cold which has left us with nasty coughs.  We are both diabetics (him Type 2 - me Type 1) and our pharmacist recommended Robitussen cough mixture.  There's a chesty cough one and a tickly cough one - it tastes nice and she said it could be used by diabetics.  I'm still learning on this side of things as I tend to reach for what I used to use and then stop and think (well that's a first anyway !).


----------



## Mark T (Dec 6, 2011)

Yes, the pharmacist recommended the Robitussen for me as well.

The only thing I noticed was that it contained sugar alcohols (maltitol, sorbitol) which are of course the favoured sweeteners of diabetic chocolate


----------



## vince13 (Dec 6, 2011)

Ah Yes - I see the potential problem !  Haven't used it long enough at any one time for a build-up of nasty effects to come into force...


----------



## slipper (Dec 27, 2011)

Well its about a year later , and I was going to ask the same question.

Had a really nasty chest infection over Christmas so it looks like the Robitussen Chesty Cough  may clear me out, and help the cough too


----------



## Nicky1970 (Dec 27, 2011)

Pharmacist told me recently that the decongestant in Lemsip and Metformin won't play nicely, so always worth checking with the pharmacist.


----------



## Catwoman76 (Dec 27, 2011)

Nicky1970 said:


> Pharmacist told me recently that the decongestant in Lemsip and Metformin won't play nicely, so always worth checking with the pharmacist.



Hi, as I am now working in a Pharmacy I am learning all about OTC's ( Over the counter medicines) but Night Nurse has to be shown to the Pharmacist after asking the customer a few questions.  I have alot to learn, but trying hard to learn all the in's and out's of it all.  I have three booklets to read, then I have to answer the questions covering Oral care, Coughs and colds and Stop smoking.    best wishes Sheena


----------



## Mark T (Dec 27, 2011)

I actually gave up on the Robitussen in the end since it was less effective then taking a couple of painkillers and sucking on some sugar free throat sweets.


----------



## slipper (Dec 28, 2011)

I did find it good, enough to enable me to get some sleep, if only for about 3 hours though. Prior to that I had been gargling with TCP, an appalling taste, but did ease the throat off.

Robitussens is expensive, nearly ?4 for basically 10 doses, so it will be back to the TCP and the Vic chest rub, but it means no socialising


----------



## Northerner (Dec 28, 2011)

I use Olbas Oil when I am bunged up, a few drops on my pillow help me sleep


----------



## slipper (Dec 28, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I use Olbas Oil when I am bunged up, a few drops on my pillow help me sleep



Oh yes, I forgot that one. I have found that really good in the past.


----------



## Northerner (Dec 28, 2011)

slipper said:


> Oh yes, I forgot that one. I have found that really good in the past.



It lasts forever too - my bottle must be at least 3 years old!


----------

