Best way to deal with a cough in Bangkok?

[Bonobojt]

So I have a cough, phlegm, and I've lost my voice a bit, this started on only my 3rd day of arriving here so I'm a bit annoyed.  I'm guessing it's because of a virus, or something else like bad air pollution, hotel AC.  A couple of days ago it was super hot and I had a lack of energy, headache and high temperature, dodgy stomach and then later in the day the cough started, I took some tylonal and activated charcoal pills and I feel much better today but still have this cough and phlegm, what's the best way to help coughs in Bangkok? 

[Crossy]

Go to a pharmacy, do the actions (then find out the pharmacist speaks English), loads of over-the-counter stuff here.

 

Alternatively, pretend you're a tourist from (inset name of large Asian country) and just hack it up and gob in the gutter on the sidewalk near someone's lunch.

[brewsterbudgen]

I've had one for a month now.  Doctor says "bronchitis" and gave me anti-biotics, steroids, anti-histamine, codeine.  They like giving you drugs here!

[Bonobojt]

16 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I've had one for a month now.  Doctor says "bronchitis" and gave me anti-biotics, steroids, anti-histamine, codeine.  They like giving you drugs here!

Yours might be viral so antibiotics not needed possibly, I wouldn't take antibiotics here unless they found a bacteria infection from a test. 

[Bonobojt]

50 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Go to a pharmacy, do the actions (then find out the pharmacist speaks English), loads of over-the-counter stuff here.

 

Alternatively, pretend you're a tourist from (inset name of large Asian country) and just hack it up and gob in the gutter on the sidewalk near someone's lunch.

Yeah might do that, from what I understand there's no cure for a cough, so anything I buy will just be to hide the symptoms or something

[Bonobojt]

I should add that I've only had this cough for a couple of days, and I'm not coughing all the time, just sometimes throughout the day and the phlegm is dark yellow today 

[Sheryl]

At any 7-11 you can get a cough syrup that comes in a green box with orange tiger picture on it, this works well for suppressing cough but should only take it at night, so as to get a good sleep, during the day it is important to let the phlegm come up.

 

If you develop a fever or shortness of breath, or if the cough goes on for say more than a week see a doctor.

[mommysboy]

Leave!

 

Seriously, you may just have a small virus but if it is a reaction to the poor air quality you can limit your exposure to the outside, make sure windows and doors are closed, and use a decent air filter.

 

But the only cure, as such, is to leave.

[siamcrut]

2 table spoon of honey and

[chicowoodduck]

Your best bet it to turn off the A/C in your room and stop asking for medical or any other type of advice on TV......???

[Emster23]

 Smart ass answer to how to deal with cough in Bangkok is to leave Bangkok.

I do agree with Chico etc on turn off the air con, or if must, keep only a few degrees cooler than outside temp. I have no proof, but don't we evolved to go from hot to cold to hot so rapidly and not pay a price

[Pungdo]

There is a viral infection doing the rounds, no amount of antibiotics will help, I have been trying to shake it off now for several months, every time I think it's getting better it seems to rear it's ugly head again.

[KKr]

two teaspoons of salt in a glass of lukewarm water.
gargle, and rinse your nose.
if it is not gone after a week to ten days, go to see a doctor.

Taking Antibiotics, especially without seeking medical advice (or over the counter), is not recommended unless absolutely necessary.

Edited April 2, 2018 by KKr

[uffe123]

The air quality in Bangkok now rated more polluted than most cities in India, and Peking china.  50 to 100% over WHO limits.

If you value your health leave. Not a good place to stay and live.

[gjoo888]

On 4/1/2018 at 8:52 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

I've had one for a month now.  Doctor says "bronchitis" and gave me anti-biotics, steroids, anti-histamine, codeine.  They like giving you drugs here!

I think you mean, they like SELLING you drugs here. 

[Jingjock]

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 9:43 AM, Bonobojt said:

I should add that I've only had this cough for a couple of days, and I'm not coughing all the time, just sometimes throughout the day and the phlegm is dark yellow today 

Sounds like an infection being yellow, seek medical advice from a good GP. Get out of BKK the air is bad there from all

those vehicles

[Letseng]

Stop drinking iced drinks, avoid spicy food. Stomach acidity can cause your symptoms like cough.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2018 by Letseng

[holymoly]

First of all - stop blaming Bangkok Air. My friend living in the purified air of Canada

had the same lengthy "hack, hack, grey and yellow".  Unless you believe firmly that 

all the pills prescribed will be effective avoid the hospitals.

Six weeks for me, best help: hot lemon or lime juice with honey before going to bed

or anytime you cough too much, Yes, cough syrup works in reducing the need

to cough.  Play it by ear........it's your cough, deal with it. Rest and remain positive.

 

My Best

[Stargeezr]

One  thing not to do is to keep brushing your teeth using tap water.

Use bottled water! Or your sore throat may not be just bronchitis.

Geezer

[Searat7]

A few weeks ago Jinthing suggested Eucalyptus oil and it really works. A few drops in a container, add hot water, put towel over your head and breathe in. I lost my cough of 3 months after 2 days but I should add that I was back in USA when I tried this. 

[observer90210]

A lung x-ray helped me last christmas here in Europe. The Doc said it was bronchitis but of viral nature, that would not require antibiotics....it dissolved slowly after a month and once in Thailand, totally passed away as the european virus did not obviously resist the tropical climate when back in Thailand....strange ways these viruses work....so taken the other way round, maybe if it's a Bangkok  bronchitis virus, it won't resist if you get to Europe ?

[masuk]

2 hours ago, uffe123 said:

The air quality in Bangkok now rated more polluted than most cities in India, and Peking china.  50 to 100% over WHO limits.

If you value your health leave. Not a good place to stay and live.

Try Chiang Mai, officially world's nr. 6 most polluted city.  Many of us here use air filters, either free standing or using 3M microfibre filters on the air con intakes.

My routine is to 'scrub' the air 2 hours before I head for bed, with doors and windows closed.  That way I get to breathe air a little less contaminated than the daytime air.

Haven't seen the sky for days now.

[Sumarianson]

Get vitamin c granulated. Take a teaspoonful with half teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda with a little water when it stops fizzing add some lemon juice or other pure juice to taste. Take morning and evening. Reduce the dose if diaorreha becomes apparent. I am a COPD, emphysema, bronchitis, asthma non sufferer as a result of above although I have been diagnosed with all.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[The Theory]

AC black mold in hotels could cause dry cough with no fever. 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

3 hours ago, uffe123 said:

The air quality in Bangkok now rated more polluted than most cities in India, and Peking china.  50 to 100% over WHO limits.

If you value your health leave. Not a good place to stay and live.

This is a hopelessly garbled and inaccurate picture of the true situation. Read the WHO guidelines (95% worldwide of urban dwellers are over what you call the 'limit'), look at the AQI stats for Bangkok and Beijing year-round, then revise your opinion.

[VocalNeal]

At 7-Eleven check-out next to the Tumeric there is another little packet of herb capsules that Thai use for a cough. Might be worth a try!  Sorry don't have a picture.

Edited April 2, 2018 by VocalNeal

[jkcjag]

I've lived in BKK 20 years. Never had a cough...live and work in an aircon environments. Note that in such environments in hotels, offices, shopping malls, subways, taxis, homes etc. the temperature is typically set between 20 to 25 C which is warmer than many other countries normal outside temperatures much of the time (25C is a hot day in England). To think that you get a cough because of aircon not necessarily logical...it's cool dry air yes (relative to outside), but it's possibly warmer than where you came from. You make have caught something from a fellow passenger on your journey. I doubt it's because you're in Bangkok since you've only just arrived. If you suspect the aircon in your room is the culprit because of mold or other accumulations inside it, have it cleaned, or change rooms.

If you have any illness of any sort, deal with it the same as you would in any other country and go to see a doctor. There are many small clinics here all over the place, but for you I suggest go to an international hospital of which there are many choices...just google it. They usually have a general department, and also specialists for any particular category...English speaking, and mostly trained in the West. If you are prescribed drugs, simply ask the doctor to explain what they do, and you decide which you want to take. If you want a second opinion, go to another doctor or hospital. If you want to go to a pharmacy and get something, they have trained pharmacists who can prescribe. If you want reassurance of the quality of the pharmacist try "Boots" (as in the UK), they are in every shopping mall. I agree the doctors here tend to overprescribe drugs, but as I said, you can query the prescription, and make your own decision. But, in other countries too drugs are pushed very hard by the drug companies. I used to know a drug company salesman and a pharmacist in England...they made a fortune on prescribing based on promotions and kickbacks.

[Mansell]

Take a pic of the pic below and go to a pharmacy and show it to them. I had a bad cough for three months, went to two hospitals and saw two different doctors, and everything they gave me didn't work. A friend told me about this Chinese herb stuff, cough gone in three days. Always have some of this in the house now because it works. If I remember correctly it was 50 baht or 99 baht. 

[GTgrizzly]

On ‎1‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 12:43 PM, Bonobojt said:

I should add that I've only had this cough for a couple of days, and I'm not coughing all the time, just sometimes throughout the day and the phlegm is dark yellow today 

If you've only been here a couple of days highly unlikely you caught it here, it takes a few days to kick in

You probably caught something on the plane on the way here, lotsa germs in a confined place there

[unblocktheplanet]

This has been a really rotten cold season for flu. Many of us have it for months, goes away a few weeks, and boomerangs back.

 

Thais in general don't consult doctors much. A good pharmacist will do just as well.

 

If your phlegm is anything but white or clear, you do have infection and antibioltics will indeed help. Make sure to do the whole course and repopulated your gut with real yogurt when finished.

 

During my bad flus this winter, I discovered Flemex. No side effects but makes the phlegm more runny, far easier to cough up all of it.