I rarely have a cough but when I do it is so severe that I can barely breath normally, speak, let alone sleep at night.

I literally cough my lungs out! Whet that happened before I used to buy a medicine called Iyafin. It was a pack with four pills very similar to Tiffy but blue.

The main ingredient of Iyafin was dextromethorphan, which is the only medicine on earth that's effective on my cough.

The other day I found myself in that condition and rushed to buy some Iyafin but I found out than no one sells it anymore, at least not in my neighbourhood.

One of the drug stores told me that they've stopped production and sold me another (very ineffective) medicine instead.

Does anyone know if this is true? I know that some teenagers used to take high doses of dextromethorphan as a recreational drug... May that be the cause?

Perhaps it has been withdrawn from the market to avoid abuse?

Do you know if there is any similar medicine or if dextromethorphan is still available in the hospitals?

That brand is no longer on the market in Thailand but there are more than 30 brands of dextromethorpan on the market...sometimes by itself and sometimes mixed with expectorants. Sometimes tablets and sometimes as liquids.

I suggest you just ask for dextromethorpan. Show it to them written down as thais have their own way of pronouncing drug names and may nto understand it when you do, but they will recognize it written out.

I agree. Iyafin was great.

I used to use it a lot when I had bronchial infections or cough a lot.Then I got a cough that lasted over 4 weeks, so (as recommended by the UK National Health Service) I booked in to get a free X-Ray. That led to concerns about a shadow on my lungs, an incorrect diagnosis of lung cancer, a correct diagnosis of lung lymphoma that was successfully treated by radiation therapy and a long term chronic lung condition of bronchiectas finally diagnosed.

Just telling you in case it makes you think a bit about the potential for an underlying cause for popping Iyafin on a regular basis!

PS just re-read your post and see it is irregular. Probably not a big concern at present then and I don't want to spook you/anyone unnecessarily, but still may be worth an X-Ray at the time of your next attack. Breathing difficulties doesn't sound that normal.

some much for that good UK health service...That is what happens when you socialize something