Antibiotics for Cough

Updated on November 20, 2009
D.B. asks from Grand Prairie, TX
15 answers

I had a bad cough for 4 days and took amoxicilian antibiotic for it for 10 days. The cough came back a week later and has lasted 6 days now. Should I go back to doc for more antibiotics? I've heard if antibiotics are prescribed often they may not work. Or could the doctor prescribe a stronger medicine? Anybody else been on 2 regimens for antibiotics in less than a month? Did they work ok? My cough is a combo of chest cough with small amount of green stuff coming up and also dry hacking cough. I've coughed so much I've gotten muscle strain in 2 different places.

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J.L.

answers from Dallas on

I would call his doctor. He may need a different antibiotic. They don't all work the same way and while his immune system was fighting off what he has he may have caught something else.

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C.P.

answers from Dallas on

Hello D.,

I hope you're feeling better. if the doctor gave you antibiotics is because of an infection. make sure is not bronchitis or anything like that. I'd go back to the doctor to double check. in the meantime you could try a few things at home. there are very good natural expectorants to help loosen the green yucky stuff so it comes out easier.

anise seed is natural expectorant(the cheapest place is to get it is at sprouts on the bulk spice/herbs section)

Here is a tea I made for my mother in law a couple of years ago when her cough wouldn't go away (even after taking meds)

so at sprouts get:
anise, ginger powder, rosemary, thyme, raspberry leaf

I make a concoction tea that helps w/ colds/flu:
in a measuring cup put:
2 tablespoons of anise seed
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon raspberry leaf
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ginger (you can start w/ 1/4 teaspoon)

add 2 cups of boiling water. let it sit for about 5 minutes. strain and add honey (or sugar for taste)

drink a cup a couple of times/day (specially before bedtime so it helps w/ the cough)

you can increase the ingredients and make a bigger amount of tea so you can drink it during the day.

You can also add a teabag of chamomile tea (if you're not allergic to ragweeds)

another teabag you can add to it is mint tea (helps hide the rosemary and thyme flavors)

rosemary and thyme will help w/ the cough. the anise seed will help loosen up the stuff so it comes out.

by the way, thyme is a natural antibiotic.

I'd also take garlic capsules (natural antibiotic)
I recommend that you take probiotics for the next 3-4 weeks (you've been on antibiotics and your doctor will probably give you more antibiotics)

I usually put it all in a big measuring cup (easier to pour out)

Good luck and I hope the tea works! ~C.~

1 mom found this helpful
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R.V.

answers from Dallas on

Hello D.,
You can try taking a Spoon of Honey with 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder (available at all Middle Eastern and Indian Stores) My cough went away right away and also try rubbing Vicks on the souls of your feet at night Hopefully it will help you the natural way.. as Turmeric is an anti inflammatory and as effective as antibiotic good for Arthritis and aches and pains as well... good luck......

1 mom found this helpful
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L.T.

answers from Abilene on

The green mucous indicates infection -- that's what the antibiotic is for. Maybe the doctor can give you something just for the cough, in addition to the antibiotic for infection; we've been given Tessalon Pearls, little cough pills that worked much better than over the counter stuff.

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R.O.

answers from Dallas on

Antibiotics aren't always the answer. Maybe they didn't work b/c it's viral? Don't put pressure on the doc to do another round of meds.... sleep more, prop ur head up at night, drink more water, do the common sense things unless u have pneumonia.
My friend has coughed like that for 2 months. It's viral.

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E.P.

answers from Dallas on

Before returning to doctor, try this: Buy a green plastic NETI POT at Sprouts grocery store. Central Market also carries NETI POTS, but the ceramic ones can break in the bathroom if they get knocked off sink. Buy some REAL SALT. It is ancient sea salt from Utah - - been buried by ancient lava and contains no modern-day ocean pollutants. Fill neti pot with elbow-tested, baby-bottle temperature WARM WATER. Add about 1 TEASPOON SALT and stir. Over sink, tilt your head to one side, place spout of pot in upper nostril, and gently pour. If temperature and salt is just right, your body won't even feel the water in your sinuses. Blow out excess water in sink. Repeat to other side. The salt water kills any bacteria in sinuses and/or flushes out any allergens. Your infected sinus drainage down the back of your throat could be the cause of that cough. (((Many, many NETI POT demos on www.youtube.com)))

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S.R.

answers from Dallas on

I know you have gotten a lot of good information from moms here. Natural and not so natural. Right now, with all the stuff that is going around, Swine Flu and and all the different strains of the flu, I would definitely call your doctor. You may not need to go in, but I would call and tell them what is going in. You can get immune to antibiotics if you take them a lot. Taking them one time for a week or so is not going to make you immune. You probably need a different antibiotic and he may just be able to call it in to your pharmacy. When you are coughing or sneezing green stuff, that's an infection. It really sounds like you have bronchitis and you don't want it to turn into pneumonia. I used to get bronchitis all the time. Call your doctor first. Mussinex is awesome and is great for the daytime because it doesn't make you sleepy. If you do have trouble getting rest at night, ask the doc for the Tussinex. It's basically the same thing, but with I think a little codiene in it. I am a SAHM and can't imagine not having rest and staying home with two kids. Drink lots and lots of fluids. Water is the best, but whatever you can tolorate, except milk. Good luck and I hope you feel better!

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H.M.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I don't know if you're into natural health, but many people have good results with an herbal lung cleanse. Your body may just be trying to clean themselves out a bit, which is normal.

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J.G.

answers from Dallas on

Omg take "Mucus Relief Sinus" you can buy it at walmart for $8-9. It is generic for musinex and keeps all the mucus that would normally drain down your throat from your nasal passage which makes you cough. I got sick a few weeks ago with the lovely flu and this cough is what lingers and that medicine has kept me from coughing these last few weeks! Its awesome. My doctor recommended I take it and I am so glad he did!

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L.S.

answers from Tyler on

Amoxicillan is a mild antibiotic. My daughter just had an ear infection and the amoxicillan did not take care of it in 10 days, so they then gave her something stronger.

Try the mucinex, as someone else suggested, that will help (and also go see the doctor again).

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S.N.

answers from Dallas on

Hi D.,
I did not read any of your other replies so I don't know if you've already gotten this info yet or not.
I was thinking that maybe you are just suffering from allergies which can cause drainage in your throat and cause you to cough.
If this is the case, you should treat your allergy symptoms and the cough should go away on its own.
A cough syrup would be good for bedtime only, so you can sleep.
You do NOT want to suppress your cough during the day while on allergy meds including an expectorant/decongestant. The point of an expectorant/decongestant is to loosen and bring up and phlegm/mucus. You do not want to suppress that.

If it is not allergy related, then please disregard my advice.
Good Luck!

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S.D.

answers from Dallas on

Hi D.
As you prolly know antibiotics are really bad for your system
I would recommend taking Seasonal Support it works great for us and I havet had antibiotics since I found this product as well as nobody else in my family. It is all natural and has Goldenseal which is like a antibiotic I might also add that we havent been to the doctor for any colds or flus either so you start really seeing a difference in the bills!!!
Go to this website to purchase or contact me and I can mail you some as well or we might could even meet somewhere and you could get it!
www.imhoffproducts.com

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N.C.

answers from Dallas on

I use Mucinex for that type of thing. The green box works the best for me. Hope you get better!

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L.M.

answers from Dallas on

Hello Ms.D. I think maybe you need to ask your doctor about Tussionex look it up on the internet to see if you would want to try this. I have use it myself and knock the cough right out and never returned .It is also good if you have Hay fever allergies, sinus also.It will make you sleep but only use as your doctor directs you to use there is also another one that is stronger that is very Good but stronger called Promethazine Cough Syrup it is better than Tussionex but it will put you on your butte but it works I swear by it.Look both up on the Internet and decide if this may be an option. It works and clears out your chest also you will be better with in 1 and a half. I promise !!!

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D.G.

answers from Dallas on

I have been on antibiotics like that. Sometimes the docs will prescribe what normally works and then for some reason it does not work (the illness has become immune to that antibiotic alot of times). Or what was prescribed just wasn't strong enough. Since you have the colored stuff coming up - which is alot of times an infection - I would go back to the doc and see what they say. Hope this helps and you feel better soon !

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