It's my fault I was playing trial and error all through a nasty and persistent case of acute bronchitis. I went to the doctor as soon as my temperature hit 104. After a glance down my throat and a second of listening to my breathing, he said, "If it's the flu, you'll have to stay home. Otherwise, you can take medicine and go to work tomorrow." He ruled out the flu by sticking a cotton swab so far up my nose it hit my brain. The nurse came to where I was slouching in the waiting room and said, "You're negative for flu. You can go downstairs and get your medicine and pay."
"If it's not the flu, what is it?" I croaked.
"It's not the flu. You can go downstairs and get your medicine."
"I have a temperature of 104 and you can hear how this cough sounds. I'd like to know more than 'not the flu' if possible," I said Americanly.
"You want to talk to the doctor again? Fine." She was annoyed.
I waited another hazy block of time in the theater-row seating of the waiting room til the doctor called me back in.
"It's not the flu," he said.
"I'm sorry to bother you again," I said Japanesely, "But my family seems to get pneumonia rather easily and I've never had a cough and fever like this before. I just wanted to ask what you think I might have."
"It's bronchitis," he said. "I'm prescribing a fever reducer, cough suppressant and antibiotics."
I blame the fever. And past experience of leaving the doctor with a bag full of medicine that didn't help much and cost a fortune. I panicked: I had drawers full of Advil, Tylenol and Nyquil at home. I told him I had stuff I knew worked, so I'd just take the antibiotics, please. He shrugged and unticked the boxes and said take care.
I'd always considered Nyquil the nuclear option in cold fighting. That night, I took a full dose (half usually knocks me out cold) - and woke up coughing every 45 minutes. The next night I took the full dose and then, a mere few hours later, took another full dose, afraid it would put me into a cold-med coma. It didn't, unfortunately.
The next day I shuffled to the nearest pharmacy and asked for their strongest cough medicine. The pharmacist grabbed a box of Nobikku powder and said it was the best. It tasted like burnt cinnamon and left me coughing all night.
I went to a different pharmacy the next day and again asked for their strongest stuff. They'd never heard of Nobikku, but gave me the capsules in the gold box above, Nuspol. It had the same ingredients in slightly higher amounts. (One key ingredient in all of them is Noscapine, also known, awesomely, as Narcotine. A mild hallucinogen.) I went on it full time, and made sure to stay away from heavy machinery and social media.
When I ran out, I hit a third pharmacy where they'd never heard of either of the other two medicines. Even though they aren't branded with the pharmacies' names, the drugs seem to be proprietary to each place. This third guy brought out a pile of boxes and finally recommended Cool One, apologizing that it was tablets instead of capsules. Down the hatch four at a time.
I wish I had a more helpful report, but ultimately, whatever and however much I took, I ended up waking up constantly. I coughed so hard one night that I injured a rib or two, adding a stabbing pain to every cough from then on.
I also went through a whole bottle of honey and a pile of lemons.
The take-home lesson here is this: at least try the prescription medicine.
Better yet, don't get bronchitis.
9 comments:
I remember seeing some once, it was called グリコーデ or something like that.
I still think buying the children's cough syrup and chugging the whole bottle is a good plan.
What did you learn? I might be needing some of those pills...
Hey, SP! Updated at great length with what I learned.
Thanks for the tip, Ms. Godzilla. I wonder if that's co-de for codeine.
I had bought a Japanese medicine and it was really effective.
Japan has a lot of good cough medicines that are derived from the traditional herbal recipes. Oregano is one such example.
It's surprising how cough medicine don't exist in Japan and yet they practice so many alternative medicine treatments such as ear candles and the others. You might want to consult a physician.
Following the advise of your doctor is the easiest way to get cured most of the time. Sometimes we think we know better, which often leads to more pain and suffering.
I agree with the last comment. It is advisable to have your check up done before taking any kind of drug. This will prevent complication in the future.
My friend had bronchitis before and believe me, he howls when he coughs. He's a smoker and I have been trying to encourage him to get the best ecig so that he can progressively quit. At one point, he was just laughing and floating all day. He was so high from the cough syrup.
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