I wonder if the same applies to adults. Are all those codeine prescriptions just making folks happier? heh
I used to take a horrible syrup called Ipsotal. Nastiest syrup ever made, I'm sure. But it did work one time in my memory. I kept waking up because of my cough so I steeled myself and swallowed that hideous stuff. Part of what makes it so hideous is that it doesn't leave too readily -- your mouth and throat feel coated in this horrible gunk for quite awhile. That night, I was able to sleep shortly after taking the syrup.
So what I'm wondering is this. Perhaps it's not entirely a placebo effect. Perhaps that coating lubricates things and interrupts the coughing. Once interupted, perhaps the body doesn't just spontaneously start up again once the coating finally leaves -- maybe it needs to be stimulated back to coughing.
Codeine saved me on my return trip from India, when I was having horrible hacking bronchitis-coughs. Before I left there I had tried dextramethorphan (an OTC cough medicine), and it didn't touch the cough. So I made an extra effort to score some codeine just before my 24-hour flight odyssey home. Worked well, and even helped me sleep though much of those flight hours!
Even if it's just tea with honey, I'm glad there are alternatives to cough syrup with codeine... since unfortunately for my mother & codeine doesn't help us -- it makes us feel worse.
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I used to take a horrible syrup called Ipsotal. Nastiest syrup ever made, I'm sure. But it did work one time in my memory. I kept waking up because of my cough so I steeled myself and swallowed that hideous stuff. Part of what makes it so hideous is that it doesn't leave too readily -- your mouth and throat feel coated in this horrible gunk for quite awhile. That night, I was able to sleep shortly after taking the syrup.
So what I'm wondering is this. Perhaps it's not entirely a placebo effect. Perhaps that coating lubricates things and interrupts the coughing. Once interupted, perhaps the body doesn't just spontaneously start up again once the coating finally leaves -- maybe it needs to be stimulated back to coughing.
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My thoughts exactly. Folk lore often 'prescribes' things with honey and lemon -- I'm wondering exactly what the placebo syrup was made of?
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I vouch for codeine.
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