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What Should I Do For Persistent Cough Despite Taking Mucinex DM?
Posted on
Mon, 22 Jan 2018
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 22 Jan 2018
Answered on
Tue, 31 Jul 2018
Last reviewed on
Question : My wife has afib dr said shecan take Muninex for cold and cough- She took Muninex MD at 9am this morning 8 hrs ago no flem comes up- what should I do for evening- so she stops coughing and helps her?
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Mucinex DM has guaifenesin and dextromethorphan.
The dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant but doesn't always work.
The guaifenesin is a mucolytic meaning it breaks mucus up, allowing it to pass more easily.
It sounds like it didn't help much. It's best to drink a lot of water to help the guaifenesin do it's job. So She can try another dose and increase her water consumption.
If the coughing is from drainage going down from her sinuses, she can try saline nasal rinses (either with a nettipot or ready made sprays like Simply Saline in a pump canister). She can also try a steroid nasal spray to help decrease the drainage. You can buy this over the counter and it is safe for someone with atrial fibrillation. But don't use it within an hour of the saline rinses as it will just drip down into her stomach.
If she is running a high fever, smokes, or has asthma or diabetes, she may need to go in to be seen to make sure the cough isn't from something worse than a cold.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Mucinex DM has guaifenesin and dextromethorphan.
The dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant but doesn't always work.
The guaifenesin is a mucolytic meaning it breaks mucus up, allowing it to pass more easily.
It sounds like it didn't help much. It's best to drink a lot of water to help the guaifenesin do it's job. So She can try another dose and increase her water consumption.
If the coughing is from drainage going down from her sinuses, she can try saline nasal rinses (either with a nettipot or ready made sprays like Simply Saline in a pump canister). She can also try a steroid nasal spray to help decrease the drainage. You can buy this over the counter and it is safe for someone with atrial fibrillation. But don't use it within an hour of the saline rinses as it will just drip down into her stomach.
If she is running a high fever, smokes, or has asthma or diabetes, she may need to go in to be seen to make sure the cough isn't from something worse than a cold.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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