Ever try Mucinex? Well, here's some medical advice for you

[Orrex]

It doesn't work worth shit. Each pill is about the size of a AA battery, and the commercials promise that those pesky snot-people will be blown out of your lungs at hurricane speed.

I'm here to tell you that the hype is not to be believed. In desperation I bought a pack of this snake-oil, and on the three separate occasions when I've tried it, I've enjoyed no benefit whatsoever. None. My pipes are every bit as phlegm-cloggged now as they were when I took that damn horse pill four hours ago. And yes that's cloggged with three Gs because that's how cloggged they are dammit.

I'm ready to rig something up with a Shop-Vac and a length of rubber tubing at this point. I'll let you know how things turn out.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

1. guaifesin.

That's the active ingredient in lugie dissolver.

[LiberalEsto]

24. It's the same active ingredient as Robitussin GF

which has been around much longer than Mucinex.

Incidentally, Robitussin GF is sometimes used by women with infertility problems to thin vaginal mucus.

[Orrex]

37. Never worried about my vaginal mucus before

but now you've got me wondering...

[sammytko]

40. They used to give us that stuff by the bagful in the military

I hated it. Dried me up so much it hurt. And I did drink lots of water.

I've been so lucky this year to have had zero sinus problems. I spent two weeks in bed last Christmas with a severe infection. One steroid shot and antibiotics did the trick. I felt as if I was reborn.

[zabet]

2. you have to drink

large amounts of water for it to work. The mucus and phlegm that stop one up tends to be thick and sticky. Hydrating yourself gives your body moisture to create more thin mucus to help break up the thick....which in turn makes it easier to expectorate.

[ChoralScholar]

10. That's true all the time, though, not just with Mucinex...

[Orrex]

36. Yeah, but I've personally imbibed about 500 gallons of water in the past ten days

Yet the phlegm remains phlegmatic.

[tandot]

3. Have a special hot toddy

the juice of one whole lemon, 1 tablespoon of honey (more if you like it sweet), and a shot of brandy (1-3 oz of brandy depending on your taste - and, depending on how strong you can take it), and 6-8 oz of boiling water . Stir very well (if it is not hot enough, nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds)...Breathe in the vapors and slowly drink...Enjoy.

If you don't drink alcohol, just leave it out. Just a drink it hot with the lemon and honey...is very good :)

[marzipanni]

4. Leon Russell's throat remedy

as given to Elton John when he came to the U.S. in 1970. I jotted this down from a radio interview of Elton John.

•1 spoonful cider vinegar
•1 spoonful honey
•water as hot as you can stand
"Gargle for a minute-you'll be surprised at what comes out of your throat."

[snagglepuss]

5. Gargling with white vinegar and cold water (yes, cold and colder the better)

has worked wonders for me. And there's lots online about vinegar gargles so it's not some insane remedy I dreamt up;) ALso crush lots of garlic into hot water with lemon and honey. The garlic completely mellows and you only taste the lemon and honey.

I don't want to worry you but I once had the same symptoms you describe only to discover after an xray that pneumonia was settling on my lungs. My doctor had initially prescribed antibiotics which after 3 days weren't working, he then prescribed a different antibiotic, again after several days no improvement. He then reluctantly sent me for an xray which showed the pneumonia starting to settle. I was stunned. I thought I just was congested.


Hope you feel better soon.

[Kat45]

6. My boyfriend swears by Mucinex.

Apparently it works for him all the time. I tried it once when I was at his place and it didn't do anything for me.

[jobycom]

8. My boss does, too. nt

[REP]

7. It's a mucus thinner; it thins it enough to be coughed/ horked/blown out but it takes a day or so

I just get Rx strength from my doctor; cheaper that way.

[snagglepuss]

9. A bit o synchronicity. Stumbled across benefits of Cumin Tea, it seems

it is a great expectorant.



http://www.buzzle.com/articles/cumin-tea-benefits.html

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

11. Can't stand the stuff...

It didn't work for me but that is the least of my dislike for the junk.

Reason to really hate Mucinex - The Smell.
I hate the smell. It is so bad that I can't even touch the stuff. A little touch leaves that damn stench on the skin and won't come off even with multiple washes. The stench can even be passed from someone that has just handled the pills to who ever they touch.

I don't even like being in a room that has an open bottle.

I know that people might see this and think 'how ridiculous'.
I live with daily, almost round the clock, migraines. They make me very sensitive to smells and light and so forth. That is part of why the smell irritates me so much.

I could continue but my migraine is getting worse...

[hobbit709]

12. Want your sinuses to open up, eat a habanero.

[GoCubsGo]

16. Wasabi works, too.

So does the mustard you get at Chinese restaurants. If it doesn't clear the sinuses, it's not good mustard.

[A Simple Game]

19. Horseradish works even better for me. nt

[emilyg]

38. Absolutely.

[spinbaby]

13. You need my sure cure for everything

Make yourself a nice cup of hot tea and climb into a hot bath. Sip the tea in the bathtub while enjoying a nice trashy novel. Makes almost everything feel better.

[TZ]

14. It was recommended by my doctor to me after a respiratory infection

It actually worked quite well. Its not snake oil, Orrex, its actually a OTC version of something that beens prescribed by doctors for years. There are several different versions of this med, and you know that even evidence based medicine doesn't work well for everyone.
So no, unlike Airborne, Emergen-C and much of the other psuedoscientific crap sold in the cold section, Mucinex has much clinical data to support it being generally effective.
But then again, what do I know about science based medicine, right? :P

[tigereye]

15. I found it somewhat useful, but obviously YMMV

[mzteris]

17. may not work for you -

works like a charm for my family.

(Of course, I also subscribe to those other "snake oil" treatments like echinacea and goldenseal and Vitamin C.)

I don't care if it is "snake oil" - it sure the hell works for me and mine and a whole damn lot of other people, too. Just 'cause it "don't work for you" doesn't mean others shouldn't use it.

Sorry - you and I agree on a lot of things. On this, we differ. I respect your right to not want to use it and to announce your dissatisfaction with the product. I would hope you would respect my right to post my personal experience as well.

[underpants]

18. Oh sure BLAME the mucus

I love that commercial. I am not sure if it is Mucinex or not.

Try this. Vicks vapor rub - some on your chest and swallow a little bit.

[mucifer]

20. Not all meds work for all people. What might not work for you might work for someone else

Remember different people have different side effects to meds.

There are no magic bullets.

[auntAgonist]

21. neti pot. better than most drugs. n/t

[nuxvomica]

22. +1

Works for me.

[RichGirl]

26. Three votes for neti pot.

When my sinuses are clogged I use it in the shower. Hang my head upside-down and pour. Gets way up in the sinuses.

[RobinA]

34. Doesn't Work

for me at all. Pseudoephedrine or nothing for me.

[Orrex]

28. Pfft. Whatever. Next you'll tell me to pour water up my nose!

[auntAgonist]

29. actually

DOWN your nose. Tip your head!!

:rofl:

yeah that's what I'm tellin' ya!



aA
:hi:

[NewJeffCT]

32. +1

Though, the neti pot doesn't always work with chest congestion. Great with allergies and/or nasal congestion.

[TZ]

39. A Neti pot is also a very good way to speed up a flu infection

The reason why flu mist works better than a regular shotis because the fastest route to your immune system is through the nasal passages. So Neti pots can not only clear out your sinuses but they can also increase your viral load by helping the virus invade more.
I think Neti pots are better for viri than for people. And of course warm salt water is no deterent to a virus either.

[texanwitch]

23. I am not giving medical advice but when I start to get a cold I take Black Elder Berry Extract.

This stuff has been used forever.

I had really nasty cold hit, this stuff just knocked it out really quick.

[datasuspect]

25. but mucinex is for humans

[WolverineDG]

27. doesn't do squat for me either

however, other remedies that are poo-poo-ed in this thread (emergen-c, vitamin c) DO work for me, so I guess it's a case of YMMV. I felt like I was coming down with something this morning, so I went straight to the Vitamin C---2 oranges, right from the tree. I'm feeling fine now. :)

Try a neti pot, or if you don't have one, a hot, steamy shower might help loosen the crap up.

dg

[pink-o]

30. Yeah, not only does it not work, there's so much cotton in the bottle

that once you pull it out, you find there's only 4 effin' PILLS!!! You just paid 12 bucks for this: WTF is going on? OTC taking a page from the Pharma notebook???

[canoeist52]

31. Hot cranberry juice works for my crew.

with a side order of hot baths.

[triguy46]

33. I was a respiratory therapist for 15 years....

And no one ever requested naso-tracheal suctioning a second time. Few requested it a first time. Generally only done on comatose patients.

http://www.saddleback.edu/alfa/N170/suctioning.aspx

[Orrex]

35. Now *that* sucks!