India=the Land of the Cough?

alyosha

Regards IMers!
It's been a couple of weeks in India now, and I can't tell you how valuable this site was in preparation for travel here. The first day was still spent with a suprised/confused expression plastered on my face trying to navigate Paharganj, but I've since had a lot of fun and a 24hr SL-II ride to Kolkata. I'm curious: I'm couging up all sorts of crap, all the travelers I meet are coughing up all sorts of crap, and all the Indians seem to be couging up all sorts of crap too! I'm going to Sikkim to get away from the pollution for a bit, but I wonder if my body will ever adjust to big city India. Do you guys cough all the fr$@&ng time, or have you figured out a strategy?
Cheers,
Kip

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devonlasses

would h ave coughed myself sick but went prepared with preventer and reliever inhalers

Casey

My travelling companion had a terrible cough and went to a place where the carpet salesman/doctor sold her some cough syrup. It worked, and was filled all sorts of red dye that is banned in the UK. Perhaps, that was the secret ingredient. I also remember buying cough lozenges (name started with S) to help.

soki

we were traveling in a public (overcrowded) bus in rajasthan. everybody were coughting all the time. noboady seem to care about covering theyr mouth when coughting...also there was a guy who was really sick, coughting and (like) vomiting all the time (2 or 3 hours ride between Ranakpur and Udaipur ). we were almost sure that we 'll get sick in a couple of days after. but surprisse...It looks it was not a virotic problem, or our immunity was up and running..., the only respiratory "problem" I found was because the pollution. for me the worst was Jodhpur, on the narrow (beautifull ) streets of the old city. Petrol smoke everywhere. My nose was black snotty my neck was full of crap and the only solution was blowing and spitting those crap frequently.
by the way ... do anyone know what's the damn red dye they are chowing and spiting? just curious...

cookie

I have asthma - hadn't even really thought about it being worse in india

Am travelling in Kerela and Karnataka in Jan - anyone have an idea whether i'll have trouble with my chest?

Casey

I found I only had the "cough" after travelling to Rajastan. While I was in Karnataka I did not have any problems.

davey

Delhi is the capital of crap for coughing, my wife is a skin cleanser fanatic and uses about two packs of skin wipes per day when you see the shit that they remove you realise the rest that not on your dial is up your nostrils and in your lungs. After 4 days in Delhi I'm at a chemist buying inhalers and all sorts of crap lozenges, tablets etc. still we miss it.....must be something in the water

jeamland

lol! I had black snot since I hit Delhi but I met a lovely person from the USA and she lent me her Neti-poti and it cleared me up

lotus blossom

i did not experience a coughing problem whilst in india, though i generally have a bout at home once a year that can go on and on. in fact, it started a few weeks ago when the seasons changed. i got right on the turmeric, a cheap and safe remedy for the lungs and liver and in two days i was completely cleared. india is full of turmeric; you may want to find some and take a teaspoon or two a day. it really works well. i mix it in a bit of water and down the hatch. in ayurveda they advise mixing it with milk.

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gs_uppal

Thats "Strepsils"

freenote

by the way ... do anyone know what's the damn red dye they are chowing and spiting? just curious...
They were chewing "Pan" It 's used in India like a ciggy ,except you chew it instead of smoking .It's main ingrediant is the Betle nut whitch i beleave is slightly narcotic ..Chew, spit, chew ,spit .To my eye's not a nice habit .It can be baught anywere and comes in different preperations.Some look very nice!!!

Sama

no cough, but my nose and sinuses have not been the same since I got back about a month ago from Chennai. actually have an open sore inside one nostril (and no, I don't snort coke....). using neti pot twice daily, thinking of using 3X daily....

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lotus blossom

you might also try oiling both nostrils a few times daily (perhaps after the neti pot) with sesame oil.

Sama

mmmm..... yes, thank you, lotus blossum, sesame oil is the best to use! it is SO ANNOYING since I have never had any type of allergies or sinus problems in my life. Ah....but those lovely black diesel fumes blowing into the rickshaw will not keep me from returning to Chennai next year -- I'll just bring my neti pot with me.

lotus blossom

i took a hankerchief that i sprinkled the essential oils of lavender and eucalyptus on to hold over my nose when the flight attendants come through the plane spraying that nasty chemical pesticide before landing in india. (it is quite toxic; the woman behind me choked and coughed for some time after the spraying). i kept that hankerchief with me (tucked away in a ziplock bag) when i went traveling by rickshaw and would just hold it over my nose. my eyes were the most affected, so i keep sunglasses on, even at night. it really made a difference.