Coughing after Long Rides-Expectorant?
I have trouble with coughing after long rides. Particularly as I keeps me from getting the 3-4 hours sleep I usually get between long days on a brevet. This fall I did a cold 600k and not surprisingly I was coughing after the initial 400k day. Went on for a couple hours, as my body was trying to get rid of the phlegm. Finally hacked up a huge one and then I could sleep. So I got one hour of sleep that night and no surprise the next day did not go well. I blamed it mostly on the weather and fitness not being up to standard. But yesterday I did a charity indoor ride on a spinning bike. Went for 13 hours, (254 miles on the computer. Generous.) And last night I spent a good couple hours trying to expel the phlegm again. So inside temps and the same result. I have had bouts with exercise induced asthma, but this is a little different. Still a problem with the bronchial area, but didn't bother me during the ride. I always take and use an inhaler on brevets. Didn't use such yesterday. Wondering what works for those of you with similar symptoms? Wondering if an expectorant would be of help here, as when I finally get it all coughed up, I can rest. Anybody tried an expectorant?