Have you Ever Heard or Wondered About or Even Used...
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
Midland, Michigan
May 13, 2017 9:47am CST
Years ago on TV we'd see commercials during the winter months about a cough drop from Switzerland made from herbs found there. Many years later the store I work in began selling these cough drops known as Ricola.
A few days ago I woke in the morning with a very sore throat. I know that gargling with salt water is the best thing for sore throats, but instead I searched for my stash of Ricola cough drops. My throat was sore for two days enough so that I thought it could have been something more. I began using the Ricola's that day into the next although I went through a lot of my package that first day and it helped it a lot although it turned out to be the precursor to a cold and Ricola's don't help colds or other symptoms at all.
I began using Ricola cough drops many years ago and over time I got both my husband and two daughters using them too since they work for sore throats and that tickle you get when trying not to cough. They are a bit more expensive than all the other cough and throat drops other than brands like Chloreseptic and such.
I remember the commercials on TV always said they were a product of Switzerland, so I double-checked the package. They are distributed here in the states out of New Jersey, but still manufactured in Switzerland as claimed.
Have any of you ever used these? The most common flavors are honey, and honey with lemon, but now you can also get about six other flavors too along with eucalyptus-menthol.
9 people like this
11 responses
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 17
Did you find that they worked well and do you try to keep some on hand, or have you reverted back to the other brands instead?
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
17 May 17
@paigea My husband eats the cough drops all the time, but he uses Ludens. I don't know whether he thinks he needs all of them or just like to have something in his mouth as he'll sometimes use peppermint candies too. I only use Ricola when I have a sore throat or cough, or the tickle. I'm addicted to sweeter things than cough drops.
@paigea (35705)
• Canada
13 May 17
@MarshaMusselman I can't keep any cough candies on hand as I will just eat them like candy! I don't need them often but I can't really tell that one kind works better than another. Just seems any of them will help that tickle in my throat so I don't cough.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
14 May 17
@responsiveme I do like the Vicks brand too, but we don't sell any cough drops here only the solid to go into a vaporizer or to rub on your chest. I've used it to put a dab under my nose for sleeping to clear my nasal passages in the past. We can also buy a Vicks item that is used to breathe into the nose directly to clear things out that way, but I've not seen those in a store here in many, many years now.
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 17
Do those cure the sore throats, Marie, or just alleviate the symptoms or merely moisten the throat? I believe Ricola actually helps it heal unless something more is going on that would need an antibiotic.
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
14 May 17
We get Vicks here too...I see even you have mentioned it
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@Marilynda1225 (79772)
• United States
13 May 17
I have used honey lemon for scratchy throat and they do seem to work well
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 17
That flavor is most common, but most flavors work well. I try to keep a package on hand for the winter months. I went through one bag in two days but it cut the sore throat at least and the cold is almost gone too. For that I'm taking a store brand of Benedryl.
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 17
No, I've never run into a similar name as a soft drink. If the 'cola' part was separate, then yes.
If someone heard the name and didn't see it or the context of the sentence, then I can see where they'd think it was a drink first.
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 17
I rarely buy anything else anymore since I find they work the best for me. I did buy Ludens before my surgery as they said to come prepared for a dry mouth after surgery, but I wasn't bothered by that and the Ludens package never got opened.
2 people like this
@BettyB (4117)
• Summerville, South Carolina
16 May 17
@MarshaMusselman When you find something that works its good to stick with it.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
15 May 17
Yes, I remember them and have used them in the past. Now, I found that resting my voice also helps and in a few days the sore throat is gone.
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
16 May 17
When my throat gets sore in the night it's not from me talking. There are times when allergies are bothering me and talking can make the tendency for me getting laryngitis worse, so then talking less would help a lot, but a sore throat one gets prior to a cold wouldn't be helped much if one didn't talk. In fact, I may have talked less the day prior.
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
14 May 17
Funny that you actually heard that name sung in Switzerland. Makes me wonder how that came about.
They help to soothe my throat when it feels raw before a cold actually begins. My husband had to pick me up another bag since I used the others the past few days. While I was still up I tried to get them to take away the tickle, but it didn't seem to work then. I was concerned that I'd be keeping my husband awake coughing through the night last night, but the Ricola did wonders while I was laying down. Maybe being in that position helped the medicated saliva flow right by the irritated area easier than it will when we're sitting up. I slept better than expected.
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
19 May 17
I'm sorry I got a cold too and a bit surprised as well. But, maybe this way I won't get one once I return back to work next week since I'll be around more people that go out in public when sick.
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
24 May 17
@just4him What I had lasted about one week. The majority of it was over with within three to four days once I began using Benadryl on a regular basis, but it seemed to move into my ear a little bit with some drainage, and then went away entirely.
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@just4him (306386)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
20 May 17
@MarshaMusselman I don't get sick very often either, but I got hit by something the last couple days. I think it was temperature shock with the weather. Hot two days and then back down where it was before. Today everything is back to normal - no more aches and pains or being cold all the time.
I hope you're doing better as you head back to work.
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@responsiveme (22926)
• India
14 May 17
No, we don't get that here.
We have Vicks cough drops though I prefer gargling
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
14 May 17
Gargling should be the preferred way to go as it will remove some if not all of the germs that cause these symptoms, but when at work or out in public gargling isn't an option, of course. For those situations we need something more. I found in the past that when I had the beginnings of a sore throat, that if I'd gargle right away it would take care of it. I've not jumped right on it in that manner in a long time though.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
15 May 17
@MarshaMusselman same here...If I don't just let it be and gargle right away it does work wonders
We need to jump to it at once
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@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 17
This is the first cold I've had in over a year and it took me by surprise. I thought it was only allergies or I would have begun treating it quicker. The odd thing about it is I'm not working at my cashiering job which is where I see the majority of people and could be exposed to just about anything.. Now I'm home more and get a cold. It could be I got it from my mom last weekend when we celebrated Mother's day early. But, I don't really know.
