Olbas Blackcurrant Pastilles

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This is OLBAS BLACKCURRENT PASTILLES.

They are called Blackcurrant Pastilles because blackcurrant flavouring has been added. The sweetener aspartame is also included. I think these are needed to take the edge off the unpleasant taste of the combination of active ingredients, which are eucalyputus, peppermint, levomentol, juniperberry, wintergreen and clove.

I don’t know which of these ingredients I didn’t ...
...sweets counter.

Olbas Blackcurrent Pastilles are sugar free, oval shaped, and about 2cm long. I couldn’t smell anything much when first given them, including the pastille, but now the congestion is easing they do have a distinctive smell, presumably of the main ingredients.

They are not recommended for children under 7. There are also warnings not to take any non-essential medicines if pregnant, especially in the first ... more

Modern cough medicines come to two main types designed for either dry or productive coughs. Here is the story of my cough and cold, how it changed in character, and the one medicine that helped most throughout.

I am just coming to the end, I hope, of three weeks of heavy cold symptoms.

Although I had the usual variety of symptoms, the worst by far was the cough. This was true not only for me, but my family as well, who were trying to sleep in the same house as someone who couldn’t stop coughing for long.

Whether they were trying to help me because they cared, or whether they were trying to help me because it was the only way they could get a good night’s sleep themselves, or a bit of both, I don’t know, but I was bought a wide variety of over the counter medicines.

Please note, when taking more than one type of medicine, it is important to check that the combination you are taking is safe, even if you know they are safe for you individually.

My throat first became sore after a high temperature, presumably caused by an infection. As the inflammation in my throat reduced I started to get tickles that made me cough, which a medicine for dry coughs helped.

That didn’t last long though. I became congested, and a medicine for a productive cough looked liked it might be more appropriate, but it didn’t seem to help.

Now I felt that the cough in the middle of my throat was caused by tickles and the cough at the sides was caused by congestion.

My family had almost run out of legal ideas for trying to shut me up.

The last thing they bought me has worked.

This is OLBAS BLACKCURRENT PASTILLES.

They are called Blackcurrant Pastilles because blackcurrant flavouring has been added. The sweetener aspartame is also included. I think these are needed to take the edge off the unpleasant taste of the combination of active ingredients, which are eucalyputus, peppermint, levomentol, juniperberry, wintergreen and clove.

I don’t know which of these ingredients I didn’t like the taste of but, athough I disliked the taste at first, I have tried a lot worse tasting cough pastilles. Eventually, I even became used to the taste and associated it with feeling smoothed. I have one in my mouth now and it feels good.

I am not aware of any other flavours, except plain, which I am told is horrible.

I would say they are excellent value for money because the soothing, warming effect they had on my throat was priceless to me.

If you want something that tastes nice for a sore throat and cough, but is only mildly effective, I suggest you try Hall’s Soothers. These are not a true medicine though and can often be found on an ordinary sweets counter.

Olbas Blackcurrent Pastilles are sugar free, oval shaped, and about 2cm long. I couldn’t smell anything much when first given them, including the pastille, but now the congestion is easing they do have a distinctive smell, presumably of the main ingredients.

They are not recommended for children under 7. There are also warnings not to take any non-essential medicines if pregnant, especially in the first 3 months, while breastfeeding and to check ingredients for any personal allergies.

If you aren’t in the above groups, these pastilles should be dissolved slowly in the mouth when required up to a maximum of 8 in any 24 hour perod.

There is a warning that, because the pastilles contain maltitol (a polyol), if taken to excess they can cause diarrhoea. I was a bit cautious when I first read this, as I have had an overactive bowel since major surgery 5 years ago, but I did not exceed the stated dose, and did not notice any affect on my digestion.

Our local independent pharmacist and Boots both stock these pastilles, and both charge £2.59 for a 40g pack. I believe they are widely available, including on supermarket shelves.

Inside the green and purple pack is a foil inner to protect the pastilles. Each pack contains a minimum of 21 pastilles.

I believe that, if I hadn’t taken these, my recovery would have been slower.

These pastilles had an obvious, almost immediate, smoothing effect on my throat, greatly reducing the amount of coughing. I believe the essential oils in them are also useful in relieving the other cold symptoms of catarrh, catarrh related headaches, sore throats and nasal congestion.

Relieving the symptoms is important so that the body has more chance of getting the rest it needs to fight the virus causing the illness, as well as the patients’ short term comfort.

I may review other cold/flu medicines I have used over the last few weeks, but I wanted to post this as a priority, as it was the most effective for me, and may be of most use to other sufferers too.

I would not wish my last three weeks on anyone, but I have now infected my hubby. My young adult daughter, who has helped by doing the jobs involving the least close contact with me, and has deliberately increased her fresh fruit intake, is still healthy. As I am only partially recovered and hubby is going downhill fast, I hope she doesn’t decide that now is the right time to leave home!

I have now seen from the internet that the Olbas range also includes an inhaler and vapour rub. As I have not tried them I can’t comment yet, but may try them on hubby, if we wants me to.
 

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