Medicines diabetics are not meant to take

I was recently prescribed an antibiotic Clarithromycin (trade name Klaricid) which had a big impact on my blood sugars; they made me more sensitive to insulin and I had a series of hypos and in the end one which resulted in paramedics attending. Sheeeesh . My GP had warned me to stop taking statins but didn't realise that this antibiotic also has an effect on insulin action.
After the paramedic hypo I reduced my background/basal insulin by just over 20% (both doses) but think 30% would have been even better as I still had another. Thing was I felt so ill (hence the antibiotics) that I'm not sure I was ever so competent (needed my hand holding a bit!!).

Cough and cold wise - people keep recommending Echinacea to me which is a herbal remedy and available in health food shops and chemists.
When we've had really bad dry coughs; Pavacol-D is a sugar free cough medicine which is really nice, aimed at dry irritating coughs. (http://healthpharm.com/medicines/colds-coughs/pavacol-d.html).