What do you take when you get a cold? *sniff*

[deeindiana]

Well, this is just peachy...  On top of the SS, my dad had a major stroke last week, I'm trying to help my wheelchair-bound mom, our house has been unsold on the market 100 days, my husband lives & works in another state, my youngest child left for college on Monday, I started a new medication (Zoloft), and I'm trying not to get fired from my full time job because of so many missed days -- and now I seem to be getting a cold.

At first I was terrified that it was a flair or a side effect of the new Zoloft, but I think this feels more like a common cold: stuffy nose, pressure headache, a "normal" sore throat, slight heaviness in upper chest and I'm starting to cough.  If it would remain an annoying head cold I'd simply tough it out, but when I get a cold it usually drops to my chest and turns into bronchitis.

What do all of you take for a cold? Something that will dry me out even more will be miserable. I don't like to take antihistamines or decongestants because they make my heart skip around.

I wish I could just go back to bed, but I'm out of sick days. egads...  I'm trying to count my blessings but it's getting hard.
Deb

[SLEEPY101]

Sorry you are going through this. When it rains it pours!

I take airbourne,you are supposed to take it to prevent a cold but I have found it really stops my symptoms. It comes in a big tablet,you put it in water and drink. I cannot stand the taste, it now comes in a chewable caramel apple flavor. I love it and it helps within 10 minutes. I think it is just full of lots of vitamins but it really helps.

[Joe S.]

1. Please file for FMLA. It will keep you from being fired!
2. Vicks on the bottom of your feet will stop the cold in its tracks and dry your sinuses.

[Seeker]

G'day all, we all get those when it rains it pores time.  When that happens, I like to do what it says in the old gospel song Count your many blessings.  When we focus on what is right in our lives, it eases our burdens.

I agree with Joe about looking into FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act).  There's plenty of information on the net about it.  You can Google FMLA or go to the US Dept of Labor website.

For colds, I take Zicam.   Also a variety of cough drops depending on what my symptoms are.  The strongest of which is Fisherman's Friend.  For the sinuses I take sudafed or Afrin 12 hour nose spray. They help keep your sinuses from drying out, which could lead to an infection.

One last thing I do is drink much, much more water.  I like to use more filter or bottled water (less chemicals) when I am sick.  People don't realize how important drinking water is.   When you are sick your body uses more fluids.  So you can become easily dehydrated.  Because you are sick a person is less likely to recognize that they are dehydrated.

I hope this has been of some help.  Remember count your blessings.  We are here for you.

Seeker       

[ErinG]

The last time I had a cold my doctor gave me samples of the Delsym cough syrup.  It worked really well at suppressing my cough and it tasted really good, too.  For nasal congestion I usually take regular Sudafed, the kind they sell behind the counter at the pharmacy.

It might be worth a trip to the doctor to make sure it's not the beginning of something more than a cold, such as a sinus infection or strep throat.

[ohiolady]

Dee,

I am so dry that I can't tolerate any cold meds.  I just take tyelenol or aleve for the aches and pains.  Keep the humidifier on to thin secretions and for night time stuffiness, I use Afrin.  I only use it at night and for no more than 4 days in a row.  It is a spray that shrinks tissues.  Also, use the salt water rinses for sinuses.

If it moves to  your chest see your doctor right away and make sure you don't need antibiotics.  I don't produce very much mucous at all and let a cold in my chest progress to a very bad case of bronchitis.  Don't do this!!!!!

Colds are not fun with Sjogrens.   Hope you feel better soon.

Anna

[LizPetillo]

For colds, I take Zicam. 

I tried the pills.  Worked great on the cold, but gave me awful nosebleeds that lasted a long time and took days to get over.

[Pegasus47]

Hi deeindiana:

I am with you.  When ever I caught a cold - watch out, it turns into pneumonia. 

So here is what I do now, kept colds away this past season.  So far so good.

At early sign of cold
1. Mega doses of Vit. C- 4 grams/2 hours until bowel intolerance - diarrhea.  then reduce dosage, but do not stop.

2.  Mega doses of Vit. D- 50,000 IU

3.  Use Z-Chem gel for my nose - you can't buy it anymore, I still have some. Zinc is antiviral

4.  Take 6-8 grams of L-Lysine/day.  L-Lysine is antiviral.

5.  drink hot water, tea, - to get liquids in my system. 

6.  If sore throat, start antibiotics - don't wait. 

7.  Take motrin to reduce inflammation

8.  Use steroid inhaler and bronchial dilator- if symptoms persist, bring up all the flame from the lungs.

Usually the Vit. C, knock out the symptoms in the first day.  Must be very aggressive and not allowing the cold to take hold.

I just had pneumovacx a few month ago.  To me, it is worth it.  No negative reaction.

Is this helpful?

Pegasus.

[gphx]

When I have a cold I take lots and lots of Mucinex and lots of fluids to help keep the stuff flowing down into my lungs loose so it can be brought up easily without coughing. Doing so over the years has made the difference between the after effects lasting months or now days.

[irish]

I am so sorry that you have a cold on top of everything else. What a load you are carrying on your shoulders. I will cheer you up by saying the only thing I can think that would make it worse would to be pregnant with all this stress. Wow!

That being said I would think that sleep should be high on your list and that is so hard to do when you have so much going on. Please do not place too many expectations on your shoulders cause it will just wear you down.

I have to admit that I have only had one little cold that I know of in the last 11 years or so. I think that because I irrigate my nose a couple of times every day it washes the viruses out and I don't get one.

I just heard a doc on TV talking about natural medicine say that the Zinc has turned out to be a bad thing and sounds like maybe dangerous to a degree. He also said that a cold lasts 5 days whether one goes to the doctor or not. It is really hard to put up with all the runny nose, coughing, etc. Please stay hydrated and take tylenol for relief of the headache I would think. The Mucinex also helps keep the mucus thinner---bad for nose maybe, but good to keep mucus in lungs easier to cough up.

Please take care and know that it will go away even though we all think we are dying when we have one. Good luck with all your family issues also. Irish

[Epson]

Irish,

I agree with you, a cold will last 5 days and also find that using the nettie pot has reduced the number of colds I get, plus I'm not out in the public very much.

The rhino virus love the hand sanitizers that contain alcohol, in fact they thrive on it according to researchers.  Back to basics, soap and water, until we find out that soap and water causes cancer.

[Joy Cox]

Dee, I take Guaifenesin. You can usually purchase it in 200 mg. bottles without a prescription. When feeling sinus aches and like conjestion starting in bronchial tubes, I will take 400-600 mg. twice a day or break it up and put in at even intervals of time during day and until going to bed.

If you use the same pharmacy most of the time, you can probably get it without a prescription or GP can prescribe this type of med by phone.

G is only an expectorant, does not contain antihistamine as does Mucinex which has a drying agent as well as G in it.

Do you have a Neti Bottle to rinse out your sinuses? Would be good to cleanse your nostrils once or twice a day. It is recommended not to use less than 1 hour before going to bed. Drainage, if infected, moves down into B tubes.

Keep your eyes clean with warm compresses and wash daily while eyes are closed with soap as this is also entry point for infection into body the body.

Joy

[Patze]

Hi Dee,

I'm on so many meds that I don't use anything if I can help it (so don't need any more side effects), and just let it run it course (use tylenol and aspirin for the aches and pains and drink lots of fluids too).

I sure hope that feel better soon!  Sending you lots of very gentle

( ( ( ( ( H U G S ) ) ) ) )
my friend and please check out FMLA option.

Take extra special care of yourself -

Patze

[deeindiana]

So many great suggestions (and sweet well-wishes). Thanks everyone! It's wonderful to have a place like this to share this kind of information.

[deeindiana]

I've chosen to try the Mucinex as several have suggested because it seemed to a fairly gentle product and it's helped a little. But my mouth is sooooo dry. Could that be caused from the Mucinex? I'm terrified that it's a flair! Man...I hope it resolves itself once I'm feeling better.

BTW Joe S. - I tried the Vicks Salve on my feet but didn't notice any relief. Luckily, I love the comforting, childhood smell of Vicks so it wasn't a lost cause! Thanks for the suggestion!
Deb