what do you do for a cold?

rouquinne

i feel like i might be coming down with the bug that's going around - other than saline rinses, i don't do much when i feel a cold coming on.

what are your best tips for dealing with the common cold?

ellaj

Oh no @rouquinne, I hope it isn't what went through our family like wildfire. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

My husband and I went though an entire bottle of Vicks NyQuil Complete, it was the only thing that helped us have a somewhat decent night's sleep. The coughing would start the minute we put our head on the pillow.

Resting was easy simply because I had not one bit of energy to do much else. I added frozen pineapple chunks and lemon slices to boiling water for a hot drink. 

rouquinne

that sounds like a delicious cure for the common cold! so far, it's still in my nose, i'm hoping it doesn't get worse.

jeepcurlygurl

I keep an arsenal of meds to keep me comfortable. Cough drops, cough syrup, Alka Seltzer cold formula, Nyquil, Vicks rub, Vicks inhaler. I drink lots of tea and eat lots of Lipton chicken noodle soup.
Hope you fight it off!

bomega

I used to take echinachea and vitamin c the night before I felt a cold coming and I would usually be able to kill it. I used the Frontier Herbs brand echinachea angustifolia (as opposed to purpura) as it was cheapest and I found to be most effective. I think I took maybe 500mg Vitamin C. If I got sick I stuck to this 3x/day, and it would usually be milder and over within a day or 2.

When Coldeeze lozenges (zinc lozenges) came along, it seem just as effective as echinachea, maybe more. I started using that the same way and could usually beat a cold if I caught it in time.

Gretchen

I'm so sorry, @rouquinne  — I hope you're able to contain it! I'm thinking sleep might be the best cure maybe? In addition to all the drugs, of course! 

rouquinne

shockingly enough, i think i staved it off - rinsed my nose 3 times with very, VERY salty water as hot as i could stand it! today, i'm feeling much better and even came in to the office.

bomega

That's awesome @rouquinne !

CurlyCanadian

Cold fx as soon as I start feeling off. That night two more, 2 Tylenol and a neocitron and go to sleep. Crazy ass dreams, but always fine by morning. I haven't been really sick in years.

Gretchen

So glad to hear that, Rou.  I love the neti pot. It does make you feel so much better. 

Now, CC. I had to look up Cold FX.  Not sure we have it here in the US. Sounds intriguing. Hadn't heard of neocitron either. It looks like our NyQuil, maybe. 

rouquinne

you know what really bugs me about this - i felt miserable all weekend and now i'm back to work feeling well. why can't i get sick during the week? LOL!

Gretchen

rouquinne said:

you know what really bugs me about this - i felt miserable all weekend and now i'm back to work feeling well. why can't i get sick during the week? LOL!

LOL. Of course — isn't that the way it always works???

ellaj

rouquinne said:

you know what really bugs me about this - i felt miserable all weekend and now i'm back to work feeling well. why can't i get sick during the week? LOL!

Because that would be too fair! LOL! Glad you managed to dodge the cold bullet @rouquinne.

rouquinne

me, too, ella, because it's a BAD bug! one co-worker was off half of last week and hasn't been able to come back yet because of it.

Gretchen

The flu is especially bad this year, I hear. 

jeepcurlygurl

The flu is epidemic this year, and a bad one to boot. I've only had the flu twice in my adult life and it's no fun. But I hate colds too. I get 1 or 2 a year and they have actually been worse in the years since I quit smoking. Go figure. 

Savagegirl

I'm a total hippy... but here is "the potion". Mix this with boiling water and let steep:

1 heaping tsp fresh grated ginger
1 heaping tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 or 3 dashes cayenne

This'll cure anything!

ellaj

I would absolutely drink this, even if I didn't need to cure myself. 

Gretchen

Savagegirl said:

I'm a total hippy... but here is "the potion". Mix this with boiling water and let steep:

1 heaping tsp fresh grated ginger
1 heaping tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 or 3 dashes cayenne

This'll cure anything!

Awesome, Sav!  Thanks for posting. Knock on wood, I haven't had a cold this season, but I'm pulling this out if I get one. Or, like Ella, maybe even if I don't get a cold!

rouquinne

Savagegirl said:

I'm a total hippy... but here is "the potion". Mix this with boiling water and let steep:

1 heaping tsp fresh grated ginger
1 heaping tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 or 3 dashes cayenne

This'll cure anything!

if i feel it coming on again, i will definitely buy the supplies and give it a try! along with some STRONG hot toddies!

bomega

Savagegirl said:

I'm a total hippy... but here is "the potion". Mix this with boiling water and let steep:

1 heaping tsp fresh grated ginger
1 heaping tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 or 3 dashes cayenne

This'll cure anything!

I've tried this before and it did nothing for me.

Savagegirl

Aw @bomega you must not have the magic

jeepcurlygurl

Like the others, I would drink that potion anytime! I think I'll add some turmeric to it for some additional magic. 

Lotsawaves

I've had one for a 1 & 1/2 weeks.  Finally feeling better today.  I don't like to take any meds, so I eat hot soup (lots of cayenne pepper) & hot baths.  Melatonin at night.  
My mom would make a "hot toddy".  Whiskey, water, lemon juice & honey.  Puts you right to sleep & you sweat out the cold.

jeepcurlygurl

I still have my mom's mustard plaster recipe. Those things would burn the heck out of your chest but they were great for croupy coughs. 

Lotsawaves

Jeepy, I have wonderful memories of my mom rubbing vicks on my chest & heating a cloth diaper at the floor heater & putting it on my chest.  I loved the smell & the warmth was so comforting.  I would always fall asleep.

jeepcurlygurl

@Lotsawaves   I am still a big fan of Vicks. I have a Vicks inhaler right here at my desk and take a sniff every once in awhile. 

Lotsawaves

LOL!  I have some in my medicine cabinet.  I rub some around my nostrils when I can't sleep.  Makes me feel like a little girl again.  I also love the scent of clove oil.  My dentist would use it in his office & the smell was so comforting to me.

BeinDeb

My go-to is Emergen-C. It has never failed me. As soon as I feel a bit "off," I'll take a dose - 2 in a 24 hour period. If I forget, can't, or have run out of it, & do come down w/a cold, it'll knock it out fast by taking 3-4 doses per day. I worked in public service for many years, and it kept me going during long, often stress-filled hours. It might also be worth mentioning I don't do flu shots & haven't had the flu in many, many years. Highly, highly recommend.

bomega

Nope. I just like to take what works. In addition, the only way to drink that drink is when you are sick because it is disgusting otherwise (I've tried.)

bomega

BeinDeb said:

My go-to is Emergen-C. It has never failed me. As soon as I feel a bit "off," I'll take a dose - 2 in a 24 hour period. If I forget, can't, or have run out of it, & do come down w/a cold, it'll knock it out fast by taking 3-4 doses per day. I worked in public service for many years, and it kept me going during long, often stress-filled hours. It might also be worth mentioning I don't do flu shots & haven't had the flu in many, many years. Highly, highly recommend.

Emergen-C has helped, but I found it really shines in combination with Echinachea.

I once had a co-worker who swore by taking Airborne, hich is similar to Emergen-C.