i'm sick!

[phosphorylation]

hey guys, if it was something serious, I wouldn't put it on this board. I really have to study this week, and I have a bad cold.
symptoms: Nasal Congestion, bad cough, very bad sore throat. happens to me every year or so, typical cold symptoms. Its difficult to sleep at night because of the cough, or because of the decongestion. Nothing serious, its just annoying the hell out of me. I went to CVS, they gave me
"nasal decongestion tablets, pseudoephedrine HCL 30 mg"

it didn't work. its pointless, and im sick of taking all this freakin night quil and day quil, because its not working either. any suggestions for OTC medications you would take if the same thing happened to you?


thanks a lot !

-phospho

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[SaltySqueegee]

Hi there Phospho,

Last week was my first week, and lo and behold I too came down with the scratchy throat complete with drainage and clogged hazy headachey feelings. At the first onset of the symptoms, I started a heavy regiment of "Airborne" (effervescent [sp?] vitamins and cofactors) every 3hours. Drank tons of water, and utilized Sudafed.

I have also found that Sudafed does not work all that well for me, unless I drink a lot of water. What ends up happening is the water intake, plus combined sudafed ends up making my Sinus Drainage Less Thick, and thus a simple nose blow will allow me to breathe!

As for the the sleeplessness. That could be the cold itself and/or the Sudafed (flighty heart palpitations some times, restlessness, etc.) Consider taking sudafed during the day, and benadryl at night.

Funny story. Last week during my cold, I woke up in the middle of the night, cold sweat, feverish, and standing in the middle of my living room! Some how I had sleep walked into the living room to grab a Kleenex box, ignoring the one right on my bedroom night stand. I was way out of it last week. This past weekend has been spent catching up on all of my ignored lecture material.

Best of luck, get some sleep, take tons of vitamins (Vit C and B complex are helpful for the typical med student stress and immune response.)

-Salty

 

[Runtita]

guaifensin (Robitussin) will thin the mucus
dextromethorphan will calm the cough

You can find both drugs in a combined form at any grocery store or pharmacy.

Drink tons of water and sleep as much as you can.

If your symptoms get worse after a week, go beg for antibiotics.

(I'm experiencing this crud right now and it SUCKS!!!)

 

[Heal&Teach]

Sucks man. I thought I came down with something as well, and it turned out to be allergies. Do you have a history of sinus problems, etc.? That post nasal drip will give you nasty sore throats, which is a major pain in addition to the congestion. I advocate for drinking lots of water and trying an OTC allergy pill like Alavert (will work magic if allergies are indeed bothering you!).

 

[ericdamiansean]

Not forgetting Vit. C

 

[39094]

OTC cough syrup is crap, might as well be drinking colored sugar water. Your best bet is to hydrate yourself and if the cough is really bad, use a humidifier at night (assuming your room is not very humid already).

hope u get better!

 

[euromd]

Not forgetting Vit. C

I second that

 

[nutmegs]

sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, fluids. seriously.

 

[capricorn24]

oh....and dont forget to masturbate before you go to sleep. it gives you a wonderfull feeling when you're sick. trust me

 

[lattimer13]

oh....and dont forget to masturbate before you go to sleep. it gives you a wonderfull feeling when you're sick. trust me

hehehe...i remember the good ole right hand rule...well now i actually don't...it had something to do with physics, right? but i do remember making fun of it in class.

 

[ericdamiansean]

sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, fluids. seriously.

I suggest you sleep only when you feel like sleeping, because if you force yourself to sleep or oversleep, you end up with a really bad headache

 

[Giving My .02]

guaifensin (Robitussin) will thin the mucus
dextromethorphan will calm the cough

You can find both drugs in a combined form at any grocery store or pharmacy.

Drink tons of water and sleep as much as you can.

If your symptoms get worse after a week, go beg for antibiotics.

(I'm experiencing this crud right now and it SUCKS!!!)

OTC Robitussin works really well. I would take tylenol also. Before you go to sleep take a hot shower to open up your nasal cavity. Also the vapor rub stinks, but it has helped me when I had the same thing.

 

[nutmegs]

I suggest you sleep only when you feel like sleeping, because if you force yourself to sleep or oversleep, you end up with a really bad headache

I think it's difficult to oversleep when you're sick, and you probably have a headache already...

 

[babyruth]

I've already posted this but try some herbals and see if they work. I tried those zinc lozenges and it seemed to shorten the duration of my cold; you could also try echinacea or goldenseal. Drink OJ; vit c and fluids.
My PCP also gave me PanMist, an expectorant and adrenergic sympathomimietic--relieves congestion and drainage. It was a lot better than that Nyquil crap, however don't take it before you go to bed.

 

[Runtita]

My cold has advanced to bronchitis/suspected pneumonia and a sinus infection! What a way to start med school!

I'm now on an albuterol inhaler, Prednisone, Zithromax, and Guiatess- and Phenergan with codeine at night. Makes biochem even more soporific...

Hope you are feeling better than me!