🛒💊🗑👃🏻🤧Having a Cold is Expensive - Page 3

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

When I was still working, I had an awful cold. That was NOT an excuse for time off. Went to the doctor. They insisted on x-rays and blood tests. I declined a scan of my head (in case I had a tumor). I had not reached my deductible.........so my doctor bill was nearly $1,000. I got a "note" for 2 days off...................

♥Surface of the Sun♥

Bri36 · ‎02-20-2017

For nagging coughs, try some hot lemonade with fresh lemons and honey. If you can manage a tablespoon of straight honey, that helps too.

I imagine if you can handle Vicks, you can handle the honey. 😂

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@Bri36 wrote:
For nagging coughs, try some hot lemonade with fresh lemons and honey. If you can manage a tablespoon of straight honey, that helps too.

I imagine if you can handle Vicks, you can handle the honey. 😂

@Bri36, hot lemonade sounds pretty...unappealing to me right now ;-(

I know what you're saying, though. Hot lemonade is pretty much what Theraflu tastes like, and I have done it.

I really, truly dislike honey, any time. That said, I have in the past drunk gallons of hot tea with healthy slugs of honey in it for sore throats and it has made me feel better, at least, and it's worth a try if this continues. Thanks.

The Vicks did nada. I tried it once last night :-( So much for childhood memories!

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

I take lysine everyday because I used to get cold sores frequently. The good side effect is that I have not had a COLD since taking it.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

Well...interesting.

Before I seriously tried to get some sleep last night, I dosed up on "real" Sudafed, which I only ever take when I have a cold, because I have high blood pressure. I normally take the weenie version instead of the get-out-your-driver's-license version. I also took the 12-hr Mucinex I've been taking - and a low-dose codeine pill.

Much to my delight (if that applies in my condition), the codeine worked! Once it kicked in, I could feel it working on my overactive cough reflex - and it stopped the cough dead. And of course had the added benefit of making me sleepy. I slept a good straight four hours - which doesn't sound like much, but I have been doing nothing but lying in bed for almost 6 days.

I've been awake about 45 min and haven't coughed yet. I'm pretty dried up, though - and can still feel the effects of the Sudafed (it makes me very hyper - another reason I only take it when I really have to). Hopefully, I won't need to take any more codeine until tonight, if then. Maybe it broke the reflex/cycle. That would be cool :-)

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Jersey Born · ‎03-10-2010

Hi, Moonchilde. I am sorry you feel sick. When I was younger, I always got the sickest the longest during the summer months when colds seemed to linger in me for an eternity (i.e. several weeks.) For me, and as we are all different, surely not for everyone, the common colds I experience respond only to Vitamin C, garlic capsules (I take Kyolic brand), and the Netti Pot with warm salt water twice a day, even though I hate and dread doing it to myself, as soon as symptoms appear in my sinuses. Interestingly none of the other supplements I have taken for other types of illnesses do anything at all to mitigate or kick the common cold, when I am sick with it.

Hope you feel much, much better soon!

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@Jersey Born wrote:
Hi, Moonchilde. I am sorry you feel sick. When I was younger, I always got the sickest the longest during the summer months when colds seemed to linger in me for an eternity (i.e. several weeks.) For me, and as we are all different, surely not for everyone, the common colds I experience respond only to Vitamin C, garlic capsules (I take Kyolic brand), and the Netti Pot with warm salt water twice a day, even though I hate and dread doing it to myself, as soon as symptoms appear in my sinuses. Interestingly none of the other supplements I have taken for other types of illnesses do anything at all to mitigate or kick the common cold, when I am sick with it.

Hope you feel much, much better soon!

Thank you, @Jersey Born. I slept most of the day away, which I badly needed. Had a good (protein) dinner and hydrated myself, and feel almost human. I'm still coughing, but not like I have been. I think things are slowly drying up. Being able to sleep without coughing helped a lot.

When I was working and around sick people all the time (co-workers, in stores) I would take Airborne or Emergen-C throughout cold season. And I was just more immune, being exposed more than I am now. The downside of not being out every day. I do use Flonase for my allergies, so have been extra-dosing that to help with sinus issues.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Daisy Sunflower · ‎10-26-2010

Hope you're feeling a lot better soon.

When I get a cold, I'm usually out of commission for a while. I envy people who say they have a bad cold, yet they went out shopping or out for lunch, etc. My colds are usually so bad that I just want to take medicine and stay in bed. I don't feel like doing anything.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@Daisy wrote:
Hope you're feeling a lot better soon.

When I get a cold, I'm usually out of commission for a while. I envy people who say they have a bad cold, yet they went out shopping or out for lunch, etc. My colds are usually so bad that I just want to take medicine and stay in bed. I don't feel like doing anything.

Hi @Daisy Sunflower

Definitely on the mend compared to when I started this thread.

Back in the day, a serious cold laid me out for 2-1/2 weeks from start to human again. And since we know that no job would tolerate that - yep, went to work. And also had to grocery/drug shop or do errands whether I wanted to or not, because I was on my own.

For the first 10 days at least, no way I would have wanted to go out and about for fun or entertainment; I was exhausted.

With this cold, I could have gone out, physically, but no one would have wanted to be within 20 feet of me. The minute I opened my mouth, people would have run screaming.

What I have noticed is that being sick hits my body harder as I age. It's as much the exhaustion as it is the symptoms. I did The Big Move (and retired) a year ago March. That whole time was very stressful for me. I was only moved/here for 2-3 weeks when I got a cold from the stress. I told my niece that the "luxury" of just being able to lie in bed and have the cold, to rest and not have to "go out and do" was wonderful. It still is!

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

@Moonchilde hope you are feeling better.

My DH came down with a whopper of a cold that we thought were his allergies at first. Then we realized the real problem. Nothing he took OTC was helping. I started using Zicam immediately when I started to get that "something isn't quite right" feeling. Even using the Zicam I had some stuffiness and just felt off. Then I developed a very dry cough. I thought the worst was over so I quit using the Zicam which was a huge mistake.

The second day off the Zicam I woke up in the middle of the night because of a coughing fit. I took a Mucinex. The next day I woke up and felt horrible. My nose was so stuffed and my cough had changed from a dry cough to a disgusting (you get the idea) cough. It was very hot outside and I got the idea I'd sweat the cold out of me on our boat. Big mistake. I was miserable. Came home and was in bed by 4. I was up in the middle of the night because of a horrendous sore throat due to drainage. The next day I felt even worse. Horrible cough, terrible runny nose and just tired. I slept off and on that entire Sunday. I still have my slight nasty cough but it's nearly gone. I also have my slight runny nose but nothing like what it was.

I know a lot of people who have had this wonderful summer cold.