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cold/flu remedies

(66 Posts)
etheltbags1 Fri 06-Nov-15 12:04:20

Can anyone tell me their flu /cold remedies. Ive got the dreaded bug, had my flu jab, Im taking antibiotics for chest infection but I just cant stop coughing. I need to go to work so any suggestions for the relief of my symptoms.
Current suggestions from friends and family include;
Hot lemonade
dissolve a locket in boiling water, add some whisky and honey.
just lots of honey in hot water
honey and lemon in cola/lemonade
water in which a whole lemon has soaked overnight with sugar
borage tea, nettle tea and many other weird remedies.
any more

LullyDully Fri 06-Nov-15 12:08:11

I've had that for a month.!!!!!!

So glad I'm not at work.

Used Sainsbury s lemsip things, cough mixture, a steam thing I got from Boots and many very late nights on GN while I coughed and let DH sleep. Second lot of antibiotics slowly working......Good luck

LullyDully Fri 06-Nov-15 12:08:39

P.S. lemon and honey made me sick.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 06-Nov-15 12:10:03

Yes please! I am suffering too. (But I know that, other than paracetamol/ibuprofen, rest and keeping warm, nothing will shorten it)

Sorry.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 06-Nov-15 12:11:08

The odd cough sweet helps the chestiness. A bit.

Charleygirl Fri 06-Nov-15 12:12:33

Stay indoors and do not infect others

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 06-Nov-15 12:13:02

I hate honey. Horrible stuff.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 06-Nov-15 12:13:50

I have had to put off the family visiting. sad

etheltbags1 Fri 06-Nov-15 12:35:19

I cant stay indoors, I have to go to the shops and to work as I need the money. I do try to avoid coughing on others though and try to keep my wet hanky in my pocket until I find a bin. I refused to visit a friend who in on chemo until I am better.
Im finding a lozenge called Vocalzone helps with the cough but the wheezing is horrid.

chelseababy Fri 06-Nov-15 12:39:46

Night Nurse liquid helps me get a good night's sleep. That's the worst time I find so it's a big help.

Greyduster Fri 06-Nov-15 13:14:50

I find grated fresh ginger, infused in hot water for five minutes, strained, and honey and fresh lemon juice added is very comforting. You can leave out the lemon if you prefer. Ginger has antibacterial properties. I had a stinking cold a couple of weeks ago and it made me feel better.

Teetime Fri 06-Nov-15 15:01:16

DH as been coughing solidly for a month (no I haven't killed him yet) and he has an enormously loud cough I am deaf! Sadly nothing really works a URTI has to take its own course and its all symptom relief so its whatever makes you feel better. I think the current 'research' says that Echinacea and high doses of Vit C are the most likely to relieve symptoms but its all very short lived. As with anything other illness if symptoms persist and you have green sputum or coughing up green/ brown phlegm and I hope not blood, you should see your GP. Get well soon all.

stillhere Fri 06-Nov-15 15:12:53

Day nurse and night nurse helped me mostly. Don't buy the tablets, get the separate syrups so that you can alter the dose to suit you, which ends up being cheaper. Also Boot's mucous cough relief, Benylin do a more expensive one. Sudofed capsules are great, but very expensive. However their mucous relief nasal spray is cheaper that Pirinase, and very good. Excellent for a quick squirt when the syrups are starting to wear off.

In the evenings before I went to bed I sucked an ice lolly, to calm my throat.

I found out all this because my cough from last winter simply never went away, so I neded up with a throat infection, a chest infection (still lingering) and a sinus infection. Antibiotics didn't work because I was immune to all the ones they started off trying out on me. I'm still left with a cough in the early morning and late evening, the above things are what worked best for me out of many trials and errors.

Marmight Fri 06-Nov-15 15:52:14

I have had a stinker of a cold for the last 10 days, caught thank you very much, from the DGs at half term. I am waiting for it to descend to my chest where no doubt it will remain for weeks. I have been slugging back whisky with paracetamol/ibruprofen alternately - it certainly helps with the sleep and also with the broken toe which I acquired at the same time. I was slightly concerned this morning to see that the bottle is less than half full and I only got home on tuesday evening wink

hildajenniJ Fri 06-Nov-15 16:41:36

I swear by Jakemans Throat and Chest lozenges. I buy them when I have a cold and cough. I buy the original ones. Perhaps it is psychological, but I am sure they make the symptoms go away much quicker than without. (Perhaps I just like them).

NanKate Fri 06-Nov-15 19:18:30

I like them too Hilda smile

rubylady Fri 06-Nov-15 21:09:39

Put the Vicks on the sole of your feet and then socks on, daytime and bedtime. Try it, it will do no harm and it works for me.

rosesarered Fri 06-Nov-15 21:46:33

stillhere same for me as well, had all this in May and June, it went away but not totally, and three weeks ago came back with a vengeance.Antibiotics got rid of the sinus infection, but the rest has hung on, DH now coughing all the time with a wheezy chest.Need a sleeping tablet to get through the night.

rosesarered Fri 06-Nov-15 21:47:34

Hope We get a really cold Winter, to see off these lurgies.

Teetime Sat 07-Nov-15 09:45:18

Since reading this and thanks to DH's habit of coughing and spluttering everywhere AND I HATE THIS still using linen handkerchiefs which I have to handle and wash I've got it now and its going to get zapped with Vit C lots of hot drinks, fruit and veg and this really annoys DH, I tell him I shall Rise Above It - of course implicitly inferring that he has not- risen that is. LOL!!!

stillhere Sat 07-Nov-15 13:21:28

Doesn't your hearty just sink when you are sitting next to a friend, and she announces that she has a vile cold, but was SO looking forward to the evening, so took a whole load of medicine so that she could come out to pass her germs to you.

rosesarered Sat 07-Nov-15 13:53:37

It's selfish isn't it?

rosesarered Sat 07-Nov-15 13:55:50

For all of you feeling low, try Metatone tonic, it's a good pick-me-up when you are recovering, and is pleasant to take and contains lots of vitamins.

EEJit Sun 08-Nov-15 11:16:10

If you do nothing it will last for around a fortnight, if you try to treat it it should last about two weeks, so my old Gran used to tell me.

Alea Sun 08-Nov-15 11:28:13

Bottom line for me is that if you have to get up to make your own Lemsip, or whatever, you might as well stay up. In any case the kitchen will descend to chaos, there will be a plaintive cry of "what can I have for lunch/supper", the dog will still need out and nobody will have emptied and refilled the dishwasher.

Compare and contrast with manflu

I rest my case.hmm