Why me........??

Take a lot of sweets to suck at panto

IMHO the only cough medicine that works is Mentholated Bronchial Balsam. It's usually less than two quid a bottle.
Bells make one, and Tesco do their own. It really does do the trick, if you can stand the strong taste.
NB. If you've a pre-existing condition best check the label to make sure nothing is going to mess with your medication. I'm sure you wise gals were going to do that anyway, but when we're ill we're not our proper selves!

poor you. I've had it too, but nothing like as badly as you. Had a filthy sore throat for days, which has left me with a non stop running nose not to mention a cough that wont go away. I swear by Oil of Olbas for a sinusy headache - sniff it, put drops on a handkerchief, drops on your pillow etc. Also well worth investing in a jar of manuka honey - the most expensive you can afford (and it doesn't come cheap, even in the supermarkets). It has antibacterial properties, and in the past has been a life saver. Take spoonfuls of that at intervals during the day! Also there are some mega vitamin tablets, called Wellness which I stuff myself with when I'm not well.
Really hope, and everyone else, feel better soon. We've all joined a club we don't want to be a member of....too bad!

I take it you didn't go to panto? It would have been madness IMHO. Also you'd generously pass round your bugs!

Also, worst thing for me in having cough and sneezing is the constant weeing that goes with it. Stock up with Tena!

Just read an article here (in Oz) saying pineapple juice is best for a cough - could add that to your ever increasing shopping list! Hope you soon feel better

Stay away from people.

katek
Coughs/ colds viruses are treatable by using common sense.
Shouldn't we all look at a quotation by a long gone famous person
' I cried when I had no shoes until I saw a man with no feet.' Think about it.
Take paracetamol or similar, drink lots of fluids and don't go out what ever you may miss.

This thread has cheered me up.I have had a cough since Boxing Day, I dont sleep for many hours because of this, then one day seems to be allright, not much coughing, its getting better! Then it starts again, I now know after reading the threads today, this is normal, and so many have the same thing, so onwards and upwards.

Thanks to all of you who have sent me good wishes and handy hints but oh dear, why is there always someone who thinks they know/understand the medical condition of someone whom they wouldn’t know if they fell over them in the street.

For clarification I am a chronic asthmatic of 50 years standing. My peak flow is less than half of normal (at its best) and my oxygen sats can drop pretty low when I have any type of viral or bacterial infection affecting my lungs. I have to be aware of the risk of respiratory failure at these times and use all my arsenal of drugs:inhalers/nebulisers to get me through without a hospital admission. Succeeded so far but it’s always a risk. So you see it’s not just a case of a few sniffles or getting a grip-I’ve been struggling to walk 3mtrs from bed to loo.

I didn’t go to the theatre - dd2 filled in for me along with dh. I was just very disappointed as this has been our annual treat with dgc since they were 4. We go out for pre theatre meal and then the panto, front row dress circle so wouldn’t have been breathing on anyone. This may have been the last Xmas treat as they’re now getting older.

I certainly would have been trying to keep my germs to myself - muffled up with big scarf and sitting on row end next to dh. I do have to point out though, that someone certainly didn’t take any precautions around me or I wouldn’t have been so ill

So either I’m not trying hard enough or I’m swanning around blithely dispersing a trail of germs to all and sundry

There’s no winning is there? Ah well-back to Silent Witness on the planner along with my ginger infusion, bronchial balsam, pineapple juice and honey and menthol!

Couple teaspoons of Manuka honey (if you can afford it - so expensive) or a best alternative, grated ginger and juice of one lime. Steep in hot water then drink.
Olbas oil - fee drops in steaming water in a bowl. Cover head with towel then spend some time inhaling slowly.
Another one - tiger balm - the clear one so doesn’t stain. Cover the chest and back. Works wonders for me.

OP do you think you’ve got this Australian flu that everyone’s expecting? Sounds like you have the symptoms. Hope you feel better soon. Don’t rush things and take it easy.

I know exactly how you (and others) are feeling Katek most of my family (including me) were ill over the Christmas holidays.

To be honest I'm still feeling rubbish but back to work now so have to get on with it.

I had the same thing starting 5 days before Christmas, it’s nearly over but not 100%. Aggravated by post nasal drip from sinuses and acid reflux., and more recently mild diarrhea. The initial headache felt like a brain tumour and the co codamol I usually take as a last resort, made me so sick that for a whole day even one sip of water made me vomit.

What helped were some Vic patches for children - I stuck one on my pyjama top at night near my left shoulder (as I sleep on the right), and night nurse but only if you don’t mind feeling dead all the next morning.

Hot toddy has my vote. Also hot water, lemon, honey, cinnamon and ginger is a powerful combo. Add a splash of whiskey and you will be sorted in no time.

I had to resort to Night Nurse too starbird which at least allowed me to get some sleep. I agree no good if you want/need to function the next morning though.

The sinus pains and headaches were like nothing I have experienced.

There are some nasty illnesses about at the moment. If anyone’s into natural remedies and has flu like symptoms, the homeopathic remedy Gelsemium may help. You can buy it in Health food shops and Boots sometimes.

Have you any camomile tea in the house, or dried rosemary? If so put a tablespoonful of either or of both into about a quarter pint of boiling water in a bowl, and breathe the steam in through your mouth with your head draped in a towel to stop the steam dispersing all over the kitchen.

You can re-heat the infusion and repeat the treatment again later.

It should help both the sinus headache and the nasal congestion.

Hope you feel better soon.

I would say get out in the air. When I had a football season ticket a few years ago I went to matches in all weathers and used to find that if I had a cold it virtually cleared after spending a couple of hours watching football. Now I either go for a walk or sit out in the garden for a while.
Hope you feel better soon and can enjoy the panto.

I’m so sorry Katek, we’ve had it or are having it too but not with all your underlying health problems. Lots of good and helpful advice and remedies to try on here. Scroll past the rest! Take care.

Sorry to hear how bad it's been for you Katek and indeed for others who have suffered with the cough and cold thing that has been doing the rounds lately.

I fear getting these bugs/flu as I have so many auto-immune diseases and become very ill, very quickly. I am too late with my remedy no but can I add that I swear by Boots own antiseptic liquid. It's much cheaper than TCP and smells milder. I got a very sore throat one evening just after Christmas and gargled with the antiseptic -neat, as advised on bottle - and in the morning my sore throat had gone. I felt it coming back the next day, so gargled again and the antiseptic saw it off, and any other cold symptoms too.

I do this whenever sneezes warn me I am getting a bit snuffly. I also take a good multi-vitamins and minerals tablet plus fish oil every day too. It works for me!

BTW, did others see the programme a while ago about so called super foods like Manuka honey? That very expensive honey was tested and proved to be no more beneficial than other, cheaper honeys.

Get well soon, all of you who are suffering. Make the most of inactivity by watching lots of good old films. I noticed this morning there are a few on catch up TV if you go to the drama section of 'genres'.

Thankyou Day6. I didn’t see that programme and have bought Manuka honey when I’ve had sore throats etc - never again! I’ll stick to Tesco’s honey in future and not break the bank!

Oh poor you, sounds like a virus I had about a month ago, my ears stayed blocked for nearly 2 weeks, just as I got used to it they gradually cleared. The sinus problem was horrible, I had vertigo with it, the pharmacist recommended travel sick prevention tablets, they are antihistamine and stopped the dizziness, I swear by Obas oil to help relieve the pressure headache.

From now on I will keep some First Defence in the house, to use at the first sign of a cold.

It does go eventually, but it’s blooming horrible while it lasts.

I find supermarket own brand whitening powder works a treat.

I think you were poorly this time last year as well, Katek. Perhaps you should join me in hibernating for the whole of the winter period or just do the fashionable Scandinavian hugge [sp]thing.