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plurry |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:10 PM i'd like to hear how some of you deal with the symptoms of a nasty cold: otc stuff you find effective, home remedies, etc. i'd also like to read about any other findings you may have learned on your own or read about as far as what works, what doesn't, what's placebo, what isn't, etc. i'd like to kick things off by mentioning that drew said recently (on dr. drew live) that vitamin/cold defense stuff is crap, and there is no science behind any of it being effective as far as treatment or prevention which is what i always suspected, and felt massively vindicated when i heard him say this. —plurry |
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derekho |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:15 PM Well then scratch that off your list as a possible placebo choice. You have to believe its going to work. I find that coughing on people makes me feel better. —derekho |
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plurry |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:17 PM i was thinking that spitting a big, green glob of phlegm in someone's bottle of contact lens solution would be a nasty trick. —plurry |
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pookie |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Edited Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:34 PM I love cherry liquid Nyquil to help me sleep at night and Dayquil helps for during the day. I tried Airborne for the first time and I did feel better. Coinkidink? Can't say, but it was worth a shot. Edit: Tylenol Fast Acting Sinus is great for sinus headaches. —pookie |
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plurry |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:42 PM
Edited Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:43 PM ok, here are some of my findings.. sore throats are negated by ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen. nasal congestion is negated by oxymetazoline hydrochloride aka afrin. runny nose and sneezing is negated by diphenhydramine. but what to do about that pesky cough that gets worse when you lay down at night?
i've been getting shitty sleep. i've found that traditional OTC cough meds (guaifenesin and dextromorphan hydrobromide combo) don't help much. anyone found that allegra or antihistimines help? i'm really looking for something for my cough short of a heroin/morphine combo just to knock my ass out. AND DON'T SAY WARM WATER AND HONEY! THAT'S NOT GOING TO DO SHIT FOR THE MUCUS BUILT UP IN MY LUNGS!!!
—plurry |
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TortillaFactory |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:56 PM nasal spray works. just don't get addicted! antihistamines are for allergic reactions, they are not going to do shit for a cold unless you're having trouble sleeping in which case pop the benadryl. —TortillaFactory |
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pookie |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 2:57 PM "AND DON'T SAY WARM WATER AND HONEY! THAT'S NOT GOING TO DO SHIT FOR THE MUCUS BUILT UP IN MY LUNGS!!!" —plurry maybe if you added a little lemon just yankin' ya! i prefer drugs. —pookie |
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Beat It! |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 3:03 PM I take a hit of NyQuil and put on a long sleeve shirt, a sweat shirt, sweat pants and get under a couple of comforters. Nothing better than a good sweating to get your bodies defenses in fighting form. If I can manage to stay in this environment for about ten hours or so, then I'm almost always better within 24 hours. By the way, I will be starting this process as soon as I finish up some work, because I've got a head cold building right now. —Beat It! |
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plurry |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 3:37 PM i mention allegra because i was prescribed it years ago for a wet cough.
what i deduce, but can't surmise, is that allegra d and possibly other antihistamines, in addition to working for allergies, can work on the cold because of the.. "drying action", maybe? nasal spray works. just don't get addicted! right, which is why i mentioned oxymetazoline hydrochloride aka afrin. when i was 9 years old, my grandmother bought me a vicks inhaler (not oxymetazoline hydrochloride). i became addicted to it after about a month, and would have panic attacks when i misplaced it.
eventually, it ran out of "scent", and she wouldn't buy me another. so, at 9 years old, i quit my first addiction cold turkey. Vicodin>all codeine suppresses coughs, but i don't think i can get a doctor to script me a bottle.
—plurry |
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whoisnumbaone |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 4:38 PM In Mexico, we take 2 double shots of tequila. it works for tummy aches and colds but not coughs. That nasty harsh shit kills everythign in its path. then put on a sweater, and lay down a towel on you pillow and sweat that shit out. —whoisnumbaone |
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jezebel |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 4:43 PM plurry, are you still sick? Just sleep a lot, and when you're not sleeping, drink lots of hot toddies. I promise. —jezebel |
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TortillaFactory |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 4:44 PM what i deduce, but can't surmise, is that allegra d and possibly other antihistamines, in addition to working for allergies, can work on the cold because of the.. "drying action", maybe? I have no idea if histamines are the culprits for any cold symptoms, but if they are, I imagine it might. I've certainly never had any luck. Antihistamines are designed for misfires of the immune system like allergies, so I'm not sure if they're indicated for a case where the immune system is acting as it's meant to. Recently, I had a terrible cold for a few days and nothing really worked for the sinus headache. I took a cocktail of decongestants and ibuprofen for a while, then switched to a combo "daytime cold" pill. Neither of them did anything for the damn headache. The worst part was the constant sensation that I was about to sneeze. A really hot shower was the only thing that suppressed it. Lotion tissues are also nice so you don't rub your nose raw. Nothing worked for my cough, either, so for a while I was sucking down cough drops all night. Terrible for my teeth, but like Adam I have a bad genetic hand and I've stopped caring and dental care. I know I'm going to have a million fillings next time I go in, no matter what. —TortillaFactory |
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plurry |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 4:57 PM but those cough drops.. they don't really stop a cough, do they? what's the science behind it?
i was under the impression they just ease a sore throat by increasing saliva output. or, is there more to it? could've sworn that many years ago, someone told me a candy cane is likely to help as much as a cough drop. —plurry |
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chix0r |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 5:38 PM Same reason gargling with Listerine makes your throat feel better..it's numb. Anyway, sure it "stops" the cough, but only for a bit; it doesn't do anything about what's causing the cough. I've heard a lot of buzz about neti pots lately, but I haven't felt the need to try one yet. Also, my boyfriend was completely knocked out with cough/nose/throat, but I only got the throat, and after a week it feels worse than ever. I think he might actually be getting vaguely better. Lame. —chix0r |
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TortillaFactory |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 5:40 PM whatever the reason for coughing, cough drops work, so I try not to question it too much. I think it's post-nasal drip mostly —TortillaFactory |
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mandee |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 6:14 PM my mom is really into echinacea and she blames me whenever i get sick because i didn't take any. i feel like nothing ever helps me. i just have to deal. —mandee |
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TortillaFactory |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 6:17 PM I had a similar resistance to taking anything that mom gave me. I'm willing to accept that natural remedies boost your immune system or whatever but that's not going to help you if you're already sick. airborne as a preventative method, as they suggest? maybe - if nothing else, watching it fizzle in a tiny cup of water is free entertainment for the plane. loading up with vitamins during a cold might make you feel better because you're probably undernourished anyway on account of NOT BEING ABLE TO TASTE OR SMELL A GODDAMN THING, but i'm not convinced it targets any actual symptoms. —TortillaFactory |
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Dusty TheHick |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 6:54 PM If I've understood correctly, cough drops work by coating the irritated throat, to keep stuff (like inhaled air and such) from making direct contact with it, which is what agitates it, causing a coughing spell. —Dusty TheHick |
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TortillaFactory |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 6:55 PM ALSO IT NUMBS YOUR THROAT SO YOU DON'T FEEL ANYTHING fyi people seem to be glossing over that —TortillaFactory |
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Dusty TheHick |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 7:16 PM
Edited Monday, March 10, 2008 at 7:23 PM No, I caught it...and that's also a factor. —Dusty TheHick |
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bguirk |
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Monday, March 10, 2008 at 7:43 PM here I am with just the tip(s): 1. I find that when I'm all stuffed up sex or beating off gives me about 20 seconds of clear sinuses. Unfortunately I'm usually only good for one pop a day when I'm ill so I have to think about when I want those 20 seconds to be. 2. Old fashioned Alka-Seltzer makes you good for about 4 hours, but the effect wears off because of the caffeine. 3. I prefer saline nasal spray and it tends to clear me up if I'm diligent about following the directions. 4. Haven't tried a netti pot yet, but I have a friend who swears by it. 5. raising the humidity of the room your in can help soothe a cough. 6. I've had varying degrees of success with Musinex.
—bguirk |
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MajandraFan |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 2:17 AM i suffer. it makes me feel hardcore. that's right, i'm a cutter at the microbial level. —MajandraFan |
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andrewwagner777 |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 2:55 AM All the idiot waitresses at my work told me to drink hot tea when I had a cold at work, and sure enough. . . it did nothing. I actually found that hot chocolate worked better (only to be bitched out and be forced to pay $1.91 for the hot chocolate because we don't get that free where I work). I take Vitamin C religiously when I have a cold. I've had a cold for the past 3 weeks, so that'll tell you how successful that is. Nyquil and Codine laced cough medicines>All for sleep. —andrewwagner777 |
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TortillaFactory |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 3:38 AM also hot tea is not supposed to cure you, it's supposed to decongest you, and if it doesn't work for that well then I don't know I guess maybe you should SEE A DOCTOR —TortillaFactory |
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Jaffa Cakes |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 3:38 AM that is not a cold, consult a doctor IT'S AIDS. I can't believe you got AIDS. Aren't you a Republican? —Jaffa Cakes |
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ZT Spice |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 5:44 AM also hot tea is not supposed to cure you, it's supposed to decongest you, and if it doesn't work for that well then I don't know I guess maybe you should SEE A DOCTOR —TortillaFactory He'll need to contribute something to society first. —ZT Spice |
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TortillaFactory |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 5:48 AM oh quit snarking. we've all moved on from the universal healthcare thing. I'm contributing to society with massive cascading homococks. —TortillaFactory |
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000 |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 6:22 AM if i feel super shitty, i'll take nyquil and sleep it off. just keep taking more and sleeping til its gone.
note: could take a week
—000 |
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andrewwagner777 |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 7:15 AM Well to qualify, its just a slight cough that won't go away. Kind of annoying. No nose or throat problems just a "wet" cough. —andrewwagner777 |
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ZT Spice |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 7:32 AM I'm contributing to society with massive cascading homococks. —TortillaFactory MAI DIRE cascading homococks SOLO E SEMPRE CASCADING HOMOCOCKS. —ZT Spice |
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Colin |
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 9:52 AM You actually need to cough when it's wet. That stuff needs to get out of your lungs and coughing is how to do it. —Colin |
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