Preparing for Winter V

toozie_2

Prepared for every eventuality -I think!

But......I've come down with an all singing all dancing head cold!

I'm not really into cold medicines as such, so I was wondering what you would recommend?

I am able to function-although feel like sh*t. Can't taste, can't smell, have used a box of tissues already, and coughing like mad.

Have been taking paracetamol for head-which is working, and have been drinking boiling water, freshly squeezed lemon and some honey regularly, as hot as I can drink it.

Had two very sleepless nights were all I did was cough and blew my nose non-stop, but last night had an extra pillow ( I usually only have a very flat pillow as I prefer to be totally horizontal to sleep) and dropped eucalyptus essential oil over the pillow -and I managed an almost unbroken nights sleep.:j

Should I be steaming my head over a bowl of hot water & something?

Need to get rid of this as soon as possible!!! Got a full week of work, then cooking Xmas dinner for family on 20th-as my nurse daughter is working on 25th, then another dinner for oldies in family on Xmas day.

Any hints gratefully appreciated? I know a cold has to run it's course-which with me is usually about 3 bl**dy weeks!!

PS

Torrential rain here, non-stop from the early hours, but I'm not cold-that's probably because I've got some sort of temperature!!!

greenbee

As far as I can work out toozie, the cold currently going round lasts at LEAST a month. I've still got the end of the cough - started with sore throat, then lost voice, then snot, then coughing up green slime and now seems to be slowly disappearing... everyone else I know who has had it seems to say the same. It just drags on. Or maybe it's several different cold!

[Deleted User]

YUP, YUKK and just starting week 4 with mine, definitely better than at the start but still full of 'glue' and coughing like a good'un. Extra pillows help and the other thing that really helped me at the beginning of it when I was feeling really awful was hot elderberry syrup in hot water. I made mine in the autumn but you can get a WINTER BERRY CORDIAL made by Bottlegreen that does the trick too. Hope that helps, Lyn xxx.

LadyDee

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Any hints gratefully appreciated? I know a cold has to run it's course-which with me is usually about 3 bl**dy weeks!!
[/QUOTE]

I'm a great believer in huge doses of Vit C as soon as you get that tingly feeling in your nose - and lots and lots of fluid (preferably water), and hot water with whiskey and lemon, whilst snuggled down under the duvet. Don't worry about food too much for a few days, it's fluid you need.

icontinuetodream

I have just started to get over the flu - had it really bad for a week, then the past two-three weeks have been slowly improving Normally, I make elderberry cordial in the autumn and drink it throughout the cold season and haven't had anything closer than the sniffles for years - never again shall I let myself get complacent about that!! :mad:

It has reminded me that I have done no winter prep whatsoever!! :eek: However, I have a reasonable amount of food in as a matter of habit; plenty of candles; gas camping stoves and gas canisters; open fires with plenty of wood; the ingredients for home-made firelighters; lots of spare clothing and a sewing machine! :T

A major change of lifestyle recently means that I have plenty of time (although not a lot of money!) to devote to getting organised, so I have to start now and do it quickly.... I will need a list and to sort out what I already have in stock that I can utilise.....I'm looking forward to getting lots of hints and tips from this thread!! :beer:

rufydoofyM

OH and I went down with a bad cold 3 weeks before his cataract op and 2 weeks before a concert trip to celebrate my birthday. My first cold for about 8 yrs caught at thr Drs when he had his pre op appointment I'm sure.

Our solution was honey, lemon, ginger and multi vits with extra vit c and plenty of water and cutting out as much dairy stuff as possible.

Put some water and a few slices of fresh ginger in a pan and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 mins, strain and add to lemon juice and honey to taste. OH likes to give each slice (2mm thick) a tap with the meat tenderiser on each side as he says it gives a better flavour.

I hate meds of all kinds and avoided paracetemol and tried to flush my cold out with water and fight it with multi vits, extra zinc and extra vit c. We managed to beat it and all went well with both the concert trip and op. Still feel drained, but thats pretty normal for me with ME. Hope everyone feels better soon.

[Deleted User]

toozie, yes steam, vitamin c, honey and lemon in hot drinks as you are doing. A hot bath will raise your temperature and will help fight the infection. Vit c in time release when possible, if in larger doses. 2000 mg a day is plenty, spread out through the day. Otherwise just time and a dose of paracetamol at bedtime

A neti pot is excellent if a cold turns to sinus

Living_proof

A neti pot has to be used with caution as rarely in the past it has killed by infecting the brain. Sinusitis looks the better of the two evils!

Living_proof

I too have been struck down with a humdinger of a cold and have already gone through two boxes of tissues and loads of paracetamol. It occurs to me that you should all ensure that these kind of essentials are topped up when used as it would be awful to have to go without if you were ever snowed in, or live alone, etc. It's miserable enough without making it worse!

LadyDee

Anybody looking for welly socks - Regatta Outlet have them reduced from £12 to £4.50 and 3 for 2. They do look warm.