Any experts on colds/flu? :)
ChibiCandi
Posts: 966 Forum Member
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Warning: the following post mentions icky phlegm!!!
Okay.. for about 2 weeks I've had a runny nose with this cold weather. Only a couple o f days ago did I get this horrible cough, basically it was just phlegm which I was too scared to cough up (also hard since most times I tried to get rid of it I was sick).The cough is the type where when you breathe in it starts to tickle and then I cough a few times. At this time my runny nose was completley absent which I thought was odd. Yesterday I felt like I was at deaths door with chills, feeling hot, confused, achey and generally very very tired. Today I feel alot better, I coughed up some phlegm which was greenish yellowish, looked brown at the start, kinda hard to tell. Anyway, I've still got my cough but I'm sneezing for England and my nose is leaking, what does this sound like? Does it sound like I'm recovering? What I'm blowing out is very clear too.
ps It's very hard to get any antibiotics from the doctor for this kind of thing. I want to ask what people think!
Okay.. for about 2 weeks I've had a runny nose with this cold weather. Only a couple o f days ago did I get this horrible cough, basically it was just phlegm which I was too scared to cough up (also hard since most times I tried to get rid of it I was sick).The cough is the type where when you breathe in it starts to tickle and then I cough a few times. At this time my runny nose was completley absent which I thought was odd. Yesterday I felt like I was at deaths door with chills, feeling hot, confused, achey and generally very very tired. Today I feel alot better, I coughed up some phlegm which was greenish yellowish, looked brown at the start, kinda hard to tell. Anyway, I've still got my cough but I'm sneezing for England and my nose is leaking, what does this sound like? Does it sound like I'm recovering? What I'm blowing out is very clear too.
ps It's very hard to get any antibiotics from the doctor for this kind of thing. I want to ask what people think!
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this could indicate that you have a chest infection and the doc usually prescribes antibiotics for this.
I'm not good with decongestants - rather have a runny nose than the irritable sensation of a too dry one - but they might help you.
It's more tickley/irritating than hurting, it hurt yesterday but not anymore. My throat gets sore since I have to cough like 5 times in a row to stop the irritation, if you get me.
Nope, am not a smoker. I was thinking about that with the phlegm but its the first day I've seen it, tomorow morning I'll see if there are any changes. My whole family seems to have it too!
it sounds to me then that you have cold/flu and the only thing that I find that helps is a couple of beechams capsules and plenty of hot drinks
Thats good to know. I cant imagine it would be doctor worthy if the worst part lasted only a day (but what a day :eek:) thank you for your input.
Funnily enough I've gone completley off the stuff, this cold is doing wonders for my appetite lol.
Haha, I ate like a horse yesterday night
(The fact that I'm regularly out for long periods at night in the frreezing cold might have had something to do with it, but that's another topic)
Anyhow - a few years ago I started taking Vit C and Echinacea (dissolvable tablets - one a day) - both are supposed to help the immune system - I was sceptical as to whether I'd get any noticeable benefits, but gave 'em a try.
The result has been only one cold in 3 winters.
Now I'm not saying they'd work for evryone, but they certainly appear to have worked for me..... so far....
(fingers crossed - touch-wood - etc.....)
That's good to know. I havent felt this bad in a while and I suppose the worst of it only lasted a day. I do try and keep my Vit C levels up but will consider the Echinacea.
It's a well known fallacy that vitamin C prevents or releaves the cold symptoms. Most medical studies have found that there is no real benefit other than that caused by a possible placebo effect. Better to rely on parocodal or lemsip!
The Vit C is not intended to prevent or relieve symptoms.
And yes - once you've got the cold, a paracetamol product will give you far more benefit.
The Vit C and/or Echinacea are intended to give you a more effective immune system - so you don't get the cold in the first place.
I know the benefits of Vit C for the immune system are disputed - and perhaps it's only the echinacea which has helped myself - don't know, don't really care - all I know is that since using the combo, my incidences of colds have reduced drastically.
They've become part of my morning routine now, and if the Vit C is superfluous, I don't mind - it's cheap enough, I quite like the drink, and it'll do me no harm
But my point is that Vitamin C alone is seen to have no additional benefit in preventing catching a cold. Obviously if you're Vitamin C deficient then there would be a benefit but taking additional doses over the required amount has found it to be in no way beneficial in preventing colds in statistical controlled case studies.
As I said, there may be a placebo effect involved which is negated in controlled blind studies which may explain some observations. But hey, if it works for you then go for it.
I'm still taking paracetimol and drinking plenty though..
I went to Boots and explained my symptoms to the pharmacist and they gave me a linctus called Pholcodine which did the trick.
Bottom line is it may be worth you having a word with your local pharmacist, rather than trying to guess what's best for you!
Sounds very similar to what I had. Felt pretty icky at work on Wednesday, thought it was just a cold. Had thursday off - didn't wake up till 5pm, when I did threw up, and was roasting hot despite heating being off! Temperatures back to normal now, but still no appetite. Ordered a pizza last night at work, and got through 1 slice before deciding I was full
Still coughing up a lot of eugh, but hey. Long as I'm better by xmas! Mainly concerned by my appetite!
Hopefully the op is over it considering the thread is over three years old no idea why it was bumped up
Still feel so rough. Started on Wednesday afternoon coming on so quick. By Thursday I was bed bound.