A Cold . . .OH NO!

Updated on September 25, 2019
M.6. asks from Woodbridge, NJ
14 answers

Due to my current heath status, my immune system is severely compromised. In order to keep me "safe," we have a protocol in this office to alert me if you think you might be getting something and stay home (or contact me so I can work from home) if you really are sick. The attorney we recently hired showed up late last week with a TERRIBLE cold and touched a bunch of my files and office equipment before I came in, and THEN told me that he touched everything (plus he didn't want to work from home or take a sick day and coughed and sputtered all over the entire office).

My boss (who owns the law firm) called the attorney and explained that he should have followed protocol regarding illness due to my issues. The attorney has apologized, but unfortunately, the damage is done. And like I told him - who knows, it's possible that I picked up something somewhere else. I'm really quite careful in the outside world, but in my home and office, I tend to be a little more lax.

Anyways, I'm doing everything I can to keep what is going on to a dull roar. However, I am willing to explore all home remedies (within reason) that anyone swears works for them! Bring them on! I'd love to hear and try what YOU think kills a bad cold :) I am working with my doctor as well, and he has given me the green light to try what he calls "hocus pocus" as long as it doesn't interfere with his course of treatment for me.

Many thanks . . .

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Featured Answers

T.D.

answers from New York on

Vodka with orange juice.
Hot water with Apple cider vinegar and honey
Grape juice
Orange juice (without the vodka)
Cranberry juice..
And sleep!

7 moms found this helpful

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Tea with honey, lemon and maybe a bit of brandy
The brandy may or may not help but after a few of those who cares.

chicken soup - home made is best
sometimes I like a good hot and sour soup when I have a cold - I'll get it take out from a place that makes a good soup
ginger ale
neti pot - rinsing out your sinuses with tepid salt water can help your nose and throat
gargling with salt water for a sore throat
use a humidifier in your bedroom at night
take hot steamy showers to steam your sinuses

Some swear by Vicks on the feet wearing socks but it never did anything for me beyond softening my feet.
Vicks on my chest and throat works for me

Keep your fluids up and rest up as much as possible

Hope you feel better soon

7 moms found this helpful

R.P.

answers from Tampa on

Well if dr is okay I would up the vitamin C intake.
We also take elderberry ( when we lived in winter climate) and coldcalm ( when feel a cold is coming on)
What helps in boosting immune system is eating healthy so try fruits, veggies and probably more importantly berries.

What Russians believe - is tea with raspberry jam.. supposedly it “fights” fever ( give body a boost to fight).

Hubby is a physician and he is huge on hands washing. ( I was a cna and if I recall correctly washing your hands ( not the same as hand sanitizers)kills 85% of bacteria, germs etc.) so no one walks into my home without washing their hands.

Oh and fluids.

I hope it’s just weather change not a cold or anything! Hang in there!

Edited: Oh and what I found works for me when sore throat.. green listerine! Gargle 3x a day and I kid you not if I catch it in time.. gone!

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S.S.

answers from Atlanta on

hot tea with honey.
Warm salt water gargle (for sore throat)
lots of rest
SOAKING hot bath maybe with some epson salt?

I'm sorry you're sick. that sucks

6 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Boston on

Check with this of course before you try it, but my mom swears by Oil of Oregano. It's a legitimately powerful anti-viral (to a point where she can only handle small doses for short periods of time due to her auto-immune issues). Less powerful and I would think generally safe remedies (but of course you'll check with your doc) that she swears by are lots of vitamin C, echinachea, and elderberry extract (Sambucol).

Hope you recover from the cold soon and that it doesn't turn into anything more serious. Thinking of you and hope you (and your husband) are doing as well as you can be!

5 moms found this helpful
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N.Z.

answers from Los Angeles on

Emergen-C! I take this at the first sign of a cold. It works best when you take it in the early stages. It really does minimize the symptoms. I buy it in bulk for cheaper at Costco and take it throughout the year.

5 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I like to use a neti pot or Xlear nasal spray to clear out all the “gunk” so nothing settles in my sinuses. And if any of us gets a bad cold, my disabled husband has a nebulizer that we all use to avoid anything setting in our lungs. We all have our own set of tubing and masks. You don’t need medication. You can just use the saline mixture that you would use in a neti pot. After we finish we try and do some deep coughs to clear out our lungs.

My son had H1N1 flu way back when it was a big scare. The flu was NO big deal. It was a few days later when we thought he was out of the woods and couldn’t crawl out of bed that we found he had gotten pneumonia. It was AWFUL! They always say it’s the secondary illnesses that are the dangerous ones.

Good luck and good health to you !!!

4 moms found this helpful
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R..

answers from San Antonio on

I drink lots of hot tea both green or peppermint with candied ginger, honey and lemon. So, up your fluids even if its water or broth...any fluids that sound good.

Lots of sleep and OTC cold medicine (which you might not be able to take) such as Ibuprofen for aches/pains/inflammation and Sudfed if I have to get up and go somewhere it usually lasts long enough to give me a bit of a boost. Also, Nyquil at night to help with the sleep...then I just lay down and rest during the day as much as possible napping or kinda dozing.

Hot showers with tons of steam to help unblock the nose or sitting in a steamy bathroom.

I hope you a better soon. Sick co-workers and children sent to school sick are the worst...I wish more people could keep their germs at home...but sometimes finances or business deadlines make it so much harder these days for people to take their sick days. Healing hugs to you!!

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L.H.

answers from Abilene on

My chiropractor recommends taking 2,000mg vitamin C, 50mg zinc, and a D3 vitamin as a preventative in cold /flu season. I’ve taken care of my husband who got the flu and stayed on it and made my kids take it too and nobody else in the house caught it. He also recommends upping vitamin c up to 10,000 mgs if you’re feeling bad.

I use wild oreganol oil at the first sign of a cold and it works for me. You can put a few drops in water or take it sublingual. Gargling with apple cider vinegar also helps. There’s an oil that’s called breathe I like for congestion.

My doctor told me when I had walking pneumonia to have a hot toddy before bed. I don’t know if it had any medicinal value, but it definitely helped me sleep.

Hope you’re better soon!! ❤️

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

Ok my go to voodoo is essential oils. I love Peppermint oil. You mix them with coconut oil or any other (carrier oils) You can rub it on your chest, put it on your face and neck. If you get it too close to your eyes they will water but it wont hurt them. You can also put it on the bottoms of your feet. They help with sinus stuff but they are also anti microbial so it helps clean as well. There are several oils that help with disinfecting as well you can also defuse them in the air and helps purify the air. I usually get the ones from walmart but I know those are not as good of quality as the young living and dotera (not sure I spelled that one right) I use peppermint regularly.
Also if you have nesal congestion you can use a neti pot to flush your nose out. It will help that a lot.
Those are just the things that I can think of off the top of my head.

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M.G.

answers from Portland on

That's really inconsiderate. I'm sorry to hear you're sick.

I used to find vaporizers (you can buy the vicks that goes right in the top of it, it's a liquid) worked best for me. I'd take a decongestant to konk myself out for a long nap, put the vaporizer on with the Vicks (so it circulates in the air), fluids, and rest. That for the day, sleep with it on, and then I'd feel so much better. The key for me is to prop my head right up with 2 pillows (or elevate with a couch cushion .. something) and let my nasal passages drain and dry out with the decongestant.

I get sinus infections/migraines - so it's key I do that. It works. Sleep - best medicine. So if I could Konk out, and not have to blow my nose - and sleep (the vaporizer would lull me) and close my blinds shut out world .... ah. Perfect.

My husband swears by Netti pots. Personally, I prefer my procedure to his - but he has allergies, and needs to flush far more regularly, so works for him. I felt like I was drowning the one time I did it - but that's just because it's a different feeling when you do it - I think you get used to it.

There's a neocitrin lemon tea (decongestant) that I always like. It knocks you out. I just like meds. I have to watch them as they kind of make your heart beat a little fast, but the ones that make you sleep - even in day (take a night time one) - that sleep is what helps you recover, in my experience.

Get well soon :)

3 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

my go-to is sage tea. depending on what else is going on, i add candied ginger, local honey, thyme, cayenne, cinnamon and/or mint. in your case, since you need a preventative, i'd go with the sage, thyme and honey.

i think it's unrealistic to expect the world to keep its germs away from you. if you are that badly compromised, you're best off working from home.

khairete
S.

2 moms found this helpful

燕.张.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi,
I am sorry to hear that, it is best to take a rest and drink plenty of warm water, or maybe you could ask the doctor for some medicine. You could drink green tea or warm soup of your choice. I hope this helps.
张燕怡

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N.K.

answers from Miami on

How inconsiderate. I hate when people do that. I have been extremely lucky that the woman who subs for me at my desk when I go to lunch hasn't given me one of her many colds after touching my phone, keyboard, and mouse. I swear, that woman is sick every 2 months and her colds last for over a month! Rest is probably the best remedy, lots of fluids, tea, zinc and vitamin C don't hurt. Homemade chicken soup, warm blankets and a warm handkerchief around my neck after applying some Vick's feels comforting. I like eating spicy foods, and try to up my dose when I am sick, as it helps clear my nose. I find that honey helps a sore throat feel less painful. As to your coworker, he really should have been wearing a mask to prevent spreading germs, if he was that sick. I always keep hand sanitizer at my desk and try to open door handles with paper towels, to avoid touching others' germs, but nothing is really 100% failproof. Hope you feel better soon!

1 mom found this helpful
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