Best OTC cold medicine?

Tailgate

Tailgate

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Sorry for the possible gross factor

Initial stages of congestion and lack of energy..
Hasn't moved on to the 'here comes the mucus' stage
Then the change from congestion to constant runny
Hopefully won't get the dreaded drip and 'tickle throat'
And praying it doesn't make it to the chest for the full blown experience..

Right now, just using the neti pot (has always helped greatly), along with an occasional sniff of Afrin when congestion becomes unbearable.

Any OTC stuff that works for you? Not a fan of acetaminophen.. might be allergic (hives last time).
 
Research has shown that cough and cold medications don't work. I recommend chicken soup. And I'm a doctor, and not even Jewish!
 
To dry up the drip could use something with pseudoephedrine in it. Hard to get it by itself anymore as it is a good starting point to make crystal meth but in Canada at least you can get it without a prescription by asking the pharmacist who has it behind the counter. Can get it combined with acetaminophen (not for you) or ibuprofen (likely ok for you if no previous reaction to it - Advil is brand name) as a 'cold and sinus' version. And yes the chicken soup and rest... the steam of a shower would likely help too.
 
I am in about the same beginning stage of a cold as you are, Tailgate. I don't really know of a good OTC cold medicine.

So, I'm going to take Meadbh's advice, chicken soup. I love chicken soup and even if it does nothing else, it makes me feel like I'm taking care of myself. Plus, I am going to sleep and rest a lot and stay warm. Hope you feel better soon.

P.S. - - I'm not even Jewish either! I'm an agnostic former Presbyterian. Despite that, I just go for the chicken soup when I'm sick.
 
Initial stages--cold eze or zicam always work for me to decrease symptoms or even head it off if I pay attention and catch it in time.
While in the midst: Chicken broth or soup, antihistamine and decongestant combo (any brand), along with neti pot and afrin if necessary to help sleep at night.
But I really swear by the cold eze lozenges. YMMV
 
I buy the generic Claritin D at Costco, which contains pseudoephedrine and loratine, a decongestant and an antihistamine. The pseudoephedrine really dries up the sinuses, but for an old duffer like me, exacerbate prostate problems to the point where I can hardly pee. :(
 
And don't be taking pseudoepedrine if you're prone to irregular or fast heart beat. Anyway, read the product info and warnings.
 
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I use a strategy I call 'artificial fever'. I soak in the bathtub in water as hot as I can stand for about 20-30 minutes. Feels great, and clears the sinuses. Recommended before nap time or bedtime but not after a large meal. Don't fall asleep in the tub!
 
Chicken soup. At least it keeps you warm while the body fixes itself. Seven days if you medicate it or one week if you don't.
 
I try to stick with the generic meds that only have one main active ingredient, rather than dose myself with extra stuff I don't need.

Head congestion: Pseudophedrine. These are available behind the counter, you'll have to sign for them.. 12 hour extended release are worth the money for the convenience.
Headache: Ibuprofin
Cough: This is a tough one. What works best for me is Dextromethorophan (sp?), but it is seems to only be available in combo with other stuff (n NyQuil and generic analogues). The dex really leaves my thinking pretty foggy for most of the next day, so I take just one capsule instead of the recommended 2 at bedtime, and it still does the trick. During the day I pretty much live with a cough if possible, saving the dex for nightitme use. Sometimes a cough can be useful if it is "productive" and helping to get gunk out of the lungs.
Acetominaphen: In place of the Ibuprofen if I have a fever along with the headache.
Zinc tablets: I think they work to decrease the length of a cold, and to head them off if taken at the first sign of symptoms. Again, the generic store brands are what I get.

I've had cough and head congestion for a couple of weeks--was getting better but now I am on the downhill again. I'll get more sleep and drink more fluids, that will help. DW went to the doc for the same thing, they took chest X-rays, gave her a steroid shot, provided some prespription cough stuff: she's in exactly the same condition I'm in, but I've invested about $12 in meds.
 
I drink orange juice until I turn orange. I use the storebrand of Nyquil capsules so that I can sleep through the night (I started using the capsules of this and the Dayquil stuff when I had to be on an airplane and my big bottles of the liquid versions got sent to TSA heaven). I use Arm and Hammer saline spray, a ton of it, so it drips down the back of my throat.

These tips will help that cold go away in just seven days instead of a full week without them. :) But at least I think I feel better during that time.
 
Run of the mill cold medicine like pseudoephedrine and alike makes me sick (I get really grumpy (almost hostile) with skipped heartbeats, or get super dry mouth, or glazed eyes, or get so sleepy) so I don't take them.

The ones below are OK by me.

Nasal congestion - Mucinex (I get no side effects from this. Seems quite benign. It doesn't dry you up like other drugs. Sorry to be graphic but it is God sent for the kind of gagging, violent cough you get when the mucus is trickling down or sticking to the back of your throat.)

Flu or cold with fever - Virgin coconut oil (Be warned that VCO has a thermogenic effect and it will speed up your heart rate a bit especially in high quantities. ) This will definitely help with low energy as well as fever.

Regular cold - Echinacea (Echinacea makes me feel better pretty much right away, but the cold seems to linger longer and I have to keep taking it for a while after the cold symptoms are gone. Makes me forget I have a cold at all though, as long as I take it at least twice a day.)

Scratchy throat - Drink a small amount of hot/warm (cold green tea doesn't work) green tea throughout the day.

Severe cough - codeine with guaifenesin (Wait, codeine is not OTC...)


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pacergal said:
Initial stages--cold eze or zicam always work for me to decrease symptoms or even head it off if I pay attention and catch it in time.
While in the midst: Chicken broth or soup, antihistamine and decongestant combo (any brand), along with neti pot and afrin if necessary to help sleep at night.
But I really swear by the cold eze lozenges. YMMV
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+1 for cold eze. And the sooner the better. Keep a box in medicine chest for use at first signs...sore throat, etc. Usually knocks it out in 2 days or so, for me.
 
brucethebroker said:
+1 for cold eze. And the sooner the better. Keep a box in medicine chest for use at first signs...sore throat, etc. Usually knocks it out in 2 days or so, for me.
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Anything with Zinc. It doesn't reduce the effects for me. It does reduce the length. I also use Chicken soup. That also seems to help too.
 
ls99 said:
Chicken soup. At least it keeps you warm while the body fixes itself. Seven days if you medicate it or one week if you don't.
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+1. Plenty of chicken soup and fluids and stay in bed to let the immune system do it's thing.

My belief is that if you take no medication, takes about a week. If you take medication, takes about seven days :blush:.
 
Olbas cough syrup. It was game changer for me during cold season. It has honey and some variety of herbs. I buy it either on Amazon or Whole Foods.

When someone in our house is sick we also usually get spicy carry out Chinese food, especially hot & sour or egg drop soup.
 
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I'm a pediatrician and no longer recommend cold medications. I haven't taken anything in years for colds. The things that have always helped the most: soup or broth. Lots of water. Rest-as in sleep. Try to sleep as much as you can the first 1-2 days. I've literally been able to "nip a cold in the bud". This has worked for my family and adolescent patients as well. Properly prepared saline nasal washed works well .

Alcohol can make you worse.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/what-makes-colds-worse
 
easysurfer said:
+1. Plenty of chicken soup and fluids and stay in bed to let the immune system do it's thing.

My belief is that if you take no medication, takes about a week. If you take medication, takes about seven days :blush:.
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Ayeep! Great minds think alike. :LOL:
 
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