This f@$^&*$% cold is making me crazy. I've been sick for almost 5 days now, which is highly unusual for me.

Over the past few nights, I can never get to sleep until
after 1am because the minute I go to bed, I start having
coughing fits. The Robotussin doesn't seem to help. Then,
I start my very stressful days at the office low on sleep,
which isn't helping me get better.

I need something that will:

1) Help my sinuses start to drain.
2) Suppress my coughing so I can get some sleep.

When I go to the store, all of the choices are overwhelming.
I don't want to "confuse" my system with any more drugs than necessary, but DAMMIT! I NEED SOME SLEEP AND I NEED SOME RELIEF!!!

Any of you galz have any recommendations for something that
might help?

Cough, cough, hack, hack,
S.

Oh Sabrina... you poor girl. You sound terrible! Hang on... I'll ask my DH...

Okay, you're not going to like this, but he highly recommends Buckleys. Not the white rub. The cough medicine. Actually, it TASTES like white rub, but it really does work. It sort of sets off a fire in your head.

Do you have a sinus infection, too? Oh lordy... if it's bad you should get to a doctor and get some real drugs. You COULD put some ice under your eyes.

Oh dear... someone needs to go over and tuck you in, hon. Who lives closest...?

Ok - i dont have any answers for the coughing, but i do have a solution for the sinuses - being a major sufferer myself.

Get yourself some rock salt or sea salt - and a bottle with a pump lid (not sure what you call these in the US) Fill the bottle with warm (not too hot) water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix around till dissolved.

Now in front of a basin, tilt your head slightly forward and to the side, put the pump nozzle against one nostril and squeeze gently until water in pushed from one nostril out the other. breather through your mouth only. You may have to adjust your head but you will know when its right and the water will flow easily.

Blow your nose and do the other side.

I know this sounds revolting but i cleans the passages so you can breath and get rid of any infections.

It has meant i havent had to get any other operations on my sinuses since shown this technique (Netti) at yoga.

Hope this helps

take care

SVG: Oh no, that salt water up the nose remedy sounds worse than my cold!

Ellis: I looked for "Buckley's" but couldn't find it. But thanks for asking DH for me! So I got some "NyQuil" instead. Came highly recommended by two coworkers.

I will let y'all know how it goes ...

S.

Hey Sabrina... how did the NyQuil work? I hope you had a good sleep!

That salt water thing... I can see how that would work. But wouldn't the water trickle down your throat? I have one of those weird noses (no rude comments please, Sabrina!) which will need operating on in the future... it's mostly blocked on the left side by cartilage or something.
A bottle with a pump lid... must look for one of those...

Hi Ellis,

Thanks for asking, but no, unfortunately, I didn't get a good night's sleep. Even after taking the NyQuil, I was hacking and coughing for a good hour.

I'm finally caving in and I'm taking myself to the Urgent Care Clinic this morning. It's just not normal for a "cold" to hang on for six days without showing any signs of improvement, so I'm wondering if maybe I need some antibiotics or something? I don't know ... will let you know what the doc says.

S.

Good! I'm sure that's what you need... some heavy duty drugs.
hugs, hon...

Sabrina, I know it sounds gross to us westerners but neti is really soothing when you have inflamed nasal passages or a sinus infection.

My DP's brother who is a chiropractor and used to teach yoga told me about it.

If feels so nice especially if you get the water to the right temperature and the right amount of salt...to balance the ph...remember we put saline solution in our eyes if we wear contacts and saline in the eyes doesn't sting! plain water does!
our tears are saline.


so, try it you'll like it!!
here are some sites to check out

asthma.com

scandanavian yoga site - scand-yoga.org


sinus massage is also wonderful...you can have someone do it for you or do it yourself...when I have time I'll see if there are any how-to's on that!

hope you're feeling better soon!
love, soozie

oh yeah and I'm with ellis...go see a doctor...I'm into west and east meeting as one!
Namaste!
Soozie

Hi y'all,

Just a quick "fly by". Apparently my cold turned into a sinus infection. I'm on antibiotics now, as well as a prescription strength decongestant. I'm just going to do the decongestant to
get started, and then I'll likely give soozie's idea a try.

I'm still feeling pretty miserable but am hopeful that as the antibiotics start to really kick in, I'll be back to my old feisty
self.

S.

Hope you feel better soon!!!!!

Along these same lines........although I've never tried it - I have heard many people claim that elderberry extract is very helpful for all sorts of congestion, cold, flu, sinus, etc. conditions.

It can probably be found at your local health food store


Terri