Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Peter Robinson ·
Sep 8, 2010 at 8:27am
Look, I know Ricochet is supposed to be devoted to matters of high import—politics, culture, Claire’s cats, that sort of stuff. But this morning I’m a mess. Headache, sniffles, sort throat, sneezing, and an intense desire to climb back into bed coupled with the complete inability to sleep once I’m there. A summer cold. Outdoors the temperature is still in the mid-seventies, but in my head it’s deep midwinter. Would you indulge me? Would you permit me to ask a low, entirely practical question?
Does Zicam work?
One more.
What do you do when you’re this miserable?
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Take some nyquil. It's a fail-safe.
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Since college, Peter, I've stood by eating the maximum allowable number of zinc tablets and drinking as much V-8 juice as your taste buds can stand.
Jul '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Liquor.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
It's been going around, Peter. My girlfriend had it last week and I had it over the weekend. I definitely second Wilson's suggestion of Nyquil. If you don't have Nyquil then Tylenol PM or Advil PM are good second choices.
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Zicam (I've used the chewable kind ever since I found out the swab kind kills your sense of smell). Dayquil & Nyquil so that you can reduce the annoying symptoms as much as possible and get an ok night of sleep. Lots of water. And throat coat tea feels supreme on the back of an achy throat.
Feel better!
Jun '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
My late grandmother's advice would be to get down on my knees and thank God that it's only a cold. Then drink plenty of fluids. :)
Aug '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Read Richochet, of course!
No, seriously, it's why I've been commenting so often recently -- I'm out of commission myself, and have had more experience lately than I care to think about with
Drink your fluids. I've found Emergen-C helps, and you can get cheap generic knockoffs of Emergen-C at your local drugstore that have the same active ingredients, though they don't taste as good. Soup is good -- hot, soothing, and it has electrolytes.
It sounds like antihistamines could help. Diphenhydramine (generic Benadryl) is not only a powerful antihistamine, but a strong sedative for most people, so it could take care of the sleeplessness, too. If you have thick mucus, guaifenesin tablets help, but you must drink plenty of water with these, or they won't do their job.
Liquor temporarily eases symptoms, but drink lots of water with it!
Because of the time of year (it's ragweed season, at least where we live), you might entertain the notion that it's not a cold, but seasonal allergies.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
First wife prepares chicken soup, while second wife rubs my neck and third wife rubs my feet. My fiance rubs Vicks Vapo-rub on my chest.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
I take tons of vitamin C, drink lots of fruit tea, and don't stint on the Nyquil at night. And I read blogs and watch great old psychologically fortifying movies like On the Waterfront.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
If by "throat coat tea", you mean whiskey, lemon and honey... yes, that's my family's remedy for a sore throat, too.
As for the headache, Peter, it depends on which part of your head is sore. But if it's around your eyes, then the worst thing you could do is stare a computer all day, sadly. Put on some music, lie down, close your eyes and concentrate on loosening the muscles. Or instead of music, practice your Reagan impression.
I love your Reagan book, by the way.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
The doctor in my life tells me that it doesn't work. But what do neurosurgeons know about colds? Here is the scholarly review from Google: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=zicam&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=ws
The Journal of the American Medical Association says: "More than 800 additional reports of anosmia associated with the use of over-the-counter zinc-containing nasal products sold under the Zicam brand have been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since the agency demanded the products be withdrawn from the market, according to an analysis by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)."
Anosmia is a loss of the sense of smell.
I think Nyquil and chicken soup are your best bets.
I am in the process for making chicken soup for the sick one in our house. Hope you feel better soon.
Aug '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Aaron Miller
If by "throat coat tea", you mean whiskey, lemon and honey... yes, that's my family's remedy for a sore throat, too.
Throat Coat is also a brand-name, containing demulcents like slippery elm and licorice. It works pretty well, and tastes OK. It might not be bad with a little whiskey in it, though.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Berocca , water, simple foods, no alcohol (your liver is trying to make you better), and try douching your nose with warm saline (IE snort up some (previously boiled) 2 cups of water with 3-4 spoons of salt in it heated to about 40C) to clean out the sinuses.
Take it easy on the cold / flu tablets with decongestants/antihistamines if your blood pressure is high, as they can push you over into a risky level, and stick to paracetomol , aspirin etc. Have you had your swine flu shot? . If you don't start feeling well in 2 days, and are coughing up blood/ dark mucus with cracking/wheezing when you breathe; you best to see a GP to rule out secondary infections leading to pneumonia , Take your temperature, and BP if you have a machine and see how you are going.
Oh, and patience so that you don't come across as a typical whining male, (Remember how women always remind men feeling really ill, that it is nothing compared to childbirth...)
Edited on Sep 8, 2010 at 10:29amJun '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Large quantities of prescription cough syrup (the kind with narcotics in it). Doesn't cure the cold, but if you take enough you'll either be asleep or won't care.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
I am usually quarantined downstairs with the dogs, doused with Lysol, and left with instructions not to approach anyone else in the house.
But I don't think all of that's meant to cure anything.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Try a hot toddy. Heat one tbsp honey, 3/4 cup tea, 2 shots brandy and one slice lemon/splash of lemon juice. Keep drinking them until you feel better or fall asleep, which ever comes first. Get well soon!
Jun '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
I'm too mean, old, and cantankerous for germs. They tend to leave me alone.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
That's another remedy practiced in my family, but I've always passed. I'd rather be sick than snort or guzzle salt water.
Unless it's summer and there's a perfectly good ocean nearby.
Aug '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Aaron Miller
That's another remedy practiced in my family, but I've always passed. I'd rather be sick than snort or guzzle salt water.
Unless it's summer and there's a perfectly good ocean nearby. · Sep 8 at 10:48am
A neti pot with special saline solution and body-temperature water makes this process much, much easier, and even bearable. Neti pots are available at your local drug store, along with salt packets that have a touch of other ingredients for comfort.
May '10
Re: Summertime, and the Livin' is Lousy
Tea and Sympathy: Cup of hot tea, healthy splash of Cointreau, spoonful of honey. Repeat until snoring.