Ugh! I'm Sick Again During the Christmas Season!

[kcjodih]

and I so don't want to be sick for Christmas! Last year I started feeling under the weather about the 20th and by Christmas eve it was all I could do to finish my last minute wrapping, make the munchies for our Christmas family evening, watch the movie and do the Christmas story, cookies for santa and carrots for the reindeer before I dropped. Got up for the opening of presents, went back to lie down and got up again the evening of the 27th! Hubby slept in a different room, brought me soup and juice, change the bedding while I tried to shower and I never saw the children past their little heads sticking around the door!

What do YOU do that helps when you're sick? I just started with the sore throat yesterday but now today my sinuses hurt as does my throat and also my chest is starting to burn. I left work early and took a two hour nap, had soup for dinner and skipped my son's hockey practice. I'm about to attempt the truffle brownie cups for the first time and then head for a hot bath and bed since I work for the next 12 days straight! I usually only work 7 hours a day weekdays but I'm in retail and it's Christmas and we sell party food and desserts so it's busy, busy, busy and we're all working every day.

I'm popping vitamin C, echinacea and advil and I'm also taking Tylenol cold and flu day and night time but I'm wondering if there's something that might work better?

 

[Kitchen Diva]

ZIACAM! Sorry, not yelling, just letting you know how good it works.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Zicam works wonders! Also, keep telling yourself that you are not sick, no matter how crappy you feel. That's what worked for me when I used to work retail during the holiday's!

HTH- go run to the drugstore now, and get some meds and a good book, and some chocolate. Oh, and gargle warm salt water for your sore throat- it helps kill germs and will lessen the duration of the sore throat.

 

[chefmeg]

AMEN to the gargle with warm salt water! I used to think my Mom was nuts for making me do this, but Strep cannot live in a salty environment, so DO IT!



See, Mom, you didn't waste that college education after all!

 

[chefann]

Sounds gross, but DH irrigates his sinuses when he has a sinus infection or feels one coming on. You can use a nasal syringe or go high-tech and use a special tip on a Waterpik. Either way, it uses lukewarm salt water to flush all the nasties out of your nose. He swears that it cuts down the duration of his sinus infections. Can't hurt to try it for a cold/flu.

 

[daniellemorgan]

Take 1000 mg of Vitamin C every hour. Drink tons of water. Take B-Complex. Elderberry helps with viruses. Rest, Rest, Rest!!

 

[missyciccolella]

Zicam does rock, but there is some stomach bug going around here. It lasts about 24 hours and at the rate it has blown through my family my turn should be tomorrow or Sunday...I'm the last and thank goodness since all the shows and probably all the orders for the month are done. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!
Oh yeah, don't forget chicken noodle soup!

 

[daniellemorgan]

One more thing....cut out dairy until you feel better. It makes you more mucusy (is that a word?)...and eat tons of garlic!

 

[chefsteph07]

Call your dr first thing monday morning! If he can get you something for your throat and chest I'm sure you will be better in the next week and a half!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Sounds gross, but DH irrigates his sinuses when he has a sinus infection or feels one coming on. You can use a nasal syringe or go high-tech and use a special tip on a Waterpik. Either way, it uses lukewarm salt water to flush all the nasties out of your nose. He swears that it cuts down the duration of his sinus infections. Can't hurt to try it for a cold/flu.

You can actually buy this in a bottle at Walgreens, or other drugstores. It is in a white bottle with orange lettering and an orange cap and it is called OCEAN or something like that. It works really good. It's a saline solution that you suck up your nose for lack of a better description... works wonders!!!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Take 1000 mg of Vitamin C every hour. Drink tons of water. Take B-Complex. Elderberry helps with viruses. Rest, Rest, Rest!!

below is a cut and paste from a website I found...
Dear Reader,

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is one of the most commonly taken supplements in the United States. Generally, it is safe, but avoid taking large doses of this vitamin. As a matter of fact, an Upper Limit was set in 2000 as part of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). For adults, this level was set at 2000 mg per day. Taking doses this large can result in diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. These unpleasant symptoms are from the vitamin being unabsorbed in your intestinal tract. Besides, it's a waste to take such a large amount because the more vitamin C you take, the less your body absorbs.

maybe did you mean 100 mg, and not 1000?

 

[janetupnorth]

OK, if you combine the remedies, it is a pretty funny picture!

Imagine standing in the bathroom, with garlic breath, gargling with salt water (a.k.a. dihydrogen monoxide, which I hear should be banned - just think you're adding Sodium Chloride, two more dangerous chemicals! - psst - if you didn't get this sidebar you have some reading to do) and flushing your nose with a waterpik!

Ewww...wouldn't want to room with you for Conference...he-he!

 

[pamperedposey]

below is a cut and paste from a website I found...
Dear Reader,

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is one of the most commonly taken supplements in the United States. Generally, it is safe, but avoid taking large doses of this vitamin. As a matter of fact, an Upper Limit was set in 2000 as part of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). For adults, this level was set at 2000 mg per day. Taking doses this large can result in diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. These unpleasant symptoms are from the vitamin being unabsorbed in your intestinal tract. Besides, it's a waste to take such a large amount because the more vitamin C you take, the less your body absorbs.

maybe did you mean 100 mg, and not 1000?

I thought the same thing. I've always heard that Vitamin C can be good for you, but too much Vitamin C can be very bad!

I think Zicam is great and Halls Defense lozenges. Actually everyone has given perfect advice, although I wouldn't try more than a couple at a time.

Feel Better! :yuck:

 

[daniellemorgan]

No I meant 1000. You can take up to 20,000 mg a day before seeing any effects. Normally you don't remember to take it every hour, so you don't end up taking that much. Vitamin C is water soluable, so you just pee out what you don't use. I take 1000 mg everyday and when I'm starting to feel sick I take probably 5000 to 6000 a day. I never get anything more than a cold and that only lasts a few days. I also have a 16 month old and I work in a nursery, so I stand by my Vitamin C Oh and Vitamin C is a natural decongestant as well....Here is a very good website with natural alternatives to feeling better. I'm not really into taking medicine unless absolutely necessary....
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/index.asp

 

[janetupnorth]

I've also heard 1000 mg per day max also...

When wondering, I go with the philosophy of God created things for a reason, but to use in moderation. Too much of ANYTHING is bad for you!