I fly in 4 days - have congestion, slight cough, oncoming cold. HELP!!!

[whereishome]

What's the best way to coughsmack a cold away in 3 days?

Caveats : Still have to work.

 

[ejb]

What's the best way to coughsmack a cold away in 3 days?

Caveats : Still have to work.

I am not a dr but I use the Codral Day and night tablets and double the dose.

It works for me and I am usually OK within 2 days.

ejb

 

[Leumas]

As mentioned, Codral is your best friend. Personally, I find the original formula to be the most effective. D&N and other variations don't seem to work as well for me.

Drink lots of water and have lots of vitamin C.

Regardless, take some gum with you for your flight. Even if your cold is better, your sinus may still hurt like hell when the pressure changes.

 

[blueflamenco]

Codral will suppress your symptoms but as far as getting you back to full speed if it truly is a cold you just need time. And if it is a cold 4 days should see you good.

Four weeks ago I thought I had a cold but it turned out to be pneumonia. If in doubt see a doctor.

 

[blueflamenco]

I am not a dr but I use the Codral Day and night tablets and double the dose.

It works for me and I am usually OK within 2 days.

ejb

Double the dose? That would not be recommended. You wouldn't even need 40mg of codeine to quell a tooth extraction never mind a common cold.

 

[ejb]

Double the dose? That would not be recommended. You wouldn't even need 40mg of codeine to quell a tooth extraction never mind a common cold.

I did say I was not a dr, and I know it is not recommended but it works for me.

ejb

 

[blueflamenco]

^ Ok. All I was saying is that it wouldn't be advisable for the average person. If what works for you was not potentially dangerous I wouldn't have blinked.

 

[Batesy]

Take the codral or another type of medication.

I always pump myself full of vitamins when I have the signs of a cold. You cant O/D on them. Many of the "ease a cold" type products are just naturally occurring stuff. For me its about giving the immune system all the help you can. Multi vitamins, vit C, echinacea, garlic supps that sort of stuff.

 

[Grooba]

I used to get on average 3 colds a season for almost as long as I can remember. 2 years ago I started taking a multi vitamin along with a slow release Vitamin C tablet every couple of days and I have't had a cold/flu since.

 

[harvyk]

Everyone is missing the obvious...

Go see your Dr asap, and explain you are flying in 3 days time... Last thing you want is for it to be something more and your 1000's of KM's from home...

They may be able to prescribe stronger drugs (prescription only drugs) which sort out the problem without resorting to overdosing on Codral

 

[markis10]

I am not a dr but I use the Codral Day and night tablets and double the dose.

It works for me and I am usually OK within 2 days.

ejb

Not a good idea if you have Hypertension though, where even the normal dose is not recommended!

 

[Travel Guru]

Being into natural health and anti drugs I find the best way to kick those sort of symptoms in a few days is going down the natural route, fresh squeezed lemon in water.

Disease cannont survive in a health alkaline body, so pumping it with lemon will alkalize the heck out of your system and should do the trick.

I tend to go for 1 lemon per 1 litre of water.

Drugs will only suppress the symptoms, they wont solve the underlying cause, so you're better of IMO to go natural and sort the cause out rather than the effect.

TG

 

[oz_mark]

Not a good idea if you have Hypertension though, where even the normal dose is not recommended!

Correct. Having hypertension does restrict the number of cold and flu medications available!

 

[markis10]

Correct. Having hypertension does restrict the number of cold and flu medications available!

As well as natural remedies including supplements!

 

[rtyuiop]

Apart from meds beforehand, I'd also recommend is looking up and practising the 'Val Salva maneouvre' before the flight. I used to occasionally have sinus issues while flying if I had even the slightest bit of congestion, but that has helped massively on descent.

Might be worthwhile taking a decongesting nose spray with you too (ensuring you can get it through security), although the one time I tried that it didn't work for me.

The other option would the 'ear planes' you can get in terminal shops (and probably elsewhere I guess) - I've never tried them, but some people report good results.

Danny

 

[anat0l]

Echinacea, plenty of Vitamin C, hot tea with lemon.

Try to get enough sleep - it really does help. With a lot of work before one goes travelling I know that is not easy by any means.

If you're still crook when you have to travel, I'd advise getting as much sleep as you can on the flight, even if this may mean missing meals (or eating only small bits).

 

[serfty]

Everyone is missing the obvious...

Go see your Dr asap, and explain you are flying in 3 days time... Last thing you want is for it to be something more and your 1000's of KM's from home...

They may be able to prescribe stronger drugs (prescription only drugs) which sort out the problem without resorting to overdosing on Codral

+1 Absolutely!

Get a course of Antibiotics to assist and reduce the chances of secondary infection.

Do it now as they tend to take about 36 hours to kick in.

In the shorter term, there's plenty of reliable over the counter drugs available as advised upthread. - however, still get those antibiotics ASAP!

 

[k_sheep]

Get plenty of sleep (well as much as you can while still working - learn to sleep at work!). If you've still got symptoms for the flight, then the cold and flu tabs are the go - just make sure you get the ones containing pseudoephidrine (will need some ID and ask at the counter) rather than phenylephrine (which is not even classified as a decongestant).

 

[NM]

At the first sign of a cold symptom (or if someone else in the household has symptoms), I take Horseradish, Garlic and Vitamin C tablets (available at supermarkets). May not work for everyone, but has been very effective for me.

 

[whereishome]

Thanks for the reply - I have obtained codral, am drinking obscene amounts of water and will load up extra on my vitamins.

I am currently working in a school, so it could be any number of things but it seems like a URI/coldy thing which has been going around.

I'll get extra sleep and stay warm before I go. If that doesn't work then I'll just kill the bloody thing with gin on the plane.