B***h of a cold: what's the strongest/best thing I can buy?

[ChanelNo5]

Feeling very sorry for my self at the mo! Kiddies are all very run-down following various bugs and now I've got the cold from Hell! Anyone any recommendations for the best cold relief medications (the stronger the better!) I'm sending my little errand boy (DH) shopping on his way home from work and I'm sure that he'll beable to squeeze some meds for his lovely(?) wife in his basket between the wine bottles (for medicinal purposes only, of course!) It's half term this week (aghh) so I r-e-a-l-l-y need something to sort me out quickly. Ta Ladies!

[ScummyMummy]

Strong coffee is supposed to be good. And port and brandy. And paracetemol. Poor you Chanel- hope you feel better soon.

[MandyD]

Hmm, the Max Lemsip isn't bad, Sudafed for stuffy noses and my tip - half a bottle of whisky taken during the course of an evening. And menthol & eucalyptus inhalation (don't leave half empty bottle in medicine cabinet and mistake it for stomach remedy later as I once did...!) And remember not to take any other paracetamol product if you're taking Lemsip. Hope you feel better soon!

[Enid]

Chicken soup with lots of garlic, paracetamol, whisky (not necessarily in that order).

Lemsip is very good too but its always a race to see if I can drink the whole mugful without having to puke first.

[ScummyMummy]

I've never thought of putting paracetemol in soup...

[ChanelNo5]

Thanks for getting back so quickly, I knew you wouldn't let me down. I'll give your tips a go. I especially like the ones involving booze (you know me too well!). Kiddies are all ready for bed (yes, really) so I will pinch some of their Breatheasy and go for a hot bath (with a medicinal tipple, of course!)

[callie]

Sorry to hear your unwell, Chanelno5! I've had a bit of a week myself. DS has been off school with flu and dd has had temp, cough, and grumpiness all week. can feel it brewing on myself.
Lemsip and hot bath is all I can suggest.
Hope your better soon.

[ChanelNo5]

Callie - Sounds like your kids have had similar sorts of things to mine. It's taking them a while to get over them too, mine still are really run-down, and I have to keep a close check on eldest ds's temp as he has had febrile convulsions - needless to say, I'm keeping him well-dosed up! Hope you don't get it, it's evil, and the last thing you need when having to look after poorly kids. Oh well, hopefully dh will be back soon from his mercy mission so I can start dosing myself up too!.

[jodee]

Poor you Chanel! That is the worst thing about this time of year, one rotten cold after another, Kleenex must be laughing! Can't think of anything else but TLC is always one of the best remedies! Take care.

[MandyD]

Having just eaten a Tabasco flavoured stuffed olive (DP got them from Tesco - highly recommended!) I just remembered another favourite cold-shifter: the curry on the menu at the Indian takeaway that you can never normally handle!! I think there's even a scientific basis for this - I read somewhere that the curry spices have germ killing properties.

[ChanelNo5]

Ah, you're all so sweet. I feel a bit of a fraud, as it is only the common cold, but it does make you feel really rotten, especially when you've got 3 kids to look after. Nevermind, I'm going to hole us up in the house today - thank god for cbeebies and chocolate buttons!

[Bugsy]

Here's my top drink for taking when you have a cold:
Juice half a lemon & put in mug
Add two cloves
Add several teaspoons of honey (or sugar)
Add one measure of whisky
Fill up with hot (not boiling water).
This is so scrumptious and all the Vit C from the Lemon has to be good for you!
Hope you feel better soon.

[sis]

If the "bunginess" stops you from sleeping, I find that taking 1 daynurse tablet just alleviates the symptom enough to let me sleep (I'm always exhausted anyway) without knocking me out so that I'm still groggy the next day - which is the effect of nightnurse.HTH and you feel better soon.

[MandyD]

Hey Chanel, cbeebies and chocolate buttons weren't on the list of cold cures!!! LOL, hope you feel better soon xx

[Tigermoth]

Poor you, Chanel. I've got that half term holiday feeling of apprehension, too - the calm before the storm. As Batters said, I'm a Berrocca girl. (glad you're finding it works for you, too Batters} Just for the record, Kia originally recommended it to me, so it's her we should be thanking Try one when you wake up, Chanel.It will also counteract any hangover you have from the Whiskey and lemon cure of the night before. I love W and L!

But whatever you take, my main tip is to get lots of sleep.

[Tigger2]

This may sound like a strange question, but, do you like a wee Dramm?, this usually cures a cold in our house, and if you don't really like the whiskey itself, put in honey and lemon and heat slowly, it can work a nice wee Hot Toddy.

[MalmoMum]

Of all the things that won't help, a hot toddy is probably the best is my f-i-l's maxim and gets trotted out regularly on these occasions.

If your sinuses are getting overwhelmed, steam inhalations buy you a bit of sanity back. Hope you feel better soon!

[IDismyname]

l?4m|?ing that shifted my last really bad cold was eating an entire tub of "Total" (the greek yoghurt people) Tzatziki (sp?). Got it in the local sainsburys. Had just masses of raw garlic in it. I smelt terrible, but felt SO much better the next day!

[SueDonim]

LOL, Malmomum, I agree with your FIL!

Where do you all buy Berocca? I've looked in Boots and other chemists but haven't seen it anywhere. Do they keep it under the counter in brown paper bags?

[ChanelNo5]

Feeling much better today, thanks everyone, which is just aswell because eldest ds has just started throwing up, so need my strength to look after him - as they say, no rest for the wicked!

[Tigermoth]

Suedomin, I bought my Berocca tablets from Boots last summer, no problem. I can't remember if they were found behind the counter or not. Why not try another branch of Boots?

Perhaps they are so popular they have just sold out of them everywhere. Hope that's not a direct result of me plugging them on mumsnet!

[Manfwood]

Have Johnson's stopped making Baby breatheasy bath?? only my local Boots, Tesco and Superdrug have stopped stocking it - could do with some at the moment as having a real 'snotfest' as someone put it. Someone said something about not taking decongestants for more than 5 days - havent been taking much as think usually these things run their course but this time has been going on for weeks so trying the Vitamin C thing today but may go for the hot curry idea and possibly the whisky. Dont really feel ill any more just fully of cold/catarhh - nasty!!