Bad cold/flu – what should DH buy me? Feeling dreadful

[Ladymuckypuddle]

I’ve come down with a horrible cold/flu and feel absolutely rotten. I’m in bed with a streaming nose, cold shivers, aching muscles and a very sore throat and ears. DH is popping to the chemist and supermarket after work this afternoon and has asked me what he should get… and my brain is not functioning well enough to think straight.
What medicines would you recommend (OTC)? And what comfort items actually help when you feel this grim?
Signed, a middle-aged woman home alone, feeling very sorry for herself and counting down the minutes until help arrives 😷

P.S things to watch would be appreciated also.

Enough paracetamol for you to be able to take the full dose 4 times a day until you feel better.
Unlimited supply of Kleenex Balsalm tissues - supermarket own brand versions are not the same.

I usually want available:

Something for a temperature - paracetamol/ibuprofen
Something for a cough/sore through - be that hot squash, honey and lemon, ice cube, or cocodamol if I have a dry cough and nothing else has worked.
A decongestant - I usually mainly try and steam my head with essential oils over a saucepan with a towel, but I sometimes use a nasal spray or decongestant tablets if I am desperate.

Then I usually want foods that make me feel better - things like nice grapes because they're soothing to eat cold, or toast to scratch the back of my my throat, or ice lollies or nice yogurt for a sore throat.

Sometimes I like podcasts or audiobooks if I am ill, because you don't even have to have your eyes open. I can get the Borrowbox app and my library then lets me borrow audiobooks using ktm

I'm not sure much really helps, but things like hot fruit squash or apple juice was what I fancied when I was suffering recently.
Maybe a yoghurt.
Paracetamol is recommended to bring down your temperature.
Have you got a heated throw or hot water bottle? I found I was hot then cold then hot again!!

@schroeder that's exactly what I am like burning up for a bit then freezing cold. Currently in bed with a hot water bottle on my lower back and one around my neck. Have a heated blanket on me then my duvet and then a heavy throw on top. Apple juice sounds nice.

@Ineffable23 I like radio plays could look for a new one. I didn't sleep much at all last night hopefully a radio play will help me have a snooze. Ice lollies are a good idea for my dry mouth and sore throat.

@AnnaMagnani Oh good thinking about paracetamol to last a few days just checked and I only have a strip of paracetamol left. Nice tissues would be good, currently using toilet roll for my streaming nose which has now gone slightly red.

Thanks so much everyone, you are all so kind

Lemsip (blackcurrant)

Fizzy mega dose vit C and zinc tablets (if you put them IN the Lemsip they risk overfizzing so watch out)

Electrolyte drinks

Nice full fat yoghurt

Ibuprofen to alternate with the Lemsip

Thanks @LividArse I would never have thought about vitamins. Do they still have the Lemon Lempsips? Will get dh to check if they do. I have full fat greek yoghurt in the fridge could ask to to blitz some raspberries with the hand blender to put on the yoghurt. I have no appetite good light foods little and often should help to keep my strength up.

Oh just remembered chocolate a nice bar of fruit and nut or galaxy caramel would be lovely.

Best to stay away from dairy if you have bad catarrh/sinus issues. It aggravates it. Citrus is good to break it down though. I tend to go with a hot orange to sip. I like boiled sweets to suck on and light foods (scrambled egg etc). Lemsip/ decongestants/nasal spray/pain relief all good (not all at once though!)

Hope you feel better soon. I am currently surrounded with tissues as my sinuses are on one, so you have my sympathy

These are the absolute best tablets I've ever had. The caffeine stops you from wanting to die all day, and the night time capsules make you sleep.

Also things like soup, fruit, yoghurt, lots of water, probiotics to give your immune system a boost.

Hope you feel better soon! It's so miserable to be ill.

Just to say please check the expiry dates on your hot water bottles. I’ve seen so many burns from them exploding because the rubber disintegrates!

Paracetamol, ibuprofen for the aches and some lemon and honey to drink in hot water. Have a hot bath and get some rest.

Make sure any decongestant you take doesn’t also contain paracetamol.

Night Nurse capsules for a good sleep
at night. Get well soon.

Soft balsam tissues.

DW demands M&S rice puddings by the cart load.
HTH.

The chloraseptic throat spray for sore throat is great - completely numbs! Tastes vile ngl but totally works!

I agree that these tablets are brilliant. However, you can't take them if you're on certain prescription drugs so please check contraindications.

I usually take Night Nurse at bedtime and 2 paracetamol or brufen 3 times a day until I feel better , usually after 3 days .

Olbas bubble bath. DD2 hasn't had a bath in years because she much prefers a shower but when she was unwell a couple of weeks ago I suggested a bath with Olbas bubbles and she felt so much better afterwards.

Sudafed for daytime. Night nurse for night time as well as a decongestant nasal spray. Hot honey and lemon for comfort. Soft balsam tissues. Ribena.

I was going to suggest a hot water bottle for your neck, but you have that.
Vicks for your chest.
Soft tissues
soup
Food can pick at like crisps and toast. When I had it last week thats all I had.

Really soft tissues.
Cold and flu tablets and some of the night ones as well.
Throat sweets.
A heated lavender pillow.
A sinus spray.
Lots of hot sweet tea.
Not much help with food I'm feeling bleugh myself at the moment and it puts me off food.

Heinz tomato soup

Kleenex balsam, Vaseline or similar for sore nose. DH had a dreadful cold a couple of weeks ago and had a high temperature for a couple of days which he spent in bed but fortunately he got over it very quickly and it only lasted about a week, hopefully yours will be better soon.

Night Nurse liquid

I'm just getting to the tail end of a strange, sinus/chesty bug and sympathise:

-Covid test. Yes, I realise many people don't bother, but I did check
-Thermometer if you don't already have one.
-Paracetamol and iburoprofen, but note that most lemsips also contain paracetmaol so don't take both together
-Sudefed blocked nose spray is keeping me sane
-A electric steaming machine. A bowl of hot water or sitting in a steamed up bathroom as fine, but the machine is safer and lasts much longer
-Pseudoephedrine tabs to dry up the nose. In Boots they are behind the counter and called 'decongestant tablets'. Many other cold/flu formulations contain phenylephrine which I don't find as effective, but they are both not suitable if you have high blood pressure and some other conditions.
-Lozengers or throat spray for the pain
-I agree with any super soft tissues and vaseline for your nostrils
-Chicken soup has anti inflammatory properties, so tell DH to pick up a fresh chicken and some veg then get home cooking when he gets home.

The 'night' tablet don't actually have any particular ingredient in to help you sleep, they are just the 'day' tablets without any caffeine in.

Night Nurse is what you need if you can't sleep!

Night nurse as it has promethazine in which is an anti histamine that makes you sleep!