To ask you for your best cold remedies that work super quickly?!

[AlmostAWife]

I'm getting married in a few days and have come down with a cold.
I don't want to be ill on my wedding day... Please help

I find aspirin better than paracetamol. It seems to take the edge off much more effectively.

I agree you can't shorten the cold but you can feel a hell of a lot better using medications- I used to hate colds and now find that with only one/two day of mild aches and pains, I am usually ok. No need to suffer too much any more.

The best thing ever is xylometazoline which is a nasal decongestant, you squirt it up your nose- it's Otrivine or other cheaper brands. This works for hours, you can sleep without that awful blocked feeling. I no longer dread getting colds now since I discovered this stuff (not on commission honest!)

Then- you can take, if very achey, paracetemol and ibuprofen together (or rather look at the max doses and then divide them up through the day)- these are not incompatible with each other.

For the red nose (after the Otrivine) put Sudocream on overnight (cos you can breathe due to the Otrivine) and it won't be red and flakey- also works for spots before the big day.

Use medicated/soft tissues, eat pastilles/throat lozenges- if you need to speak in public (at the wedding) then use Proctor's pastilles as they are tiny but very strong so you can keep one in the side of your mouth and still speak.

I also take echinacea and lots of vits anyway in winter, and wash my hands like crazy.

This might sound a bit OTT but I dreaded every winter due to getting every bug going, now I realise you don't have to suffer that much if you get the right medications and can sleep well.

Not curing your cold but make sure you look your best with shit loads of water every day and constant application of moisturiser.

And Kleenex Baslasm tissues (sp?)

Can I recommend Kleenex Balsam tissues - No Red Nose!! Have a great wedding

Great minds Knackered

I also use those.

I know I sound a bit fanatical but about three years ago, after feeling really miserable/not sleeping, I went to Boots and bought every one of the above things and used them properly (before I just used to half-heartedly pop the odd decongestant pill or paracetemol infrequently and wonder why I felt shit)! I now have my 'cold' kit for winter!

Definitely Night Nurse and also a few flakes of menthol - you can get from a chemist. Bowel of boiling water, drop a few flakes (it's really strong!) and towel over the head and breath in the vapours. Do it about 10 times. Vaseline around the nose at night to get rid of redness

I have a "cold box" too. I've had it for years and just keep tissues, medication etc in there.

Several grams of vitamin c daily. Loads of hot water - not cold,. Honey, lemon and raw root ginger in hot water - crunch the ginger to heat up your throat and help kill the virus. Keep your neck warm - wear a polo neck or scarf. Also zinc.

These measures will shorten the cold by a day or two.

Saline spray - loosens up any mucus and gets it all out, fill nostril up with it (with head backwards) and then try and keep it in for a minute or two and then blow, really clears your nose out, snuffle babe on your chest/feet and olbas oil :)

Knock back a couple of Beechams then fill a glass with juice of half a lemon, shot of whisky, 2 tsp Covonia, 1 tsp honey and top up with hot water.

Drink somewhere cosy, preferably in bed, and you'll be out in about 15 minutes with no weirdness or grogginess if you need to wake up fast.

Google ginger turmeric galic honey and lemon, you will get lots of suggestions.

I make Flu Stew; potatoes, onions, leeks, carrots, maybe swede, maybe finely sliced kale or cabbage, bouillon and as many cloves of garlic as you fancy more the better.

And Miso and noodles with lots of green things

Beechams Aa in one alternate with ibuprofen

Drink honey and lemon and avoid dairy if you can

Hope it eases quickly and that you have a fabulous time xx

Get eucalyptus put into your flowers so you can have a good sniff.

I swear by my ear method, the only times ive been ill in the 5 years since starting it, was when i couldnt do it.

But you need to do it as soon as your ears start to tingle.

Try gargling some diluted hydrogen peroxide, you can get it from the chemists. Also clean your ears and nose with it. There is plenty of websites about this, just google hydrogen peroxide and colds. I tried it one Christmas eve when i woke with a cold and it definitely made the cold much less than usual.

A bottle is only a few pounds

It is 3% hydrogen peroxide, and the video above yoir post explains it.

if you do this make sure you rinse your mouth repeatedly afterwards. The stuff wrecks teeth.

If it is just starting First Defence, or the Boots version which is cheaper. I find it can stop a cold if you use it quickly enough or reduces it. I read an article in a magazine or newspaper and a medical expert (suppose he was a doctor?) said it does work as it changes the lining of the nose from akaline to acid and the virus doesn't like it.

My grandma swore blind my dad's ginger wine blew her cold straight out years ago. But in the absence of that, a whiskey Mac (whisky and ginger wine) is a pretty good substitute.

Berroca. The ones that you in water and fizz. They help me when I have a cold. Lemsip max strength cold and flu 24hour capsules.

Drinks lots of water. Moisturise your nose and surrounding area. Wash hands a lot and sleep

Menthol crystals

If you're getting a sore throat I find that gargling with hot salty water really helps soothe it. Not too hot obviously - you don't want to end up in A&E with burns!

If you are still ill on your big day then this amazing stuff from potters will give you a kick and make you feel better.

I have been using it for years, don't have it neat though, make it into a tea with milk and possibly a small amount of milk.

I don't know how it works but it has got me through countless events/meetings/school runs when all I have wanted to do was curl up in bed.

Berroca, paracetamol and lots of fluid and bed rest.

Beechams capsules are good or any cheaper supermarket equivalent but they have a stimulant in them so can make you anxious as your heart may flutter a bit from the medication but it will,get you through on the day, just make,sure the groom knows you've taken it and the side effects.