To ask for help with cold and sore throat

[Dishwashersaurous]

So I've finally succumbed to the worse cold ever. I feel like absolute death. My throat is being stabbed and is on fire. I cant sleep for coughing.

It's not covid.

I've done lempsip. Strepsils. Gargling with salt water. Boiling hot steaming bath. I just want to be able to breathe without it hurting and go to sleep.

So please good people tell me your tips. I will try anything

Boots dual defence nasal spray!

Sounds like what I currently have. Also on my 2nd day off work. Going for a pcr today though the lft was negative. Not really thinking covid as I had that in August but who knows.

Go to the pound shop. Buy the two pack of nasal relief. It must be their cheap 2 for £1 sticks. The olbus ones will burn your insides out. But multiple packs.

Suck one stick like a cigarette. It will stop the coughing. Put the other stick up nostrils for 20 seconds a time.

No dairy or alcohol

Warm blanket, sofa and paracetamol with lots of water. You’ll be feeling better in a couple of days.

@hellcatspangle

Day nurse capsules during the day, night nurse liquid before bed. For a cough pholcodiene cough suppressant, sore throat gargle soluble aspirin.

I agree with this, day nurse and nightnurse got me through flu, so any hint of a cold I take it and I'm usually better the next day. The day after that at the most.

The best thing for sore throat is the numbing sprays - www.boots.com/ultra-chloraseptic-anaesthetic-throat-spray-15ml-10095640

I second getting checked out for strep throat, I had it and thought it was a bad cold and just wasn't getting better until antibiotics. Otherwise if its just a cold, the normal suggestions, lemsip, ginger, honey, paracetamol.

Don't take lemsip & night nurse together, both have paracetamol in!

Fisherman's friend seem to actually help and I find that if I consistently take Sambucol I either get less colds, or less severe colds.

Hope your cold goes soon.

Day four and slight improvement. Managed to shower. But still feeling pretty awful

On my 3rd day off work and was hoping to return tomorrow but still feeling and sounding pretty grotty and unfit to be around people. Maybe I'll turn a corner tonight.

Otrivine (sinusitis) nasal spray. Sudafed so one for the cold too, same ingredients. Hated the thought but it cleared my stuffed nose out and helped me breathe at night. Wish I’d got it sooner. I had a horrendous cold/ sinus infection and was off work for ages. Sore throat I used corsodol mouth wash as well

Get the throat spray from the chemist (can’t remember the name, sorry).

Take paracetamol and drink cooled boiled water mixed with honey and lemon.

Keep gargling with salt water after you’ve cleaned your teeth.

I sympathise. I get sore throats regularly and it’s awful. They were worse before I got my coeliac disease diagnosis and my immune system was ruining me - something to consider if they are recurrent.

*Difflam! Remembered it now - great stuff.

Gargling with salt water 3-4 times per day and using a neti pot at least twice a day. I find honey and lemon in my tea is very soothing.

A freshly juiced orange 2x a day is helping me (I have a nasty cold that’s been going on 2 weeks, and I’m pregnant so limited to what I can take).

Co-codamol for aches and pains, fever, drying up cough and sinuses.

Sudafed spray to unblock sinuses or steam your face.

Day five and still rubbish. Still off work and have completely checked out of all parenting.

But managed to make a cup of tea so some progress.

Sympathy to fellow sufferers it's really really awful

Difflam = lifesaver.

When I have a cold, I only eat chicken soup (with or without soft bread) for lunch and dinner, and avoid oily foods, rice, yoghurt and spicy foods.

It never fails to get me well.

This was years ago but I had the Mother of all sore throats. It was that painful that instead of swallowing any saliva as it was that painful I was spitting it done the loo. DH went to the chemist for me and came back with a bottle of liquid which I can only describe as liquid anesthetic which you gargled with. Unfortunately I am hopeless at gargling and couldn't use it properly but the staff at the chemist highly recommended it. It was also accompanied by the most painful cough. Every time I coughed it felt like being stabbed in the chest. Was so thankful when it broke and and loosened up.

Whenever I started to feel a bit fluey I would always have a glass of hot ribena with a dispirin dissolved in it. Worked every time.

A few years back I had a cold suddenly come on 5 days before I was due surgery, so I was desperate. I posted on MN and someone recommended taking Echinacea to boost my immune system and the wife of a colleague suggested sucking Propolis lozenges to ease the throat.
My colds used to last a good 2 weeks but after using these two things and having a hot toddy before bed, it was gone within 5 days, fortunately!

Chloraseptic numbing spray is your only choice here OP.
That and a few good whisky heavy Hot Todd's.

I’ve got this and haven’t had any sleep for the last two nights. Shivering cold inside but sweating on skin. I have taken two flow tests in the last week which were negative but have ordered a PCR test as from this morning have a distinct lack of taste in mouth.

I'm in my fourth week of this. First week and a half I had the worst cold ever and just as I thought I was getting better I took a turn for the worse and ended up with really bad tonsillitis. We have spent £60 on prescriptions and over the counter meds. The best was gargling with Anadin Extra soluble tablets.

I've had a good week then today started to feel all congested again.

Paracetamol and steamy bath. No witch craft or garlic involved

I've just gotten over a horrible viral infection. Out of desperation I came up with this mixture and took it 3 times a day:

1/2 lemon juice
1-2 shots of Moju ginger (you can get in waitrose/Ocado/Amazon)
1 spoon of Manuka

It's an amazing boost for the immune system, within 3 days I was almost back to normal.

Also take extra vitamin c and d!!