Flu/cold remedies, eg Lemsip. The devil's work?

[supersop60]

I've been suffering for 4 days with this nasty cold virus - constantly dripping nose, and an old man's cough.
I had to go out earlier so I took some Lemsip. Yes, the symptoms eased, and at 5 30am they're back with a vengeance.
Any tried and trusted remedies out there? I feel like shit.

Take some more. Lemsip wears off every four hours.

Well... more Lemsip? I always wake early feeling awful with a cold.

Why do you think Lemsip is the devil's work, I don't get it?

home made xtra strong garlic bread! Best way to eat garlic but don't eat garlic if you got any sort of indigestion problems can make you gassy

As the pps have said, take some more, or something similar. It's not a cure, you have to keep taking it to keep on top on symptoms. Why is it the devil's work?

Get some honey and lemon and put in a liquid capsule of ibuprofen

A single dose of pracetamol and decongestant won't make a cold go away, nothing does except time.

Lemon, cloves, honey, hot water, whiskey and a painkiller.

Lemsip is shit in comparison.

Lemon has vitamin C. Cloves are a natural and effective painkiller. Honey is antibacterial and soothing. Hot water is soothing too. Whiskey is a highly effective painkiller and sleep aid. And a painkiller for good luck.

Works every time. Thanks Scottish grannies.

@MrsTerryPratchett I didn't know about cloves

Some people add things like turmeric and garlic. But I stick to the tried and tested granny formula.

Weirdly they use clove mouthwash sometimes to reduce the risk of pneumonia on breathing machines so maybe it's good for respiratory problems.

I have the same flu thing - had it all bloody week - and the only thing that has worked to help me either stop coughing, or to actually cough some of the crap up, is a spoonful of honey and sitting in a room with one of those Calpol plug-in things. The hot shower worked too but I can't be running that at all hours night and day. Co-codamol and ibuprofen at regular intervals so that when one wears off, I can have the other. Sleeping on the settee, propped up against the arm, because laying in bed just hurts.

That's what I'm thinking. It tastes disgusting and doesn't get rid of anything; I'm wondering if it delays recovery.
If you have to go to work etc then I suppose you keep taking it.

I am on the settee propped up by all the cushions. I don't have the all over ache though, or when your hair hurts, so it's not flu.

Ehh? You feel worse again as the paracetamol has worn off. But sure, claim that as single dose of lemsip hasn’t cured your cold that it’s the devil’s work. Bizarre. Personally, if I feel bad enough, I’ll keep taking the paracetamol as per the instructions until I feel I don’t need it anymore.

If Lemsip hasn't changed its formula in the last few years, an adult dose has 1g of paracetamol per serving (often two capsules at 500 mg each, or one sachet of 1000mg). It is extremely important to not take more than 4g (or 4,000mg) of paracetamol in any 24 hour period, and to have a gap of at least 4 hours between doses. If you want to take them in what should be the most effective way, then take your 4 doses every six hours - which might of course mean waking up part way through your sleeping period.

Of course, if you decide to take them every 4 hours, then you must stop taking them 16 hours after you started taking them, and have an 8 hour gap before you take the next dose. If you can still sleep through 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, even though you have flu, then take your doses every 4 hours with the 8 hour gap, as a good sleep is one of the best and most natural ways we have to fight many infections. Also, please check any other medications that you may be taking at this time, as you must not take anything else containing paracetamol at the same time as the Lemsip.

How ever you decide to manage your infection I hope that you get good relief from the symptoms very soon 💐 & 🍇 xx

I can't bear the taste of Lemsip so prefer my own lemon and honey and occasionally Beechams tablets. Also regular inhalations with menthol crystals (you only need a tiny bit) and black pepper in tea to soothe your throat/help with coughing.

I've just had that killer cold. Best remedy was fresh sliced ginger with cloves, lemon and honey in a big glass of hot water. If there are signs of infection, I add turmeric too.

To get rid of the runny nose that sudofed extra tablet is brilliant.

Lemsip has not been near a lemon.

Top up your vitamin C by having those tablets which dissolve in water.

You need to take regular doses of paracetamol regularly. Try to get off Lemsip as its very expensive for what it is. Paracetamol that costs 40p in supermarkets is the same paracetamol in Lemsip but 7-10% of the price. Drink warm squash.

What the heck are you talking about?

Lemsip isn't a cure, there is no cure for the common cold.

Lemsip relieves symptoms as it contains painkillers.

Of course it doesn't delay recovery.

You feel ill because you are ill.

We have the current variant of Covid and it is by far the worst cold I’ve ever had! The thing that’s working best for us at the moment is Otrivine nasal decongestant!

I don't have the all over ache though, or when your hair hurts, so it's not flu. It could be flu, or COVID, or a cold, or even RSV. Any of these may or may not give all over aches. You can't tell if it's flu from symptoms alone.

Night nurse, the strong stuff! It's heavenly but a tad expensive at £10. Get the blackcurrant lemsip (supermarket brand is just as good) and it's quite tasty. Before I discovered night nurse I took lemsip religiously every 4 hours but with night nurse I have a break of a few more hours just to be safe. It's a powerful but mystical elixir.

Think I’m going to have to crack open the Night Nurse tonight. I’m not feeling particularly bad but I’ve not slept for 3 nights with this tickly cough and I could cry with tiredness.

Can someone explain the hair hurting thing please?

Lemsip is bloody brilliant when you have a nasal drip induced cough.

Night Nurse when it is kerping you up.at night. Being careful of doses of course.

There seems to be some ignorance here. Good cold remedies will make you feel slightly less shit while your body fights the virus.

And Lemsip is not just paracetemol, it's phenylephidrine which is a good decogestant. Personally I find it more effective in a drink than tablet form. But if you hate the taste then have tablets instead.