Can I zap a cold in the next 48 hours?

[Lockheart]

I have an awful cold. I also have a much anticipated date with a lovely man on Saturday.

The cold started on Monday afternoon when I got that horrible scratchy throat feeling which always heralds a week of bad sleep and going through tissues like there's no tomorrow.

So I'm almost 3 days in. I don't want to rely on it naturally fading away by Saturday morning, as lovely as that would be! I've been religiously spraying Vicks first defence up my nose 4x a day. I'm keeping hydrated, I have enough soup to feed a small army, I'm taking paracetamol when needed. I am going at lunch to get some berocca and zinc from the pharmacy (and more tissues and paracetamol..).

Is there anything else anyone can recommend trying so that I am not a drippy coughing mess come Saturday evening?

I’ve found actifed helps dry up a runny nose. It makes me drowsy though so would recommend taking it at night and definitely not the day of your date!

Thank you, I shall see if the pharmacy has any!

Sounds like you're doing all the right things op. Also try to get as much sleep/rest as you can-maybe try some liquid night nurse to help with this. Eat lots of fruit too. And keep up the soups and fluids (including hot lemon and honey). I definitely find my colds have passed quicker when I do all of the above. Wishing you a speedy recovery for your date

Thank you, I'm trying to rest as much as possible around work. I've got fruit and the soups I have are all vegetable / chicken and vegetable so I'm keeping up my 5-a-day!

I can't have night nurse though - for some odd reason it makes my heart race.

some of that first response spray stuff? the liquid vaporiser thing, I think it's made by vicks.

Also maybe the powder you spray up your nose, this stuff
www.amazon.co.uk/Nasaleze-Cold-Flu-Blocker-Before/dp/B07WNX17HX

Lem sip really helps with the congestion.

oh and a smoothie with fresh and powdered ginger, it is amazing for colds!

@clowerinaI'm using Vicks first defence spray four times a day! The ginger smoothie sounds like a great idea though. I'll have to nip out to the shops later.

I find that a large whisky really helps

Echinacea works

Also raw garlic, although may not be a good idea if you have a hot date 😂

My 'cold' became covid. Could you do a test?

Day nurse/ night nurse. It's a bit pricey but works brilliantly.

I had this issue, woke up with a cold on the Thursday and was convinced they'd cancel my surgery on the Friday due to the general anaesthetic. Drank a lot of echinacea, also first defence, those fizzy vitamin C tablets and anything else I could lay my hands on.

Miraculously it went away by the Friday morning. Fingers crossed for you!

I already did, they were both negative. I'm not totally surprised as I had covid (very definitely covid) in late July, so between that and the negative LFTs I'm fairly certain it's not covid this time.

I can't have night or day nurse. It's strange as I have no allergies to the individual components but for some reason the combination of them in Day / Night Nurse really makes my heart go mad. I actually ended up in A&E on an ECG machine last time.

I might have to partake later!!

Ah I don't have echinacea, but two out of three ain't bad?

Finger's crossed you do get rid and don't end up with the cold that's doing the rounds over my way. I'm on day 14 of it and no end in sight 😒

Berocca - it's a big dose of Vitamin C and I find it helps to clear up a cold. But if you had a sore throat on Mon, but Sat hopefully you'll be feeling a bit better as colds are usually five days for the worst symptoms. I suspect you'll still have congestion though on Sat.

I don't mind congestion. I find the Vicks sinex spray works wonders for that, so if congestion is all I have by Saturday I'll be very happy!

Sambucol. Works like a charm