Shopping list for heavy cold

[ChristmasLightsLover]

I'm sat in bed with a heavy cold, feeling quite meh. I think I must be missing something to help me with this.

What's on your list?

Paracetamol. Ibuprofen.
Lemon and honey glycerin.
Baby wipes (to save my nose from getting red/sore...)

What else?

Baby wipes will leave a little bit of moisture on your skin, which will then evaporate, further dehydrating the area and making it more raw and sore.

Same principle as if you lick your lips all the time, they dry out.

Also, doesn’t wiping your nose on cold, wet wipes just feel kind of unpleasant?

Balsam tissues are good, as a pp said

PS that didn’t sound very sympathetic but I do sympathise!

also, sorry about your oxtail struggle @IndependentUndefeated (edited twice because I got different posters mixed up)

Night nurse, the liquid one. Tastes gross but I find it makes me feel more drowsy than the capsules. Which is what I want from Night Nurse.

@IndependentUndefeated sorry you are so poorly, and about your oxtail disaster. Why not get yourself some fresh home made style chicken soup, the kind in cartons, that's usually comforting and nourishing too. Hope you feel better soon.

I've had a horrible virus thing for a couple of weeks now and the cold like symptoms have been on and off.

My survival pack has been:

Balsam tissues (any other type feel too rough)
Cold & flu tablets (the ones with guaifenesin to help my cough as well as the usual paracetamol and phenylephrine)
Sudafed nasal spray
Vaporub (for my chest, not feet like some people claim, you need to breathe it in for it to work properly)
Lots of lip balm
Vitamin C
Nasal inhalers (I just buy generic ones but Vicks and Olbas both do them too, just the little plastic cylinder that has the menthol smell in them, they're much handier when out of the house than Vaporub or nasal spray).

For my raw nose/lip I've been going between moisturiser, Shea butter, Lush Dream Cream and a tiny TINY bit of Sudacrem. Use too much and it stings.

When my throat is sore/swollen I swear by Ultra Chloraseptic throat spray. It makes SUCH a difference then you can have honey and lemon drinks in between.

I suspect those of ye with 'heavy colds' mist likely have Covid. My daughter was on placement in a nursing home last week. Tested +Ve on Sunday. I tested +Ve on Monday and my mum tested +Ve yesterday. And she was only staying overnight with us! I hadn't had a cold or anything since I first caught Covid in March 2023! This strain seems to be more infectious. I second Vaseline for the sore nose n dry lips. Don't know if ye can get Glycerine Honey and Lemon cough mix in the UK but it's very soothing.

Original Chapstick (super cheap on Amazon) for the skin on your nose / above your mouth and lips. It's honestly miracle working, better than any of the expensive stuff.

I find the original carmex lip balm in the tube really soothing. It has menthol inside it so cools and soothes and it's one I always use when I have a cold sore or really chapped lips. The best cold cure I found by accident is whiskey and ginger wine. I say by accident because I thought ginger wine was like ginger beer, and so I filled a tall glass half of whiskey and half of ginger wine. Went to bed and knocked it back. It knocked me flat too and I slept for ages. Woke up drenched in sweat but felt a hundred times better. Couldn't do it now though. A small glass of wine leaves me feeling like death for a week. If you have a holland and Barrett near you. Then the bee propolis cough sweets are brilliant. Provided you aren't allergic to bees. There is one downfall though and that is they are seriously addictive because they are that nice. They have an aniseed taste to them but it's not really over powering.

Menthol crystals for inhaling - do it 3 times a day
Neti pot with salt water
Gargling salt water for your throat
Lemsip Max cold & flu capsules
Nightnurse
I only buy Kleenex balsam tissues

So many good suggestions here. Thank you!

Turns out I have chest infection. Am now on steroids and antibiotics. Using DH cpap machine has forced lots of lovely air into my lungs. It's my new BFF!

Covid is doing the rounds again in a number of workplaces near me. Have friends messaging to ask if I have any tests! Am thinking of doing a test myself.

My brain is mushed but am sending healthy wishes to whoever cried over the soup. I'm trying so hard to not cry as I know it will start another snot cycle.

I have balm tissues. Hadn't thought of the baby wipes. Will swap! Have a stash of calippos and lemonade iced lollies. Not hungry and struggling with the nausea. Urgh.

I'm going to put a Tesco order in and box everything for next time this happens. It's rare but I can't think of what to try when in the midst of this....

It was me who cried over the oxtail soup @ChristmasLightsLover Actually I felt slightly better yesterday so made Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup) | Gimme Some Oven, easy and with store cupboard ingredients. It was amazing but after I'd finished it I realised that I hadn't tasted it at all despite all the garlic, just got heat from paprika and texture from the bread and eggs. I'm feeling shit again, how is everyone else doing? I'm now on day 8, tested negative for Covid. I'm absolutely exhausted, haven't had a bath or shower in a week. I don't think I have a sinus or chest infection but I do have a GP appt tomorrow as I messaged them asking if it was ok to keep taking otc remedies containing paracetamol. I wish you all well with this awful bug unmumsnetty hugs

Herbal/fruit tea, keeping hydrated is super important. I drink gallons of super hot drinks when I have the cold as that seems to help reduce coughing, helps my throat etc. And, if you're lucky, you'll have no sense of taste which makes the herbal/fruit tea more palatable!

Menthol crystals in hot water and breathe in ...go easy on the amount they are very strong.

Sorry everyone’s poorly
i am too.
my list for colds/flu:
proper humidifier for nights
sats monitor if covid
night nurse
nurofen and paracetamol for during the day
vicks chest rub
hot water bottle to fill a little bit with warm water and put against face for sinus pain
Vaseline for top lip
balsam tissues
lucozade if I can’t eat
fresh ginger and honey for tea
podcasts

Cracked nipple cream for sore nose. It is designed for cracked skin.

https://lansinoh.co.uk/collections/welcome?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAApIdDZ3f68BVP8rni4iogF02teHzn&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgJyyBhCGARIsAK8LVLN49Z7D0bI3G3EFq-pep0pp-SIvpUlVarOqDSqb8ikpaZtnAWSEA3EaApGrEALw_wcB

@IndependentUndefeated Bless you. Soup sounds nice. How are you at night? Are you getting any sleep?

At my end, my oxygen is at 94% I am doing all I can to avoid an and e - using my DH CPAP machine to force air into my lungs and it's getting me to 96%

I did a Covid test yesterday too. It was negative. I am staying in bed. Sitting still is a weird thing to do. I had a shower this morning. First in a week. Was exhausted from it.

I can't remember what else anyone has said. Hope anyone else who is unwell is sitting still. It will pass for us all, eventually!

I can never get the right amount with this!!!

@Evenmoretired44 Am sorry to hear you are unwell. Feels unjust when the weather is improving. Hope you are getting rest.

You poor things. I wonder if the Covid tests are really able to pick up newer variants of the virus? But not to say it can’t just be a miserably bad cold, worse than Covid.

Healing thoughts 🍋🍯

Oh dear! Rest as much as you can, and keep up your fluid intake. That garlic soup is sure to do you good. I hope you all start to feel better very soon!

🤧 😷 🤒 🤧 😷 🤒

@ChristmasLightsLover I just use a small pinch of the menthol crystals, not even a quarter of a teaspoon.

Night nurse
saline spray for my nose
balsam tissues
ultra chloraseptic throat spray
decongestant tablets (not ones with caffeine in they make me feel awful)
nipple or bum cream for sore nose
chicken soup or miso soup
ginger and lemon to make into tea

I put a few crystals on tip of a knife,my first time I used half a teaspoon..my god I thought I'd taken part in chemical warfare trial.😭

I once mistook a bottle of menthol liquid, meant for adding to hot water to inhale the steam as cough medicine. Grabbed it out of the cupboard and swallowed it. JFC not only did it taste absolutely vile. It also felt like I'd set my innards on fire. It also tasted equally as shite and burned just as much coming back up as well 😅