Cold Season - Remedies?

[FlyChicaga]

For the past two weeks I've been on the ground while attending training in Texas, which means long hours, lots of coffee, fast food, and varied sleep patterns. About a week ago, I started to get a bad cold which has stuck with me and seems unshakeable. I've tried some OTC cold and sinus medication, but it just seems to be dehydrating me more than the hotel and training center had been. As I sit here, I still have quite a bit of mucus, stuffy nose and dry cough, and just stiff muscles from not getting much exercise. Luckily, I'm off until after the weekend, so I'm hoping to use this week to recuperate.

Since my doctor will not be in this week, and I'll be out of town, any ideas of things I should consider to try and rehabilitate myself? I'm considering multi-vitamins, Airborne, and lots of water/Gatorade. I feel really dehydrated, so I figure that is a good start. Can I upload too many vitamins taking a One-A-Day and Airborne? I've been told before Gatorade is really good for rehydration because of the electrolytes, but I'm just not keen on drinking all that sugar. Tips?

Thank you Dr. Forred for all your help for us pilots and our questions!

[My Flight Surgeon]

Sounds like a bad cold.

If you are using sedating antihistamines (like Banadryl) stop those and use generic Calritin - it will nit dry you out as much.

Get plenty of rest this holiday week-end, a lack of rest has probably helped run you down.

Push fluids - water, not Gatorade. You are getting enough salts in the fast foods youare eating.Buy some fruits at the grocery stroe - oranges, bananas, apples to supplement your Burger King diet.

Airborne is OK but don't take other vitamins, too many vitamins can do harm. (See my post in the MultiVitamins for pilots thread a day or two ago).

If you have a fever, take ibuprofen or Tylenol.

This should all last about a week if you treat it and 7 days if you don't. If you are sick longer than 2 weeks, you need to see a doc.

When you get over this, get a flu shot.

Last but not least, carry a small bottle of Purell hand cleanser with you during cold and flu season, use it often. Most of the infections like this we get are from touching an object or person and getting the virus on our hands. We then rub our face or eyes and infect ourselves.

[I_WANNA_BE_ATP]

I would like to add, though in your case it's too late, is Cold-ezze. It's Zinc gluconate (I believe gluconate) anyway a zinc something or other. I use it, but it most be started at the first sign of sickness.

[HH-60CC]

1 word, Nyquil. to quote Denis Leary:

I love NyQuil, man. Because NyQuil has never changed, man. It's never changed. All the other medicines are doing that inner-child thing. "We know that there's a small child inside of you, so now we have grape and cherry and orange flavor." Not NyQuil! They still have the original green death ******* flavor! You know why!? Because it doesn't matter what it tastes like! It's so strong you go, "*wheeze* Hey this stuff really tastes like.." Bang! You're in the coma already! "What happened?" "He said tastes like and he went right into the coma, it was unbelievable!" We have reached the point where the over the counter drugs are actually stronger than anything you can buy on the street. It says on the back of the NyQuil box, on the back of the box it says, "May cause drowsiness." It should say, "Don't make any ***** plans! Kiss your family and friends goodbye. Say hello to Klaus!"

[My Flight Surgeon]

Nyquil will make you feel better BUT it contains a sedating antihistamine and one should not fly for 24 hours after taking it.

[HH-60CC]

That's alright, once you wake up from the Nyquil induced coma, it should be well over the 24 hour mark