Home Remedies????

Well, I have been flat on my back suffering with this horrendous cold/flu. Not enough energy to do anything (so much for winter sowing, etc). I spend about 1 hour awake and 3 hours sleeping.

DH is also sick and DD is recovering.

So what are your favourite home remedies? What things require preparation? (e.g. make ahead or have a healthy person available to make for you)

What can the truly sick do for themselves?

I do hope you feel better soon. They say there is about three times the flu this year, the flu shots missed the most common virus strain. I have two suggestions for you. Get some one to make a big batch of home made chicken soup, it cures everything and if it doesn't it makes you feel better at least. The other is drink a lot of liquids and eat a banana once a day. A really nice hot bath might help the aches and pains and the steam clears up the stuffies for a while. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

Ahhh . . . . banana's are a plan and a hot bath sounds great.. . maybe I will see if DD will draw the bath for me.

Hot Toddy's (notice the plural?)

You'll feel better in no time.

Gotcha - hot toddies it is, though they might just put me back asleep!

That's how they help.

Make you sleep and sweat the cold/flu out of you.

Enjoy.

Okay - I'll see what we have for rum

Feel better! Yes, the vaccine only prevents 40% of the strains this year. Forget the home remedies - get a script for Tamiflu. The last time I had the flu two years ago I took it and was absolutely amazed how quickly I felt better.

If you don't have rum, any alcohol will work in a pinch.

When we were kids Dad would give us mini hot toddy's to help us sleep. I remember still Gramma giving him heck for it :))

Tamiflu? I never heard of it . . . . I didn't think there was any prescription medicine for flu . . . I thought we just had to suffer - or get drunk on Hot Rum Toddies!

Been around for a number of years now.

Hot toddies are more fun :))

They're even more fun when you're well!

I just happen to be orchestrating the music for a children's production of "Really Rosie" later this month, and the finale production number of that show is that famous cure for all ills: "Chicken Soup with Rice!"
(My wife just made a batch with noodles and peas, instead of rice--works just as well, I hear.)

Thanks everyone. I did have my flu shot . . . I am flat on my back. Tomorrow is President's Day, correct? I wonder if the doctor will be open. I will go to the clinic on campus - no co-pay (which is now $25 every time we see the doctor - and is illegal in Canada . . . but that's off topic)

How am I supposed to teach this week . . . how long until I feel better? ummmmm...
I guess I better google this flu and find out what I am dealing with.

You can't call your doc today and have him / her call in a script???

On a Sunday????? Anyway, I just googled, and according to today's Chicago Tribune, this flu virus is showing resistence to Tamiflu . . . . go figure. The year I get the flu. I will go to the clinic tomorrow and see if they can give me a prescription.

Yes - you should always be able to reach your doctor. You need to be able to go to work. Some strains are showing some resistance - but it's not a widespread problem. Also, you have no idea which one you have.

You are right . . . I have no idea. You can just phone a doctor on Sunday? I never heard of such a thing.

If coughing keeps you awake. An old remedy that really works for us is to rub a generous amount of Vick's salve on the bottom of your feet and put on some socks.

Hope you feel better soon!

Docs always have an answering service who can reach them or another doc who may be covering for them.

No, it's not coughing - just profound exhaustion and stuffy nose, body aches, headache, that sort of stuff. According to the web pages, I should be better by Thursday, since that will be a week from when I first became ill.

Yes, I actually went to immigration with the flu - after taking a lot of over the counter medicine to disguise symptoms. The lawyers were EMPHATIC that we were not to miss the appointment as this could seriously delay our application for permanent residency. So there were the three of us, sitting as far away from others as possible, sniffling and trying very hard not to be obviously ill.

Oh, yes, of course, they do! What was I thinking of??? Thanks Victor, I am going for the phone now.

Stay home, drink plenty of liquid, tylenol every 4 hours , hot shower and sleep. It is a virus and you should feel. better in 48 hours with out complications. Bellieg RN

Thanks Bellieg. I like the idea of feeling better. I am going downstairs to get some V-8 juice - that count's as fluids, right?

watch this video

http://youtube.com/watch?v=M0t1K_-YA30&feature=related

Good info, Allison. I take Vitamin D - more in the winter months. As for the peroxide, I have never tried it in my ear but I will say that when I feel a cold coming on (always starts with a sore throat for me) I gargle with 50% peroxide and warm water and it stops it dead 90% of the time - no exaggeration. Been doing it for two years now.

Well, I can understand gargling H2O2 - but in my ear??? Is this serious?

Or V8 in your ear?

I have been doing both of those for years.... with my Epstein Barr I need all the help I can get.... when it's about to kick in to high gear the gland in the back of my throat on the left side will get swollen... gargle and put the stuff in my ears.. 9 times out of 10 it either stops it or helps knock it out faster... you know the pressure you get in your ears when you have a sinus infection... this always helps me

yummy Victor

I don't suggest this but it is what I do. Drink like 1/2 bottle of Nyquil. Go to bed cover up with 2 extra blankets and SWEAT Of course I drink liquids to stay hydrated or I would be a more shrivled up prune.

So that's how you slurred the word "chicken"!

1/2 bottle of Nyquil?!! Wow - I'll pass on that one.

Me too, the stuff''s too sweet, makes me gag. I'll stick with the alcohol :)

don't know about the nyquil thing... but I will agree with the sweating out the bad stuff... and drinking lots of water and juice

I also recommend nasal irrigation on a regular basis - neti pot. Great for people with sinus problems but also at preventing colds, etc., and helps with allergies.

http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/product/neti.html

The only way I can stay in the bed that long it to drink that nasty stuff. Yeah I have drank at least 1/2 bottle to knock me down to stay there.

Slurred chicken? Don't know with Nyquil. Was too sick to remember what I was sick with!

ummm . . . my problem is that folks with high blood pressure have limited choices on meds for colds and flu.

If I took 1/2 a bottle of nyquil, I'd probably push the blood pressure off the charts!

Do people REALLY put hydrogen peroxide in their ears? I'll definitely pass on the V8 in my ear!

I put in my kids' ears for wax build-up but never tried it for illness. Do a search on it and see what you find.