Ugh, the dreaded summer cold is in full swing right now. I have talked to many people across the country dealing with this pesky bug.
I too am afflicted by possibly the worst cold I have had in years. It is such a bad bug that has knocked the crap out of me that I am close to classifying it as the flu.
Anyone else dealing with this dreadful bug that wants to join my pity party? Any home remedies? Mr. Neo Cirtran has even let me down.
*Heh this isn’t a deal but it is potentially a freebie. If you want my cold bug for free simply pm me for my address and I will give the bug to you for free! No money down!*
I have one and it’s awful! It’s like a mixture of a flu and the worst cough ever! I’ve had it for some time now and it’s interrupting my sleep!
I couldnt sleep last night! It was horrendous! I had to move out on the couch because I was disturbing my husbands sleep lol!
I feel for you, I hate summer colds. I found what works really well for me to shorten the duration of the evil cold is Vitamin C chewable tablets, and popping a few when you feel the cold coming on sometimes can prevent it altogether.
I swear by NyQuil ( the cherry liquid kind) when I feel horrendous like that! Its the only way I can get some rest. Of course you have to make sure you’re going to bed or home for the day with nothing to do. It really knocks me out.
brutal – brutal. The worst sinus infection and sore throat I’ve had for years. Was flat in bed for my entire week’s vacation …
See the doctor, get some meds… don’t take any chances like I did last summer. My summer cold & cough ended up giving me thyroid nodules (which are small and benign at the moment but could be cancerous if they get bigger in the future).
I was wondering if something was going around. My little guy (not quite 3 years old) was telling me that his tummy was ouchie yesterday and he’s got a stuffed nose and a cough today, poor guy.
With the way things go, I should have it 10 fold in a day or two. Joy!
That sucks! I feel for ya!
I get a small bottle of Eucalyptus oil from Shoppers Drug Mart. I tab a small amount ON my nose to breathe.
Years ago, a pharmacist told me to do that. I was buying some cold pills and he came around the counter and slapped something on my nose. I was like……what is that?…..He told me it’s the best stuff for you when you have a cold/allergies/congestion. It’s awesome and the bottle costs about $6 or $7 dollars.
I used to use Vick’s Rub, but too harsh on my nose:(
I also put a snug hat on to keep in the heat……;)
Drink lots of tea and honey…….
One thing: last time I got what you have, was 2 years ago
Came out of nowhere…..my Dad asked me where I had been etc etc
I had gone shopping the day before for groceries, I told him
He said AH HA!
“did you wash your hands when you got home?”
I said…..”um I don’t think so”
He said “ALWAYS wash your hands well as soon as you get home from grocery or any shopping. He stated that the shopping cart has a tonne of germs on them, and kids all over. And that is where I probably got it.
Don’t believe those things you squeeze onto your hands. They are not good enough. Most should have at least 80% alcohol content to work well.
So yeah, washing hands a lot helps! 🙂
and um……rest, chicken noodle soup……..:)
I hope you get better!!!!!
Oh ps….Neo Citran ROCKS!…..puts you out real good…LOL!
I have had mine for 3 weeks…nothing works! Just have to let it run it’s course.
got meds – was put on antibiotics – still can’t shake this thing
my hubby than my 3 yr old had it and now it’s my turn 🙁 but i found thoese free breathe right strips we got work pretty good for sleeping! Along with cold meds and chicken noodle soup! This one sure is a bad one fever, cough, runny nose, chills the works … grr
My husband has it and it left him on bed rest for days. I hope everyone feels better soon!
i stock up on that natural echinacea tea from walmart.its in the diet/tea section.steep it for 15 minutes and drink.
take multivitamins and at night take a good sleep medicine with sinus and congestion in it,like benylin night or nyquil.if you ahve to take daytime medicine i like the benylin.not a fan of tylenol.
if you have a mister like the nyquil one use that or before bed boil a pot of hot water and vicks and put it in the bathroom while you have a hot bath or shower.
If you catch it right off the bat. I use viles o ginseng. you can get a box from $5-$10 buck that will last a long time. Normally only takes 3-4 days to get rid of it. .. COLD FX is JUST ginseng. but less of a dose of it and WAY More expensive..
this works better and WAY cheaper..
It’s awful. My whole family has been hit with it and of course my mom is coming for a week visit in a few days and the house is in shambles. Summer colds should never happen.
I usually get off-winter colds too. I drink pomegranate tea. It definitely works for me. Just buy a pomegranate and remove and scrub the rinds. Boil it in water (can add ginger) for 5 minutes and then let it simmer. It tastes really bitter, but hey, it works and you won’t feel dreadful after you take it. You can add honey (not sugar) and lemon to make it more tolerable. 🙂 Hope this helps.
Oh that pomegrante tea sounds great, but where do you find one at this time of year?
Oh yes I can sympathize! First my husband had it, then both my boys got it, and of course then I had to get it too! Although fortunately it has not hit me too hard yet, the first day I was exhausted and took a four hour nap! and last night I took two night time cold tablets just so I could breath through my nose (so I wouldn’t snore like the previous night and keep my husband awake lol) but I don’t feel totally knackered like I usually do….here’s hoping it stays that way!
I had it for the whole month of July…awful cold and ear infection. Couldn`t hear a thing for 2 weeks. Stayed in bed almost 3 weeks. I ended up taking 2 courses of antibiotics and I still can`t shake the cough. I feel like I missed most of the summer.
Well, ice cream seems like a nice thing to enjoy during a cold-just let the dessert soften then enjoy. Or make an ice cream float!
Sinus pain–just putting it out there: seeing if eating a clove of garlic with salt and a piece of bread gives some relief 30min later. It worked once for me, especially as the sinus headache was bad that it was necessary to lie down (sitting hurt my head too much).
Sinus issues have become a big deal in the past year and a half—nice surprises from Mother Nature, as I did not have those issues previously.
I think I had this back in June. It started out with a severe sore throat and fever. Then after a visit to the doctors I found out it had developed into acute bronchitis. I was coughing so much and so hard that I lost my voice and bruised my ribs. For about a week I couldn’t taste or smell anything. Antibiotics didn’t work for me. You just have to let it run it’s course. I was coughing for about a month and a half. For those who have it now, hope you get better soon!
ugggh my 11 month old seems to be fine except for a runny nose, but I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck!! Neti pot is my best friend these days, but I cant hear a thing out of my right ear. NASTY BUG!!! 🙁
@Sally I usually buy the pomegranates when they are in season, but I dry the rinds. That way, I can have pomegranate tea whenever I need it. But sometimes you can find imported pomegranates in the grocery store. Most of them (or all, I believe) are imported.
I tried to buy some pom wonderful, but my store was sold out, I’ll get some tomorrow and chug that haha. No pomegranates though…. will check other stores.
For some reason, it seems to drag on waaay longer than a Winter cold. Maybe ’cause it’s nice outside, soo many things that you could do – instead of being stuck at home and staring outside your window!
Whereas in the Winter, it can be nice to have an excuse to miss work. 😉
Ugh, we have it here too. I’ve been snuffling for a week, but I’m on day 2 of the harsh sickies and don’t have time for there to be a day 3!
I had the brutal summer cold too, just in time for the August long weekend. And since I’m pregnant, I couldn’t take anything. Rest, plenty of fluids–but only certain teas, juices, water and milk, a humidifier and that was about it. No vitamin C, no sinus relief, no cough syrup. It took me about 10 days to get over it. Summer colds are so wrong! It sucks being stuck in bed or on the couch when it’s beautiful outside.
I’m sorry to hear that you all haven’t been feeling well! There are some really great suggestions above and I thought I would just mention some natural remedies that have helped me in the past:
1) For upping your Vitamin C intake, try Emergen-C. This is a tiny packet of 1,000 mg of Vitamin C in powder form (liquids are absorbed more quickly by the body than tablets) which you mix with 6-8 oz. of room temperature water. It comes in a ton of different flavours and is great for when you are sick or what you start to feel something come on. My husband and I will often take 2 packages at once if we are getting bombarded by something.
2) For sore throats, I SWEAR by manuka honey (you can consume honey when you are pregnant)! My husband and I just take a spoonful of this honey when we have a sore throat and it works wonders!!!!!!! You can find it at your health food store and be sure to pay attention to the UMF (unique manuka factor rating. It is a bit pricy (we pay $30 for one container but it lasts us a year and seriously, when you have a killer sore throat and need relief $3o seems like a bargain). For more information, I found this Website that has a good breakdown of all of manuka honey’s benefits: http://www.benefitsofhoney.us/en/cp/Honey_Shop_Manuka_Honey_Properties
3) For a fever, remember, it is a good sign as it is showing that your body is fighting off whatever it is being confronted with but if it has gone beyond your comfort level and you want to bring it down naturally, try a homeopathic remedy called Belladona. Homeopathic remedies are awesome as they are even safe for babies. If your not familiar with homeopathic remedies I would suggest reading up on it as I have been able to treat my 1 year old’s illnesses (and most of my own) with remedies (and they are also safe for pregnant women).
4) A good salt water gargle is also great for the throat and don’t forget putting a few drops of tea tree oil in a pot of boiling water and leaning over it to breathe in the steam. I have been prone to sinus infections in the past and when they strike this is one great thing to have to open up those cavities (and combat germs). Also, put a warm compress across your nasal passage and then try to fall asleep while you can still breathe ;).
I hope these little tricks work. One last thing is a recipe for homemade cough syrup that my mom found on the internet. My husband swears by it: http://www.pitt.edu/~cjm6/sp99cough.html
Feel better bargain finders! 🙂
We have it here. I found that Buckley’s mixture really soothes the raw throat. My husband makes ginger lemon tea. Chop up some fresh ginger root and a fresh lemon cut into small pieces including skin. Steep in boiling water. He puts it in a thermos and seeps it overnight and then strains and drinks it. It’s pretty powerful stuff.
I had it for 9 days, felt good for 1, and have been fighting it again for past 4 days …. Im beat and its the worst cold I’ve had in 2 years … sinus and sore throat !
This is the first year I haven’t had a summer cold. Now, a tooth infection that caused the left side of my face to be swollen, on the other hand…..
If you are coughing a lot and it keeps you up at night, here is the cure!!
Wash your feet with a hot cloth to open your pores on the bottoms of your feet and then rub vicks on them and cover with socks. My daughter would not stop coughing for nearly a hour when I decided to try this and 5 min later she was sleeping and not one cough!! Make sure you wash your feet in the morning to close up your pores. Good luck!
@Leah… that is an interesting solution, never heard of that before!
I visit the chiropractor quite regularly and they gave us some information for Natural Remedies:
Get an adjustment! your nervous sytems controls EVERYTHING in your body, including your immune system. If everything is flowing clearly, it allows your body to heal itself!
Oil of Oregano: as effective as leading prescription antibiotics against bacteria. Oil of Oregano is anti-bactierial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. It has strong anti-inflammatory and analgestic properties which makes it usefor for many conditions where pain and inflamtion are present. It is also a strong expectorant which means that it loosens phlegm and mucous in the sinuses and lungs and it releives coughing. All of these properties compliment it’s powerful germ-fighting actions and the result is a cold and flu remedy that is unmatched by all other natural and pharmaceutical products on the market.
Eucalyptus Bath: A hot ath with eucalyptus oil will not only help relax your body and encourage a peaceful rest, but the oil is a decongestant and has strong gericidal and antibacterial effects.
Ginger and Onion Tea: Although it sounds unpleasant, this very simple tea is very effective. Its main purpose is to promote sweating, forcing the cold out through the pores. You will need 4 simple components:
– 2 cups water
– piece of ginger (approx the size of your thumb) diced into large pieces, so the core is exposed
– half a medium sized white onion OR a small bunch of green onion (approx 5 stalks)
– 1 tsp brown sugar
**bring water to a boil…add ginger and onion. Boil for 10-15 min. Add brown sugar. Strain and drink.
good luck!!
Why does all the natural stuff have to be smellly gross stuff.
I had it in may.. babysitt kids and they were sick as well except theres went away afew days later and mine didn’t. I never see a doctor but I begged my parents to go it was just awful and they said blahblah you don’t need to go. Eventually dbf took me and they said it had spread to bronchitus (which I’ve never had)! Always trust your instinct!!
My mom likes to put euchanasia in water and drink it, definitely tastes crappy but it works and its natural! I’m going to Cuba next week and she is making me bring oregano oil she said it kills everything!
Thank you everyone for all the ideas to feel better, I thought I was alone in my misery 🙂 Washing my hands & using hand sanitizer didn’t help keep this bad cold away….
I just got it a day ago. My sore throat is killing me as I type this. 🙁
Because it is a virus, we have to deal with it. No meds will help, so forget antibiotics.