Zicam does nothing for me, but then I already take zinc as a supplement. What I have found to be helpful (and was mentioned in one of grainlady's links) is breathing steam, especially when I first start to feel something coming on. They way I do it is to get a very large mixing bowl (glass), add crushed eucalyptus berries (which I get from the Marina bike trail) and the pour a large amount of boiling water from the tea kettle over the berries. Then I put my head over the bowl and cover both the bowl and my head with a large bath towel, to prevent the steam from escaping. I inhale as much steam as possible and as deeply as possible, and allow any nasal draining to fall into the bowl. I generally have to come up for cool air several times, but the heat from the steam is what can kill the germs in my sinuses. This method gives you a facial at the same time, as it opens your pores from sweating. You do not need the eucalyptus berries - they are there for fragrance, and so you can substitute whatever you like, or even put Vicks in the bowl. Sometimes I use lemon zest. This will not cure a cold, but it will help clear your sinuses, much as nasal irrigation or spicy soup will, but the heat is helpful to prevent a cold from taking hold, if you catch it soon enough. I haven't had a cold in a while, and I felt that the dry air at Death Valley was theraputic. Visiting a sauna might be helpful. Lars

How kind you all are to post with help! Yesterday afternoon I went back to bed, shaking too hard to hold a magazine. We've started on a heat wave here (mid-70's), but I tucked under blanket and duvet. I don't remember going to sleep, but did, and slept for an hour. Woke, felt hot. Temp was 101F, but went down to 100 after I drank more water -- and threw off the covers! This morning I'm still above my 'normal' of 97.8F, but am feeling much better and no longer having 'the shakes'. My bowels did move -- still formless, but there is less gas. DH laundered the bedclothes and I took a short shower. Talked to DIL and grandkids for half an hour. Now off to nap for a bit while DH watches Da Bears. I am actually thrilled when I *can* run a fever. It usually means my body is *doing something* about a problem. Those low grade fevers don't help like 101! My hemoglobin is at 7 -- from a pre-op 14. Surgeon posited a transfusion, but I wasn't eager. He also spoke about iron supplement -- more 'constipation' -- not now, thanks. Anyway, I am improving -- and You Helped! wanda -- My surgery was laparoscopic -- five 1 - 2 inch incisions. My mid-section looks like I was run over by a truck tire -- black and blue, especially on my left side where the blood pooled during two hours of surgery. (It looks a bit like the map of Russia. LOL)

Random comments: I see Tide With Bleach powder at 2 of my local Meijer stores (Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, Michigan) so I'm assuming they have it on their national website (Meijer.com). I also see it on Walmart's website. Walmart has free shipping on orders over $50, I think. If rinsed properly, there is absolutely no detergent scent left behind. Mama, the liquid version sure is not the same. No oxygen bleach -- don't know how they can get away with that. Only facial moisturizer/sunscreen I can use: "Eucerin Daily Protection SPF 30." Stays white a while because of the mineral (vs chemical) suncreens but quickly absorbs. Nicely moisturizing also for winter. On my arms and legs I use "California Kids Supersensitive SPF 30," and like miami above it is very thick, white, and doesn't soak in. The neighbors just stare when I also put this on my face, but who cares? Yes, vetwife, Eucerin products are highly recommended by derms and they are very nice. Just want you to know that I was in the SHADE outside when my "rash" started the prickly burning. UV rays are everywhere, even near inside windows. Something about climate chanage and the ozone layer -- I can't keep up. cilantro, I've cut out Zrytec/Claritin and Aleve/aspirin, but cannot cut out my ace inhibitor with diuretic, or anti-depressant. The rash is lessened so, again, thank you for that link. Having a biopsy next week, so I'll be on Tylenol anyway, and that's supposed to be okay. Thanks to this Forum, we all get to help each other in some way.

Gosh, you guys are wonderful! Thanks so much. Lukki -- I failed to say that my workup for the MM showed the spinal stenosis. That was end of June 2018. The back pain was really bad then, but eased as the MM treatments brought my IgG down rapidly. It was over 6000; is now below 1600. I still tried the steroid injection -- to my sorrow! The back pain has gotten b-a-d last two months, while the MM numbers look great. I have another puzzle, with suddenly poor BUN and creatinine numbers and foamy urine the last two months. Ultrasound on kidneys showed no problems there. Mystery. You are so kind to even think about revisiting MM stuff so soon after losing your DH to the darn thing. satine -- That's SO encouraging to hear about your sister! Did she consider the less invasive PILD decompression? My DH has been my rehab nurse during two hip replacements, with visiting PT, but we were both *younger* back then. I'd probably need the nursing home thing if I had back surgery.