My mother said, take vitamin c, pantothenic acid, soup, tea, and it will be gone in 7 days. If you do nothing, it'll last a week.

She was right lol!

DH used to get a lot of sinus-ear infections and didn't like taking the antibiotics. He started drinking 4 oz of apple cider vinegar a few times a day as soon as one started, an they ended in a day or two. Eventually, they stopped altogether. Me, I think the body just gave up: no, no, no more vinegar, I'll be healthy, just stop with the vinegar!

Chicken soup.

Feel better!

As hot a shower as you can stand. Sweat it out. Take a steaming, very hot shower and get into bed immediately afterward. But ultimately, it's going to take its course, as bp's mom noted.

LOL bpathome!

I've been eating chicken soup. And I tried a hot shower this morning but I got dizzy really quickly so I don't last long... Maybe I will try that again now and then get back into bed.

If you can take Tamiflu within the first 48 hours it really helps. May be too late by tomorrow morning. Just drink lots of fluids, especially water. If your sinuses are blocked, irrigate with saline as often as you can. I use chloraseptic throat spray when my throat is irritated.

Sorry the flu bug bit you. Hope you are better soon!

Sorry you have the flu. I caught it last year despite having had my flu shot.

I'm sensitive to medication and discovered I was allergic to Tamiflu. It gave me a rash across my chest that looked like measles and left me short of breath so I had to stop taking it.

I know it's been a godsend to a lot of people suffering with a bad case, but just giving a heads up to keep an eye out for side effects if you've never taken it before.

For some years at the first sign of a cold, I start taking organic Elderberry syrup. Seems to help me. Also zinc tablets. Slippery elm bark lozenges for sore throat.

Ok, this not coming directly from my family practice doc DH, but it is what he always tells me, our kids, our friends, our families and all his patients to do: Take the regular Sudafed, AS DIRECTED on the label; along with Mucinex, as directed; and Tylenol; use Afrin nose spray every 12 hours, making sure your second dose is just before you go to bed for the night, so that you can get a good night's sleep. Use chapstick and keep it around to use often. Drink lots of fluids, especially water, to keep yourself hydrated; get good rest; take your vitamin C , but don't overdose on it! And, don't just take these meds when your symptoms get too bad to tolerate. If the label says take every 4 or 6 hours, take them every 4 or 6 hours, at least until you are over the hump.

For what it's worth, that's what we've been doing forever . . . and it works for us all. Poor DD, a college senior out of state is on Day 4 of some horrid cold virus and is doing good today. It's not rocket science, my DH always says; it's good common sense. For what it's worth.

What Gramarows said... I also keep this stuff below on hand at all times. But it may be too late for you to take it now because it works best at the onset of symptoms. I also give it to my family a few days before important events (vacation, weddings, holidays etc) during cold/flu season. I swear by it. I hope you're feeling better soon.

ETA, it doesn't have to be these tablets above. This is just the form of black elderberry that my family tolerates. (The syrup is too "gross" for them.) You can research the evidence for black elderberry--it's all out there.

"I got really dizzy quickly." You may be dehydrated so really try to push the fluids. Tylenol or Ibuprofen for fever as fever contributes to dehydration and even a low grade fever makes you feel awful. If you have a sore throat or body aches and no stomach upset, you may get more relief with Ibuprofen as it is an anti-inflammatory. Good advice from LynnNM's DH, the doc in the house.

I hope you feel better soon, Beagles.

Two naturals, sleep and water. Both in large quantities. ;)

So sorry you're sick. I like cold-eeze (or equivalent) which has zinc in it which is an immune system booster.

A year or two ago I started the same thread. Someone suggested olive leaf. I haven't had a bad cold/flu since I started taking it (except once when I ran out and thought I didn't need it).

Second the zinc.

I'm sorry, Beagles, I read and answered this yesterday using my cell phone. . . and with too many things going on in the background. I didn't realize then that you were looking only for alternatives to conventional meds. I apologize.

I pretty much do what Lynn's husband prescribes for a bad cold, upper respiratory bug, etc. But when I've had the flu (only a couple of times that I can remember), I didnt have cold symptoms. Fever, terrible body aches, malaise. Chills along with the fever. Last time I had the flu I did take tamiflu, and the fever/aches were pretty much gone within 24 hours. The awful weak feeling, that terrible tiredness if you did much of anything, continued for a few days. I'm going to look into olive leaf and elderberry as preventatives. Thanks to those that suggested these.

Thanks :)

I'm going to get some slippery elm bark lozenges and some elderberry and zinc and try olive leaf to hopefully avoid getting sick again!

That's OK LynnNM :) I try to avoid taking medicine when I can, esp. if the medicine is just going to mask symptoms but not actually improve anything...

I forgot to add that Whole Foods also has an organic elderberry lozenge -cough drops- I use them and the slippery elm. Also bought organic throat-coat teas. I'll check the info and add specific info shortly in case anyone is interested. Also, I recommend the homeopathic Oscillococcinum. The best price I found was at Costco.

I heard some people swear by local honey. I'm picking up a jar tomorrow that's made a few miles away.

We'll see...

DH just reminded me last night that we're supposed to have an early Spring here and that our Spring allergy season is supposed to be a tough one this year because it's been a very wet Winter. I have terrible Spring allergies to juniper and pine pollen, which we didn't discover until we built in the middle of a thousand acres of them. I've heard that local honey might help. Anything else come to mind?

gramarows, would you mind to list items to use as preventive measures for flu? I take a daily immune mix (C/zinc/etc.) and drink green tea. Flu is just popping up in our area (seems late?) and I'd like to know if there's anything to help prevent. Thanks so much!

Beware that Afrin can give rebound problems even with short-term use. I cannot use it even 1 day without getting worse nasal congestion than I started with.

Last month my husband took Afrin twice in 24 hours and was hospitalized with the worst migraine of his life and dangerously high blood pressure. Obviously, this isn't the normal reaction to it but his ENT said it is more common than people realize.

For common colds, I use Zicam nasal swabs to shrink mucous membranes in my nose, and take vitamin C in copious dosages.

if you go to the doctor early in an upper respiratory illness and s/he prescribes antibiotics, ask WHY before you take them. If you haven't had a blood test or some other indication you have a bacterial infection you may be doing yourself more harm than good.

My sister took Zicam nasal spray about 7 years ago and it affected her taste. Most everything tasted metallic or odd. I don't know if it's fully back yet. There was a class action lawsuit with over 200 people who lost their sense of taste.

Beagles, hope you feel better soon. I'm still away in FL and today DH took DS2 to the doc and he tested +ve for the flu and was given tamiflu. DH will never let me leave town alone again!!!!

My daughter has been a proponent of herbs for quite some time and makes tinctures of elderberry which I have used when I feel a cold coming on and found it very soothing. She also has one with stinging nettles which is for allergies.

About the local honey, I have heard that especially for allergies it stands to reason that it would be beneficial as it would have the pollen or whatever is local in your area.

if you go to the doctor early in an upper respiratory illness and s/he prescribes antibiotics, ask WHY before you take them. If you haven't had a blood test or some other indication you have a bacterial infection you may be doing yourself more harm than good.

*****

If you have a blood test positive for bacterial infection, you'd better ask your doctor WHY you're not in the hospital.

Doctors base prescribing antibiotics when there is evidence of a secondary bacterial infection, not when they suspect the sole cause of symptoms to be a virus.

It's patients and parents that want the antibiotics when not indicated.

Doctors are thus telling patients why they're NOT giving them out.

mimi, I think you misinterpreted what KSWL meant. And sadly, there are doctors who all too easily hand out antibiotics, when we could do without. I've had a doctor (not my present internist!) ask me if I wanted an antibiotic!! I hate taking antibiotics. Sadly, I have a mold allergy which almost always leaves me with a yearly sinus infection even though I work diligently to manage the allergy. At least now, since sinus surgery, I can take a lower dose (than I used to) and one round of meds takes care of it.

My home remedy is more a way to treat symptoms than to cure the flu-- but this is my go-to for colds/flus that get into the ear canal... or any deep congestion that causes pain, dizziness or loss of equilibrium.

I make a steam bath with pungent herbs and spices.. put a large pot of water on the stove and add things like peppercorn, sage, dried peppers, fenugreek (i don't usually have this but I add it when I do) and bring just shy of an active boil so it is producing a lot of steam. Remove from heat then tent a towel over your head and the pot so you can breathe in the steam.. you may need to wait a moment so the heat isn't too uncomfortable.

If my congestion is bad, I repeat this every few hours. It is the single best thing I've found for relief when it gets into my ear canals.

A friend gave me some eucalyptus oil to drop in the shower. I suspect it has similar effect but I haven't tried it as yet. She said she just adds a few small drops on the shower floor and the steam brings it up-- and in much the same way as the pungent spice steam, breaks through the congestion.

My father's trick.. which I also follow.. 2 stingers (brandy and white creme de menthe), then wrap up and go right to bed! We both prefer the stinger with primarily brandy.. and "wave the bottle of creme de menthe over the top". I am not sure it cures anything but it helps me sleep. :)

ETA: Hope you feel better soon-- if you aren't already!

Tina, I start taking plain zinc tablets and "antho immune" Organic Elderberry syrup an herbal supplement antioxident for immune support at the first sign which usually heads off further issues.. If it continues, and I experience onset of flu-like symptoms "body aches, headaches, fever, chills and fatigue" I start Oscillococcinum by Boiron. Has been very effective for me. At the first sign of sore throat I gargle with hot salt water and use Nature's Way organic Sambucus Elderberry/vitamin C zinc lozenges. Can only take up to 5 a day so I also use Thayer's Slippery Elm lozenges made from Elm bark, every two hours. These come in original and fruit flavors now. I drink organic Throat Coat tea by Traditional Medicinals and Gaia's organic Throat Shield tea. One of these teas tastes better than the other to me, but I can't remember which. There may be other throat coat teas, but these I find at Whole Foods.

I am very rarely sick. What works for me is to go to bed at the very first sign of feeling unwell. I sleep as much as I can, and if I'm not asleep I rest. I drink fresh oj and eat only chicken broth.

luckily I don't need to do this often but it totally works for me.

i go to bed with a glass of water, a box of tissues and a good book.

Thank you gramarows! Zinc is in the immune mixture (chewy vitamin) that I take. I'm going to look into the elderberry and olive leaf both. I have heard of/seen the oscillicocco (sp) at the drug store and wondered about that. (Ha! I was too lazy to copy so I know I butchered the spelling.) I've also used the slippery elm, both the lozenges and capsules for stomach imflammation. Well actually not lozenges, but a kind of dissolving tablet. I will look for the lozenges to have on hand, I imagine they would be good for sore throat. I'm one who also turns to salt water. Thank you for the info!

Your welcome, Tina! About 5 years ago, I made my own slippery elm lozenges which did not contain zinc, only I haven't run into my recipe. I used powered slippery elm from a health food store, rolled them out with a rolling pin and cut out little flat lozenges with a small bottle cap. I kept them in the freezer, and they were surprisingly good! I never heard of olive leaf broth, I'll have to research that.

Wassail is a holiday and cold weather must have at our house, but the boys will also ask me to make it for them if they get a cold -- even in summer. It soothes the throat, smels and tastes great -- even with a stuffy nose. It's a non-alcoholic recipe from an older Southern Living cookbook:

2 quarts apple juice

2 cups orange juice

2 ¼ cups pineapple juice (3 individual serving sized cans)

1 cup lemon juice

½ cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick (3-4
inches)

1 tsp whole cloves

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to
a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer
for 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer
for an additional 20 minutes. Strain and
discard spices. Serve warm.

On no Gramarows - the word was BOTH, not BROTH - LOL, at least it should have been!

LOL - darn, no olive leaf broth!! and it was sounding interesting!

What works for me is chicken noodle soup with a grilled cheese sandwich (cut on the angle like Mom used to do.)

mimi, I was not referring to a bacterial infection in the blood but rather an elevated white count. I didn't realize anyone would think otherwise.

"Doctors are thus telling patients why they're NOT giving them out."

Not where I live, they're given out like candy, mostly by PA's.

LIke candy? Where's the data on that?

Mimi, I am not getting into a debate with you over this. You misinterpreted my initial post, which was my fault for not being more specific. As to people getting antibiotics without good cause, i can---anecdotally---recount three examples from just the past two weeks of people I know personally who have gotten antibiotics from PAs for what was not substantiated as anything other than a cold. And this happens ALL the time. Its a small town, people talk to each other about their doctor visits, and they probably volunteer more information to me than most because they know I work in a medical office. If you are asking for an infectious disease treatment printout from the CDC by zip code, I can't offer that. I didn't realize that was the standard of discussion now instead of empirical statement.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've basically slept for the last several days and now I feel a lot better. It was very bad timing b/c my husband was here from PA and we had family staying and we were supposed to go out of town but didn't because I was sick- but at least I feel better!

Glad to hear you're better. I vote for sleep. And no side effects!

Glad to here you are better!

I use echinacea! When I even THINK I am coming down with something, I start popping 3 or 4 every time I think of it. I also like the Bigelow Lemon Ginger probiotic tea, with some honey.

Usually manage to dodge the major outbreaks....I may lay low for a day or so, but this seems to soften the symptoms to tolerable, and then I get to take care of everyone else who succumbs to it!!!

Vitamin D is also very helpful. I also think echinacea is a great remedy.