Darrell KSR
11-13-2014, 12:13 PM
I posted this last year, but since I just earned a cold last night and I'm going through it again, I thought I would share with my brethren. Like "Granny" on the Beverly Hillbillies, this isn't a cure, but I swear that it cuts the cold duration, and it reduces the symptoms very quickly.
Zicam or zinc lozenges every 3 hours. I had one at 8:30 last night, at 11:30, woke up at 3 a.m. (not intentionally, but I do that), had another, at 6 a.m., at 9 a.m., and again at noon. This is a real key to attacking it early. I recommend doing this at least 2-3 days. I'm torn whether it has any impact after that time or not. If you're lucky, the cold will be 90% gone by 3 days anyway.
Bombarding vitamin C. Yeah, I know you urinate most of it out. But I believe in it. I usually take something like the Emergen-C drink about 3 times a day. I don't remember what that is, but it's something like 3000% of the recommended daily amount.
Neti-pot. Congestion or runny nose? Get that out. Use a neti-pot, saline rinse aggressively. Helps tremendously with the symptoms, reduces swelling of the nasal membrane, loosens the gunk in there. For years this was recommended to me, and I thought it was the most disgusting thing ever, and refused to do it. I finally was so desperate, I thought I would try anything, and bought it and tried it. I don't use it prophylactically, but any time I have a sinus issue, whether allergies or a cold, sinus infection, etc., I use it up to about 4 times a day.
During the day, I will also combine that with a 12-hour sudafed, and that works very well together. It will keep you up at night, so I do not use the sudafed at night, although I have tried the 24-hour version, and it sometimes isn't too bad. But I'll also wake up sometime and feel "wired" when using it, so I fell back to this.
At night, **if needed**, I will use a saline spray to relieve the congestion, if the neti-pot isn't enough.
There you go. Cartwright's Cold "Cure." No, it isn't a cure--but it will make you feel better more quickly.
Zicam or zinc lozenges every 3 hours. I had one at 8:30 last night, at 11:30, woke up at 3 a.m. (not intentionally, but I do that), had another, at 6 a.m., at 9 a.m., and again at noon. This is a real key to attacking it early. I recommend doing this at least 2-3 days. I'm torn whether it has any impact after that time or not. If you're lucky, the cold will be 90% gone by 3 days anyway.
Bombarding vitamin C. Yeah, I know you urinate most of it out. But I believe in it. I usually take something like the Emergen-C drink about 3 times a day. I don't remember what that is, but it's something like 3000% of the recommended daily amount.
Neti-pot. Congestion or runny nose? Get that out. Use a neti-pot, saline rinse aggressively. Helps tremendously with the symptoms, reduces swelling of the nasal membrane, loosens the gunk in there. For years this was recommended to me, and I thought it was the most disgusting thing ever, and refused to do it. I finally was so desperate, I thought I would try anything, and bought it and tried it. I don't use it prophylactically, but any time I have a sinus issue, whether allergies or a cold, sinus infection, etc., I use it up to about 4 times a day.
During the day, I will also combine that with a 12-hour sudafed, and that works very well together. It will keep you up at night, so I do not use the sudafed at night, although I have tried the 24-hour version, and it sometimes isn't too bad. But I'll also wake up sometime and feel "wired" when using it, so I fell back to this.
At night, **if needed**, I will use a saline spray to relieve the congestion, if the neti-pot isn't enough.
There you go. Cartwright's Cold "Cure." No, it isn't a cure--but it will make you feel better more quickly.