It used to be that when I got a cold (about once every three or four years) I'd go find some cold medicine at the drugstore and take it as suggested until the cold went away (typically in three or four days). We all know that a cold lasts that long whether you treat it or not, so I never found a particular cold treatment which I could swear worked. I never worried overmuch about it; I think there was a placebo effect, wherein I felt like I was doing something about it.
Now, though, I take a daily blood pressure pill and a daily cholesterol pill, so I have to look a lot harder at the ingredients of cold pills, and I have fewer choices.
Bah.
Posted by Linkmeister at May 9, 2007 12:57 PM | TrackBackI don't even remember the last cold I had. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a recluse, but I volunteer in our library's used book store and I do all the local grocery shopping. Stay away from kids and wash your hands a lot. If you feel something coming on, take a bunch of vitamin C and take Echinacea.
Posted by: terryinaz at May 9, 2007 07:55 PMYeah, I hear ya ,Linky. It is the same way with allergies. I can't take the stuff they advertise. The good old "bed buddy" seems to help, but is not functional when shopping or driving a car!
Posted by: toxiclabrat at May 11, 2007 09:26 PMI have a suggestion that has worked fairly well for me, and I got it from my allergy doctor. The suggestion is zinc pills - not the lozenges which taste awful, but just a pill, I usually use 25 mg. You start taking one a day at the first intimation of cold symptoms; the doctor claims it jump starts your immune system to help it fend off the cold. I have no idea if this is true or not, but I've been doing it for several years and I haven't had more than mild colds.
Washing your hands a lot helps too.
Posted by: hedera at May 12, 2007 06:32 PM