Which over-the-counter cold/flu medicine works best for you

[montanafan]

I've been sick since Saturday night. Head and chest congestion, coughing and sneezing, runny nose, fever, and muscle aches (well, the muscle aches were really bad Sunday and yesterday, not as bad today). Ruined my 3-day weekend.

Called in sick this morning and went to the doctor's office. Got there just before 9:00 when they open. Now I'm used to doctors arriving a little later than when the office opens, but by 10 til 10:00 he still wasn't there and the nurses had started taking people into the exam rooms to wait. By 10 after 10:00 I asked when the doctor was going to arrive and was told he should be there in another 20 minutes or so, he had locked his keys in the car and couldn't get in touch with OnStar. Give me a break! I told them I would return that afternoon when the doctor was actually there.

Anyway, I went to the drugstore and got some "Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom Severe" medication. It's been a long time since I bought an over-the-counter medication, and I used to get "Tylenol Flu" tablets, but they didn't have any. I took two capsules a while ago and haven't noticed much improvement. I'll probably go back to the doctor's office this afternoon, but it seems like a waste of time and money since all he's going to be able to do is give me a shot or medicine for the symptoms. It sure would be nice to find an over-the-counter medication that could help instead.

Can anyone recommend something that's worked for them?

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Get something from behind the counter that contains pseudoephedrine.

 

[Linflas]

For me it's all about the Quil. DayQuil for work and NyQuil at night.

 

[dullard]

#1: Learn to not see the doctor for cases that the doctor can do nothing about. You are just wasting money, spreading disease, and clogging up the health care system for everyone.

#2: Listen to AbsolutDealage.

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
Get something from behind the counter that contains pseudoephedrine.

 

[FoBoT]

off brand from walmart

if you don't have to drive/work, get the liquid nyquil off brand and drink half the bottle (this is NOT a recommendation to disregard the directions on the package and i am NOT a qualified medical professional that you should be taking medical advice from, i didn't even stay at a holiday inn express last night)

 

[Modelworks]

Nyquil
The stuff taste nasty , but it works.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
Get something from behind the counter that contains pseudoephedrine.

Duh! I forgot they were putting some medications behind the counter now because of pseudoephedrine. I thought what they had on the shelf was all they had. <smacks self on forehead and sneezes loudly> Thanks.

Originally posted by: Linflas
For me it's all about the Quil. DayQuil for work and NyQuil at night.

I tried NyQuil in college and I've avoided it ever since because of the terrible hangover like feeling I had the next morning. I may give the DayQuil a try though. Thanks.

Originally posted by: dullard
#1: Learn to not see the doctor for cases that the doctor can do nothing about. You are just wasting money, spreading disease, and clogging up the health care system for everyone.

#2: Listen to AbsolutDealage.

Yeah, I know, that's why I'm asking. He does have this one shot that can alleviate the worst of the symptoms and help you make it through the workday, unfortunately my workday starts way before his does.

Originally posted by: FoBoT
off brand from walmart

if you don't have to drive/work, get the liquid nyquil off brand and drink half the bottle (this is NOT a recommendation to disregard the directions on the package and i am NOT a qualified medical professional that you should be taking medical advice from, i didn't even stay at a holiday inn express last night)

I have thoroughly read and do understand your disclaimer. It would take me half-an-hour to get to Walmart and I don't feel up to the drive, but I may try some DayQuil. Thanks.

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Nyquil
The stuff taste nasty , but it works.

Not to mention the after effects, but it seems to be getting a lot of votes, so I'll give the day version a try. Thanks.

 

[FoBoT]

almost any store, grocery or drug chain has a generic nyquil , or you can pay full price for real nyquil

get well soon :sun:

 

[Bryophyte]

I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion of generic Dayquil/Nyquil. The Dayquil will reduce your symptoms to where you can drag yourself through the day (and if it doesn't, you really shouldn't be out of bed.)

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
almost any store, grocery or drug chain has a generic nyquil , or you can pay full price for real nyquil

get well soon :sun:

Thanks, FoBoT.

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion of generic Dayquil/Nyquil. The Dayquil will reduce your symptoms to where you can drag yourself through the day (and if it doesn't, you really shouldn't be out of bed.)

Yep, I can't stand staying in bed all day, and I already had to do that Sunday.

The two Tylenol Multi-Symptom... tablets have just run their course and were pretty useless. In fact, I don't know if was caused by it, but I started feeling kind of sick to my stomach after taking the Tylenol stuff. I'm off to the drugstore for either something with pseudoephedrine or the DayQuil. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[FoBoT]

are you feeling better yet?

 

[pontifex]

That Zicam stuff works great for me.

 

[Jugernot]

Originally posted by: dullard
#1: Learn to not see the doctor for cases that the doctor can do nothing about. You are just wasting money, spreading disease, and clogging up the health care system for everyone.

#2: Listen to AbsolutDealage.

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
Get something from behind the counter that contains pseudoephedrine.

I could not have said it better myself... it's a total waste of money to see a doctor for a cold and in most cases the flu. You can take Tamiflu for flu, but it MUST be taken within first 24hrs of symptoms to be effective.

Don't waste your time or money on a doctor for such small things.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
are you feeling better yet?

Hi FoBoT! I'm feeling much better this evening, thanks for asking.

I went back to work today after my first good night's sleep since Friday night, thanks to the NyQuil (cherry flavored) recommended by several people here. No lingering effects the next day. I used DayQuil today and it seemed to help quite a bit too. They both turned out to be good advice. :thumbsup:

 

[dennilfloss]

Lemon Neocitran works wonders for me. Better than Nyquil or any syrup I've ever tried.

 

[Brainonska511]

The last time I was sick like that, I just took Sudafed (for the congestion) and Motrin (to reduce the swelling in my sinuses and throat).

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: pontifex
That Zicam stuff works great for me.

I've never tried Zicam, but that reminds me, I used some kind of chewable tablets that had zinc in them the last time I had a bad cold back in November and had to go out in the cold to photograph a football game. I can't remember the name of them though. They tasted pretty bad, but seemed to help. Anyone know what the name of them might be? I know I'd remember it as soon as I heard it.

 

[videogames101]

Advil is my prefered brand, i do beleive they have a cold tablet, but i almost never get really sick, so i don't really remeber. I just know it works wonders on pains and fevers.

 

[JS80]

Doctors are so scum.

 

[silverpig]

I had something nasty several years ago that put me right down. I was pretty much non-functional. I took it as an opportunity to stay home and eat soup and drink ginger ale all day, but after 3 days I had only gotten worse. In that time I'd tried Tylenol cold and flu, sudafed, ny/day-quil, advil, aspirin, neo-citran etc and nothing worked a lick. The doc gave me some zithromax and damn was that stuff ever powerful. My ears, which were swollen and full of fluid were popping because that stuff worked so fast. Within 4 hours I was probably 70% better. By the next day I was great again.

What's the point? Over the counter stuff is pretty weak. Get the good stuff.


disclaimer: I almost NEVER go to the doctor. After suffering through that illness for 3 days trying the old "bedrest and fluids" routine I finally gave in. Since then I only went one more time for a tetanus shot after putting a knife nearly clear through my thumb. That being said, when the over the counter stuff doesn't work, get some help.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: videogames101

Advil is my prefered brand, i do beleive they have a cold tablet, but i almost never get really sick, so i don't really remeber. I just know it works wonders on pains and fevers.

That's the thing, I usually get one or two of those send-you-to-your-bed type colds a year, so I haven't really tried that many different ways of treating them. A couple of times I know I used Tylenol Severe Cold/Flu capsules, but this time I couldn't find them and the Multi-Symptom stuff didn't work. Another time I got a shot from the doctor and I felt much better by that evening and almost well the next day, but the next time I was sick, the same shot didn't help at all. Same thing with zithromax, one time it'll do the trick, another time it's useless.

Originally posted by: dennilfloss

Lemon Neocitran works wonders for me. Better than Nyquil or any syrup I've ever tried.

I've never tried that, I'll keep it in mind for this winter. Thanks.

Originally posted by: Jugernot

Originally posted by: dullard
#1: Learn to not see the doctor for cases that the doctor can do nothing about. You are just wasting money, spreading disease, and clogging up the health care system for everyone.

#2: Listen to AbsolutDealage.

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
Get something from behind the counter that contains pseudoephedrine.

I could not have said it better myself... it's a total waste of money to see a doctor for a cold and in most cases the flu. You can take Tamiflu for flu, but it MUST be taken within first 24hrs of symptoms to be effective.

Don't waste your time or money on a doctor for such small things.

I never go to the doctor for a cold, but when something knocks me off my feet and makes me have to miss work, I go looking for whatever can get me back on my feet the fastest. I just wish I could find one thing or combination of things that would really relieve the symptoms every time, but it just seems to be hit or miss.

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
The last time I was sick like that, I just took Sudafed (for the congestion) and Motrin (to reduce the swelling in my sinuses and throat).

I've used Sudafed before, but I don't think the new version does as good a job as the old. Never used it in combination with Motrin before. That'll go in the give-it-a-try-next-time file as well. Thanks.

Originally posted by: silverpig
I had something nasty several years ago that put me right down. I was pretty much non-functional. I took it as an opportunity to stay home and eat soup and drink ginger ale all day, but after 3 days I had only gotten worse. In that time I'd tried Tylenol cold and flu, sudafed, ny/day-quil, advil, aspirin, neo-citran etc and nothing worked a lick. The doc gave me some zithromax and damn was that stuff ever powerful. My ears, which were swollen and full of fluid were popping because that stuff worked so fast. Within 4 hours I was probably 70% better. By the next day I was great again.

What's the point? Over the counter stuff is pretty weak. Get the good stuff.


disclaimer: I almost NEVER go to the doctor. After suffering through that illness for 3 days trying the old "bedrest and fluids" routine I finally gave in. Since then I only went one more time for a tetanus shot after putting a knife nearly clear through my thumb. That being said, when the over the counter stuff doesn't work, get some help.

Yeah, I had the same sort of experience with zithromax the first time I used it. I thought I'd found the miracle drug for severe cold/flu symptoms. The next time I had the same type of symptoms I got another prescription right away, and it had absolutely no effect at all.

You just never know what's going to help. I guess that's why there are so many choices on the shelves.

 

[Captante]

Unless I have somthing truly aweful I try to stick with single-ingrediant medicine (ie: pseudoephedrine, Diphenhydramine, Ibuprofen etc) & only take stuff that treats the symptoms I actually have as opposed to a "cure-all"... in particular I like to avoid potentially kidney-clogging repeat doses of Acetaminophen if I don't have headache or fever.

Nyquil/Dayquil used to be the best over-the-counter bet for somthing like the flu or a very severe cold virus & still is provided you remember that they removed the decongestent to keep it on retail shelves & take 30mg's pseudoephedrine along with it. (This turns it back into the very effective original formula)

Originally posted by: montanafan


Yeah, I had the same sort of experience with zithromax the first time I used it. I thought I'd found the miracle drug for severe cold/flu symptoms. The next time I had the same type of symptoms I got another prescription right away, and it had absolutely no effect at all.

You just never know what's going to help. I guess that's why there are so many choices on the shelves.

Zithromax is an antibiotic and has absolutely no effect on cold and/or flu virus's ... the first time when it helped you, it must have been a bacterial infection with flu-like symptoms.