Anyone know of a good cure for what I think is flu??

January 4, 2009 6:34am CST
Hey all, I am currently tapping away on my sofa with a blanket wrapped around me shivering like nothing on earth! I'm taking the usual cold and flu remedies but nothing seems to be working and I feel very rough! Has anyone got any great home remedies to make me feel better as my Doctor's surgery is not open! Thanks in advance and any help would be appreciated!
3 responses
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
4 Jan 09
Aspirin, Tylenol or Advil, whatever you usually take for pain, you should take for the fever, if it's very high like around 101 or 102. Anything higher than that and you should get to a hospital! Anything lower and it's best to leave it since it is your body's way of trying to kill the germs. PLENTY of fluids, especially water!!! Lots and lots of water! That helps to flush out the germs from your body. Vitamin C, orange juice, is not especially helpful once you are sick, though. It may help you to prevent colds and flu, but once you have it, the only real benefit you will get from it is from the fluid. If you get a sore throat, gargle with warm salt water or swallow some honey. Both are natural antibiotics and help to kill germs on contact. I prefer the warm salt water (even though it doesn't taste good) because it's warmth is very soothing and my throat feels better right away. Honey tastes better, though, but I've never used that, personally. Whiskey (yeah, whiskey) is GREAT for coughs! My doctor recommended that to me once when I had bronchitis but the pharmacies were all closed (back in the days before 24 hour pharmacies). It may not have made my cough any better, but I sure didn't care after awhile! For head/throat congestion, boil some water (or use anything for steam), place a towel over your head and hold it open like a tent, lean over the steam and breathe it in for at least 5 minutes. It'll break up that congestion in no time! You might cough a little worse for a few minutes, but afterward you'll feel sooooo much better! I've used every one of these methods (except the honey) and they work! Of course, DO stay warm! Even if you are perspiring, keep covered up! I drank a hot toddy once (hot tea, honey, lemon and a little whiskey). I sweated like a pig afterwards but, and I'm not kidding here, my cold was almost GONE by the next day! The only thing I had left the next morning was a slight tickle in my throat. I'm talking about a cold that was so bad I couldn't even lie down to sleep without having to constantly sit right back up because I was coughing so badly. I slept in a chair for two nights before drinking that hot toddy, then slept in my bed for the first time the night after that. If you are congested, antihistamines work wonders. I like Nyquil (gel caps). They work great and also help me to sleep. Good luck to you! I hope you're feeling better soon!
4 Jan 09
Why, thanks to you all for your great advice. I appreciate all that I can get right now! I have tried the whiskey thing but it just makes me feel ill because I don't really like it. I have been drinking lots of orange juice for the vitamin C and plenty of water. I went out for a little walk earlier and the fresh air seemed to make my head slightly less "muggled" if that makes sense? However, we have lots of snow here right now so I nearly fell over! I might try and have another bath and make it really hot to see if I can sweat it out! Keep your fingers crossed, I hate being ill!
• Indonesia
4 Jan 09
The best way is you must take manya sleep
@djoyce71 (2511)
• Philippines
4 Jan 09
When I have influenza, my mother used to tell me to drink a lot of liquid, water or fruit juices and take rests aside from taking paracetamol. You can take your vitamin C also. I hope you get well soon.