I've got a cold

I take echinacea all year round and up the dose of I feel a cold coming on. It works for me and I honestly can't remember the last time I had one. Staying home from work to save spreading cold bugs is the best advice but we have all been brought up along the lines of "it's just a cold, stop fussing" and it feels wrong. And I'm not sure the workplace would understand either! Re-education needed.

We're north of Glasgow so Spring is a way off .Its definately a cold but the Sterimar is working well and Im getting a couple of hours between uses .I did have to get up during the night to use it as my OH complained I was "breathing noisily" but we both slept well until it wore off again.

Sterimar is highly recommended in Spain my family and I use it.

I think everyone might be living near wetland at the moment LJP1

The neti pot works for me every time but just use boiled water cooled right down to tepid don't add anything ,hope you sort it soon

This is the hay fever season, Alder pollen is very allergenic so if you live near wet land or a stream and have a tree with long yellow / red catkins, that's probably the cause.

Good luck!

I think DD has one of those Chewbacca.

annodomini is it advisable to stand outside when doing experiments with bicarb?
The results can be quite dramatic!!

Honestly, though, paddyanne if it doesn't get better, do see your GP. Sinusitis can become very painful if it develops into that. When I had it the first time I thought I had an abscess but the dentist sent me straight to the GP.

I found echinacea soluble fizzy tabs reduce the length of colds but I also gargle in TCP as soon as I feel my throat getting sore. Its not a great experience and stinks the house out but it helps.

Doesn't the bicarb make it fizz up your nose annodomini? I'm thinking it could be a bit explosive if you got the mix a tad wrong! all sorts of images in my mind's eye

You can make your own sinus rinse. Three tsp of table salt to 1tsp bicarb. Keep the mix in a container and add a tsp of the mix to half a pint of water. It can be used in a Sterimar bottle or in the NettiPot Chewbacca describes. Be careful not to make the mixture too strong. The result can be painful - I know.

Yes Paddyann, he got it from Amazon. I think you can get them in some chemists shops but not many. They're such a simple idea and I was amazed at how effective they are. Cheap as chips too!

No use to you now paddyanne but when I felt the beginning of yet another cold a few days ago I started using First Defence nasal spray which actually worked?

To combat scratchy throat I do salt gargles and also salt water nasal inhalation which I allow to trickle down behind my nose to my throat. Also, lots of fluids including honey and lemon hot drinks.

I had very painful sinusitis a few years ago and the only remedy, after trying many, was Kali Bich, a homeopathic treatment. The pain and condition were gone in 2/3 days. Wonderful stuff.

Hope you feel much better soon.

Did she get that on Amazon Chewbacca might be worth getting in advance of the next one,hopefully that'll be a while away as I haven't had a cold for years

I had a heavy cough and cold and ended up with sinusitis for 4 weeks. I found the Otrivtrine nasal spray quite helpful but the best thing was the Netti Pot my DS got me. It's a small jug, looks a bit like a little Aladdins lamp, that you fill with warm salt water. Tilt your head to one side and back and put the nozzle of the pot into one nostril and pour in the saline solution. It goes up and then streams back out of the other nostril, bringing lots of gunk with it. Repeat on the other side. I used mine for 2 days and the improvement was amazing. At £2.99 its cheaper than Sterimar.

After five weeks it's probably more than one cold. Poor you! A girl at the checkout was coughing and everyone backed away. She just had a tickle in her throat (she smokes) but the panic was pretty obvious!

I can't remember when I last had a cold but found an antihistamine at bed time useful.

I use it to clear blocked sinuses and it works. I am a lightweight when it comes to medication so anything natural is welcome.

I think it only relieves symptoms for a while, Paddyanne, it’s not a cure as such. Still worthwhile using though, even if you just get an hour or two’s relief.

My son found that it stopped colds turning into sinus infections, presumably by preventing infected matter (yuk!) getting into the sinuses.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks ladies I,'ve used it twice now and while it seems to dry things up for a wee while it wears off quite quickly,maybe it needs a decent trial .I'll keep going with it and have a look for the Sinuforce mentioned by Squiffy

A cold dip in the sea every day is supposed to work wonders to boost your immune system.
Perhaps it's because the seawater gets up your nose.

Caveat: Don't try it at the moment, though, paddyanne, it could make you worse.

As I live 30 seconds from the sea I might go and capture some sea water free of charge
Good luck with the cold there was one going round before Christmas that lasted weeks and weeks
Anyone want some sea water ?

Sterimar is very good. I also use Sinuforce, another salty spray, which comes in a handy small size for popping in your pocket or handbag.

paddyanne I bought a natural spray a few months ago but did not, in fact, find it as effective as the normal one. I think it was Otrivine so yours may be more effective.

Don't wish to cheer you up or anything - but I was just getting over a cold and then started with another which came on very suddenly before Christmas, it quickly transformed into a cough and choking and has not gone properly yet. I can't remember the last time I had a cough.

Vitamins D and C and zinc may help and I have also heard that a black elderberry supplement eg Sambucal, is good.

However, if you are shivering still perhaps it's time to see a doctor as you may have an infection and need antibiotics.

I hope you feel better soon.

sorry Sparklefizz I'm afraid I am indespensible,we're self employed ,have cut staff over the last couple of years and now theres just we two heading for retirement.If a job comes in or is in the diary than I need to do it .Thats why I used the stuff that affected my BP ,so I could go to work

Yes, Sterimar is excellent for sinus related problems.??

paddyanne as I am currently still working 3 days a week and feel as if I'm spreading infection.

Well, actually you are spreading infection! Sorry, paddy but you are not doing anyone any favours. No one is indispensable and you would probably have shaken it off earlier if you had given your body some rest.

Hope you soon feel better. Echinacea is good for fighting off colds and 'flu, together with Vit C and Zinc.