What do you take when you feel a cold coming on?

[m&m's mom]

Zinc. Sounds simple but I read about it here on the dis and I've used it several times since and it's worked like a charm. And get plenty of sleep!

Zinc! Zinc!!
I have literally not gotten a cold in years and years. I can't remember having one at least the last 5+ years.
I start to feel that tingle coming on and start sucking zinc lozenges (2 or 3 a day) and it never progresses to a cold.
Don't worry about buying the expensive Airborne. Cold Eze or Zicam. Just find the cheapest generic zinc and it will be gone.

We also proactively take zince if we are about to go on a long plane trip or WDW and have yet to get sick.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Don't forget the nasal rinse - like the NeilMed kind.
http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php

I know it sounds difficult, but it isn't, and makes a big difference.

 

[OK!]

I don't know if it's power of suggestion or what, but darned if I don't have an awful sore throat now. Grrrr. Off to Walgreens to get some echinacea and some zinc and some Airborne and some...

 

[minniecarousel]

Don't forget the nasal rinse - like the NeilMed kind.
http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php

I know it sounds difficult, but it isn't, and makes a big difference.

I have a type of neti-pot at home. I plan to try it.

Thanks for all the ideas. I know that Zicam got a bad rap because some people said they lost their ability to smell. I don't think I'll have to take so much that I'll lose my sense of smell. I'd forgotten about coldeeze. I have both Airborne & zenergize immunity with 1500 mg of Vitamin C.

Off to the pharmacy!

 

[FireDancer]

I take Echinacea, a multi-vitamin, and Vitamin D every day. Preparing your immune system before you are exposed to anything is better than waiting until you feel a cold coming on. If I do feel something coming on even after taking all the precautions I take some additional Vitamin C and Zinc along with my daily vitamins and go to bed early to try and sleep it out of me.

Good luck kicking it. I ended up with that feeling the day I was leaving for 2 weeks in Italy and the two days I was letting it run through my system weren't fun but I was in Italy and I made the best of it.

 

[disney1990]

Zicam & Airborne

DH has had a cold for about a week now; knock on wood; I haven't caught it.

 

[amyy]

Rest, rest, rest. Wash my sheets (even though I didn't know about the shedding stuff the other person mentioned), change my toothbrush (even thought I read this doesn't matter), take lots of baths (love the steam), make sure I am taking my vitamins (multi, D, Bs etc). I am "lucky" in that I am allergic to dairy thus if I avoid it it is rare I get much of a sinus infection or chest infection. I use to have colds turn into sinus infections all the time until I had allergy tests done. If do have a bit of cheese etc now and then but if I start to get sick it is off limits. Also I talk the the pharmacist and sees what he recommends.

 

[The Princess]

I take Zi-cam.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

Zicam and Airborne for me. I haven't had a cold in many years, at least 5-6. I stay away from "sick" people as much as possible, rarely eat out, and wash my hands a lot. If I have to be around someone who is sick, I take several doses of Airborne, and if I think I might be coming down with a cold, I take ZiCam immediately. Works for me.

I also try to take a multi vitamin daily and eat yogurt several times a week. Dr. Oz says this helps build a strong immune system.

 

[mum4jenn]

Nyquil

 

[HsvTeacher]

Emergen-C and lots of orange juice

 

[Alphabetsoup]

I was researching 'natural' was of getting over the flu and ran across several articles that suggest that echinacea can actually make the cytokine storm of flu (the part that can kill you if it gets really bad) WORSE!

With swine flu running around, I wouldn't take echniacia if you PAID me! The risk doesn't seem worth it...especially since a flu can start to be noticed with just a scratchy throat.

I'll look around and see if I can't find those links again. I know that I was googling "flu"+"natural remedies" and things like that.

 

[anniemae]

ester-c. It is a powder that you pour into water and drink. It is kind of sweet tasting, but I think it works wonders.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

4 shots of Baileys and a day or 2 off work should take care of it