cold/flu

[Bobby25]

any one know the best cold/flu medicines to take the pharmacist said to avoid decongestants agents but all the ones I’m looking at have them. I have a head cold so need to take something to clear it. I’m in levothyroxine 50

[DippyDame]

Fluids, paracetamol and let it run it's course

[Bobby25 in reply to DippyDame]

I’ve don’t this the best two days it’s right in the sinuses

[DippyDame in reply to Bobby25]

How about a Sinus Rinse....pharmacy or Amazon?

[Bobby25 in reply to DippyDame]

Fab thank you

[Zephyrbear in reply to DippyDame]

Definitely cheaper on Amazon and even eBay! I have to rinse twice daily for nasal polyps… not much fun, but at least I can breathe through my nose…

[Vdubbers]

I use menthol crystals and steam over a bowl. They are very cheap and last for ages. Use a small amount, just a few crystals ☺️

[Allergy]

Hi I only take paracetamol and honey and lemon in hot water

[Bluedragon]

ginger tea. Add lemon and honey. Thyme and lemon balm, both anti microbial

Easy to make your own elderberry syrup but you can buy.

Echinacea.

Remember that a body produces a fever to kill off viruses. Taking paracetamol etc stops your body from healing as quickly. Obviously watch to see doesn’t go over 40*. Keep detox pathways open with lots of hot fluids/hot baths.

[nightingale-56]

Eucalyptus Oil in a steam bath works quite well for me.

[Amethist]

Try extra vit D, vit c little and often through out the day and some zinc.

[kiefer]

The best decongestant is water. Drinks lots of it (throughout the day, not in one big bolus). I initially assumed that this would 'feed my runny nose' but that wasn't my experience. I also ate plenty of chicken soup.

[metamorphica]

Zinc, VitC and steaming your sinuses with a good old fashion towel over head over steaming bowl of water. if it's safe for you, add a drop of eucalyptus oil to help open the airways.

[FallingInReverse]

Is there a reason you should avoid decongestants? Do you have Sudafed in the UK, and is there a reason hypo people shouldn’t take it?

[Bobby25 in reply to FallingInReverse]

When you take levothyroxine you can’t take phenylephedrine which is in a lot of decongestants

[FallingInReverse]

I googled phenylephedrine but nothing came up.

Am I somehow not seeing it? Or do you mean pseudoephedrine (brand name Sudafed - in the US) or maybe phenylephrine (brand name Sudafed PE - in the US)?

[Bobby25 in reply to FallingInReverse]

Phenylephrine definitely, just respoke to the pharmacy to check definitely a no to it on levothyroxine . Also never just found out aspirin too. So glad you made me recheck

[helvella Administrator in reply to Bobby25]

Recent widespread news suggests you are missing nothing by avoiding phenylephrine! Because it doesn't work.

The link below is to a chat which I think should be accessible - there are many articles across the media.

A Popular Decongestant Doesn't Work. What Does?

scientificamerican.com/podc...

It is American - so be careful.

And regarding Pseudoephedrine, the information is vague enough to be unhelpful:

The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Pseudoephedrine is combined with Liothyronine. [Same for Levothyroxine.]

go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00852

[FallingInReverse]

Great article on phenylephrine being useless! I was always a Sudafed (the behind the counter kind) person esp before I was diagnosed it actually would give me relief from the fatigue/headaches.

I thought it had something to do with it being an anti-inflammatory OR considered I was reacting to it being a stimulant and it was helping my headaches/fatigue that way, or even that I had mental problems it was fixing . It was obv none of those things.

Since being diagnosed/treated for hypo, I haven’t needed it, but I used to have it with me all the time. Im glad I read this as I will likely avoid unless I’m super super stuffy.