I’m sure it was meant innocently but masks (N95s) have never gone away for some of us. Disabled people like me have basically become hermits because society decided we were expendable.
My winter list
Sugar free, menthol cough drop (I prefer honey lemon) also, sugar free only so as not to give bacteria more breeding ground not a diet-y reason!
In addition to a Vicks inhaler, there are also inhalers that help reduce nausea. So useful!
Mucinex (generic guaifenesin). So helpful for getting all the congestion out of the body without using a decongestant.
If a bad cough is present, Rx Tesselon pearls. I can’t do liquid cough medicine because the taste triggers a gag reflex and my doctor gives me these. They make it possible to sleep even with a cough. Flu for me too often turns into bronchitis so the cough one of the worst parts.
Fellow masker here! It can definitely be annoying to wear them sometimes, but wearing a KN95 or N95 has been super helpful for me in avoiding the flu, norovirus, COVID, and common colds. I've barely been sick since 2020, and I used to get colds and strep at least once a year.
Disabled people are not expendable, and a mask is a very easy way to show solidarity while protecting yourself and others.
I wear a fit tested N95 for work frequently and it amazes me how many people have gotten rid of all their masks. They’re helpful for protecting others (who are not expendable!), helpful for the seasons when lots more germs are circulating, and helpful for non infectious stuff, too. I was giving my N95s to my LA neighbors who had to go out in dangerous air and deal with toxic clean up because they had tossed all their stuff. I want to run around and say put them in your emergency kits and first aid kits, folks.
I stand with you. I'm not disabled (currently/yet, anyway) but have continued to mask and take many other precautions because of the risk of long covid to all of us. 😷
If you can find “Nature’s Way Sambucus immune Lozenges Elderberry / Zinc / Vitamin C” (comments won’t seem to let me add a picture but the packaging is usually mostly purple with white and green) GET THEM. They have them at target by me, but I’ve recommended them to others who can’t find them there. Most mass market elderberry stuff seems like the walked it past the idea of an elderberry at some point in the last ten years but these are actually effective at killing whatever is lingering in your throat / have given me real relief for a sore throat. Highly recommend!
Preschool teacher here - these elderberry lozenges are extremely popular with teachers in my school! I switch back and forth between them and regular Halls cough drops when my throat is bad.
For all the upper respiratory stuff and sore throats, good old fashioned saltwater gargling is one of my go-tos here. I'm sure there's the perfect saline concentration formula online somewhere, but I just eyeball some kosher salt in some very warm (almost but not quite too hot) water.
also nasal irrigation - make sure to follow the CDC steps to boil it for one minute and 10 min at high altitudes to kill off N. Fowleri (brain eating amoeba).
If I'm feeling too irritated by the process of boiling and then cooling to the right temperature, I buy a gallon of distilled water at the grocery store to use for this. Definitely more straightforward to just boil your own, but just wanted to give the option in case it helps anyone.
Yes I do that and because I am paranoid and don’t trust manufacturers I sometimes then boil that anyway :) apparently the survival rate for neti pot acquired N. Fowleri is better than other types but still…
I use the remaining previously-boiled water to fill half my neti pot and then fill the second half with freshly boiled water to get the right temp. I wash my face and brush teeth while waiting for it to boil. Not to encourage the buying of more stuff, but I moved my old electric kettle into the bathroom for my neti pot. When it finally bit it, I got a sleek travel kettle the size of an insulated tumbler so it takes up less counter space and love it. Also great for travel so you aren’t creeping downstairs to the microwave in someone’s kitchen early or late just so you can breath through your nose.
Re: #6- Child of the 80's here! I have vivid memories of childhood sick days, lying on the couch and my mom letting me watch all the tv and movies I wanted. We didn't have I pads, but "screen time" was alive and well! My choice was always Christmas movies, no matter what time of year it was.
A few drops of oregano oil diluted in water really clears my throat and lungs. I also love Vocal Zone's throat coat tea and lozenges— they're super mentholy and cut right through a sore or guttural throat.
Hot lemonade is the go to around these parts. Hot water, juice of a lemon, sweeten to taste with maple syrup or honey. Can add peeled, lightly crushed ginger for nausea and/or a cinnamon stick (just for cozy vibes).
I also discovered when I was sick post-Christmas that the Panera chicken noodle soup in the refrigerated section at the grocery store is pretty decent.
So much tea. And water. Also love everything Vicks! I got their cool-mist humidifier and put the little tablets in with the scent. I also love the shower steamers. When I'm particularly stuffy I've been known to boil a pot of water with mint tea bags (or whatever your favorite sick time tea is), lay a towel over my head and lean over the pot and just breath for awhile. Similar effects to a hot shower but minus the having to fully shower. Finally - egg drop soup or hot and sour soup from my favorite Chinese takeout place. I don't know what they put in these magical soups but they do not fail to make me feel better.
About 10 years ago, a friend told me that if I had a cough that wouldn’t stop at night, I should rub Vicks on the soles of my feet and put socks on! Weirdly, it works?!?!
And, if all else fails, FOLD IN THE CHEESE! #SchittsCreekForever
So normally I am the weak link in our family. Two years ago my son had RSV for a week and then I got it for a month, followed immediately by Covid. So far this winter I haven’t been sick at all (knock on wood) despite everyone being sick around us and not getting any sleep with a new baby. Several factors are contributing: 1) we remediated the mild levels of non toxic mold in the house (they were still irritating me and stuffing me up every night despite not being “toxic”) 2) I got assessed for sleep apnea, was diagnosed with a mild case and fought the doctor to get a CPap, which has drastically changed the quality of my sleep 3) I mouth tape when I go to bed—I know some Huberman bros give this a bad name but I used to always wake up with a sore throat (and wake up a million times a night) before starting to mouth tape 4) invested some $$ in expensive air purifier and humidifier and dehumidifier. The Mila air purifier tells you exactly what’s going on with your air and makes recommendations to keep you healthy—turns out my humidity levels in summer are way too high (and can encourage mold) and way too low in winter (allowing virus and bacteria to spread) and this has helped us really isolate what we need to do and when to keep healthy 5) our pediatric airway dentist recommended X Clear nasal spray—apparently the xylitol in it helps kill bacteria and viruses 6) lastly I make my 8 year old hanitize his hands the second he gets in the car after I pick him up from school. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Also avgolemono (Greek chicken lemon soup) for the win. It’s so rich and comforting when you are sick!
This is my kinda TED talk 😆. I use Xlear and sleep with breathe right nose strips and tape around my mouth (but not taping it shut). And I also have a family airway dentist :). How do you use mouth tape and a cpap?
I have a nasal cushion for my CPap so it’s only blowing air in my nose. And then I have the x mouth strips so it mostly keeps my mouth closed but isn’t fully taped shut. I think full mask CPaps get a bad rap in terms of comfort and people being less willing to wear them. I find the nasal cushion a pretty good trade off for the drastically improved sleep.
I use Xlear every single morning and night! I have Empty Nose Syndrome - when I had a rhinoplasty 20 years ago, unbeknownst to me my plastic surgeon took ALL OF MY TURBINATES! I got diagnosed 3ish years ago now, after YEARS of taking Claritin D 24 hour every single day. He was like, “for the love of God, no more decongestants for you!” So now I sleep with a humidifier every night and use the Xlear religiously.
We had the norovirus fun right after new year's. Don't forget the big metal pans/mixing bowls into/next to the bed for kids old enough to use them! Then sanitize sanitize sanitize! We had 3 family members down in one day, then 4 days of everyone better and then I still caught it after that. :( But one kid (the good hand washer) escaped.
We’re a fully vaccinated and western med but also crunchy stuff sometimes family… Boiron Oscillococcinum homeopathic really does seem to make a difference alongside more typical rx and OTC treatments and remedies! I also really like DayQuil liquicaps as well as their generic counterparts. We had adenovirus last Christmas season and it really helped us all on the harder days and nights — I had heard something about NyQuil and minimizing its use if I’m white and have dementia risk and I was too sick to properly weigh this out — DayQuil is so helpful at night, too!
Throat coat lemon echinacea tea is my favorite when I’m sick. I add plenty of honey to each cup. I don’t necessarily think the echinacea is helping but I just like the lemon and honey flavor combo. And it does temporarily soothe my sore throat and keeps me hydrated.
I bought a pack of Emesis bags back in March and honestly it was one of my best decisions all year 😂 I am prone to nausea/vomiting due to some medicine side effects plus I have a toddler and between the two of us they have prevented so much clean up. Also my husband and I both took Tamiflu as a preventative when our toddler had flu A… he had some side effects but honestly it was worth it to not get sick for like the 5th time in a row. Even with a mask on my kid manages to sneeze all over my face 😷
This hit at the right time. I did not know about the flu tests!
My kid woke up with a fever and headache just in time for her birthday tomorrow. And just a month after our family went through a strep-norovirus-pink eye extravaganza. (No one had all of them, it was really quite something.) The whole thing has me extremely bummed out. ☹️
As a mom to a family who has someone vomit and/or get pinkeye every vacation we attempt, you have my absolute sympathy. I say put candles in everything she's willing to eat and put streamers and balloons around the couch and her bed. Be so obnoxious that it's her birthday, in spite of it all, that she laughs.
Thank you -- this is much sweeter than my idea, which was just to delay our plans! I will do both...celebrate tomorrow and delay the rest of the plans. (I knew she really wasn't feeling well when I said we would have to reschedule getting her ears pierced and she didn't even complain!)
But have you guys tried the cepacol with the benzocaine? There is nothing better for my sore throats than straight up topical anesthetics! You can get viscous lidocaine to gargle with from a prescriber, too.
If I’m coughing without a sore throat, I like sugar free hard candies (weathers, jolly rancher). The full sugar ones also work but then I have to brush my teeth constantly. I can’t do menthol, ginger, lemon, etc, because all that gives me heartburn which makes me cough more.
I’m sure it was meant innocently but masks (N95s) have never gone away for some of us. Disabled people like me have basically become hermits because society decided we were expendable.
My winter list
Sugar free, menthol cough drop (I prefer honey lemon) also, sugar free only so as not to give bacteria more breeding ground not a diet-y reason!
In addition to a Vicks inhaler, there are also inhalers that help reduce nausea. So useful!
Mucinex (generic guaifenesin). So helpful for getting all the congestion out of the body without using a decongestant.
If a bad cough is present, Rx Tesselon pearls. I can’t do liquid cough medicine because the taste triggers a gag reflex and my doctor gives me these. They make it possible to sleep even with a cough. Flu for me too often turns into bronchitis so the cough one of the worst parts.
Fellow masker here! It can definitely be annoying to wear them sometimes, but wearing a KN95 or N95 has been super helpful for me in avoiding the flu, norovirus, COVID, and common colds. I've barely been sick since 2020, and I used to get colds and strep at least once a year.
Disabled people are not expendable, and a mask is a very easy way to show solidarity while protecting yourself and others.
Thank you for the note about masks, Amy. And def co-sign mucinex!!
I wear a fit tested N95 for work frequently and it amazes me how many people have gotten rid of all their masks. They’re helpful for protecting others (who are not expendable!), helpful for the seasons when lots more germs are circulating, and helpful for non infectious stuff, too. I was giving my N95s to my LA neighbors who had to go out in dangerous air and deal with toxic clean up because they had tossed all their stuff. I want to run around and say put them in your emergency kits and first aid kits, folks.
I stand with you. I'm not disabled (currently/yet, anyway) but have continued to mask and take many other precautions because of the risk of long covid to all of us. 😷
It’s such a relief to see exactly my sentiments/approach articulated here. ♥️😷
Oh boy do I get that, that relief. I'm so glad I was able to give it to you; your comment gave it back to me. 😷
If you can find “Nature’s Way Sambucus immune Lozenges Elderberry / Zinc / Vitamin C” (comments won’t seem to let me add a picture but the packaging is usually mostly purple with white and green) GET THEM. They have them at target by me, but I’ve recommended them to others who can’t find them there. Most mass market elderberry stuff seems like the walked it past the idea of an elderberry at some point in the last ten years but these are actually effective at killing whatever is lingering in your throat / have given me real relief for a sore throat. Highly recommend!
Ooh this is v good intel.
Preschool teacher here - these elderberry lozenges are extremely popular with teachers in my school! I switch back and forth between them and regular Halls cough drops when my throat is bad.
Found some of these at a Rite-Aid recently and got them on a whim -- glad to hear it was a good choice!
For all the upper respiratory stuff and sore throats, good old fashioned saltwater gargling is one of my go-tos here. I'm sure there's the perfect saline concentration formula online somewhere, but I just eyeball some kosher salt in some very warm (almost but not quite too hot) water.
also nasal irrigation - make sure to follow the CDC steps to boil it for one minute and 10 min at high altitudes to kill off N. Fowleri (brain eating amoeba).
If I'm feeling too irritated by the process of boiling and then cooling to the right temperature, I buy a gallon of distilled water at the grocery store to use for this. Definitely more straightforward to just boil your own, but just wanted to give the option in case it helps anyone.
Yes I do that and because I am paranoid and don’t trust manufacturers I sometimes then boil that anyway :) apparently the survival rate for neti pot acquired N. Fowleri is better than other types but still…
That's totally fair -- it is a terrifying possibility!
Yes! I use a Neti pot every morning, and it’s especially good when you’ve got a stuffed up nose.
I use the remaining previously-boiled water to fill half my neti pot and then fill the second half with freshly boiled water to get the right temp. I wash my face and brush teeth while waiting for it to boil. Not to encourage the buying of more stuff, but I moved my old electric kettle into the bathroom for my neti pot. When it finally bit it, I got a sleek travel kettle the size of an insulated tumbler so it takes up less counter space and love it. Also great for travel so you aren’t creeping downstairs to the microwave in someone’s kitchen early or late just so you can breath through your nose.
Re: #6- Child of the 80's here! I have vivid memories of childhood sick days, lying on the couch and my mom letting me watch all the tv and movies I wanted. We didn't have I pads, but "screen time" was alive and well! My choice was always Christmas movies, no matter what time of year it was.
Just commented same!
A few drops of oregano oil diluted in water really clears my throat and lungs. I also love Vocal Zone's throat coat tea and lozenges— they're super mentholy and cut right through a sore or guttural throat.
I had no idea oregano was so useful!
Oregano oil is my not-so-top-secret treatment. Amazing at mitigating the effects of cold viruses.
X Clear has a Rescue version of their nasal spray that includes oregano and eucalyptus!
Good for singers too, apparently!
All the World Of puzzles are amazing. And the best for sick days or just cold days to take us away from reality.
Hot lemonade is the go to around these parts. Hot water, juice of a lemon, sweeten to taste with maple syrup or honey. Can add peeled, lightly crushed ginger for nausea and/or a cinnamon stick (just for cozy vibes).
I also discovered when I was sick post-Christmas that the Panera chicken noodle soup in the refrigerated section at the grocery store is pretty decent.
I’m glad you found a good pre-made chicken soup. I tried Costco’s and it was awful.
So much tea. And water. Also love everything Vicks! I got their cool-mist humidifier and put the little tablets in with the scent. I also love the shower steamers. When I'm particularly stuffy I've been known to boil a pot of water with mint tea bags (or whatever your favorite sick time tea is), lay a towel over my head and lean over the pot and just breath for awhile. Similar effects to a hot shower but minus the having to fully shower. Finally - egg drop soup or hot and sour soup from my favorite Chinese takeout place. I don't know what they put in these magical soups but they do not fail to make me feel better.
About 10 years ago, a friend told me that if I had a cough that wouldn’t stop at night, I should rub Vicks on the soles of my feet and put socks on! Weirdly, it works?!?!
And, if all else fails, FOLD IN THE CHEESE! #SchittsCreekForever
Best. Scene. Ever. 😂
My favorite scene is the Bert Herblinger Wine one. If you need a belly laugh, that one gets me every time.
https://youtu.be/jVojhvifruk?si=Bxtnz23Ag7KqNLnC
So normally I am the weak link in our family. Two years ago my son had RSV for a week and then I got it for a month, followed immediately by Covid. So far this winter I haven’t been sick at all (knock on wood) despite everyone being sick around us and not getting any sleep with a new baby. Several factors are contributing: 1) we remediated the mild levels of non toxic mold in the house (they were still irritating me and stuffing me up every night despite not being “toxic”) 2) I got assessed for sleep apnea, was diagnosed with a mild case and fought the doctor to get a CPap, which has drastically changed the quality of my sleep 3) I mouth tape when I go to bed—I know some Huberman bros give this a bad name but I used to always wake up with a sore throat (and wake up a million times a night) before starting to mouth tape 4) invested some $$ in expensive air purifier and humidifier and dehumidifier. The Mila air purifier tells you exactly what’s going on with your air and makes recommendations to keep you healthy—turns out my humidity levels in summer are way too high (and can encourage mold) and way too low in winter (allowing virus and bacteria to spread) and this has helped us really isolate what we need to do and when to keep healthy 5) our pediatric airway dentist recommended X Clear nasal spray—apparently the xylitol in it helps kill bacteria and viruses 6) lastly I make my 8 year old hanitize his hands the second he gets in the car after I pick him up from school. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Also avgolemono (Greek chicken lemon soup) for the win. It’s so rich and comforting when you are sick!
This is my kinda TED talk 😆. I use Xlear and sleep with breathe right nose strips and tape around my mouth (but not taping it shut). And I also have a family airway dentist :). How do you use mouth tape and a cpap?
I have a nasal cushion for my CPap so it’s only blowing air in my nose. And then I have the x mouth strips so it mostly keeps my mouth closed but isn’t fully taped shut. I think full mask CPaps get a bad rap in terms of comfort and people being less willing to wear them. I find the nasal cushion a pretty good trade off for the drastically improved sleep.
I use Xlear every single morning and night! I have Empty Nose Syndrome - when I had a rhinoplasty 20 years ago, unbeknownst to me my plastic surgeon took ALL OF MY TURBINATES! I got diagnosed 3ish years ago now, after YEARS of taking Claritin D 24 hour every single day. He was like, “for the love of God, no more decongestants for you!” So now I sleep with a humidifier every night and use the Xlear religiously.
Holy mackerel! I’m so glad you found a daily routine that works for you. Doctors, in their infinite wisdom… 🤯
I have a neighbor that swore by putting crushed garlic in his kid's socks at night when they were sick?! *shrug*
That is… interesting. Seems like it would be stinky, though.
My thoughts too. I have not tried it with my son because we cosleep 🤣👃🏻
On the brownie front, have you tried the Dolly Parton mix? https://www.duncanhines.com/dolly-partons-favorites/baking-mixes/dolly-partons-fabulously-double-fudge-brownie-mix
I saw a YouTuber reviewing celebrity products, and she and her mum were absolutely floored by how good these were. The whole range slaps, apparently!
We had the norovirus fun right after new year's. Don't forget the big metal pans/mixing bowls into/next to the bed for kids old enough to use them! Then sanitize sanitize sanitize! We had 3 family members down in one day, then 4 days of everyone better and then I still caught it after that. :( But one kid (the good hand washer) escaped.
We’re a fully vaccinated and western med but also crunchy stuff sometimes family… Boiron Oscillococcinum homeopathic really does seem to make a difference alongside more typical rx and OTC treatments and remedies! I also really like DayQuil liquicaps as well as their generic counterparts. We had adenovirus last Christmas season and it really helped us all on the harder days and nights — I had heard something about NyQuil and minimizing its use if I’m white and have dementia risk and I was too sick to properly weigh this out — DayQuil is so helpful at night, too!
Totally agree on the Oscill.... I had someone recommend it to me when I was pregnant and I never looked back.
Throat coat lemon echinacea tea is my favorite when I’m sick. I add plenty of honey to each cup. I don’t necessarily think the echinacea is helping but I just like the lemon and honey flavor combo. And it does temporarily soothe my sore throat and keeps me hydrated.
I bought a pack of Emesis bags back in March and honestly it was one of my best decisions all year 😂 I am prone to nausea/vomiting due to some medicine side effects plus I have a toddler and between the two of us they have prevented so much clean up. Also my husband and I both took Tamiflu as a preventative when our toddler had flu A… he had some side effects but honestly it was worth it to not get sick for like the 5th time in a row. Even with a mask on my kid manages to sneeze all over my face 😷
This hit at the right time. I did not know about the flu tests!
My kid woke up with a fever and headache just in time for her birthday tomorrow. And just a month after our family went through a strep-norovirus-pink eye extravaganza. (No one had all of them, it was really quite something.) The whole thing has me extremely bummed out. ☹️
As a mom to a family who has someone vomit and/or get pinkeye every vacation we attempt, you have my absolute sympathy. I say put candles in everything she's willing to eat and put streamers and balloons around the couch and her bed. Be so obnoxious that it's her birthday, in spite of it all, that she laughs.
Thank you -- this is much sweeter than my idea, which was just to delay our plans! I will do both...celebrate tomorrow and delay the rest of the plans. (I knew she really wasn't feeling well when I said we would have to reschedule getting her ears pierced and she didn't even complain!)
But have you guys tried the cepacol with the benzocaine? There is nothing better for my sore throats than straight up topical anesthetics! You can get viscous lidocaine to gargle with from a prescriber, too.
If I’m coughing without a sore throat, I like sugar free hard candies (weathers, jolly rancher). The full sugar ones also work but then I have to brush my teeth constantly. I can’t do menthol, ginger, lemon, etc, because all that gives me heartburn which makes me cough more.