For your nose try using a saline spray you can get them at walmart for like $2 it will flush out your sinuses and really help. Afrin which I think you can get over the counter does help with inflamation but you can only use it for a few days or it can mess with how your sinuses work. Also bringing a pan of water to a boil and stand over the steam will help with congestion.
For the sore throat try gargling salt water or drinking tea with honey in it, both are suppose to help sooth your sore throat. Sometimes things like sprite or 7-up help with a sore throat too.
For the cough and the sore throat drink lots and lots of water. The water helps to thin out any mucous and keeps those membranes moist which prevents dry tickley throat.
While it is an OTC med but doesn't have tylenol, Sudafed would help decrease congestion, pressure and might help with your ears too. If you stick to just the plain Sudafed the only active ingredient in it is Pseudoephedrine so there would be no risk of Tylenol exposure.
Hope something in here helps you feel better!
Danielle

I'm so sorry...

Whenever I have this problem whether it be either cold OR sinus infection too there are two things that I take and three things that I do that DO work;

Pseudoephedrine HCL, in the short action dose. 60mg and cheap from Walmart pharmacy counter.

guaifenesin. The ridiculously overpriced stuff is not necessary...maybe that price is to pay for their CGI created commercials. That drug is just as old and common as aspirin.

Neilmed sinus rinse bottle...you can buy the solution packets or make your own with some iodized table salt and baking soda. Easy.

Gargle w/ salt water. This is the one where technique isn't easy to get right for everybody not used to doing it for a sore throat but for me it works every time.
How much? At least two tablespoons salt per @8oz lukewarm water. The stronger the better if you ask me...salt water has antiseptic properties.

Mix. Sip in half a mouth full, fill your lungs and tilt your head back as far as possible.
Exhale slowly but also use your voice. You should begin feeling a little bit of the liquid trickle down your throat. Exhale as far as you can handle going, spit, refill and repeat till your glass is empty.

Vicks vapo rub. If the menthol vapor scent is too intense for you try mixing a little vaseline or other petroleum jelly with it either on the applying hand or on the skin first where you'll put the vapo rub.

I hope you feel better!

Agree with the guaifenasin! That is Musinex. Get the generic, extra strength. Love that stuff. Losens and thins mucus so it can drain. Take it with sudafed to knock that crap out. Put a towel over your head and breath in steam from a pot or bowl. Prop yourself up at night. gargle with salt. Take a ton of vitamin C. You can't od on it and I really do think it helps.

Hope you are feeling better soon sweetie. I absolutely hate that cold/sinus stuff and I'm a paranoid nut that my kids are going to bring it home from the germ factory, that is their school! Blah! :(~
do
Amy

Mucinex actually makes me really nauseated for some odd reasoon...

We believe it is more the flu. Tonight, I have developed vomiting as a new symptom. So I have a strong feeling I will be calling my doctor Monday morning to get an appoitment! I may ask her to try cough syrup with codeine and, as much as I hate to say this, an antibiotic...but the WEAKEST one possible. I cannot take being sick this way for much longer...it is kicking my ass (excuse my language) and I have too much to do! I have so much to do starting Monday. I have been resting, drinking plenty of fluids, I just added some Gatorade for the electrolytes and flavor; I usually just drink Smart Water, but I wanted flavor. Plus Gatorade has sugar and I have only eaten about four times in about three and a half days because I have no appetite and even if I was to gain one, my throat hurts way, way to bad to even think of eating! I have lost three pounds since getting sick. But (if you read my last post...I do not think a single person did), you would see it is not only from not eating, but I was doing a ton of exercising Tuesday-Friday. Tuesday was all on my feet shopping and preparing for my trip with my mom. Wednesday, I met up with Autumn and we were doing other things to prepare for our trip down south the next morning. That is when my lack of sleep started. We decided bedtime at 1:30AM Thursday and she fell right asleep, but I was up until 2:30AM and then woke up at 5:30AM with the worst sore throat I have ever had...I thought I had strep! But I was not going to let the throat pain and cough that was starting keep me from enjoying my life-changing experience I had coming up. (Please, if you care to know, read my last post on here...It's a good story, but it does not involve too much medically, but I wanted to share...y'all are like my support family...I could not wait to share those stories with y'all so I really would love to hear that you read it and your thoughts!)

We were up and out at 9:30AM, got Starbucks, my drink was basically warm milk (it is called a Vanilla Creme Steamer...it is steamed milk with a hint of vanilla, not too sweet!) so I figured that, since it was warm, that may help my throat at the time being! I still thought it was strep...obviously, since I was going to hang out with three amazing girls that I have the most amazing time with and we were going to the most amazing concert, there would be no resting my voice; I talked, I sang, I cheered...and the pain got worse.

Eventually, my ears started to bother me. Pain, and feeling just bad. So I figured that it was not strep, thank God. I can deal with a cold, but not strep! I was over six hours away from home and I was NOT canceling my plans.

To find out what happened the day of the concert, please go back and read my last post...I sound needy or begging you...I would love to share that experience with y'all. So that experience happened, then we stayed in a hotel for the night on the beach. Which was really nice. We walked along the beach late that night, probably after 12:00AM Friday, and my God, sand crabs were chasing us! But it was fun...then we decided we would try again the next day.

I fell asleep at about 4:45AM Friday and woke up at 5:45AM. I couldn't breathe, so I awake from that. I took my time getting ready.

I felt even more upon waking up; it was no longer just my throat, my small cough and my ears...my cough had increased and has given me chest pain and my nose was so bad...it was runny to the point that my nose is now sore from wiping it, yet when I tried to blow, pretty much nothing came out!

We ended up walking about a mile that morning to a specific statue to take a picture. Then headed to get breakfast. (I ate maybe six bites, I STILL have no appetite) Then we walked back to the car and headed home.

Again, please read the post.

I am going to call my doctor ASAP Monday. I do not only need something for the cough, I think I need a muscle relaxer for the muscles I have pulled and strained from coughing and vomiting, nausea medicine, and a cough medicine with codeine. I know she may want to put me on an antibiotic but I am so scared...I just cannot take feeling so terrible.

Everyone in my house says I sound the worst they have ever heard a person sound and to "not breathe on them," lol.

Now, I need to feel better by Thursday because I am traveling up from Maryland to Reading, Pennsylvania to see my first (of two) Carrie Underwood show on her new Blown Away Tour and I cannot miss that!

I could use your prayers! And as soon as I am over this, I am getting the flu shot!


OH, P.S., amazing the heat did not bother me while out walking and such...and my body was not hurting from it...I barely have any pain from all that walking and dancing at the concert. It is just a little pain in my calves and knees! I feel as though I may be getting a little more back in shape. I have lost 14 pounds so far. Couldn't hurt, right? And am starting a diet with my mom Monday.

Again, prayers are appreciated...and (not to sound nagging, as I am sure I do...) please read my last post...it is not only that I want you to understand what I went through more, but to share hope and the knowledge that great friends do exist!

Thanks all.

I will go read your post, but I just wanted to add that the Extended Release Mucinex makes me nauseous and sick, so I only take the regular stuff.

If its the flu you shouldn't need an antibiotic, let's hope not. If you aren't blowing out green gunk you shouldn't need one either. Gatorade is good to have and switch to a white diet, bread, crackers, banana, white rice. That's what we have to do for the babes when they are sick and I follow it for myself too.

I hope you feeling better tomorrow! That really blows!
Amy

Hey sweetie, I read your story the other day and I really enjoyed it and I wanted to comment, but was too embarrassed that I didn't know who The Band Perry were. I totally understand the magnitude of it all though and I would have been flying through the roof with excitement too...that was an amazing story! I loved how you all found out by reading the post your friend made that you were going to have a meet and greet too, that was past awesome in itself! Sort of like the extra super icing on the cake...lol!

While I was reading your story, I remembered thinking right from the beginning that you didn't sleep enough the night before. I have MAJOR sleep problems so that seems to stand out to me a lot, but with the excitement of it all, who could right? The average person would be on cloud 9 and since we IIHers live grueling lives everyday, it would be extra special for us. But back to what I was saying, maybe that put you over the top as you body may have been preparing to fight what was coming on. Rest right now will be your best friend. I know you know about keeping hydrated and things like that, but it sounds like you may need an a breathing treatment as well. If you can, go to urgent care at the very least because a quick 15 minute treatment of albuterol or atrovent can actually clear that mucus out of your lungs and allow you to breathe again. Several years ago I got very sick, this was before I had my first asthma attack, and I had major problems with breathing at the time. To my surprise the doc took one listen and had a very concerned look and immediately rushed me over for a breathing treatment. I felt so much better afterwards. He told me it was bronchitis. Please go to the doctor as soon as you can so they can help you get your air back. I just left the hospital myself because I am also currently sick with a cold and my respiratory was hit hard as usual. Usually if the home remedies such as breathing in steam or steam with eucalyptus, Vicks Vapo Rub or even OTC meds like Mucinex aren't working well enough, a visit to the big guys are in order. I would also not leave out the little head-butting incident with KP especially since it was where your shunt was located. I'm not shunted yet, but it sounds like those things are pretty sensitive and could have set something off or moved it around a bit...I'm also assuming there was a bit of concert jumping and yelling going on, lol. So glad you had an awesome time! Those memories will be with you forever! So now I have to go check out The Band Perry, sounds like I've been missing out on something pretty special!

Aw, Jazzy! The Band Perry is amazing! I believe everyone should check them out! ....And Carrie Underwood! Haha. I'm not biased at all... ;)

I got enough sleep BEFORE the trip...during the first night, I was woken up with an extremely sore throat, so I don't feel that it is exhaustion at all!

I will take a note about the breathing treatment!

The worst thing is to talk to my mom and have her response be, "You sound like crap!" :(