Question
Nurse Red, I nver get sick, however right now I feel awful...Stuffy nose, a cough, sneezing, my whole body aches and I feel real tired.Does this sound like the flu to you? What can i do to feel better? I am taking Thera flu but it does not seem to be helping very much...
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s&p
Answer
Well, I'm not Nurse Red, but I'll put my two cents in. Could be anything from flu to asthma. Usually these conditions are self-limiting with/without medication. It is an indication of a depressed immune system.
If flu (viral) there isn't anything you can do except take vitamin C and ride it out. Often a bacterial infection will piggyback itself onto a viral infection. "Flu" by the way isn't a good term. It is short for "influenza" which is a special category of illness.
You need to get the product (sputem/excretion) cultured, except that every doctor says this "must" be done and I think there is one who is a space alien located in Hong Kong who actually does so.
Answer
My suggestions:
For stuffy head: If your the I got to take medicine type I prefer Alka-Seltzer cold and flu products.
If your the type that prefers a more natural approach. Use hot Peppermint tea. I actually put the teabags up to my nose and sniff through them. Hot steamy showers help too.
Chest congestion: Hot steamy showers, and an expectorant type cough syrup.
Aches and pains: Ibroprofen, Advil, Aleve, or Tylenol.
Fever: I leave it alone if it's under 100. The higher body temp actually serves the purpose of battling the bugs. Over one hundred and staying there responds best to alternating does of Tylenol and Ibruprofen.
If your symptoms persist and show no improvement within 48-72 hours, or if you get worse, please seek medical attention right away.
Hope you feel better soon
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Keeping you safe, healthy, and on the road.
Nurse Red
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Answer
Nurse Red: Your advice about leaving the fever alone was right on the money. Fever is not something necessarily bad. Many organisms require a specific temperature range to multiply. When blood temperature is out of this range they die off. Aspirin, of course, lowers temperature. I go nuts when I see mom's giving young children aspirin.
Symptoms, by the way are mother nature's way of telling you to slow down and get some sleep, which helps a lot. When you mask symptoms with over-the-counter drugs you have to be careful. Taking a day off and staying home in bed isn't the worst idea in the world.
My worst nightmare took place when my co-driver, did everyone a favor by showing up in December and working with me in the same cab giving me the worst lung infection I ever had in my life. Cough, cough, cough, cough. He just needed that overtime.
Incidentally I always wipe the steering wheel with alcohol, and the door handles. I noticed most of my co-drivers have poor sanitary habits. I amashamed to tell you the number of them who don't wash hands after using the toilet. And pf those who do few know how to wash properly. That ought to be a subject for all elementary schools, but I guess they are too busy filling childrens brains with mush about Pokeman cards. In the case of colds or flu many cough in their hands and then go to the wheel and stick shift. Yes, there is a limited exposure life for organisms in an exposed atmospher, but why take a chance?
The real decision point comes about when an infection or condition such as you have persists or re-occurs and becomes chronic. That is the time for a good medical work up.
[This message has been edited by newyorktwo (edited March 18, 2000).]
Answer
NY2,
You are right about the rest you need to help your body recover and I agree wholeheartedly with the poor hygiene which contributes to the spread of vaious illnesses.
In fact, we were recently buying freebie promo items for a trade show and I have boxes of a neat little item I came across. It's a dispenser approx. the size of a magic marker that is refillable and comes with anti-bacterial hand gel for soapless waterless clean up.
I put them out on the counter in the clinic and they go like crazy. Hmm, maybe I should SELL the refill gel bottles........ LOL
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Keeping you safe, healthy, and on the road.
Nurse Red
Visit us at www.Truck.net/abmsVisit us at
Answer
well, i just took a power nap...4 hours...I feel the same, not worse. Thanx for the advice and hopefully i will feel better by sunday!
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s&p
Answer
I still feel terrible.....but not as bad as yesterday.....
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s&p
Answer
Glad to hear you are feeling some better. Keep getting as much rest as possible and if you don't really feel like eating, drink lots of fluids and I don't mean coffee and sodas. Drink juices and herbal teas and good old water. Don't push yourself too hard or you will be right back in bed. Keep us posted.
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Keeping you safe, healthy, and on the road.
Nurse Red
Visit us at www.Truck.net/abmsVisit us at
Answer
I look like Rudolph the Red nosed reinder...Everything has now pretty much moved in my sinisus(spelling?) My cough is much better but i feel so tired...like no amount of sleep would help...At least I did not get sick until after the hubby left to back OTR...I just hope he does not get it..I am drinking lots of fluids..Beer, Cofee...just kidding....lol..lots of water, OJ and gatorade....stayed home from work today..but have to go in tom.
The Boss does not think i am as sick as i say...so maybe after a few coughing spells and blowing my nose 10-15 times the boss will send me home! than i can get more sleep...I also had my mom over taking care of me...that was a big help......why do moms make their children have soup when they are sick? Even at 30 years of age my mom comes over and makes me soup...she did my laundry and dishes too...I wuv my mom...
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s&p
Answer
Just remeber to do a LOT of hand washing. It will help to keep from spreading the germs. Make the kids wash real often too. Spray down the telephone with lysol or something else that kills germs. (Phones are the worst offenders for germination)
It's a proven fact that the salt, heat and vitamins in soup help in the rocovery from upper respiratory infections.
Don't forget that hot steamy shower to help loosen things up too.
Feel better soon.
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Keeping you safe, healthy, and on the road.
Nurse Red
Visit us at www.Truck.net/abmsVisit us at