Head Cold

[ahinton]

Don't you get 'flu jabs?

'Flu and colds are far from identical, though, as any GP will tell you if asked...

[Beef Oven!]

'Flu and colds are far from identical, though, as any GP will tell you if asked...

Glad to see that you are desisting from answering questions on behalf of others. An improvement.

[Flosshilde]

This particular nasty started, not as a sore throat, but as an evil chesty cough - good job no concerts to go to - and, rather strangely, moved upwards. Currently fighting a desperate rear-guard action to prevent ear blockage, so far with success.

Anyone else blighted by bugs?

The same as mine. The chesty cough has gone - more or less - but the head cold hasn't started - fingers crossed it won't as I'm much too busy. Had to cancel one concert because oif the cough.

[Beef Oven!]

Had to cancel one concert because oif the cough.

A bit selfish?

[Petrushka]

Don't you get 'flu jabs?

Funny you should mention this. My doctor did offer me the flu jab (I'm 61) as they always do to their vascular patients (I have high blood pressure) but I didn't take it up. This particular nasty bug, bad as it is, is definitely not flu, not even 'man flu', so doubt if the jab would have made any difference.

I hate this time of year.

[Flosshilde]

Unfortunately Karen Cargill & the SCO thought it should go ahead on the original date without me . However, I was able to exchange the ticket for a concert on future date.

[Dave2002]

Funny you should mention this. My doctor did offer me the flu jab (I'm 61) as they always do to their vascular patients (I have high blood pressure) but I didn't take it up. This particular nasty bug, bad as it is, is definitely not flu, not even 'man flu', so doubt if the jab would have made any difference.

I looked at the significance of flu jabs - and statistically it does appear that they are overall beneficial. Despite this, however, I have not had one for years. I was offered one recently on a visit to my GP. I wasn't feeling great at the time. I refused on the grounds that I'd had two (only ever two) over the last few years, and both times I felt really ill about 4-5 days later. "Theoretically" this could be conincidental, but after the last experience I more or less decided to risk it, or at least not have the injection unless I started off feeling really fit.

Many people I've talked to say the jabs have no bad effect on them, though I did hear of one person who was hospitalised after having a flu jab. mrs d. has been recommended not to have them, because of other medical conditions.

As I said, statistically they're a good thing, but statistics don't always work out well for a particular individual. The last one I had was a cocktail including the swine flu which was a concern at the time. If you've had one previously with no bad effects that you can remember, then you probably should have the injection each year.

Front line workers (medical, some critical care workers), even young ones (from 25 up), who are fit should probably have the flu jabs.

[teamsaint]

Unfortunately Karen Cargill & the SCO thought it should go ahead on the original date without me . However, I was able to exchange the ticket for a concert on future date.

Good news.
The Anvil Basingstoke allowed me to do the same thing when i couldn't make a concert. I had to book one in thE same series with the same promoter.
Certainly makes booking a long time in advance less of a gamble, especially if paying for expensive tickets.

Hope all you sufferers are on the mend.

[french frank]

I'd had two (only ever two) over the last few years, and both times I felt really ill about 4-5 days later. "Theoretically" this could be conincidental

My mother also was ill when she had her only 'OAP' jab. I've always refused. I've only ever once had what I would have called 'flu (rather than a Very Bad Cold): I was off work but my doctor only committed himself to 'flu-like symptoms' on my medical note - which annoyed me rather .

[Dave2002]

My mother also was ill when she had her only 'OAP' jab. I've always refused. I've only ever once had what I would have called 'flu (rather than a Very Bad Cold): I was off work but my doctor only committed himself to 'flu-like symptoms' on my medical note - which annoyed me rather .

If you've never had the flu jab you won't really have a view about whether it would work for you or not. My experiences were that for a day or two there were no ill effects at all - perhaps a very slight sore arm - but not at all serious. Then a day or two later breathing became really quite difficult for a few days. As I said, I would not want to start off in that state before having the jab. I have had similar problems which weren't at times when an injection might have had some responsibility - and I'm afraid I did resort to a mixture of flavoured vodka and cold medicine on more than one occasion. OK, OK - I know it said on the bottle (cold medicine) not to drink alcohol, but I was almost past caring, and it did seem to help!

It's debatable whether many of us really have had 'flu, as I think it's quite a serious disease, and most of us just moan about colds etc. Statistically, if one can tolerate the jabs they seem to be a good thing. Presumably it's also desirable that a significant proportion of the population do have the jabs to keep the overall level of incidence down.

You might be OK with a jab, but it's your choice.

[Serial_Apologist]

We are now being told that the benefits of having the flu jab, which I have, are negated by being regularly on statins, which I am.

It's debatable whether many of us really have had 'flu, as I think it's quite a serious disease, and most of us just moan about colds etc. Statistically, if one can tolerate the jabs they seem to be a good thing. Presumably it's also desirable that a significant proportion of the population do have the jabs to keep the overall level of incidence down.

You might be OK with a jab, but it's your choice.

I think if you've suffered well above normal temperatures for a week, accompanied by alternating sweating and shivering, if not by the cold-like symptoms such as headache, sore throat etc, and have not been bitten by a mosquito in the tropics, then it's pretty definitely flu. I used to get that about every third year, but not since having the jab.

[teamsaint]

Its that time of year again.
Post here for virtual sweet tea and a bit of sympathy.

I've got one, expecting it to be the only one of the winter, thinking positive.
Not a real shocker, but enough to keep me off work for a day or so.

I always find I have to move from my standard builders tea to weak coffee with sugar, or even hot chocolate when I have a cold. Plus a tot of something of course.

Right, time to summon up the strength to assemble a pile of CDs.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Not sure if any such remedy has been mentioned upthread (apologies if so). I advocate an elder based linctus.

Sold as Sambuccol

http://sambucol.co.uk/what-sambucol

There is some research into the anti-viral effects (the above site does link into this one) :

http://www.blackelderberry.info/download-article-pdfs/

If I have something important coming up, I turn to this as soon as I see signs of what might be a cold or worse. Other times, I wait until it seems to be more than minor. My take on using it is that it shortens the severity and length of time I've been out of action (which I know is subjective; however looking at the summaries of the studies its what they indicate). Its a little pricey in the small bottles (sold in health shops etc).

(Of course Elderberry syrups etc have been known in folk memory from way back as a guard against the ills of winter. As Sambuccol appears to be a "standardised" product deriving from elderberries I keep meaning to take to the hedgerows in Autumn and concoct my own linctus - something else on my mental "to do" list.)

[Beef Oven!]

Its that time of year again.
Post here for virtual sweet tea and a bit of sympathy.

I've got one, expecting it to be the only one of the winter, thinking positive.
Not a real shocker, but enough to keep me off work for a day or so.

I always find I have to move from my standard builders tea to weak coffee with sugar, or even hot chocolate when I have a cold. Plus a tot of something of course.

Right, time to summon up the strength to assemble a pile of CDs.

Take care of yourself. Get some fresh air, but mind not to have the windows too open, excessive lowering of the ambient temperature doesn’t help. If you feel tired, don’t resist it - have a nap, it will replenish your mental and physical energy (much needed to combat this malady). If hot chocolate is comforting for you, go for it. Have things that you enjoy, it’s hardly indulgent. Elderberry syrups are surprisingly effective with this sort of condition. Generally rest and don’t even think about work. Or just man-up like women do in these circumstances.

[teamsaint]

Take care of yourself. Get some fresh air, but mind not to have the windows too open, excessive lowering of the ambient temperature doesn’t help. If you feel tired, don’t resist it - have a nap, it will replenish your mental and physical energy (much needed to combat this malady). If hot chocolate is comforting for you, go for it. Have things that you enjoy, it’s hardly indulgent. Elderberry syrups are surprisingly effective with this sort of condition. Generally rest and don’t even think about work. Or just man-up like women do in these circumstances.

sound advice as ever Beefy.
I don't think we can get Elderberry syrups out here in the country, though

And the boss (THE boss) has been asking for some " numbers " by EOD, so I'd better get on with them ......