Flu: Head Cold! What Meds???

[Pote05]

Howdy All,

What do you take if you get a Head Cold/Flu???
New to this Diabetes thing, First cold... Any help would be great. Don't want to screw up the B/S!


Thanks for you help.

[xMenace]

I take long showers, drink lots of water, and get lots of sleep.

[parrotletzoo]

I don't take anything except maybe tylenol if i get a headache. Steam inhalations work well for congestion and Shower Sooters are good too if you can handle the menthol in them, They can be kind of smelly but they work well. and like other people said. drink much water ;)

[Mister Q]

Basically its paracetamol, fluids and rest. Almost all of the over the counter cold/flu relief remedies are not suitable for us D's.

[Keezheekoni]

If you have a lot of chest congestion, there's a diabetic tussin that you can get OTC. I can't take any tussins because I'm allergic to guaifenisin, so I'm SOL! :rofl:

My dad says the stuff tastes disgusting, but it does work well... No one in my house has tried it (my hubby is also diabetic), so I can't tell you if it works or not...

Other than that, steam showers are good. I also like the new "plug in" type of vaporizors that are out there. Mostly they're made for children's rooms, but they work for adults too. I believe they are made by the Sudafed people, but don't quote me on that! LOL

Drink lots of water and test your bg often!

[princesslinda]

I'm curious, what is paracetamol?

[v3xtr0n]

Princesslinda, from bupa.co.uk:

"Paracetamol is a painkiller, more technically described as a non-opioid analgesic. As a painkiller, it's similar in strength to aspirin, but does not have the anti-inflammatory action of aspirin."

Hope that helps!


With regards to things you can take for a head cold, I personally take the normal kinds of medicene that everybody takes - looking out for sugar free types of throat tablets etc.

I looked in to this sort of thing a while back and I came to the conclusion that you can choose to take the standard kinds of medicenes that non-diabetics take but ensure that you monitor your BG levels as they can effect your BG levels.

I did try and find out if it is likely that they will lower or raise your BG levels and the answer I got was that for some people they might raise them and others they might lower them! That's why testing/monitoring your own BG is needed so you can learn how you react to them!

If in doubt, ask your doctor the next time you see them.

[DeusXM]

Almost all of the over the counter cold/flu relief remedies are not suitable for us D's.

Not necessarily true, usually they just put that warning on to cover themselves. Most pharmaceutical products haven't been specifically tested on people with diabetes so usually they just say 'not suitable' to stop you taking them in case something did actually happen to you.

Put this way, when you're ill your BG is going to be all over the place anyway, so you should be testing frequently, so you shouldn't get caught out. Generally whenever I get a cold I'm straight on the Lemsip, which is just paracetamol, that stuff they put in Sudafed that makes your nose run, and caffeine. Obviously the drinks contain a certain amount of sucrose to make them palatable but you'll actually find they put the carb amount on the packet so you know how much.

The way I see it, if over-the-counter cold meds really did have a significant effect on BG levels, they'd be used to treat diabetes and not colds. Any BG effect you experience after taking them is probably far more down to the confusion of your liver as part of your immune response.

Obviously the above doesn't take into account any interactions that these meds might have with stuff like metaformin. But I know that I can quite safely take Lemsip or any other over-the-counter cold rememdy quite safely as a T1.

[Just_Plain_John]

There is a Coricidin HBP that is pretty decent, and I've had good results with Halls and Ricola sugar-free cough drops - the Ricola herbal drops are particularly soothing for coughs. Chamomile tea is bland but also very good with coughs. Some allergy-relief tablets have only anti-histamines and will help clear your head. I can't take the ones with the decongenstants generally (blood pressure), but some docs will allow it for a day or two.

[Mister Q]

Obviously the above doesn't take into account any interactions that these meds might have with stuff like metaformin.

I think its the interaction with other meds thats the concern, mainly the decongestants they seems to worry about for some reason.

Its amazing what they list as not suitable for diabetics!!

[kgm0612]

When I have a cold I take Dayquil & Nightquil liquid-gel caps and use Vick's Vapor Rub for chest congestion. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Karen

[Pote05]

Thanks for all the great advice, being a newbie just not sure yet...........

[Stuboy]

I drink echinacea tea when im ill... it really helps!