Have I mentioned that I’m a terrible sick person? There’s so much to do and just no time to be sick. You already know that Saturday morning I went to the walk in clinic. Got shots and meds. Felt so much better all of Saturday. With the pink dog excitement, I didn’t get enough sleep Saturday night, which is my fault (really, it was my sister’s fault!) but I didn’t feel horrible on Sunday, so I did too much . . especially too much outside. The cedars are still orange with pollen. Darn . . I feel like packing my bags, taking my knitting, getting in the car and driving to the first place where I see no cedar trees and hanging out there til we can at least get a rain here and knock some of this pollen down.
By last night, I was so congested and wishing I had not spent so much time outside. My nose was so stopped up all night that I could hardly breathe and my head was hurting, despite taking Benadryl, aspirin and then another Benadryl.
This morning I was supposed to take both dogs to the vet. I kept telling myself that I could do it but I knew I just didn’t feel like doing it so I called and cancelled those appointments. I hated calling at the last minute but I felt that bad!
I had a dentist appointment tomorrow morning. No way I feel like having hands in my mouth since I cannot breathe through my nose so I called and rescheduled that. I’m sure they don’t want to be near me either right now.
Then Vince sent an email that he wouldn’t be home for lunch. Good timing. Back to bed about 8 a.m. I had planned to make a King Cake to send to work with him tomorrow but he has a meeting tomorrow and was sounding like he wasn’t going to be around the office that much so I know he won’t care if I don’t make that.
Slept til 1:30. I figured it was about 9:30 when I woke up and was shocked to see that it was 1:30. Heated up some soup, at down to knit but . . I think I’m sleepy again.
The allergy meds/decongestants I’m taking just aren’t doing much. I knew I had seen a bottle of Nyquil or Dayquil in the medicine cabinet. Chad swore by Nyquil and Dayquil for colds and congestion and he always has it around.
I NEVER take that stuff and here’s why! Probably 30 years ago, or more, I had something very similar to what I have now. I went to bed with a bottle of Nyquil by my bed and every time I woke up, I took as swig. The next morning, I woke up sick as a dog and since that day, I have never touched Nyquil or Dayquil but I was desperate this morning. I dug through the medicine cabinet and way back in the back corner . . a sealed, never been opened bottle of Dayquil. I never pay a whole lot of attention to Use By Dates except on milk and stuff like that. I happened to look at the date on the Dayquil bottle .. Best before 06/07. 2007? Almost 9 years ago? That had to have been a bottle Chad had. How would Dayquil go bad? I don’t know .. guess I’ll stick with the what I was taking.
Ended up going back to bed shortly after 2 and slept til just now . . 7:30 p.m. Hope I’ll be able to sleep tonight and definitely hoping I feel better tomorrow.
Mary says
Hope you are better soon!
Donna says
Judy I had the same thing for about 3 weeks. The only thing that opened my head was Vicks Vapor rub I put on that l indention below my nose and in the hollow of my throat. Also walked with a jar very close by so I could take a good long sniff from time to time. AT least I could breathe for a little while. What a miserable feeling. I’m still not 100% after 2 rounds of antibiotics but at least I can breathe now. Hope you get better soon.
Linda in NE says
Sorry you’re feeling so miserable. The over the counter allergy & cold meds just don’t do much good any more because the powers that be decided the ingredient that really worked had to be removed because otherwise we would all be spending all our time cooking meth. And even then we have to give the pharmacy clerk our driver’s license so they can run our name through a database to see if we’re an offender and then have us sign some form just to buy one box…which plainly says it contains the substitute ingredient. Any more I only buy Mucinex and nasal spray decongestant. The rest is a waste of money. Those two and my elderberry brew are what works and that’s just for a cold. I don’t know what I’d do with such a terrible allergy as yours.
Carol says
Had that same stuff with allergies, which got so bad it turned into severe bronchitis but thankfully did not go as far as pneumonia. I also had 2 rounds of antibiotics, strong cough syrup that allowed me to sleep at night, plus a steroid and then doc prescribed breathing treatments. My lungs just did not want to work! So much congestion. I had tried Mucinex which has always worked for me but this was just too far gone. Took about 8 weeks to finally get over it all. All during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays! Fun! And I am NEVER sick……all that sleep is doing you good! Keep it up til you feel better.
Carolyn says
Want me to come get you …we are not plagued with cedars around here?
dorothymatheson says
I am an RN with the same Cedar Allergies you have. You need Flonase or the other Nasal steroid spray. Start just before the start of Cedar Fever season and do not stop till after it is all over with. You can start now but it will take at least 4 days to start working. You must not go outside with out a mask on. A good dust mask. You also must come in and wash your hair and change your clothing so that any pollen in your hair or clothing is discarded. Especially do not go to bed with the pollen in your hair. You can also use a Saline wash out like spray or neti pot to keep your nose clear of pollen.
Yes I do most of the above daily. However I have hair to my waist so I cover it when outside and also with a hair cover at night.
Dorothy
Diane in CA says
I would call a pharmacy and ask about the DayQuil.. I bet it is still good and may be so old it has the good antihistamine in it.. Maybe its like a 9 yr old whiskey or wine.. gets better with age..
wanda j says
Dayquill also comes in pill form now thank heavens cause I hate the stuff make me puck but works sometimes. So far I’ve found nothing over the counter to help with this mess. I get fits from Pine pollen myself but this is different never been this sick in 30 years. Time to go to doctor get some hard core stuff and get well. Like you I don[t have time to be sick and have been 7 days now. YUCK….. get well maybe go back to doctor yourself Judy. Might need more drugs like a zpack or something.Take care get to breathing better. Humidifer sure helps me. Might have to leave on and put a pot of water boiling in kitchen to help in there.
Kim Webb says
I hope you start feeling better soon.
PattiLynn says
Hope you’re well soon! I have no advice, but wish I could help.
Theresa says
What works for me is using a Neti pot with warm salt water followed by using Xlear nasal spray. The cortisone nasal sprays work well, too, but are best used temporarily (months, not years.)
Kristin says
Benadryl is a very old-school decongestant. It usually causes severe drowsiness. You should try newer antihistamines like Claritin or Zyrtec. And for a decongestant- 12 hour sudafed. Instead of a Netti pot, you should use a sterile bottle of saline nasal rinse. I have an extensive history seeing allergists and ENT physicians. And for long-term management you should do a nasal corticosteroid. Like Flonase or Nasacort.
Dar in MO says
OMG. I have been having the same stuffed up head and nasal problems for a few days too and my remedies are similar to what you tried. Finally last night I ran a vaporizer with Vicks Vapor steam in it and had the best sleep in 2 nights. I’m trying the Vicks vapor rub on the bottom of my feet with socks on and that seems to work for a couple nights too. Only problem, everything in the bed smelled of Vicks and my DH was not too happy about it. I also take nighttime Theraflu for head and altergy gongestions. Hope you are feeling better. I’m not over it yet but can breathe through my nose most of the time.