Cold and flu medicines

[Charl]

Got the start of a cold coming on, runny nose,sneezing etc, want to try and nip it in the bud before it gets worse, anything I can take which won't send my bloods through the roof. Thanks

 

[rebrascora]

I use Lemsips sachets or supermarket equivalent (I used the Lidl ones recently) and they don't seem to affect my BG levels and I use Libre so I would be able to see it pretty easily if it was a problem. Don't forget a cold is likely to increase your levels, so don't assume that any higher levels you experience are caused by the medicine.

 

[Inka]

Got the start of a cold coming on, runny nose,sneezing etc, want to try and nip it in the bud before it gets worse, anything I can take which won't send my bloods through the roof. Thanks

Effervescent Vitamin C and Zinc tablets (sugar free) and plenty of rest.

 

[Ditto]

I've just been told Actifed. Might be only for a cough though, but apparently there are different ones. I've been advised to get the red box for coughs, bloods nurse this morning said her family now swear by it for coughs and colds. Her Mum's like my Mum was, every winter the same, a chest infection. Now they just keep a bottle of that in, so I've asked my daughter to get me a bottle when she's out and about. Desperate here. Had this cough and chest infection near a year. Simply can't bear it any longer. Night Nurse capsules don't even touch it. Fingers crossed it works. Hope you get better soon. 🙂

 

[helli]

@Charl I am sorry to read you are under the weather.
Unfortunately, regardless of what medication we take, it is common for stress on our bodies such as fighting off a cold will impact out blood sugars regardless what medication we take. Diabetes doe snot help because a raised blood sugar can make the symptoms worse.
With Type 1, I am "lucky" to be able to take insulin to reduce my blood sugars and, with this in mind, I take the medication that is most likely to minimise my symptoms and help me recover as soon as possible.
With a cold a take paracetamol to minimise the aching and drink ginger infusion with a little lemon juice.
I make my own ginger infusion by grating fresh ginger into a flask and topping up with boiling water. I strain this and dillute according to taste.
I can keep this going for a few days by topping up the flask.

 

[nonethewiser]

Usually just take paracetamol, sort of had restless night last due to tickly throat, been to supermarket & bought some chloraseptic throat spray, it's great stuff & does what it says on label.

 

[Leadinglights]

@Charl I am sorry to read you are under the weather.
Unfortunately, regardless of what medication we take, it is common for stress on our bodies such as fighting off a cold will impact out blood sugars regardless what medication we take. Diabetes doe snot help because a raised blood sugar can make the symptoms worse.
With Type 1, I am "lucky" to be able to take insulin to reduce my blood sugars and, with this in mind, I take the medication that is most likely to minimise my symptoms and help me recover as soon as possible.
With a cold a take paracetamol to minimise the aching and drink ginger infusion with a little lemon juice.
I make my own ginger infusion by grating fresh ginger into a flask and topping up with boiling water. I strain this and dillute according to taste.
I can keep this going for a few days by topping up the flask.

That sounds as if it needs a whisky added to make a Whiskey Mac, the drink, not a whiskey to go with your Macdonald's

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I opt for paracetamol and separate decongestant tablets so I can have with or without caffeine depending on the time of day(and waaaaay cheaper than cold & flu capsules!)

Then I’ll also occasionally have a hot toddy with juiced lemon/orange, a bit of honey, topped up with hot water and a glug of whisky. Not carb-free, but very very good with a cold IMO.

 

[Vonny]

I'm popping non-caffeine beechams like billyo at the moment. Had this wretched cold for the best part of a week and nothing seems to help. Feel worse than when I had covid back in April, but am consistently testing negative for it. Frankly, I'm not actually bothering to monitor my BG, just feeling too sorry for myself! But am keeping up the walking which is probably not a good thing, I know I should be resting.

 

[Lucyr]

I'm popping non-caffeine beechams like billyo at the moment. Had this wretched cold for the best part of a week and nothing seems to help. Feel worse than when I had covid back in April, but am consistently testing negative for it. Frankly, I'm not actually bothering to monitor my BG, just feeling too sorry for myself! But am keeping up the walking which is probably not a good thing, I know I should be resting.

Be careful how many you take as they contain paracetamol, so you should take no more than the maximum on the packet not just pop them like billyo.

 

[Vonny]

Be careful how many you take as they contain paracetamol, so you should take no more than the maximum on the packet not just pop them like billyo.

2 x 4 per day @Lucyr as per max guidelines 🙂

 

[nonethewiser]

Usually just take paracetamol, sort of had restless night last due to tickly throat, been to supermarket & bought some chloraseptic throat spray, it's great stuff & does what it says on label.

Well it ended up being full on cold, spent most of Friday in bed taking paracetamol regularly, spray really helped & allowed me to get some sleep.

 

[Ditto]

Don't waste £6 on Actifed. Now if the stupid girl in Tesco had asked me if I was diabetic I wouldn't have bought it. I was over the moon to finally find some and she only asked about meds I was already on and I always say none as it would take too long to explain. Read the leaflet. If you are not 100% fit you can't take it, the side effects can be horrendous, I'd be scared to have even a swig. Fed-up now. Thought I'd found an answer to this 'had it since April' cough.

Hope you headed your cough cold flu off at the pass @Charl. 🙂