Attention all you Granny Clampetts out there! I've had a sinus infection for quite a while and am on antibiotics but now I have this horrible cough that stabs thru my head and chest. Have no antihistamine in the house. (can't take a decongestant) Got any ideas what I can take to stop the cough? (if that's what I should do) Am running a fever of 101 and have chills now. I'm too old for this! I NEVER get a fever!! Will appreciate any help and I sure hope I have it in the house (town is 20 miles away) THANKS !!

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 05, 2001

Answers

Try honey- it won't do much for the fever/chills, but it may help with the cough and sinus. Honey is hygroscopic- sucks the moisture out of bacteria so that it cannot survive. Also helps to soothe coughs. I usually drink a cup of hot tea laced with honey- then, if the cough is really bad I will follow the tea with a spoonful of honey to coat the throat. That usually helps. Good luck- hope you feel better soon.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 05, 2001.

Humidity always helps me and the kids with coughs in the winter. Turn the shower on full blast hot, and breath deep, or fill the sink with boiling water and drape a towel over your head to catch the steam. You'll cough like heck for a bit, but it draws the mucus out of your throat and sinus. Old time remedy that isn't at all pleasnt is to 'sniffel' salted water-yup, just like a big wave got ya, right up your nose down your throat and out again. Just awful. But it works. As for that fever, I don't know how old you are or in what health, but please don't let it go on for to long before seeing or calling the doc again. Be Well.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), March 05, 2001.

Pat, I am in the same shoes you are! I have had a sinus infection for 2 weeks now. I have found that if I take salt water and put a few drops up my nose it helps to cut the congestion and the cough. Hard candy seems to help me control the cough. I can't even smell 'Vicks vapor rub! I smell and taste nothing and I have already taken 10 days of 'Baxin' a very strong anitbody! My Dr. said that he's has never seen the likes of the sinus infection that he has had this year. Good luck. I can't wait to see the answers.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), March 05, 2001.

When girl child had this problem and nothing else helped that awful cough, I found some leftover Christmas peppermints for her to suck on. Really helped. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 05, 2001.

Hi Pat Sorry you are sick. I agree with all the great suggestions you have gotten so far - here are a few more. Since you are running a fever and have been sick a while - make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids. All you can stand and then some. Especially if you aren't coughing anything up. Fluids are needed to keep everything flowing that your body is fighting hard to flush out. And don't forget the fluids that are old home remedies - like chicken soup, orange juice, etc. But water or anything will work - just Avoid liquids that have caffeine or alcohol(maybe a little hot toddy; but nothing more) - they will dry you out more. Also, even though you are taking an antibiotic - don't forget "poor man's antibiotic" - garlic. My little one came home from school feeling poorly today and I fixed her tomato soup, garlic toast (lots of garlic), and orange juice. Also, I would use Vicks chest rub even if you can't smell it cause it tends to help loosen things up. But most important is the liquids and the humidity someone else mentioned -cause it sounds like you might be a little dehydrated from the fever. Hope this helps - and hang in there everyone - spring is coming - just lay back and visualize the most perfect setting you can - your own little Eden. And my God heal and bless.

-- Cynthia Speer (farmsteader@gvtel.com), March 05, 2001.

Tonight my just about 48 yrs. old seems like death! My youngest made me some mint tea that really went down good. I'll try the honey, steam and a few other suggestions. Sure hate to cough though, such a sharp stabbing feeling! OUCH!! My ears are starting to scream.

Like I say to my kids, "when do I get some crackers with this whine?"

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 05, 2001.

Take two tablespoons of chopped onion, put it on a saucer, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over it and put a coffee cup upside down over it. Within an hour or so a clear syrup will form around the cup. Take as much of this, that has formed. This tastes good enough that my three year old asks for it when she is sick. It will calm your cough. For your sinuses saltwater is good, strained goldenseal tea is better. Sniff it up the nose. Also drink lots of hot liquids. With your fever you should up your fluid intake. If you have a lot of chest congestion, it would also be good to breath steam over a hot bowl of water under a towel twice a day. Also robitussin before going to sleep will help too.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), March 05, 2001.

I read this about this in the local paper but have not tried it yet. Put Vicks on the bottom of your feet and put socks on. It is said to relieve coughing. Might be worth a try.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), March 05, 2001.

I agree with the garlic and honey. Honey gets out all the gook faster than anything. A big tablespoon in hot water, as much as you want, but not right before bed, as it will make you cough that gook out of your chest. It will make the stuff come out of your sinuses, but don't stop drinking it, drink allot for days, and it will come out. Those antihistimes are awful, they just make it worse when it wears off. I take the garlic pills, they go after infection too. I am addicted to a spoon of honey in my coffee now. Please feel better soon, and don't forget to take your acidophilus pills (yogurt) if you are taking antibiotics. I just take regular Bayer asprin for the fever and pains, have all my life, but I don't know if you can take it with your medicine.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 06, 2001.

I haven't read all the above, so someone may have posted some of this. Make a poultice of vinegar and coffee, lay across sinuses. My grandpa swore by that and he had terrible sinus problem when he was a kid. Also if you can find them, get Fisherman's Friend cough drops, nothing better, otherwise cayenne tea is supposed to get rid of a core throat almost instantly.

Honey and lemon are soothing an the lemon should be good for the cough. THYME for lungs. Thyme anise seed honey and water, good for cough, really good. A heaping 1/4t.each herb, simmered in 1c water for 15 strain add 1/2c honey. make in double batch if you want store in fridge, you can take a T. every 3 hours but we take a drink whenever. Echinecea and rose hips excellent for your problem.Hope this helps

-- Cindy (SE In) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), March 06, 2001.

Hi Pat, You probobly have Pheumonia, it sounds like you have the same thing I have, and this is my 4th. week. Now my doctor thinks I have had too many antibotic, because now I have diarrhea, he says it is cause by C.Diff a bacteria, that can cause persistent diarrhea. There is a test for this and it called C.Diff. I don"t know if this is your problom yet, hope not !! Don't let this caugh go on, you need to call your Doc. and get back in. The caughing down deep in the chest is not good, people die from Pheumonia all the time ! My Doc.(also a good friend) emails me every day and he is very concerned and wants me to go to the hospital, but I have refused, last time I was there they almost killed me, and I have babie goats due ! If you are on antibotic you need to eat yogurt and take acidophilus (get from health food store), I failed to do this, and now look where I am! Good luck and CALL the doc., drink lots of fluids, don't get dehydrated, I did, had to go to doctor's office ever 3 days for IV's 3 times, not fun dont'go that direction! My doctor says I am the most stubborn person he's ever met, oh well. I will tell you what he tells me and then he just laughs,(cause he knows I won't) go home , stay in bed , let someone else do the chores, well that don't happen around here! Mary in Idaho

-- Mary in Idaho (oseancess@sol.com), March 06, 2001.

Horehound tea will stop that cough (and tastes absolutely HORRIBLE). Season with lemon and tons of honey. There are herbal combos on the market containing echinacea and goldenseal in the right amounts that should clear up an infection and the associated inflammation of the throat and membranes. Any drugstore will have it.

Good old aspirin, if you can take it, is all I would do for the fever.... Willow bark tastes worse than the horehound!!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 06, 2001.

Great advice here! I'd like to add that if you are coughing up green phlegm from your chest, get to a hospital immediately! That's an almost sure sign of pneumonia! You can have pheumonia without coughing up the green stuff, too, so keep in close contact with your doctor, get a second opinion or go to the hospital anyway if you feel the need.

The salt water up the nose is a great suggestion. When Hubby has one of his frequent sinus infections, I mix up some right away and add some baking soda (just a tad to help dry things out). He lays on the bed with his head hanging off one side upside down. I drop in a few drops while he says "Nay-nay-nay-nay-nay" to vibrate the sinuses and make it go all the way up. I use a clean empty eye-drop bottle with the hole reamed out ~ a clean syringe without the needle works good, too. If you do this, be sure to have a full box of kleenex and a trashcan nearby ~ you will blow your head off when you sit up!

-- Wingnut (wingnut@moment.net), March 06, 2001.

Thought I'd better join the land of the living and let you guys know I'm still hanging in there. I've tried several of your recommendations. Some definately are not pleasant! I did take a 4 hour nap (unheard of for me)today. I go from having a temp, to not having one. Hopefully, we've nipped this thing in the bud. I'll keep you posted and THANKS AGAIN !!

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 06, 2001.

You can have green phlegm and not have pnuemonia. Simple bronchitis will cause this condition. Symptoms for pneumonia are, aching lungs, a full feeling in the lungs(from the accumulated fluid), fever, greenish yellow phlegm, difficulty breathing, extreme fatigue, exhaustion and panting from minimal exercise.

Little bit farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), March 06, 2001.

Have you tried the new Aleve? Worked very well for me and you only take one tab every 12 hours.

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 06, 2001.

Take licorice root two capsules, three times a day for the cough, works wonders every time. Take astragalus root two capsules, three times a day for the infection, and be sure to drink at least (not kidding here) a gallon a water a day to flush the crap out of your system. Systemic antibiotics only work occasionally for a sinus infection, and the fever is your bodies way of fighting the infection, don't worry about it until it reaches 102 or 103, just be sure to drink the aformentioned gallon a water a day! Stay away from the NSAID's, they mess with your immune system big time, not worth the trouble they bring on.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), March 06, 2001.

For the diarrhea... get some acidophilous (sp?), which you can find in most vitamin section of drug stores. Its the good bacteria that lives in your intestines which antibiotics will kill off (antibiotics are equal opportunity bacteria killers). This will clear it up quicker than anything the Dr can give you.

-- Stacia in OK (oneclassycowgirl@aol.com), March 06, 2001.

Hi Pat,,sure hope you are feeling a little better,,what a misery for you! I know cause I have been thru it the last 2 years. Never had such sinus troubles!***Sure interesting reading of all the different remedys.***I use the salt water in the nose with a syring,,unpleasant but it works good for me. Drains the sinuses right away,,A very warm clothe across the nose and eye sinuses eases the pain and losens the congestion in sinuses. Kind of relaxes too. I take garlic, goldenseal capsule (natural antibiotic) extra vitamins (when I can stomach them) lots of liquids as mentioned including chicken broth. That is VERY important for reasons mentioned by others. I found a wonderful herbal remedy for congestion, put out by Ridgecrest Herbals,,called Sinus Clear, Ephedra Free.(capsules) At natural food store. I was very pleasantly surprised at how well it works. I know you don't feel like going to town,,but maybe someone could pick you up a bottle if you want to try it. Since I found it I won't be without it. But be sure and check the ingredients, cause what works for some folks don't work for others. I can email you the ingredients if you like,,just let me know. Well, you have a wealth of remedys for Sinus infection now,,and I for one am going to print them all out and keep on hand for the next Sinus attack. Take care and get well soon. Hope all of you folks out there that are dealing with Sinus infections get to feeling better real soon. Pat, let us know how you are later..Keep warm and cozy.

-- Patsy (cozyhollow-gal@care2.com), March 06, 2001.

You might want to stay away from dairy products for a while.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 06, 2001.

Hi, Thought some of you would be curious as to how things are going. I was reminded by a friend to put garlic oil in my ears to help with the sinus - did that last night and by morning the headache was gone. The cough is still pretty bad and I can't lay down to sleep but hopefully it's on it's way out. thanks again !!

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 07, 2001.

Pat- and others with chronic sinus problems: I posted this a long time ago but maybe it's time to do it again. I agree that if your chest feels as though it has a giant rubber band around it and you have trouble getting enough breath, you probably have pneumonia. I speak from many years experience. For many years I got sinus infections that turned into pneumonia twice a year every year. April and October like clockwork. I started taking grape seed extract and bilberry and after 2 years I was never sick again. I know that sounds like an awfully long time but each season I got a little better until it was gone completely. It's been FIVE YEARS!!! Believe me, I celebrate spring and fall now. Hope you're better, Pat.

-- Peg in NW WI (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), March 07, 2001.

Wow! Loved all the suggestions (for dh, not me). He's had a nasty sinus infection the last 2 years and just saw the doc Monday for the latest. Even doc said he's never seen it as bad as this year. Don't have any advice but wanted everyone to know I appreciate the advice given and have cut-and-pasted much of it. I'm new to herbal remedies but very much interested.

Oh yeah, someone mentioned fever being a natural defense mechanism for the body. I'm an EMT and was working in the ER the other night when the ER doc said exactly the same thing to a mom who brought in a feverish 4yo. Said not to worry unless it gets over 104 (for a kid). Have to admit, I still treat fevers but I understand his logic.

-- Hoosiermom (hdnpines@hotmail.com), March 07, 2001.

Just wanted to add to the advice already given - I had a stubborn sinus infection after a cold last year. The only thing that helped was steam with rosemary added. The smell is pleasant and the rosemary has an antibiotic affect. In my personal experience there is nothing like a little asprin for a fever. My partner says whiskey, but I say why trade one headache for another.

-- Maggie's Farm (elemon@peacehealth.org), March 08, 2001.

At the first sign of sinus troubles I start taking a combination Echinacea-Goldenseal tab. Seems to really help me alot. Eve Lyn

-- Eve Lyn (evelynv@ipa.net), March 10, 2001.

Hi Pat, misery loves company. I've been in pretty much the same boat since about Feb. 15. My symptoms abated for a while and came raging back about a week ago. I cough like I'm going to turn my lungs inside out. I think it's still bronchitis/sinusitis and not pneumonia (been there, done that and it's horrid....go to the doc if you even mildly suspect pneumonia!) Thanks to non-drowsy formula TheraFlu, I did go to work all last week, but it was awful.

I agree, I have never seen so many people sick with respiratory infections as this year. I just had an insight, though. Tonight we finally had some rain. When I went out to feed the sheep, my ears, sinuses, and nose all came unplugged after I was outdoors for a while. I think I have been cooped up with dry wood heat for too long this year. I have heard that a cool-mist vaporizer can be a good thing to use. I'm going to try it and see. If not better tomorrow, I'm off to the doc's on Monday. I am one who rarely gets sick, too. It's maddening!

Good luck and best wishes to you and the rest of you all with illness.

-- sheepish (WA) (rborgo@gte.net), March 10, 2001.