Frugal sickie tips

[dapooh1]

I would caution anyone making a homemade alcohol sanitizer to be alert to the alcohol concentration of what you are making. Studies have shown that an alcohol concentration of less than 60% is worthless for killing bacteria.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/21/he...nitizer&st=nyt

[NaturallyCheap]

Isn't clean air and sunshine the best way to kill bacteria?

[amyschiff]

These neti pots sound like something I HAVE TO try sometime. I have pretty awful allergies and am constantly congested, so I could see this being awesome for me even when i don't have a cold.

[Solinvicta]

I'm going to also advocate the neti pot...I tried it for the first time this winter, and it was fantastic for clearing out the sinuses. I've used saline spray in the past and found it much more effective. Plus, it's dirt cheap to use...I made the saline with ordinary non-iodized salt, and sterilize the whole thing with boiling water. So, once you've bought the pot, your costs are basically salt, and a little electricity!

I'd also recommend ginger tea for congestion...take a piece of fresh ginger, and - instead of just steeping it like regular tea - chop it up and boil it for 15 minutes. This will made very strong tea...you can add lemon and honey if you like.

One thing that I would caution against is not to take too many antihistamines. Maybe once or twice is okay if you need them to sleep (they're part of Nyquil), but if you take them too often, they can aggravate the condition, and possibly provoke a sinus infection.

[rainysparadigm]

I have to get in on this one ... I manage to catch everything lol

1. Salt water gargle - i find this one invaluable to sore throats. Mix it as strong and as hot as you can stand it (I personally prefer the water to be foggy with salt, instead of just using a pinch). Then rinse your throat with it. If you can do this a few times a day, it'll help alot.

2. Drink hot water with honey and either lime or lemon juice. It tastes good, feels good on the throat, and keeps you hydrated. Just remember to brush your teeth regularly, because the sugar and the acid in the juices.

3. Eucalyptus baths. I prefer eucalyptus oil + sea salt in a strong, warm bath. Use a cloth to keep water on your chest so you can inhale the vapors better. In a pinch, the cold and flu baths at most stores will work, just check the ingredients.

4. Vicks humidifer. This helps alot but for some reason it tends to make me break out. Might be circumstantial, not sure. Vicks chest rub is another option, I prefer the creamy kind over the thick gel one. Ew.

5. No sugar! Dont drink soda just because it feels good on your throat - sugar irritates sore throats. I didnt know this once when I had strep and drank alot of cola because the carbonation provided an odd, simple, temporary relief lol Wound up in the ER with an extreme infection - I havent done anything worse than a little honey in hot water on occasion and havent had an issue like that since. Dr said sugar = bad for sore throats. Another aspect of that is cough drops. They have a bit of sugar in the normal ones, and some conspiracist will say that its intentional due to the aforementioned...It may very well be that it just tastes better. Either way, get the no sugar when possible. I tend to suck on a lot of them when Im sick (more than recommended) though my pharmacist friend recently introduced me to Cepacol, and I love them. They provided a great numbing relief and though more expensive than normal ones, you really only do need them once every 2 hours. I should add I did habitually suck on too many of them at first and got lightheaded and kinda blah feeling from it, so definitely dont over do it with these lol

6. Like others mentioned, hot or simple foods. I actually eat ramen soup when I'm sick because the hot salty broth feels good on my throat, and I imagine provides a bit of the same goodness as salt water gargle. Fruits, lightly seasoned chicken, rice. If you do feel fasting is best for your illness, be sure to drink alot of water.

7. If you've wound up having to see a doctor, and prescribed antibiotics, be sure to drink alot of water with them. Also, take probiotic pills (along with the vitamins you should be taking) for the following month at least. Antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria, and killing good bacteria makes you likely to getting another infection. Probiotics are worth the money in the long run. Yogurt is a good way to start restoring your good bacteria as well.

And when all else fails ...

I once had the asian flu for 6 weeks. Yep. 6 weeks. Couldnt shake it and it was definitely getting the best of me. Finally took a three day weekend off from work, and stayed in bed with a gallon of hot, unsweetened green tea and a cup next to me. I would drink as much as possible between sleeping, and only got up to 1. rewarm tea or make more and 2. to pee. lol Three days of that and I was back in action.

However, dont let your frugality and (in my case) dislike for hospitals prevent you from seeing a dr if need be. I wound up in critical because i let a medical situation get out of control. my frugal efforts cost me an ambulance ride and 3 days stay at hospital + blood transfusion. Not very frugal :P

I had never used a neti pot so I googled it, and like others...it kinda freaks me out lol i do see where it could be very beneficial, esp for people prone to sinus issues. mine tend to be throat infections, and im having my tonsils removed in the coming months because ive had strep...ready...over 20 times. yep. time for those things to come out!! anyway my fiance is from SE asia so im sure he knows something about those things. he also swears by grinding fresh ginger into a paste. something his mom makes...i know nothing else about it because its extremely time consuming, we havent done it yet lol

[rainysparadigm]

Just recently experienced the goodness that is hydrogen peroxide throat gargle...I just used it straight, room temperature before the infection was too bad, and it knocked it right out! I didn't even wind up with a prescription. w00t!

I forgot to add last time, when the hot tea/hot water isn't doing it for the throat, sugar free ice pops. Brings the swelling down alot of times. Feels good and provides some moisture.

Hope everyone is well

[moneymatters]

just in case you don't get better, and you have to get hospitalized - and end up with a bunch of hospital bills, my frugal tip is this..

When paying for your hospital bills, call the billing department number on your bill, and ask for a discount. if you are able to pay cash, they may take even more off your bill. We have some friends that paid cash and received 15% discount on their hospital bills.

Save money on your hospital bills, just by asking.