Respiratory viruses

[TheCG]

I generally get bronchitis about once a year. It takes 2 or 3 rounds of antibiotics (Z-pack) and steroids (prednisone) to make it go away. When TSHTF, I don't foresee me being able to waltz into the doctor's office to get prescriptions. Stocking up those drugs now is not an option.

 

The bronchitis is normally the result of a respiratory virus that lingers, opening the door for bacterial bronchitis.

 

Is there anything natural that I can do to make a respiratory virus go away? Or to make bronchitis go away once I have it? Even something to just help control the fevers and coughing would be useful.

 

I'm trying to figure out the right direction to go, then once I'm better (yeah, guess why I'm thinking of this now?) I'll be able to peg away at the books and see if I can't find anything.

[Homemaker]

I used to be plagued with bronchitus. It would linger for weeks and really never completely went away.

Finally, I was freed from it after giving up sugar and refined foods from my diet. I had given them up to lose weight and never imagined that I would see healing in so many other ways.

I don't even get colds anymore as long as I steer clear of those evil substances.

[Stephanie]

This was exactly what was happening to me, about this time every year. But not the past 3 years!

 

The answer for me was to nip it in the bud and start paying attention to 'early' symptoms. First of all, I did not realize that this tendency to have bronchitis or , as I use to say, "It goes straight to my chest" was a residual result from having asthma as a child. And that if someone has 'recovered' from child hood asthma, it often re-visits them in their 40's.

 

I believe that Becca_Anne recently took a nursing class on Asthma and she was sharing that a good clue to what is happening in your lungs is what is happening in your nose.

 

I learned through a really good doctor, that the key is to keep your allergies under control and keep the mucus thin before your lungs and bronchial tubes got really congested and subsequently irritated.

 

I am stocking up on Mucinex or a store brand equivalent (which is guafennisin sp?) which breaks up the chest congestion in appropriate dosages. This is the ingredient found in the Robitussin DM's and generics. The doctor told me and so did the pharmacist that the dosage on the label of th Mucinex is not adaquate when you are at the doors of bronchitis and asthma. So, I've followed their instruction and increased it. So far, almost every single time it works in about 24/48 hrs to get my lungs opened back up.

 

Please note that if you get the Mucinex/sinus, you can't increase the dosage because of the decongestant in it.

 

I know this is not exactly an herbal remedy, but it may atleast give you something in your medicine cabinet to avoid full blown bronchities and a doctor visit.

 

[Snowmom]

 

I just went to the dr. on Monday and I thought it was a sinus infection, she figures it is just a cold, but, I am not much, if any better today than I was on Monday. I did get cough syrup and a perscription for a Z-Pak but, she told me not to use it unless it was not cleared up in a few days. Think I will be starting the Z-Pak soon. Oldpine brought this home from work and he was a lot worse than I have been. He did end up with bronchitus, so I am thankful I don't have it.

 

I too, am concerned about what I will do if something really happens. So, guess I need to start getting some of that stuff Stephanie has mentioned.

 

 

[Homemaker]

Or , you all could work on building a stronger body with a healthy immune system that can fight off these viruses so you don't have to use your money on drugs. You'll feel so much better.

I don't mean to sound all high and mighty, but it is so much better and cheaper in the long run to properly nourish yourself so you don't have to suffer. You'll save on dr. bills for the rest of your life.

[TheCG]

Homemaker, I'm slowly working on that part. Since going gluten-free, my allergies have been much less of an issue than usual. With where I'm living right now, giving up refined foods and sugar is not an option (I'm living with and cooking for a family - they're fairly healthy generally, but not giving up sugar any time soon). Now, after I move, that may be an option. I am researching to see if I can figure out what would work best for me right now.

[Crazy4Canning]

I had a friend of mine who is a healthcare practitioner suffer from a sinus infection for a YEAR. She was in misery. Finally, she went to another practitioner who did some massage on her sinuses. This was extremely painful, but effective. Here is what they did:

 

With something that smelled like Tiger Balm, she received a sinus massage, rubbing across the face, from the temples, back to the nose, up around the forehead, paying particular attention to the sinus pockets in the cheeks, always rubbing up and out.

 

After this, she 'snorted' (literally) garlic oil and MSM. This killed the infection better than antibiotics for her. She had been through the list of anitbiotics too, and was becoming resistant.

 

This isn't for everyone, but it did finally kill it for her.

[zzelle]

thanks for all the info

[TheCG]

I had a friend of mine who is a healthcare practitioner suffer from a sinus infection for a YEAR. She was in misery. Finally, she went to another practitioner who did some massage on her sinuses. This was extremely painful, but effective. Here is what they did:

 

With something that smelled like Tiger Balm, she received a sinus massage, rubbing across the face, from the temples, back to the nose, up around the forehead, paying particular attention to the sinus pockets in the cheeks, always rubbing up and out.

 

After this, she 'snorted' (literally) garlic oil and MSM. This killed the infection better than antibiotics for her. She had been through the list of anitbiotics too, and was becoming resistant.

 

This isn't for everyone, but it did finally kill it for her.

 

What is MSM? I wonder where I can find garlic oil...

 

Something I should do that one of my friends had me do before was to chop up two garlic cloves, toss them into a bit of apple cider vinegar, let them sit about 30 minutes, then drink. Drain a full glass of water, then go to bed nice and warm. You wake up smelling like a pizza, but it helps you sweat out the ick somehow...

[Crazy4Canning]

I'm sorry I didn't specify this before. She bought some of those garlic capsules from the store - whatever brand they had and pricked the gel-cap with a pin or scissors, mixing in an equal amount of MSM and completely saturated a q-tip to swab the inside of her nose. She did this until there was enough liquid to 'snort'. Then massaged her sinuses some more...all while trying not to sneeze! She did this a few times a day and before bed. It took about a week but it did kill everything.

 

To this day she can't stand the smell of garlic, but it did finally kill her sinus infection.

 

MSM is methylsulfonylmethane. It comes in a gel or a liquid and sometimes a capsule. It acts as a universal carrier, meaning if you put some sort of lotion on your skin, then MSM, it carries that lotion deep into your tissues. As such, it can be used for 'good' or 'evil'.

 

It is particularly effective the way my friend used it because it got that anti-bacterial garlic oil DEEP into the inflamed tissues.

 

People with arthritis will use it in conjunction with some sort of penetrating cream for complete relief.

 

MSM is also mixed with chondroitin and other remedies for joint pain and inflammation since it possesses that ability to penetrate deep into the joint and carry medicine where it is needed.

 

Pharmacies do carry it. You might need to ask for it, for they might have it behind the counter. If your local pharmacy doesn't carry it, they can order it for you. It's not that expensive and it does have many uses.

 

If memory serves, it does have a weird odor...and many people do complain that whatever they use WITH the MSM they can 'taste' since MSM will permeate anything. SO, do be careful with it and don't handle it unless necessary...

[Violet]

I have been hearing lately that many sinus infections are not bacterial.

My doctor has me use some prescription cream mixed in water and do a sinus rinse with it when I have had a sinus infection . I had sinus surgery a few years back. It was so painful, but sure has made a huge difference in my life. I have only taken antibiotics once since then.

If you do a regular sinus wash it is supposed to help you not to get sinus infections and will cut down on colds, too.

[Campy]

SOME anti-biotics you can stock up on WITHOUT a prescription.

 

http://www.calvetsupply.com/index.asp?Page...mp;Category=262

 

While the anti-biotics are LABLED for animals, they are the exact same thing as what are prescribed for humans (even made in the same factory).

 

The last time I had a viral infection that would not go away my doctor prescribed Amoxicillin 500 mg. 3 times a day for 10 days. The doctor also prescribed "Tesla Pearls" for the coughing. Tesla Pearls are USUALLY 200 mg guaffenison (spelling ?) which is commonly available OTC in a liquid form.

 

FWIW - Mucinex brand is 1600 mg guaffenison usually around $22 for 20 pills. The generic version at Wal mart has 400 mg guaffenison and is 60 pills for about $8

[jakesnana]

Without fail I would have bronchtis twice a year and end up in the hospital since 2004 (when I quit work).

Early last year my MD actually told me to try raw garlic at the first signs of infection and lo and behold I

have not had any since that time. Maybe it's a fluke but it works for me.

[Deblyn]

Mucinex (or generic brand) has been what has helped me. I haven't had bronchitis this year and I know that I just caught it before. I get post nasal drip and really have to try and keep tabs on my allergies or they quickly turn to bronchitis.

 

 

Homemaker - I am so grateful that you posted what you did. I know that I need to make some changes and that helps me to realize maybe where to begin! Thanks for sharing!

[Jingles]

Mucinex (or generic brand) has been what has helped me. I haven't had bronchitis this year and I know that I just caught it before. I get post nasal drip and really have to try and keep tabs on my allergies or they quickly turn to bronchitis.

 

 

Homemaker - I am so grateful that you posted what you did. I know that I need to make some changes and that helps me to realize maybe where to begin! Thanks for sharing!

 

 

Wish I would have seen these posts a week ago BEFORE I got brochitus! I haven't been sick at all for years (haven't seen my doc in 4 years) But I got a yeast infection this last month and low and behold I got bronchitus again. I used to get them both ALL the time when I was in college(a lot of years ago). Guess it's time to lay off the sugar and refined stuff again. And go back to eating yogart everyday! Let's hope the z-pak I'm on won't flare up another YI. Yogart here I come!

 

P.S. The Musinex works real good if you start with it, but I started with sudifed thinking this was allergies. The Musinex is helping alot now that I'm on it.