Tim’s pharmacist tries a new fangled cure for the common cold
I’ve been ill for the last few weeks. I’ve been struck down, bedridden and generally miserable. I’ve not been ill with fevers, the bloody flux or brain distemper, but with that most horrific and virulent of viruses – the common cold.
Colds, in my view, are underrated. They make you feel crap for weeks on end but you just don’t get the sympathy associated with having, say, tertiary space bleeding caused by the Ebola virus. No, you manage to tell someone you have a cold through streaming eyes, a pile of snotty tissues and a whole heap of misery and what do you get in return? A shrug and a dismissive comment about man ‘flu. That’s just not fair.
For me colds start with no symptoms but a sharp rise in blood glucose levels for a few days. Of course, it takes me a few days to work out what’s causing the high readings – is it not bolusing enough, slightly negligent self-care or the coming storm of a cold virus?
By the time I’ve worked out it’s a cold then the snot and tiredness arrive. And the tiredness is the worst bit. Colds really, really take it out of me. I don’t know whether it’s because my mal-formed immune system goes mental or because I’m generally struggling with high blood glucose levels. But, whatever the cause, with a cold at its height I can sleep more than an elderly cat on a comfortable, sunlit sofa.
But, kindly readers will be pleased to hear that I’m now well on the way to recovery. I’m down to producing about a gallon of snot and using three boxes of tissues and one packet of anti-histamine per day.
Another week or so and I’ll stop waking Katie in the night with coughing fits and the dog will have fewer snotty tissues to find, capture and eat. This is certainly an improvement. Except for the dog, who inexplicably loves eating snotty tissues. But that’s dogs for you, I suppose. Yuk!
So are there any bright sides to colds? I’ve found one. Coming back into the office after a day off sick and spreading the cold to all my work colleagues. What fun!
“Colds really, really take it out of me. I don’t know whether it’s because my mal-formed immune system goes mental or because I’m generally struggling with high blood glucose levels.” – dare I suggest it may be your Y chromosome that makes you suffer so badly with colds 😉
Glad you’re feeling better though, it’s always horrid to have to play at being a pancreas at the same time as dealing with lurgy.
Yeah, being a stand in pancreas at the same time doesn’t help. Does it ever help? No.
Aaaw, sorry to hear this, Tim. Have you had your vitamin D checked? Friend checking patients found most people are deficient, and vitamin D is VITAL to your immune system function. It’s the one thing you should be taking above all else, no-one gets enough any more. Its lack is implicated in many, many diseases. Take vitamin D3, not the other one.
I do get a virus, but so occasionally, and it’s over in 3 days, sometimes shorter. Since I also get the rise in blood glucose before it’s also easy to take garlic – garlic crushed and in a little cold water, sieved into another cup, then drunk… garlic gets into your cells and kills viruses – the reason antibiotic doesn’t work as it cannot get into your cells where viruses replicate themselves. This actually works!
My son also uses these methods and has had one short illness, despite being a new student this term, surrounded by friends at death’s door..
Hope you get a LOT better soon.
Thanks Lizz – I’ve been taking the multi-vits that my pharmacist told me to take (he’s Northern Irish, so I tend to do as he tells me) and I’m pretty sure they have vitamin D3 in them. They also have folic acid, which will be helpful if I get pregnant…
I do hope you’re taking precautions, Tim. An unplanned pregnancy can play havoc with your BG readings. You’d get a feature in the Daily Mail, though.
Hurrah – I’ve always wanted to be in the Daily Mail! 😉
We need a “Top Tips blog” I will try out Lizz s garlic drink. @Tim if your considering getting pregnant you need to make sure your b/s levels are perfect for several months before even attempting any sort of baby making. I had it written in my log book “May try for pregnancy” What would I have done if I’d made a mistake and got pregnant before?
I actually quite fancy a top tips section – but I haven’t quite worked out how best to do it…
Hmm, I think I should try and avoid pregnancy at the minute then – my levels have been crap for the last month.