My Throat Hurts SO BAD!!

Whatever you do, be very cautious about products containing zinc (someone recommended Zicam). There have been people who have suffered sinus and voice problems from taking too much zinc, such as loss of smell, voice changes, etc. This damage can be permanent. I even know one man who has a beautiful singing voice and now has to really warm up to be able to sing at all. Just a warning to be cautious.

Now that everyone has made it clear you can get strep. Strep is nothing to mess with, please go see your doctor.

It is so funny what we do for our kids we do not do for ourselves, well my dear if you are in the hospital recovering who is there for everyone now?

Gargle with warm salt water, spray sinus w/ saline(Alot), breathe in steam and have hubby pat you on the back right over the lungs while lying down where your head is lower then your chest; hips are higher than lungs. Take lots of deep breaths and cough.

Good luck

For the sore throat, try gargling warm water with salt and try Delsym for the cough. If your throat has a burning feel to it and you cannot swallow, you may have strep or tonsilitis. If you aren't better by tomorrow, it's time to see the doctor to get some antibiotics. It usually will not go away on it's own quickly.

Hope you feel better.

M.

As soon as I start getting a sore throat, I gargle warm salt water. Salt is a naturally disenfectant and kills germs. It also soothes my throat a bit. Maybe extra time in the shower or with a humidifier will help break up the stuff in your chest.

RSV is also going around so I would be really careful. Personally, I think you should go to the Dr. If not, try some tea with A LOT of honey - soothing on a sore throat. Load up on Vit C and Echinacea and get some OTC throat spray and/or lozenges. Also, if your little one is sleeping through the night, you can take Nyquil and get some HARD sleep!

It's called strep THROAT, not strep tonsils! Alot of people make that common error. Your throat is still suspectible, even if you have no tonsils. You may want to get checked, becasue strep is highly contagious, and you DON'T want to pass that on to the baby. Feel beter soon.

Get checked for strep - I had it last spring and it felt like I was swallowing fiery glass bits. I could barely talk. If your baby is sick then you're probably sick. If the baby is on antibiotics but you aren't, then it is possible that once the baby goes off the antibiotics the baby will get sick again because you can reinfect him/her. You don't want this vicious cycle to continue.

Just go to the doctor.

You need to get some elderberry. You can get it at CVS in liquid form and it is called Sambucol. I am originally from Richmond and I know they carry it. It tastes a little funny but it is very safe and very effective for relieving symptoms and then for keeping you healthy. You can take it throughout the flu season and it will help you. I promise. There are documented studies on how it is used as an anti-viral in other countries during flu epidemics but it works on colds, too. It just helps your immune system do its job. You can also order it on cvs.com. It is safe for your children to take, too. Not babies, I don't think but there is a Sambucol for kids. But the regular one can be taken by kids over 2, I think. Anyway, I have proven it works in my own home several times and like I said you can read about it on the internet.

I have heard that vick's vaporub on the feet works, too. Now if you really don't want to go to the doc, how about the Minute Clinic or there is one like it at the Kroger in Hanover? They are fully trained nurses and I understand they can do those tests right there for a small fee.

I hope you feel better soon.

go to your doctor and take the baby. if the baby did not start feeling better after a couple of days on antibiotics they probably aren't working and/or you guys are passing something back and forth. going to the doc now will be less expensive than a hospital stay for pneumonia or something. and, please, make sure you take all the antibiotic you are prescribed!

oh, and be careful of taking "natural" remedies while not under a doctor's supervision. they have their place but are not regulated by the FDA and can have dangerous interactions with other medicines you may take. talk to a licensed professional.

You definitely can get strep without have tonsils!! I had a burning throat and "wet" cough....2 days after my nose would just not stop running, and it turned out to be sinusitits. Six days of antibiotics(z-pack) and 10 days of promethazine DM cough syrup....feel 110% better!

gargle with warm salt water (urggh) and drink sage tea. sage tea is not a treat, so i dress it up with plenty of honey and a cinnamon stick.
hope you feel better soon!
khairete
S.

I wish I was at your door with the chicken soup! First, try gargling-a lot- with a combo hydrogen peroxide/mouthwash. For a deep cough-maybe the beginnings of bronchitis-you need rest-yeah, right. A sore throat could be strep-not treating it could lead to rhematic fever-cheery or it could kindly settle into your kidneys-super fun-you will be tinkling blood. I raised five children-when they got sick we all went to the pediatrician. My throat got swabbed along with theirs-and I never took a sore throat lightly, and I hope you won't. OTC cough/cold/chest congestion preps are widely available-some don't cause drowsiness....good luck!

I have had strep several time since having my tonsils removed.

I absolutely would insist on a strep swab . . . it's quick and easy and with that sort of pain you should rule it out. Perhaps you should inquire about pertussis too?

Other than that, when my immune system seems down I love a supplement called Olive Leaf Extract (my preferred brand is Gaia). I also love Virastop by Enzymedica.

Of course seek the advice of qualified professionals on the use of supplements.

Good luck and I hope you guys feel better very soon.

I had a bad sore throat this weekend and started to worry I was getting sick (no time for that with a 2 year old) so I took Zicam. You're supposed to take it until symptoms are gone and then 48 hours afterward. It's a commitment, but I didn't get sick and I feel great. You can get Zicam at any store.

go to the doc. I had that and it lingered....and lingered....would get better, then worse. Turns out I have a sinus infection! Yuck!

Pretty much if the baby is on an antibiotic, odds are you need one too, you may be thinking its expensive, but if you do not get healed and well then you may pass it on in the family. When my throat is sore I drink lots of hot tea, even if you are not a big fan of tea it really helps, adding honey helps coat and sooth your throat. Growing up my cousins would make hot jello drinks = ) They would get a pkg of jello and add hot water and drank it, always thought this sounded yucky but they said it soothed and coated the throat ( they did not like tea). Push fluids...but honestly if it were me...go to the doctor! Also talking to the pharmacist at whatever drug store you go to and they can recommend the best OTC medication for your symptoms. I like our Walgreens because the Pharmacists are so friendly.

take 3 advil and get yourself to the doc!

I think you should seriously reconsider going to the doctor! Coughing up "gunk" (as it is said in my family) is never a good thing! The sore throat concerns me, too. There's no way you can take care of your little boy if you have walking pneumonia!

Prayers for you and your little guy,
J.

Try gargling with hot salt water a few times a day. Also, I am sure you are drinking lots of fluids, especially hot tea. As far as the cough goes, try Mucinex -- they make one with a cough suppressant that works really well. But if you still feel this awful after a week, you really should go to the doctor. Think of it as something you are doing for your family -- they need you to be well, too! Good luck.

.

I'd probably go to the Dr. and get a Rx. Sounds like you're working toward a nice little infection, yourself, and you don't want to risk giving it back to the baby while his immune system is already weak, or even to the rest of the family so that the nice little germ travels throughout October. Until you can get that appt., gargle with warm salt water, suck on cough drops, drink chicken noodle soup and herbal tea might give you a little comfort. Rest is not optional--it's part of the treatment necessary for your full recovery. So, when baby rests, you must rest or you'll make the illness worse. Let the dishes pile up and the family will just have to eat carryout. Treat yourself like you would any other family member who feels like you do, and remember, the family won't get back to normal with a sick mommy. The longer you prolong your recovery, the harder it will be for you all as we move closer to the holiday season. This is one of the reasons the family does not respond when we, mommies, say we're sick. We say, "Ugh, I feel miserable." Dad responds, "Really? What's for dinner?" Kids will walk right past Dad while you're moaning on the bed and say, "Can you sign my fieldtrip form?" We continue to wear the Superwoman cape and don't take care of ourselves. Stop. Rest. Recover.
Another soothing treatment, a warm bath at bedtime with Epsom salts. After the bath, get immediately into bed and ask hubby to give you a cup of herbal tea. Should help you sweat out the toxins. If there is chest congestion and fever, you could put Vicks on your feet and put on some socks after the bath. But, all that said, you really need to see a Dr. after today. Doesn't sound like you're getting any better. Some viruses can take up to 10 days, but you sound like you're getting worse. You also might want to change your diet during this time. If you're still eating cheese and meat, it might help to go to soups, fresh diluted juices (but they might burn your throat if you're as sick as you sound), tea and LOTS of water! Get well soon!