Orally consumed zinc offers up similar problems along with loss of taste. Zinc studies usually focus on the onset of a cold, not during the cold. After doing saline rinses for about a week I've become a convert. Really gets the gunk out and eliminates post nasal drip and the associated cough.
There's some very vague research in silver drops taken orally during the onset of a cold or sore throat.
Most interesting is there are large hospitals in the US reinstalling railings and door handles in high traffic areas made of copper over traditional stainless steel. Silver works, too, but needs moisture to work properly. I think the high cost of copper and how quickly it deteriorates without a protective coating which voids its benefits works against the idea of utilizing it more.
That said, I wouldn't put anything up my nose short of Dristan (and they don't even make that wonder drug anymore).
Yes, they do. Vicks Sinex and Afrin are two name brands that share the exact same drug and strength that was in Dristan. Even Zicam offers a severe congestion product with the active ingredient being what was in Dristan and what's available in the other brands. Even retailers carry generic in-house brands of the drug.
My recommendation would be to pick up the Afrin. It's the cheapest out of all of them unless you find an in-house generic for slightly cheaper. GoodSense Pharmacy (a generics maker) sells it. It's at least $.30 cheaper than Afrin. Afrin's base version runs a little over $3.85 at most stores, with it running as high as $6 at some places. Sinex runs about $14 for a two pack, so it's on the more expensive side.
And as I pointed out to
@Huntn, avoid buying products with phenylephrine. It is beyond useless when taken orally. If you need the good stuff, go talk to the pharmacist and hand them your ID/license and ask to purchase a box of name brand or generic Sudafed, which uses psuedoephedrine. This is what Sudafed used to be before meth heads realized you could use it to make meth easier.
How often and how much you can purchase it depends on what your state decided when moving it to the controlled substances list.
The majority of drug combinations are the same. Theraflu, NeoCitran, DayQuil, NyQuil, et al. are virtually all the same in different flavors or forms. Buying the drugs separately is cheaper in the long run.
If you need Tylenol, buy the name brand or generic acetaminophen. If you need to clear your congestion, opt for Afrin et al. or a generic or saline rinse (NeilMed and distilled water) if it's not too bad. If you need sleep, you can opt to purchase generic doxylamine succinate, which is the compound in NyQuil, and you can get something like 120 tablets for $18 at CVS or 210 of them for $8 or $10 at Sam's or Costco. If you need Benadryl, just opt for the generics available (diphenhydramine HCL); the best deal I've seen is at Sam's or Costco, the latter offers 600 tablets for just over $4 - it has a 14 or 16 month expiry date, but it doesn't matter at that price point.
Some drug combos utilize chloramine maleate which is rather hard to find on its own, but Walgreens and CVS do carry a generic 4-hour allergy tablet bottle of the stuff. It's usually 100-120 tablets for around $8.
NyQuil Cough is simply dextromethorphan and doxylamine succinate. DXM is beyond useless in adults and any child old enough to not believe in Santa anymore. If you've got a phlegm cough, opt for Mucinex or generic 4 hour tablets. Price wise, you'll have to do some research but the best deals are again at Sam's or Costco which offer nearly 50 tablets for the cost of a 14 tablet box at most retailers.
These two stores also offer the generic of the active ingredient in Mucinex, but you need to pop a tablet ever 4 hours versus Mucinex's time release tablet.
If you're still miserable as I was a week ago, speak with your doctor or get a referral to an ENT. I was recommended sinus rinsing which I thought was hippy garbage that hippies only did. I found out that I was very wrong and that it does help. I was recommended NeilMed because it's cheap and easier to work with. It's cheap everywhere though it's cheaper at Costco or Sam's.
I spend under $14 for a bottle and 250 packets of solution. A bottle replacement (recommended every 3 months if used) is about $7.
I thought my sinuses were clean because I could breathe easily, but without going into detail the end result was incredibly vile. After 2-3 days of use my cough practically disappeared and today it's gone. My voice is still hoarse, probably from the immense snoring the last few nights, but I'm feeling a hell of a lot better. I'll probably keep using this stuff for a few more weeks just because it's cold and flu season. And I will definitely buy a new bottle and use it during the spring and summer on days where my allergies are too much just so I can lessen the reliance on Zyrtec or similar.
If you don't feel comfortable using a sinus rinse, you can try eating spicy foods. A nice big bowl of quality pho is always pleasant this time of year with lots of chili oil and fresh chilis. I think
@Scepticalscribe would agree with me on that and I'm sure others. And if you do the sinus rinse, I implore you to purchase a large jug or two of distilled or sterile water (it'll be labeled either one) instead of boiling and cooling tap water. Heat up about two ounces in a microwave in a clean glass cup and pour off the rest from the jug/bottle and shake with your solution packet. You don't want it too cool or too warm.
Edit: If you have heart or BP problems and rely on special brands like Corocidin, you can look at the actives and attempt to find them individually instead or purchasing a combo that costs quite a bit compared to generics or individual name brands. Speak with the pharmacist in the store. Their goal is to help you achieve relief, not push you on a name brand combo they don't get anything from.
While the FDA is incredibly strict on drugs, they're very lax on drug relabeling. Benadryl is a name brand and carries a premium. Generic Benadryl is cheaper and costs considerable less. Drugs like Vicks ZzzQuil are an offense to the drug market because you're paying a higher premium than Benadryl to consume what is effectively diphenhydramine HCL in liquid or capsule/tablet/gel form. Sominex was one of the first companies guilty of doing this nearly two decades ago. The FDA has yet to step in and doesn't advise consumers to research their choices.
The same goes for Tylenol (acetaminophen or paracetamol overseas). GoodSense offers a large bottle for half the price. Costco or Sam's generics of the same will be cheaper and offer more. Advil is the same. Advil PM is just ibuprofen and generic Benadryl, albeit in a slightly different form so uptake is faster. Though with either drug, opt for the lowest dose you need. There's a set limit on how much you take every 24 hours, but if you can get by with a 325 mg dose over a 500 mg dose, why not?
325 mg of Tylenol has always been enough for me to reduce a fever or reduce the pain of a partially torn ligament into almost nothing for up to 8 hours.
[doublepost=1546309463][/doublepost]And if you would rather avoid drugs, like
@Gutwrench pointed out, alcohol works. Just make sure to get enough non-alcoholic liquid in to prevent any further dehydration. Though when sick and thus lacking the ability to taste, I'd personally opt for the cheapest in price but of decent quality alcohol you can get your hands on. I wouldn't opt for an 18 year scotch when I'm sick, but something cheap and rank like JW Red is fine. 2-3 fingers, put a soft wool hat on and sleep it off. Rinse and repeat with some warm tea or plain water here and there.
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