December 30, 2004

• Penicillin. I tell you this straight.
• And that cure is for bronchitis. Really bronchitis, not a bad cold, which has no cure execpt waiting it out and trying to keep comfortable.
• If what you have is truly bronchitis, it's not something to take lightly, and antibiotics are the one effective remedy. Penicillin is very cheap, and even though it's not cheap to visit a doctor, if you've been heavily (and painfully) coughing for more than 2 weeks, the cost of a doctor might be negligible compared to the cost of not going. Bronchitis can turn into pneumonia quite handily if left untreated.
• Not only that, but it will probably come back again and again if not treated properly. The longer you go without appropriate help, the more you lose down the road, like; lifespan. Also, all of the above would likely help in some way. Add chicken soup to the list. Salty liquids that can be absorbed will be good. Anyhow, good luck!
• Liquids, liquids, liquids, liquids, liquids. Man, I can't emphasize that enough. There's recently been some pooh-poohing of expectorants (guaifenesin), but I disagree... I think it's better to hack up that stuff than let it sit in there and turn into pneumonia.
• OK, what does insurance have to do with it? Oh, I see, the bloody American health system, eh? Without medical insurance you have to pay a fortune for basic medical help?
• So what of the above list has worked for y'all? Rolypolyman vouches for guaifenesin. Anybody else? [I tried to do an AskMe at Metafilter, from whence I culled the above list, but because I posted a question on the 22nd am not allowed to just yet - for any MeFites who might be wondering why this list, culled from there, isn't posted there.]
• Try here
• Your link goes to Monster.com, ActuallySettle. Is that what you meant to link to? Are you suggesting I get a job? I have a job.
• Antibiotics are good if your bronchitis is caused by bacteria. If it isn't, they won't help. For the non-bacterial type, I've found that boiling hot liquid in large quantities works. Chinese restaurants seem to be the best for soups that qualify - wor wonton is my favorite remedy. (And, it's cheap and serves for nourishment.) You know it's hot enough if you can feel it opening up your bronchi as it goes down.
• Path speaks the truth. Switching from that nasty ditch weed to something with a bit more quality also helps
• If the bronchitis has been caused by a bacterial infection, you need antibiotics. You'll have to see a doctor, though: bronchitis is also caused by viruses, smoking and inhaling pollutants or dust (see here). Are you near a free clinic? You can see doctors for free there, get your prescription and go. As mentioned, the actual pills are cheap enough, and if you're really hard up for cash, tell the doctor you can't afford the drugs: s/he might have a stash from the giant pharmaconglomerate to use as 'samples'. All doctors get sent these, so don't be ashamed to ask (unless you can afford them). If you're quite ill, don't let it progress. You don't want to develop pneumonia. Garlic boosts your immune system, but since you're already ill, it's snot-encouraging qualities are what will help you most. Ginger helps here too, but the best thing I've ever taken to loosen phlegm and ease a sore throat is a glass of chopped parsley mixed with vinegar and lemon juice. Drink/eat that and you'll relieve some of the symptoms. Do try and get an appropriate antibiotic, though, and drink, drink, drink those fluids (Gatorade and smart drinks are worth the extra pennies here).
• Guaifenisen (there are guai-only syrups, gelcaps, and pills (the new Mucinex nearly replicates my favorite Rx, Liquibid). Avoid decongestants unless you absolutely can't sleep or must be somewhere where constant nose-blowing would be gauche. (On that note - get it out, as gross as it is. Do not sniffle.) If you can avoid decongestants, take Benadryl to sleep. If you're breathing dry air through your mouth, run a humidifier. I like the ultrasonic ones. Drink water. Then some more. Then even more. It will help the expectorant. But if your chest seriously hurts, or your cough is incredibly painful, suck it up and pay the $170 for doc-in-the-box and antibiotic (I like Levaquin for bronchitis) prescription. Pneumonia is no fun, and once you get it once, you're prone to it forever.
• add to above More Inside list: chicken soup . Salty liquids
  Liquids, liquids, liquids, liquids, liquids
  wor wonton
  Garlic
  a glass of chopped parsley mixed with vinegar and lemon juice
  Guaifenisen (there are guai-only syrups, gelcaps, and pills (the new Mucinex nearly replicates my favorite Rx, Liquibid).
  Okay, so: Guaifenisen, garlic, hot salty liquids, Dextromethorphan, and the odd hot toddy, dominate. Plus lots of water.
• I second the salt water gargle. Also, if you have an earache, a few drops of rubbing alcohol in each ear does wonders.
• Goofyfoot -- as one who has had run-ins with bronchitis in the past I agree heartily with your list. I never tried the hot toddy but I bet it would work. With that said, I'll have to plant a red warning flag on the DXM as that will curb the cough reflex, and the phlegm HAS to come out. I'd only do DXM if (1) the coughing is causing problems or (2) you have the discipline to force-cough up the phlegm. The guaifenesin is helpful here as it helps you cough up more of it when you do.
• Okay. I have quite a lot of cephalexin capsules left over from when I was in the hospital in May. The expiration date is 11/04, but I'm aware that expiration dates can be posted for insurance purposes rather than in re efficacy. Has anyone here taken postdated cephalexin? I've taken postdated pennicilin and amoxicillin (sp), but not this drug.
• I get bronchitis, bronchiolitis, or mild pneumonia every few years. As the beneficiary of a good insurance plan, I can tell you what doctors do. If you often get bronchitis or one of its cousins (in terms of symptoms obvious to the sufferer, that is, a hacking cough, difficulty sleeping), you will do well to go to a doctor to identify the underlying causes so that you can make yourself less vulnerable. In my case, I had asthma as a child. This makes me more likely to get bronchitis. Here's why: 1) I get a mild cough (could be from anything), 2) this irritates my lungs, making them more sensitive, 3) meaning my borderline asthma is now genuine asthma, increasing my coughing and 4) making me vulnerable to further lung infection. So, I aggressively treat asthma symptoms to break the cycle, and almost automatically go on antibiotics (doctor's orders) when I have a persistent cough. Bronchitis is not a minor illness - it means weeks of downtime and can lead to pneumonia. If you are already weak (old, sick) then it can lead to more serious illness. Get it checked out. 80% of the time, it's viral, and the docs can only treat the symptoms, but 20% of the time, it's bacterial, and antibiotics will stop it quickly. Given a 20% chance that you could be rid of a pretty nasty illness, I recommend you go to a doctor. --Pat
• Copious quantities of dextromethorphan. Totally. Wait, bronchitis?
• hot and sour soup. the vinegar and spiciness really clear the sinuses. mmmmm.
• Spicy salsa with tempeh, or kung pao, clears out my sinuses like clockwork. Anything with capsaicin may open you up. On the other hand, capsaicin may make things worse. Chocolate's theobromine may be a good alternative.
• Not sure about bronchitis, but the hot toddy is a sure bet for sore throats, etc. Make it as hot as you can stand and take right before bed. I usually do it by adding honey and about a capful or whiskey or scotch to really hot tea. For whatever reason brandy makes my symptoms worse.
• Tea tree oil in a pot of boiling water. Put the pot on the table and drape a towel over your head and the pot. Breathe in as deeply as possible. Tea tree oil cures everything. I mean everything.
• I have found that sitting with hot steam for a while really helps loosen up all the gunk in your head and chest. You can either turn on the shower with full-blast hot water, shut the bathroom door and sit on the toilet; bend over a pot of boiling water (perhaps with a towel over your head to trap the steam); or bend over hot water coming out of the kitchen sink (also with towel). Breathe as deeply as you can, and continue in the steam as long as you can stand it.(Have someone check in on you, so you don't pass out in a hot steamy room.) You could also throw some herbs in the water (eucalyptus, rosemary... anything with a good astringenty smell that opens up breathing passages.) Doing so several times a day can help prevent pneumonia. You get pneumonia when you don't breathe deeply enough, and mucus gets stuck in your lungs and gets infected (not breathing deeply enough during a cold can also cause bronchitus). This is why people in the hospital often have to do breathing exercises. It'll probably hurt to do deep breathing at first, but do as much as you can as often as you can, and you should stay safe from pneumonia. (Not a doctor, but has been under-insured or un-insured for years.)
• You need to have bronchitis diagnosed by an MD, and what Wolof said. Self-diagnosis is a fool's game -- bronchitits can lead to pneumonia, which is not joke -- I've had both. See a doctor before you're too sick to move. Put it off, you may end up in the hospital.
• 1. Do you have a fever at all? 2. green or yellow mucous = infection 3. any history of asthma? Pat/zippy is right - bronchitis can bring on ashtma. Try some mentho-liptus cough drops. If the bronhcii are inflamed, the menthol can ease your breathing a lot. Rest, and limited exposure to anyone/anyplace where you might pick up a secondary (tertiary) infection. Steam, salty liquids, hot & sour soup are all good. If you have a doctor, call and discuss with them. They might work out a payment deal, and the suggestion to ask for sample meds is excellent.
• All yea hear and heed the proclamations of the Bronchial Crud Queen!
• damn, meant to preview and think, not post that yet
• Anyway, I've had bronchial crud more times than I can count in the last 40+ years outta my half-century span--bacterial, viral, environmental, bronchitis, pneumonia, and new this last winter, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus--whooping cough in babies.)If I get a hangnail, it goes directly to my lungs. All I have to do is call my doc and snorkel phlegm, and he's got the Rx already written before I hit the office. Inhalation therapy and oxygen tubes are my friends. Sucks to be me. Thus having established my crud-entials, I'm here to tell you what works: Liquids-- Gallons and gallons of water, weak tea, and more water. Skip the teabag and drink hot water. Drink liquids. Water. Drink. I'm serious. DRINK MORE DAMMIT! Guaifenesin syrup. Generic is fine. Might as well buy the cheap stuff, because you can I take one and a half times the recommended dosage. Do NOT take Dextromethorphan or anything that dries you out or makes you stop coughing. Use cough drops for the cough, throat spray, or Cepaocol throat numb thingies. Rest, keep warm, eat soup. I'm not kidding. REST. Take it easy. Stay home from work, take naps, REST. Most people don't have a clue about what it means to nurse themselves--they just keep going to work, staying up late to watch Stupid Pet Tricks, gotta get this project done--NO, get REST! Get an inhaler. Use it. Use it when you first feel the crud settle into your lungs. Keep those airways open. I used to wait till my chest got tight before starting on a bronchodilator--stupid me. One of the best docs I'd ever had put me straight on using it before things get bad can PREVENT things going bad. My next line is a steroid inhaler, but those are Rx only. Get an inhaler. Use it. Use it when you first feel the crud settle into your lungs. Keep those airways open. I used to wait till my chest got tight before starting on a bronchodilator--stupid me. One of the best docs I'd ever had put me straight on using it before things get bad can PREVENT things going bad. My next line is a steroid inhaler, but those are RX only. Finally, if you have rales--abnormal respiratory sounds characterized by fine crackles--or bad wheezing, pain when you breath, a dry "unproductive" continual cough, or you're hoiking up greeny-grey "bricks" then you need to DRINK some water and get yer butt into a doctor. A hundred bucks to a doc in the box vs. several thousand in the hospital could be your options. Or you could end up with compromised lung function, which ain't pretty. From webmd.com: Acute bronchitis is usually caused by a virus. It is more common during the winter months and often develops after an upper respiratory illness such as influenza (flu) or a cold caused by a virus such as coronarvirus, adenovirus, or a rhinovirus. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) may be a cause, especially in older adults. Acute bronchitis is caused by bacteria about 10% of the time. Acute bronchitis from a viral cause is usually less severe than from a bacterial cause. (Good advice to see your doc for antibiotics if it’s bad) Acute bronchitis can also be caused by exposure to smoke, chemicals, or air pollution, all of which can irritate the bronchial tubes, or develop from accidentally inhaling (aspirating) food, vomit, or mucous material. Thus GramMa, Queen of Snot, has proclaimed.
• If it ends in -itis, it's usually an infection, I think (which includes viral infection?). Here in NZ, you can buy this stuff called Karvol, which is just small capsules of menthol/eucalytp oil that you break open onto a tissue or handkerchief. I had a cold the other day complete with congestion and sneezing (which I loathe) so I carried a tissue around with Karvol on all day and it worked a treat when I got stuffed up. You can also put it on your pillowslip or clothes. But yes, doctor. Insurance or not, your health is too important to screw with.
• Insurance remedies.