i wrote this on another forum, perhaps more inspired by desoxypsuedoephedrine than i'd like to admit, and it turned out to be useless there. i'm putting it up here to start a new thread
READ THE GODDAMN INGREDIENTS. if you wander into malwart looking for the orange pills, you deserve to suffer.
DECONGESTANTS - open up your sinuses and lungs so you can breathe
psuedoephedrine - decongestant. unfortunately, only a hydryoxy away from being methamphetamine (the alpha OH group prevents it from crossing the blood-brain barrier). good stuff, behind the counter
phenylephrine - supposedly a decongestant - what the usgov came up with to replace psuedoephedrine. some trial show it no different from a placebo
ANTIHISTAMINES - relieve allergies, reduce inflammation, sedatives
chlorpheniramine - more nasal allergies
diphenhydramine - BENEDRYL - better for skin rashes and more sedating, also unisom - read the label
2nd generation antihistamines:
loratadine - claratin, 24hr, nonsedating
ceritizine - zirtec, same but MAY have some beneficial effect vs rhinovirus (cold)
STUFF FOR COUGHS:
dextromethorphan - main ingredient in OTC cough syrups. note - it is centrally active, meaning it works on your brain, and there is no reason in the world to swallow the vomitcherry syrup. also known as DXM. there are two types - Dextromethorphan HBr and Dextromethrophan polistirex. the polistirex is time released READ THE LABEL, just because it's orange and next to the Delsym doesn't mean its' DXM polistirex - many of the knock offs are DXM HBr in a pleasant orange flavor
Guaifenesin - a drug that thins mucus and helps you cough it up
Codeine - an opiate that suppress the cough reactions, not OTC in the USGOV
ethanol - alcohol does suppress coughing, but it's also hard on your body. when i was a kid, i refused to take cough syrup (????) so i got a toddy of equal parts bourbon, honey and lemon juice. it did work - but today i'd add ginger.
NASAL STEROIDS - these are corticosteroids, and steroids are NEVER completely safe. still, very helpful. but do use as directed....
Fluticasone proprionate aka FLONASE - mostly for complicated nasal allergies
Triamcinolone acetonide aka Nasacort - same deal
Zinc - some studies show taking zinc lozenges lessens the duration of a cold....and some don't. DO NOT spray zinc up your nose, just suck on the lozenge.
SNOT - the color of your snot is very important. READ HERE
example: the last few weeks i've been choking on snot - think ropes of white snot. i looked it up - it's white because its dehydrated. my nose has been broken a time or two and i have a deviated septum, so something is irritating that tissue. i chose triamcinolone acetonide/nasacort because i already use triamcinolone ointment for another problem and it works well for me (though it does make me sun sensitive). went to malwart, nicked the shit, and presto - redacted. well, it took a few days, but the problem is solved.
READ THE GODDAMN INGREDIENTS. if you wander into malwart looking for the orange pills, you deserve to suffer.
DECONGESTANTS - open up your sinuses and lungs so you can breathe
psuedoephedrine - decongestant. unfortunately, only a hydryoxy away from being methamphetamine (the alpha OH group prevents it from crossing the blood-brain barrier). good stuff, behind the counter
phenylephrine - supposedly a decongestant - what the usgov came up with to replace psuedoephedrine. some trial show it no different from a placebo
ANTIHISTAMINES - relieve allergies, reduce inflammation, sedatives
chlorpheniramine - more nasal allergies
diphenhydramine - BENEDRYL - better for skin rashes and more sedating, also unisom - read the label
2nd generation antihistamines:
loratadine - claratin, 24hr, nonsedating
ceritizine - zirtec, same but MAY have some beneficial effect vs rhinovirus (cold)
STUFF FOR COUGHS:
dextromethorphan - main ingredient in OTC cough syrups. note - it is centrally active, meaning it works on your brain, and there is no reason in the world to swallow the vomitcherry syrup. also known as DXM. there are two types - Dextromethorphan HBr and Dextromethrophan polistirex. the polistirex is time released READ THE LABEL, just because it's orange and next to the Delsym doesn't mean its' DXM polistirex - many of the knock offs are DXM HBr in a pleasant orange flavor
Guaifenesin - a drug that thins mucus and helps you cough it up
Codeine - an opiate that suppress the cough reactions, not OTC in the USGOV
ethanol - alcohol does suppress coughing, but it's also hard on your body. when i was a kid, i refused to take cough syrup (????) so i got a toddy of equal parts bourbon, honey and lemon juice. it did work - but today i'd add ginger.
NASAL STEROIDS - these are corticosteroids, and steroids are NEVER completely safe. still, very helpful. but do use as directed....
Fluticasone proprionate aka FLONASE - mostly for complicated nasal allergies
Triamcinolone acetonide aka Nasacort - same deal
Zinc - some studies show taking zinc lozenges lessens the duration of a cold....and some don't. DO NOT spray zinc up your nose, just suck on the lozenge.
SNOT - the color of your snot is very important. READ HERE
example: the last few weeks i've been choking on snot - think ropes of white snot. i looked it up - it's white because its dehydrated. my nose has been broken a time or two and i have a deviated septum, so something is irritating that tissue. i chose triamcinolone acetonide/nasacort because i already use triamcinolone ointment for another problem and it works well for me (though it does make me sun sensitive). went to malwart, nicked the shit, and presto - redacted. well, it took a few days, but the problem is solved.
