Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

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retrofuturist
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:27 pm
retrofuturist wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:08 pm
If there's any sign of it progressing to a chest infection, I'm off to the doctor for antibiotics.
Although not such a good idea if it’s viral.
Eh, it works. (roxithromycin 150mg)

Metta,
Paul. :)
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

retrofuturist wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:30 pm Greetings,
Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:27 pm
retrofuturist wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:08 pm
If there's any sign of it progressing to a chest infection, I'm off to the doctor for antibiotics.
Although not such a good idea if it’s viral.
Eh, it works. (roxithromycin 150mg)

Metta,
Paul. :)
Antibiotics are for bacterial infections. They won’t work against viruses. You need antivirals for that. Likewise antifungals are for fungi. If you take antibiotics when you don’t need them, when you don’t have a bacterial infection, then you run the risk of disrupting your normal flora, opening yourself up to opportunistic infections. You also run the risk of having your normal flora replaced with highly resistant strains of said flora. Not so good if you ever get into an accident and develop an infection.

Fun fact, I’m probably colonised by highly resistant strains of bacteria due to my daily interaction with them, meaning if I ever get seriously injured and have an infection it’s harder to treat me :woohoo: :jumping:
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

retrofuturist wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:30 pm
Eh, it works. (roxithromycin 150mg)
The “mycin” in the name means it’s an antibiotic. In this case it’s from the macrolide class of antibiotics. It works by inhibiting protein synthesis by interacting with bacterial ribosomes. Strictly speaking they are bacterial-static, meaning they severely inhibit bacteria, rather than killing them all outright like with bactericidal antibiotics such as ampicillin. Ampicillin belonging to the beta-lactam family of antibiotics (the “cillin” meaning this), which disrupt the bacterial cell wall.
Last edited by Ceisiwr on Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
User13866
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by User13866 »

As systemic antiviral/antibiotic/antifungal id take 100-500x "upper tolerable limit" of iodine/iodide, about 100-500mg.

I don't recommend it in general because such high dose of I taken as a one off treatment will displace other halides in the body and it is very likely to cause headaches and other side effects.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

User13866 wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:51 pm As systemic antiviral/antibiotic/antifungal id take 100-500x "upper tolerable limit" of iodine/iodide, about 100-500mg.

I don't recommend it in general because such high dose of I will displace other halides in the body and it is very likely to cause headaches.
If someone has a respiratory infection it’s best to see a doctor, so they can decide if you need antibiotics or antivirals or not. I would say antifungals, but in terms of respiratory illness fungal infection will only generally occur if you are seriously ill already (say in ITU). If it’s just a cold, just let your immune system take care of it. Same with the flu, unless it gets quite serious.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
SarathW
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by SarathW »

Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:27 pm
retrofuturist wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:08 pm
If there's any sign of it progressing to a chest infection, I'm off to the doctor for antibiotics.
Although not such a good idea if it’s viral.
Agree, but as I said before viral infections become bacterial.
Normally if you can ride it out viral infections disappear after 10-15 days.
I highly recommend salt inhalation treatment but make sure you do it correctly.
Perhaps the best is to go to the beach and do it.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:06 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:27 pm
retrofuturist wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:08 pm
If there's any sign of it progressing to a chest infection, I'm off to the doctor for antibiotics.
Although not such a good idea if it’s viral.
Agree, but as I said before viral infections become bacterial.
Normally if you can ride it out viral infections disappear after 10-15 days.
I highly recommend salt inhalation treatment but make sure you do it correctly.
Perhaps the best is to go to the beach and do it.
I don’t know what you mean by viral infections becoming bacterial?
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
SarathW
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by SarathW »

Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:07 pm
SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:06 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:27 pm

Although not such a good idea if it’s viral.
Agree, but as I said before viral infections become bacterial.
Normally if you can ride it out viral infections disappear after 10-15 days.
I highly recommend salt inhalation treatment but make sure you do it correctly.
Perhaps the best is to go to the beach and do it.
I don’t know what you mean by viral infections becoming bacterial?
Summary: Respiratory viral infections may facilitate secondary bacterial infections and increase host immunopathology through the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines. Preventive measures, including vaccination and aggressive antimicrobial therapy early in the course of infection, may significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of sepsis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15166819/
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
SarathW
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by SarathW »

SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:11 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:07 pm
SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:06 pm
Agree, but as I said before viral infections become bacterial.
Normally if you can ride it out viral infections disappear after 10-15 days.
I highly recommend salt inhalation treatment but make sure you do it correctly.
Perhaps the best is to go to the beach and do it.
I don’t know what you mean by viral infections becoming bacterial?
Summary: Respiratory viral infections may facilitate secondary bacterial infections and increase host immunopathology through the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines. Preventive measures, including vaccination and aggressive antimicrobial therapy early in the course of infection, may significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of sepsis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15166819/
I have very strong lungs as I am not a smoker.
So last time when I got a viral infection I did not take antibiotics.
Instead, I used Nettipot with salt and diluted hydrogen peroxide.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:11 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:07 pm
SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:06 pm
Agree, but as I said before viral infections become bacterial.
Normally if you can ride it out viral infections disappear after 10-15 days.
I highly recommend salt inhalation treatment but make sure you do it correctly.
Perhaps the best is to go to the beach and do it.
I don’t know what you mean by viral infections becoming bacterial?
Summary: Respiratory viral infections may facilitate secondary bacterial infections and increase host immunopathology through the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines. Preventive measures, including vaccination and aggressive antimicrobial therapy early in the course of infection, may significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of sepsis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15166819/
Ah yes, that can happen.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
User13866
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by User13866 »

SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:06 pm Perhaps the best is to go to the beach and do it.
I think this is a great idea.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:14 pm
I have very strong lungs as I am not a smoker.
So last time when I got a viral infection I did not take antibiotics.
Instead, I used Nettipot with salt and diluted hydrogen peroxide.
Well, you shouldn’t take antibiotics if you have a viral infection. If you do develop a bacterial infection as well, it’s for us in the lab to test and see which antibiotics will work against that particular organism. If you take an antibiotic when you don’t need it, or if you have an infection but that particular antibiotic won’t work on the particular organism that’s causing the infection, then you can just make things worse for yourself. You can disrupt your normal flora of bacteria, facilitating infection by further opportunistic pathogens who are now colonising the space left by the knocked out healthy bacteria and you can spread resistant strains of bacteria both within yourself and to the community at large. Taking antibiotics when not needed is increasing resistance amongst various organisms, as it’s increasing environmental pressure on them to adapt. The more resistant strains there are, the less effective antibiotics become over time and so more and more people will have infections that can never be treated. Some people now have permanent UTIs, or permanent STIs, because of resistance.

Someone mentioned above taking iodine. I haven’t read fully into it, but given its broad spectrum I imagine that taking too much iodine will disrupt the normal flora environment in your body leading to various health problems that I’ve mentioned.

Simply put if you have a viral infection antibiotics won’t work and can make you ill. If you have a bacterial infection, you need to know which antibiotic will work against it. If the organism is resistant to the antibiotic, taking it won’t do anything, no matter how much you take, and could possibly cause further harm. This is why self medicating and not seeing a doctor is a bad idea, for everyone really.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Ceisiwr »

On resistance, in the medical science world we are now thought of as being in the post-antibiotic age. The golden age of antibiotics has passed. What this means is that we are living in a time of high numbers of resistant strains of bacteria, meaning antibiotics are becoming less effective and so infection is becoming harder to treat. The best thing is to have preventative measures in place, such as good personal hygiene and good health. Of course, if you do get sick do see a doctor.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Justsit
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by Justsit »

Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:51 pm I remember reading somewhere that men do get worse symptoms than women when they get the cold or flu, but I don’t know how true that claim is.
RN here - symptoms vary by individual, not by gender. Men just whine more. :tongue:
SarathW
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Re: Got the common cold, or the flu, what do you do?

Post by SarathW »

Ceisiwr wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:22 pm
SarathW wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:14 pm
I have very strong lungs as I am not a smoker.
So last time when I got a viral infection I did not take antibiotics.
Instead, I used Nettipot with salt and diluted hydrogen peroxide.
Well, you shouldn’t take antibiotics if you have a viral infection. If you do develop a bacterial infection as well, it’s for us in the lab to test and see which antibiotics will work against that particular organism. If you take an antibiotic when you don’t need it, or if you have an infection but that particular antibiotic won’t work on the particular organism that’s causing the infection, then you can just make things worse for yourself. You can disrupt your normal flora of bacteria, facilitating infection by further opportunistic pathogens who are now colonising the space left by the knocked out healthy bacteria and you can spread resistant strains of bacteria both within yourself and to the community at large. Taking antibiotics when not needed is increasing resistance amongst various organisms, as it’s increasing environmental pressure on them to adapt. The more resistant strains there are, the less effective antibiotics become over time and so more and more people will have infections that can never be treated. Some people now have permanent UTIs, or permanent STIs, because of resistance.

Someone mentioned above taking iodine. I haven’t read fully into it, but given its broad spectrum I imagine that taking too much iodine will disrupt the normal flora environment in your body leading to various health problems that I’ve mentioned.

Simply put if you have a viral infection antibiotics won’t work and can make you ill. If you have a bacterial infection, you need to know which antibiotic will work against it. If the organism is resistant to the antibiotic, taking it won’t do anything, no matter how much you take, and could possibly cause further harm. This is why self medicating and not seeing a doctor is a bad idea, for everyone really.
Agree .
I learned it the hard way. :D
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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