I am leaving for key largo today and I'm signed up for AOW and nitrox class, and it seems that I am starting to get a sore throat and cold. Any suggestions on what to do?
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Take sudafed and tylenol cold and echinecea on non-dive days.
Talk with your instructor regarding your symptoms before dive days, remember sudafed and nitrox don't mix. Sometimes you can get by with nasal spray to keep the airways open.
Talk with your instructor regarding your symptoms before dive days, remember sudafed and nitrox don't mix. Sometimes you can get by with nasal spray to keep the airways open.
Whitman, sounds like you've got a bit of a predicament here. I am not going to condone the use of medicinal drugs as a band aid solution to this. My best self-remedy for a virus starting up is to go for a run and keep running until my temperature is up, then keep running until i'm dripping with sweat, then keep running until I can't breathe properly, then keep running until I feel dizzy and my left arm has pins and needles, then keep running, then throw up.
This is a little extreme, and I wont detail the circumstances that led to me making this discovery, but in the morning I went from bed-ridden, to bed-hopping, so to speak. I had raised my body temp long enought to kill it is my guess... But this took determination.
Best advice, in the days you have before diving, exercise (it livens the immune system), eat properly, fruit, veg, meat and dairy (avoid processed foods, they glue up your systems and you want all systems focussing on the frontline assault).
If you smoke, give it up. If you don't smoke, don't take it up. Sleep with a hot water bottle on your chest and neck. If you don't have a hot water bottle, use a cat (mind the allergies).
Lastly, do a self assessment on the day and the night prior. Do not put yourself in a situation you are not comfortable with, and especially in a training scenario, there ius already enough of that for you. Remember, you can cough through a regulator, even vomit. But if you're going to be bringing up a lung, I think that'll jam up the reg.
Best of luck, and let us know how you faired up.
Dive Muppet
This is a little extreme, and I wont detail the circumstances that led to me making this discovery, but in the morning I went from bed-ridden, to bed-hopping, so to speak. I had raised my body temp long enought to kill it is my guess... But this took determination.
Best advice, in the days you have before diving, exercise (it livens the immune system), eat properly, fruit, veg, meat and dairy (avoid processed foods, they glue up your systems and you want all systems focussing on the frontline assault).
If you smoke, give it up. If you don't smoke, don't take it up. Sleep with a hot water bottle on your chest and neck. If you don't have a hot water bottle, use a cat (mind the allergies).
Lastly, do a self assessment on the day and the night prior. Do not put yourself in a situation you are not comfortable with, and especially in a training scenario, there ius already enough of that for you. Remember, you can cough through a regulator, even vomit. But if you're going to be bringing up a lung, I think that'll jam up the reg.
Best of luck, and let us know how you faired up.
Dive Muppet
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Zicam Rapidmelts ... you can get 'em at your local grocery store or OTC at the pharmacy. One every three hours. Don't chew 'em.
Other than that, take care of your body ... lots of rest, as much hydration as you can stand.
If nothing else, it will help minimize the duration of the cold ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Other than that, take care of your body ... lots of rest, as much hydration as you can stand.
If nothing else, it will help minimize the duration of the cold ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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Caca happens! I spent a week on a crowded liveaboard once, dived one day, went to bed very ill with a flu relapse - blew the whole trip.WhitmanDive:
Be careful taking "sudafed and tylenol cold and echinecea on non-dive days." as the first two both continain Pseudoephedrine. If you have not taken this OTC med before, you might have problems with the first time, and doubling the dose could be a bit much. I take it every day, have for years, but that's me.
Here is another hint that might help? Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture of hydrogen perooxide whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into tissue."
What worked for me in these instances: ibuprofen. It is a fever surpressent. You dont need you nose uder water, so a blocked nose is not an issue. Coughing is not an issue.
If I have a blocked sinus, I get unblockers if I HAVE to dive. It not advised, because some ingredients could add to dizyness etc, but I have used it and been fine. Your personal experience may var.
The fever (if any) is the main show stopper for me, Ibuprofen works great to minimize the effects. Vitamin C is your friend, it does not prevent getting sick, but does dramatically reduce the time you are sick.
If I have a blocked sinus, I get unblockers if I HAVE to dive. It not advised, because some ingredients could add to dizyness etc, but I have used it and been fine. Your personal experience may var.
The fever (if any) is the main show stopper for me, Ibuprofen works great to minimize the effects. Vitamin C is your friend, it does not prevent getting sick, but does dramatically reduce the time you are sick.
miscbadvr
Guest
I agree with Grateful Diver, Zicam knocked out my cold in a day or two. Amazing. I don't travel without it now.
H20Bubbles
Contributor
Airborn is pretty good stuff.
nwbrewer
Contributor
If you're just starting to feel the cold, exercise, drink a lot (I mean A LOT) of fluids ( Water, juice or sports drinks, not soda) take some vitamin C, rest and hope for the best. I have beaten off a few colds this way. My sister swears by Airborne for killing colds quickly, can't hurt....
Good luck.
Jake
Good luck.
Jake
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