I really believe in zinc gluconate lozenges. I used to give them to my patients that were getting a cold and they all said it made the cold symptoms go away. My license has expired so now I look for it over the counter - Cold Eeze is the brand i have been using. When I feel like I am coming down with something I suck on a tablet every 4 hrs until its gone.

I have to echo what Art is saying...

Cold Eeze REALLY helps me when I feel like I am coming down with a cold.

We actually have some zinc based lozenges around the house here somewhere. My wife has been taking them... "Sootherbs Zinc, Echinacea, and Vitamin C". Not the same stuff. I'm not into herbs and I really don't want to take them. But I'll look for the brand you mention... thanks for the advice, Art.

Zinc lozenges never did anything for me other than make my tongue feel gross and make me wish I didn't ahve a zinc lozenge in my mouth. But if they work for you, more power to you. Let me know if you think they help, Chuck.

What works for me: clemastine fumarate (an antihistamine) the day I feel the cold coming on. Unfortunately, it knocks me on my ass for 12 hours until my body gets acclimated to it. So I try to time it for the evening. Usually I take it in the mornign, though, because that's when I notice I have the symptoms. I end up being a zombie at work.

However, if you keep taking it, it manages the symptoms. The theory is that a cold only lasts 10 days or so, but the antihistmine regimen prevents it from going beyond that, which it will do if it invades your sinuses at all. Every time you blow your nose there is a chance you will force virus into one of your sinuses. So the more you blow your nose, the more chance you have of reinfecting a different part of your head. Reduce the need to blow your nose and you may reduce the length of your cold.

Again, that's the theory behind it. Some studies ahve shown it works, but you can't tell from personal experience because you never know how long the cold would ahve lasted had it spread to your sinuses.

Hope you feel better soon, buddy.

-JP

BTW: when I said "works for me" I obviously don't know that they are reducing the length of my cold. But the antihistamine definitely makes the symptoms more manageable.

Interesting theory, James. Does clemastine fumarate have a common name? Or is it strictly prescription? I have to agree with James on the zinc, though. I tried it for a while and found that all I got was a really fould taste in my mouth that resisted attempts to remove it. Perhaps there are other conditions that need to be met to make the zinc work?

A few things have "worked" for me to varying degrees over time. My regimen is usually to take two Benadryl before bed for the duration of the cold. Guiafenisen and Dextromethorphan if I have a cough. And pseudophed if I have sinus pressure. I try to go to bed early and I try to do something active during the day, like playing basketball. I find that I feel better if I can get my body moving.

Apparently, the studd is in Contac and Tavist. Usually I get the generic which is sometimes refered to as "Dayhist" (daytime antihistamine). The "Dayhist" moniker puzzles me because the stuff definitely knocks me out on the first day. Oddly, it doesn't on subsequent days. Weird -- as if your body gets used to it.

Doxylamine succinate (Unisom), and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimetron?) will probably do the same thing for you. I read some articles on sinus complications years back and they mentioned all three antihistamines. Clemastine fumarate was the one I chose to try. I should probably try the others to see if I get less drowsiness from any of them. I'm sure Benadryl (dipenhydramine HCL) will do much the same thing for you.

Problem is, antihistamine only relieves runny nose and snezing. That's good for protecting your sinuses, but you don't feel 100%. But I try to limit the # of drugs I'm taking and also refrain from the multi-symptom mixes. I take the drugs I want individually. But people with severe symptons may benefit from adding pseudoephedtine to the mix. And a cuogh suppressant like dextromethorphan.

-JP

That's "the stuff" not "the studd."

-JP

Oh, yeah. I've taken Tavist before. Knocks me out, but works great!