I brought these flu medicines last year when we moved to Thailand. I hoped we never had to use them. Still, with the inevitability (so it seems) of getting infected with Covid-19, I’d take having to consume them a year after, when Mark and I have complete vaccinations already and with manageable symptoms.
How it went
After a busy week at work, Mark complained of fatigue and itchiness at the back of his throat. He started drinking copious amounts of water, as water therapy has been effective for him.
The next day, he was still feeling weak and felt that he had caught a cold. We took an ATK, and it came back positive. The quarantine started.
How we managed it
Thankfully, his symptoms (and later, our son’s and mine) were mild, so we managed them at home.
If you haven’t already, build a flu medicine kit. Ours had:
- Thermometer
- Paracetamol
- Fever patches
- Cold medicines
- Fluimucil 600mg
- ORS
- Alcohol
- Pulse oximeter
All of these items, as you know, are over-the-counter medicines so you can buy a few at a time. Just make sure to check the expiry from time to time.
Vicks First Defence Nasal Irrigation Spray
Later, I discovered that Vicks had launched its First Defense nasal spray, a nasal irrigation tool that can help stop a cold as soon as it starts. It was perfect because if you ever went through a bout of flu, you’d appreciate dodging symptoms that you can avoid.
What it does is trap the cold virus and inactivate it. Once you feel a tickle at the back of your throat or experience itchiness in the nose (in short, anything that tells you you’re about to have a cold), start spraying with Vicks First Defence.
How to use Vicks First Defence
At the first sign of a cold (up to 36 hours since the onset), spray 2-3 Vicks First Defence per nostril at an outward angle pointing towards your ears. Do not inhale. You can do this up to 4 times a day until it subsides.
Betadine Sore Throat Spray
When I saw it at the pharmacy, it was a no-brainer for me to grab a bottle of Betadine Sore Throat Spray. It’s a mouth spray to soothe a sore throat as it disinfects with Betadine’s signature povidone-iodine.
It has a cooling sensation with a honey-like taste (yet sugar-free). Just spray as needed. Tip: If the only available bottle is small, start with two bottles.
Essential Oils
We have been using essential oils to manage aches and pains and build our immune systems through these potent oils. We diffused oregano oil with lemon nightly and had soothing massages with lavender.
Ultimately, we kept ourselves hydrated with lots of fluids: water, juices, and anything we wanted to drink. We made sure to rest, keep stress at bay, eat well, and doubled up our vitamins, especially vitamin c and zinc. We kept in touch with our doctors online, who monitored our symptoms.
Going through Covid is never easy, but we’re grateful that ours didn’t require staying in the hospital. We hope everyone is safe, and if you experience it, we hope these tips could help.
Mark x Abi 