the things we learn...
Today I learned that you shouldn't take Echinacea for more than a few days or it starts to not work/have a reverse effect. So basically it's best to take right when you feel a cold coming on, but to switch gears if the cold comes on full force and start taking herbs more related to the symptoms. Today in Real Foods I was recommended Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien to help strengthen my immune system right now. I actually thought I was getting better, but turns out a couple of the cold remedies I was using backfired on me, which you get to read aaall about below. woohoo!Oh, also, once you start diving into the herbal/homeopathy side of things you start to learn that certain herbal combinations "activate" eachother, etc. Like Goldenseal/Cayenne, which my Mom swears by. I also picked up a new 1 a day women's multi-vitamin (I was out) and another bottle of herbs that are for when you're starting to feel a cold coming on.
Anyway -I'm obviously in full blown cold, so I picked up the Yin Chiao stuff to hopefully help balance/boost my immune system - but what I realized when I got home and did a quick search is that I basically have symptoms of sinusitus. :( Ya, you might think it sounds bad, but it's not just bad, it *sucks*. It is sooo frickin painful, I can't believe it.
Sinusitus basically happens because you're stuffed up for too long and it's not "draining" properly. Which is real sexy I know, but I'm happy to teach you the error of my ways so you can avoid this pain! And basically I know I have it, because my jaw and teeth are ACHING. And your sinus' actually are all throughout your face, so if they get infected or inflamed, then you start feeling it in your jaw... and oh my god it SUCKS!!! I have seriously felt like crying several times today because of the pain. :*(
So, here's what happened, and I'll start from the beginning (for my own documentation if anything, cuz I'm a big geek like that):
Last Wed night/Thursday: Sore throat - which for me is the onset of a cold every time. I also know that this was specifically triggered by staying up waaaay too late on a couple previous nights combined with it being 'that time of the month' (which in case you didn't know, women's immune systems are much more fragile during this time) AND some other emotional stuff and probably some stress, etc. All of that wrapped up into one and my fragile immune system collapsed under the pressure.
Friday: Thankfully the horrible sore throat went away, but (typical next phase of the cold) I was immediately a snot factory (Sell ya' a jar for $1!). So, in order to breath and function and try to kick this thing as fast as possible... I got on my trusty routine of DayQuil/NyQuil/Vitamins/Lots of Water/Lots of Sleep/Fresh Foods/No Drinking/No Sugar/No working out (my "workouts" are standing at a show, drinking water - which I feel is actually good because it's at least *some* exercise, if you can even call it that, considering otherwise I sit here all day!).
However I was out of DayQuil, so I ran to the pharmacy and since the head cold was feeling so major (and I sounded horribly stuffed up on the phone with my clients) I thought I'd look into some kind of nose spray type of thing to help clear up my sinus' better... like Vicks VaporRub or something. So I looked around and found this spray they have called Vicks Sinex "for sinus relief/decongestion", so I bought it & thought I'd try it. Friday I start on that & some DayQuil, then at night NyQuil. (btw - both Wed. & Friday I'd left the shows early and came home to get in bed)
The Vicks Sinex worked great (but there is a BUT/WARNING coming up, so don't stop reading there) and I was actually sooo surprised that this spray actually was working better at decongesting me than my DayQuil was!
Saturday: So, I started using the Sinex more, instead of DayQuil. And Saturday night I was actually feeling so good I decided to not take my NyQuil before bed, because I thought I could just use the Sinex, and if I woke up not being able to breath through my nose - the Sinex would take care of it & I could go back to sleep! Great plan!
Sunday: I was still stuffy - but Sinex to the rescue - and that night, same thing, I decided to hold off on my NyQuil again. Wild because here I thought I was getting better! I felt good - but I have to admit, I was a tad weary as to why I was still blowing my nose so much and if I was getting better, why my cold hadn't gone through it's usual course of into my chest. hmmmmm.... Then again, technically I was only in the 4th day of the common cold, so blowing my nose is no big deal, right?
Monday: Big client meeting downtown - so Sinex + DayQuil! busy, busy, busy day downtown - didn't get home till late... but for some reason my jaw was starting to hurt! hmmm... Have I been so stressed I'm grinding my teeth or clenching my jaw during the daylight hours and not even noticing it? Also at this point, I know the Sinex bottle says to not use it more than 3 days.. so I vow to stop using it the next day (today) or ask someone about it.
Tuesday: I happened to have a Doctor's appt this morning anyway - and asked her about it, and it turns out that products like this are not only addictive, but WORSE is they have a backlash effect (which is totally what's happening!) that can happen where you get stuffier than you were before! So, it's kinda like treating the symptoms (and boy did it work great! I was addicted to how awesome it worked!), but underlying it all it's practically "breaking" your body's natural function to drain it out and therefore can cause an infection. waaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!
So ya... I'm in serious pain. I have done vapor steams today and I think in the last 8 hours I've drank about 15 glasses of water to try to liquidate it all. And I have a call into my doctor, because they say that there's a point that Sinusitus can just become this low-grade bacterial infection that can only be taken care of w/ Antibiotics. I know, LOVELY. But I don't care. I'm HUMAN! And I have a goddamn human cold! hmph. And I'm sharing my horrible experience with my fellow humanoids so you can spare yourselves the PAIN AND ANGUISH! I'm doing this for you, people! (insert donate link here)
Ya, so that's what MY day has been all about. My jaw ACHES and literally my whole mouth and teeth ACHE. I feel like I want to tear them out with pliers! I just want them to stop hurting!! :(
