Ezorisu 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Any recommendations on something for a runny nose that: 1) actually works 2) doesn't cause drowsiness Seems I didn't pack cold medicine, and wouldn't you know it - I caught a cold! Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 a sledgehammer should stop the runny nose Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Drink about 4 litres of warm water or green tea. That will just flush your system out. I know it sounds crazy, and yes, you will need to pee a lot, but whenever I feel like I’m going to get sick I do this and it seems to work. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Thanks! I've been cranking down lots of fluids and that's helped kick the fever. The nose seems to have subsided on it's own. I'm pretty sure there isn't a sledge or any other hammer for that matter here, and I can't bring myself to catch the chikatetsu over to Odori to go to Tokyu Hands just yet! Just so long as I'm good for Tomamu this weekend, I'll be happy. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 well if you aren't, you only have yourself to blame Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Feeling a lot better after eating. This whole thing started on Tuesday - felt really terrible after getting off the bus at Sapporo Kokusai, but 10-15cm of fresh fall over last Thursday's 20cm begged me to go. Definitely all my fault! I do wonder how bad it would have been if i just jumped the first bus back to town and went to bed early... Sumi-yaki Gyu-tan for dinner in Kotoni should help kick this cold out of town! Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 well the sledgehammer would have sorted you out. You could have asked the bus driver for a crowbar as a replacement. Link to post Share on other sites
Zaoman 0 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I have never found things that seem to work for a cold and runny nose. It is not always possible of course but I like to get wrapped up in a very warm bed with extra blankets and have an extended sleep. Oh so good. Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 From a doctor - Don't waste time and space packing "cold medicines"... nothing will work. Keep up your fluids like spook says, and ride it out. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Getting to a kampo doc has nearly always helped me. The earlier the better of course, though once or twice a doc hasn't gotten it right. The one down the road is great for colds thankfully. It's important to see an actual kampo doc, not just getting advice for kampo off the shelf - cos they need to know your particular symtoms to give the best remedy. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted February 26, 2007 Author Share Posted February 26, 2007 Thanks again! I found some locally-produced Pseudoephedrine HCL, but ended up not really needing it - the cold subsided just in time. My long weekend at Tomamu went well health-wise (too bad the snow sucked!). Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard 0 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I once went to a doctor here with a bad cold - bad idea. I was given all these packets of things to take that really did not seem to make any difference. I was uneasy about taking so many things just for a cold and from now on will be more wary of going to the doctor. People here seem to go at the slightest cold or sore throat. Link to post Share on other sites
AK 77 0 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Am I missing something... Everyone refers to cold medicine, and rushes to the doctor here (foreign as well as Japanese people by the look of this thread)... ...isn't a cold a virus? Hence, there is no such thing as 'cold medicine'. You can take medicine to ease some of the related symptoms, for example paracetamol to reduce the temperature of a related fever, ibuprofen or some other painkiller to relieve the pain of related headaches, antibiotics to fight the bacterial infection of a sore throat, but there is NO MEDICINE FOR A COLD ITSELF! Doctors in the UK (despite all their other failings) are always trying to get people to NOT see them if they have a cold... All you can do for a cold is rest, drink plenty of water / hot lemon, and take a massive amount of Vitamin C (such as 1000mg a day - normally any more than 100mg a day would be pissed straight out without having any affect, but doctors seem to think a big dose helps your immune system fight off a cold), and let your body fight it off. Lots of green tea would probably be great for a cold. I always liked fresh ginger chopped into herb tea as a good decongestant, especially if you drink it in a nice hot bath. Also, "feed a cold, starve a fever." So usually keep eating healthily and you will help your body fight it off. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 that's why I said to ask the bus driver for a crowbar... Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 Actually the intent of my initial query was just for something to control the symptom of a runny nose. As AK said, you really can't do much about a virus other than let it run its course, but it would be nice (and socially responsible) to not be flinging spiderwebs of snot everywhere! My hope was that someone would have just dropped the trade-name of a Japanese OTC product. Anyway, after it had already become immaterial, I happened by the chemist on the way to eat the besy gyu-tan in Sapporo and just asked the fellow at the counter for something appropriate. After reading the ingredients, found that I had what I needed and bought it. Not much different than the stuff available in the States, and price-wise about the same. Two days of bedrest is what "cured" me - the medication would have just made me less disgusting when I was out in public! Perhaps I should have titled the thread "something for a runny nose - cure not cause dammit!"... The "cold" part seems to have thrown a few off. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 >Lots of green tea would probably be great for a cold. I always thought coffees and teas should be avoided when sick as you dont want a diuretic at that time do you? Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Japanese often tell you to drink lots of green tea when you have a cold. Link to post Share on other sites
charlotte 0 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Thats what I was told. It didn't seem to work (though probably due to my gaijin body ) I usually take some lemsip and go to my warm bed (courtesy of my bed bubble and sleep a really bad cold off. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Drat! I'm going to have to look for one of those things! My "biological bed bubble" was at work when I was home being sick and miserable! Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts