My friend is sick and whiny

It's a basic cold and sinus but it is getting worse and he wants to buy a $50.00 of vitamins instead of seeing the doctor for a copay of 15$ He also wants to see a homeopath and he does NOT have the money for it. I know there's lots of good natural alternative options to prevent illness but but there is a lot of stuff that should be done in conjunction with your regular doctor not in place of one. He is now sick. He has basic health insurance and he refuses to use it, meanwhile I get to hear him bitch and whine about being sick.

• What could a regular doctor do for a basic cold, OP? nothing

• nyquil or beat him, op

• I never get sick, like once every three years on average. But when I do, man, I'm a total child about it. Maybe you're friend is the same?

• He's prone to sinus infections. A doctor could prescribe Antibiotics.

• unless he's in a lot of pain with a high fever, antibiotics cause more problems than they resolve.

• Is your friend a HK whore?

• Many act like little kids when they're sick or in pain. Maybe a medical expert is more up to date but besides over the counter pain medication, herb tea, homemade chicken soup, warm baths/jacuzzis, etc, I don't know if anything really works. Everyone wants a doctor to pass out an instant cure for everything.

• So stupid, he probably has a sinus infection or even strep throat. Your friend is a fool, maybe he'll just die and you can be rid of him? Who wants to hang out with a sick person?

• R8, on the other hand, it could be a basic cold. People who run to doctors for a basic cold are idiotic. Unless they need antibiotics and are lucky enough to be prescribed antibiotics by a doctor since most doctors are reluctant to give out antibiotics these days.

• Colds are caused by a virus. Antibiotics don't touch viruses, they kill bacteria. Knock him out with some Nyquil, tuck him in and don't call him for 3 days.

• OP: I admit after reading this thread and thinking about it, I guess Vitamins are better than Antibiotics at this point. I went to the store and got him some bioflavonoids + Vit C. I will take care of him.

• Co-depeeeeeendeeeeeent!

  M.%20Beattie

• Cold Eez works well on colds for me, OP. I have chronic sinus problems and that's a completely different issue from a cold. No doctor will give you antibiotics for a cold, and they won't work anyway, so don't waste any you have lying around. It will do no good. The only thing I know of that might help, if there really is some sinus involvement is a neti pot - my sister's ENT recommends it, and she had a really serious chronic sinus problem that went on for months. That's the only thing that stopped it. She's got a high tolerance to antibiotics, which most people with chronic sinus issues do. Tell him to stay out of the cold as much as possible, and cover his ears when he goes out without fail. Buy one of those fleece headbands or a knit cap. He could even try sleeping in one if he's having sinus problems right now.

• Another thing that works for me is Wal-Act, which is Walgreen's generic for Actifed. They changed the formula on Actifed so it doesn't work as well any more, and the pharmacy at WalMart recommended it, so I gave it a try and it helped. You have to sign for it. My previous doctor knew about my never-ending sinus problems and said taking something that dries you up, like Actifed, works way better than antibiotics. I didn't believe him but it does.

• I have neighbors who are hippies who are total homeopaths. That is fine, but their three year old has been sick with a fever, sore throat and a bad cough for over a week and a half. At a certain point, you just have to admit that despite all the natural medicines in the world, antibiotics are the answer. Period.

  ...%20your%20momma%20is%20a%20frau%21

• R11, vitamins have no instantaneous affect whatsoever - not even a 3a day effect - vitamins are not like aspirin or Advil or a painkiller which take effect quickly. Vitamins build your immune system and health over time - over months. As an aside, I know it is always said that colds are caused by a virus and antibiotics treat bacteria, not viruses - but I used to get severe colds with a severe sore throat and the severe sore throat would last up to three hellish weeks - antibiotics always cleared up the sore throat and cough from the cold and sore throat.

• sorry, effect

• OP, unless he has an infection with a fever, there is nothing antibiotics can do. He'll just have to wait until he gets worse. Now, if he wants to shake it off, vitamins will help over the long haul to make you stronger and more resistant to colds. Be careful what kind of over the counter meds you reccommend, because if they dry a person out too much they'll get bronchitis. Then, pneumonia. Then death. (kidding...sort of.) I would drink a lot of green tea, and chicken broth. Eat veggies and fresh fruit. Keep the bowels moving. No bread,no dairy, no red meats. Take ibuprofen for aches and fever, and suck on mentholated cough drops. Sleep. Make sure the house isn't too dry. That is always bad for sinuses. And hopefully no one is smoking. People who smoke have sinus infections; it's chronic. If he doesn't start to feel netter in four or five days, or if he becomes obviously worse, get to a doctor. Be very, very careful of over the counter meds.

• Ginger tea (chop a knob of ginger into several pieces and boil, serve plain). It's great for colds as well as nausea.

• Yes, R19! I forgot about Ginger tea. What I like to do is boil ginger with green tea then add some honey. Wonderful for a scratchy throat or a cold. Ginger all by itself settles my stomach. I love it.

  R18

• Just a tip for those on here who deal with sinus infections on a regular basis: Avoid milk and cheese. If you can go with out it for a couple months you will be amazed at the difference.

• Thanks r18.