So, I was raised w/ insurance and had it until I was about 30. Now I'm 33 and don't have any. I've owned my own small business which is going under fast in this economy, so I have NO MONEY to go to a doctor. My bills are two months behind as it is...
So, I started with a BAD sore throat last week. Like sleeping on my left side, the left side would hurt, etc. I had very swollen glands (neck) and it hung on with no other symptoms for about 3 days. I THANK GOODNESS had left over throat spray and Tylenol. That got me through. On Saturday morning, I woke up with no sore throat, but a stuffy nose. By the end of the day my sinuses downright hurt. So, I spent $10 on a huge bottle of chewable Vitamin C and have taken 10K mg every day since, if not more. By Monday, I was blowing my nose a lot and my face just hurt from sinus pressure. Monday night I got a fever of about 99.0. I run between 96.6 and 97.2 regularly, so that is a bit high for me.
Stayed the same, low-grade temp...Tuesday I developed a "tickly" cough, but it never brought up anything. Wednesday morning, fever was gone and stayed gone, but I started this uncontrollable sneezing, at least I would say 8-10 sneezes an hour. Oh, just to say nothing yellow or green...all clear. Then yesterday (Thursday) I still had no fever at all for the whole day and night. But my cough became a little more "coughy", like I could hear stuff rumbling around.
Went to bed and slept straight through my alarm and everything today. Woke up at 2:30pm after having slept straight since 1am. I NEVER do that. I've run between 100.6 and 101.2 all day. With 3 Tylenol in me, I'm still running 99.8 minimum. I am now coughing badly, and coughing up dark yellow (even gray) mucous. EASILY 3-4 tablespoons today (I bake alot, so I know a tablespoon when I see it). MOST of that came up because I got into a hot shower for over 25 minutes to try to loosen it and was able to cough up alot. I just did that 1/2 an hour ago. Sneezing is completely gone. Sinus pressure still there but not nearly as bad. Haven't even had to blow my nose since waking up.
But my chest feels like there's a barbell on it and as each hour passes today and it seems a bit harder to breath, even with the hot shower and coughing up so much. It just HIT me, which is what is so weird. So, with all that aside, the weird thing is, I don't feel all that bad. I've even been working on my computer in bed today and spent 30 minutes cleaning, a little tired but mainly bothered by this cough and a headache brought on by the fever I think.
Still taking Vitamin C, but was hoping you could tell me some over the counter herbal remedies or something? Maybe some with natural antibiotic properties? I have about $50 I can spend. I called around today and the cheapest doctor I found was $75, so I can't go to a doc.
Thank you for your help,
Allie
P.S. I'm in Las Vegas, NV - 110 degrees and I have this awful cold and cough...weird!