I HATE how scary it is to get even a common, seasonal cold!!

[Siwsan]

I've felt one coming on for a couple of days. Every symptom lines up with what I always experience when I'm getting a cold - some sneezing, runny nose/mild sinus drainage, occasional slight cough, very mild temperature rise of less than one degree. Absolutely nothing unusual. I've been sneezing up a storm from allergies, anyway.

STILL, I find myself doing the 'breathing test' of taking a deep breath and holding it for 10 seconds to see if I feel any discomfort - I don't. Are my senses of taste and smell working? They are. Any body aches? No. Unusual fatigue? No. In fact, even though I haven't really felt sick, I'm already feeling better than I did this morning.

But I am still going into self-quarantine. My niece is going to bring by some turkey, via a 'hot box' left in the front screened in porch. I'm actually going to tell her she can wait and bring cold leftovers by on Friday, if it is more convenient. I can make a pizza for Thanksgiving and feel perfectly content. I'm sure I can find something binge-watch worthy to occupy the time.

[Wounded Bear]

1. I feel you...

I have been OK so far, but yeah, every little sniffle or partially runny nose scares the hell out of you.

For me it is sore throats. My traditional entry point for winter illnesses are my throat, always has been. So you add in the heated air in winter indoors and I tend to wake up with a bit of an irritated throat, engendering the usual fears. Having several co-morbiditites myself, I really have to respect this disease and maintain my vigilance. I also keep a spritzer of Chloroseptic handy, too.

Best wishes to you, and I hope it is something minor, or better yet nothing.

[Nevilledog]

2. I totally agree about the feeling of paranoia.

[Hav]

3. I'm also worried about the coming flu season

because more people will spread diseases. I'm not sure but I fear that even those who are asymptomatic for Covid might be more likely to spread it if they get the common cold.

[OhZone]

4. Have you been taking precauions?

Wearing a mask?
Social distancing?
Disinfecting or washing your hands after touching things/people/pets, when you're out?
Not touching your face when you're shopping or in crowds, until you can wash your hands?

How do you even get a COLD then?

Could it be allergies?


BTW - I still disinfect things I buy - or leave them in the garage for a few days if I can.

[greenjar_01]

6. Thank you for asking my question

[Siwsan]

11. Absolutely. I'm always masked when I'm out and wash/sanitize my hands when I get home

I only shop early, during 'vulnerable shopper' times and definitely social distance.

I do have allergies and have been sneezing like crazy, lately, which is probably a very good thing.

That being said, I don't believe there's any surefire way to 100% protect yourself short of leaving civilization, all together. All it takes is one little slip up by yourself or someone you've encountered, that you don't even realize happened, to pick up a virus. One can only hope it's a benign one like a cold. My friend, who died of Covid, was overly cautious and yet she still caught it. Her husband, who is older and with several co-morbidities, didn't catch it.

When my brother had Covid-19, early last year, and was at my house several times when he was likely very contagious, I didn't catch it. That was before anyone really understood the whole situation. I had a cold, then, too.

[OhZone]

16. My uncle uses a CPAP and gets a bad sneezy day a couple of times a month or so -

He says it's bad when his humidifier goes dry overnight or something.

Do you use a CPAP?

[Siwsan]

17. No CPAP

I have turned up the furnace, a bit and I don't have a humidifier, but I think I'm going to start running a vaporizer for a few hours every day. And, despite the cold weather, I'm going to start bundling up and walking around my property on a daily basis, to get some fresh air into my lungs.

I've always had a strong immune system so I'm just going to keep reinforcing it by taking my Vitamin D, Zinc, fresh garlic, Sambucol and turmeric and cut back my Aldi outing to once every 2 weeks, when necessary. I'm pretty stocked up on frozen foods non perishables so all I ever really need to buy are eggs and milk. And I'm good with those for a couple more weeks.

And, again, I think I'm just getting carried away with paranoia - no doubt triggered by the death of my friend.

[luvs2sing]

5. So true.

I have fall allergies, and this year has been brutal. I wake up most mornings with a scratchy throat and mild cough and runny nose. No fever, no muscle aches, taste and smell normal. It will be this way till there is a hard freeze to kill off the plant mold and everyone, or most people, get rid of their leaves.

My test is how my breathing feels during my 2-4 mile morning walk. I have exercise-induced asthma, so have to take that into consideration.

My grandson got sent home from school last week because he was coughing. His brother was sent home, too. Couldn’t go back till they had negative tests. Doctor said it was the same thing he gets every year at this time, bronchitis triggered by allergies. School insisted they get tested, which I’m happy for. Everyone in the family was negative.

[WheelWalker]

7. I agree with some posts above. Precautions against Covid are precautions against a cold.

If you catch a cold, you're not being careful enough to avoid Covid, IMO.

[OhZone]

9. Exactly -

I've usually had a summer cold or a fall cold by now, cause I'm an extrovert and a party chick.

But I'm pretending to be an instrovert lately-

And loving that my significant other is stuck home with me.

She used to be on the road all the time, before Covid.

[Siwsan]

13. True - you can slip up and not even realize it.

All of my symptoms are also pretty common with allergies. I think I'm just being paranoid, but that one time one might unconsciously slip up is what is pinging my mind. Again - paranoia galore.

[marlakay]

18. So true, I talk to myself (in my head) :)

Every time I go to the store, I keep reminding myself not to scratch my face or eyes, they always get itchy when I am shopping, I think just knowing I can't touch my face makes me want to touch it.

I bring kleenex with me to wipe my eyes so I don't use my hands. I have caught myself numerous times before touching eyes so it would be easy to slip just once. I have heard doctors say about how many times per hour we touch our face.

[Hortensis]

8. I've been there, twice. In fact, I feel a twinge in my throat right now.

The second time symptoms went away fast. But if they become "real," like the first time, I get to quarantine in our bedroom, my husband gets the main floor and concierge duty, and we'll go get tested again.

Aren't modern electronics a blessing? I was thinking again just last night how awful this would be without books, TV, the world on our computers.

[spinbaby]

10. It's hell for those of us with allergies

Is it just allergies, is it a cold, or is it the virus that’s going to kill us?

[Siwsan]

12. That's it, exactly.

Paranoia galore.

[marlakay]

20. I am allergic to dust and my older home

Is impossible to keep dust free, I use a good pet air cleaner but I end up sneezing at least once a day. When the wind blows outside I get allergies from that too.

I just try to tell myself its just allergies, if I am real paranoid I take temp, make sure my taste is working and deep breathe. Will be so glad when this is over.

[Dem2]

14. I called it "Coroneurosis" back in March

I took some time off work for similar symptoms.

Better safe than sorry I figured.

[Siwsan]

15. That is the PERFECT term!

I'm so in need of being able to actually RELAX.

[Doreen]

19. I woke up Sunday with a mild soar throat and by Monday it was worse.

I went to the clinic that does COVID tests. The nurse that looked at my throat said it was pretty red. She sent me to the back of the clinic for the test.

I chose to go get tested before I went to a doctor. It is sad that I figured if I have COVID there is no point in going to see a doctor for a soar throat.

I am now at home in quarantine. I usually stay at home but my life of helping my mother and a couple of friends has not stopped.

[marmar]

21. The one positive is that all the masking and covid precautions.....

.... should make for a lighter cold/flu season. .... That's what they found to be the case in Southern Hemisphere countries that went through their flu seasons in the summer.

[Siwsan]

22. I got my first flu shot, this year, since I was in the Navy and had no choice.

Flu and pneumonia. I've never had the flu but figured with Covid around, better safe than sorry, so I got them both.

If this is a cold, caused by me unconsciously slipping up, it's a very inexpensive reminder to double down on my precautions and I welcome it, for that very reason.

[BainsBane]

23. Yeah, it's scary

I got tested when I got sick. I felt compelled to do so. It was fortunately negative, but I had to know.