<p>Has anyone here had any luck with using this for head colds? I’ve had one for four days now and wouldn’t be so concerned except I have to take a flight on Tuesday afternoon (after a really long car ride tomorrow - 770 miles). I really don’t like taking regular cold medications (sudafed, etc. - they make me irritable and shaky) and besides, I think sudafed is not what one needs for a cold - I want to get rid of the stuff, not just dry it up and make it thicker in my sinuses and eustachian tubes. At this point, I absolutely cannot pop or clear my ears.</p>
<p>I do have ear plane plugs to help minimize the pressure changes for the flight, but it is a two-leg flight, and I’m getting really nervous - if I have a bad ear reaction upon the first landing, I can see me hauling myself off that plane and not completing the flight. I do have Afrin around, but have been using it very sparingly so I can use it on Tuesday.</p>
<p>best thing for flying is afrin nasal spray if you are really congested. you need the decongestant properties so your sinuses and eustachian canals don’t get blocked. just make sure to use it so you are clear for the flight, especially the descent.</p>
<p>I don’t see how guaifenesin will help. You need a decongestant. I usually use Sudafed before I fly because I have chronic eustachian tube congestion so it feels like there are icepicks in my ears when I land. I also have to use it for scuba diving because my ears won’t clear properly without it. I think you want to take Sudafed about an hour before boardiing and use the spray when you board and right before landing. Don’t forget to chew bum and yawn.</p>
<p>For something stronger than Sudafed I recommend Aleve-D Cold & Sinus. I have chronic allergy/congestion problems and I have trouble finding meds that work whether OTC or prescription. Aleve-D works great!</p>
<p>Well, as I felt worse and worse this afternoon, and did not want to risk having to see a doctor in an unfamiliar area, I got my bum (no pun intended) to an acute care center. I told them upfront that I was not there for antibiotics, just symptom relief. The doc said everything was very congested, and gave me samples of nasonex. Hopefully by using it today, tomorrow and Tuesday before my flight, it will have some impact. He also recommended the guaifenesin, which I just picked up from the pharmacy. And again, hopefully taking it between now and Tuesday afternoon, it will help get rid of some of the crud so that when I do use the Afrin, it will have a maximal effect. </p>
<p>I have had problems flying before, and the icepick description is accurate. Once I had a flight attendant offer a suggestion to me… she poured a small amount of very hot water (reserved for tea) into a styrofoam cup, and threw in a napkin to absorb the water. I then cupped each cup against each ear so that the steam produced would help thin out the icky stuff. So if worse comes to worse, I’ll try that, too.</p>
<p>I am a firm believer in the ear plugs specifically designed for flights. I’ve even had to use them while driving in the mountains. I also discovered that when I’m really stuffed up, even at home, wearing them can help equalize the pressure in my ears. It’s worth a try. </p>
<p>I leave mine in for the whole flight unless it’s a very long flight. At the very least put them in one hour before landing. The directions say they’re good for 3 flights, but I have better luck using them only twice. So make sure you have enough to get home.</p>
<p>go to the pharmacy and get the sudafed that is behind the counter that you have to show your id for. That forumulation works much better than the new one - IMO. Get the 12 hour and take it for a 2x/day until you fly. I just flew and have allergies - it really helps. </p>
<p>Definitely chew gum and pop your ears - they will hurt.</p>
<p>over30 - so you use them just whenever you are congested in your ears? regardless of imminent flying or not? I never thought of that. That I could do tonight and tomorrow.</p>
<p>justamomof4 - the reason I was looking for something other than sudafed is because it does not agree with me. I get very shaky and irritable. Unfortunately, I can’t responsibly make a 700+ mile drive tomorrow feeling that way.</p>
<p>Ooops - My ears have hurt so badly sometimes flying that I felt like chewing something other than gum. I will have to try the plugs too. I would not have thought Musinex would help but I guess if it makes the mucous thinner, it should. My D uses that when she gets a chest cold.</p>
<p>Guaifenesin (Mucinex is time-released version) thins, i.e. increases water content of, the mucous so it will flow more freely. Decongestants shrink the membranes so that the mucous can flow through them. Antihistimines dry the membranes…reduce the secretions. Guaifenesin is helpful for symptoms of very thick mucous, coughing (it is an expectorant so it makes the cough more productive), throat clearing (because of the thick mucous). Analgesics reduce pain and discomfort in different ways. You are better off treating the symptoms, not taking a shot-gun remedy. Good luck.</p>
<p>That’s exactly why I asked the question. I’ve heard of it being recommended for lower respiratory issues, but not necessarily for an upper respiratory problem. The doc suggested it before I even asked him about it.</p>
<p>Lesson learned, it’s going to take a multi-pronged approach on Tuesday but hopefully I can make some headway in the next couple of days.</p>
<p>Guaifenesin thins mucous in the upper respiratory tract as well and can be a huge help if you have sinus and ear problems like I do and can’t do decongestants. Hope it helps in time! I’ve got an awful cold this week, too. ugh</p>
<p>I refuse to take anything with guaifenesin in it for colds.</p>
<p>This is because I get horrible coughs that last for weeks, and sometimes take, say, double the recommended dose of cough syrup (in which guaifenesin is a common ingredient), especially at night when I literally can’t sleep otherwise.</p>
<p>I found out the hard way that if you take “extra” guaifenesin (it doesn’t even have to be very much extra - my double dose was more than enough), you will be very, very unhappy for about 12 hours.</p>
<p>I bought the 4-hour tablets so as not to have anything long-lasting in my system in case it doesn’t agree with me. Took some today during the trip, along with the nasonex and Afrin. I’ve taken a lot of 700+ mile trips and this was absolutely the longest. I cannot pop my ears one bit. Also, because I was taking the guaifenesin, I had to drink more liquids than usual which meant many more potty stops than usual.</p>
<p>The guaifenesin I bought does not have the expectorant in it since I really don’t have anything in my lungs. The only coughing I do is from the drip in the back of my throat. </p>
<p>I also wore the ear plane plugs part of today… didn’t notice any difference. Hope they help tomorrow.</p>
<p>Well, that totally sucked! Had no problems with the first leg of my flight, which was about 20 minutes and we only reached an altitude of 5000 feet.</p>
<p>That second leg was horrendous. About a third of the way into the flight, my right ear drum ruptured. This was despite Afrin/Sudafed/Guaifenisen, etc. that I’ve been taking (I started adding the Sudafed after we finished the drive). Just got back from the acute care center and now have some real painkillers to help me.</p>