<p>Here’s a quick shout out for all the wonderful folks on CC, especially CoachC. D started getting sick with a respiratory infection Sunday but had an audition on Wednesday. I devoured all the incredible info on this site and am now the proud owner of a Neti Pot, a humidifier, and should buy stock in whoever makes Mucinex and Coldeeze! With complete vocal rest in the interim and lots of fluids and steam, D managed a successful audition yesterday. Here’s my question though. Having never really used Musinex before, how long does one continue using it (assume a normal cold) and would it be best to gradually decrease the dosage? I’ve read that some opera singers take Musinex year round with all their travels. Would it be a good idea to take a low dose on plane flights during audition season, or is that total overkill? </p>
<p>P.S. If I ever enter a drugstore again, it will be too soon!</p>
<p>Yes I want to know that answer too. And where do you buy a Neti pot?
My d has been having throat pain for monthes. She was Dx with Mono. But, the sore throat didn’t go away even when the mono did.<br>
She has seen an ENT DR. and he examined her intenally and thought she was having an acid reflux problem and prescribed Prilosec for a month without any difference in her symptoms.
At this point we are waiting on an Insurance referral for her to go see another specialist to do a Fiberoptic Laryngoscopy.<br>
She is singing some but because it is summer she can go on days of voice rest after a performance.</p>
<p>Don’t feel qualified to make recommendations about medication dosage, but you can buy a Neti pot at most health food stores, and supermarkets like Whole Foods. You can also buy them online at Amazon or Walgreens. Hope that helps :).</p>
<p>I’ll ask the doctors for whom I work about duration and dosage/tapering of Mucinex.
Mucinex is just a mucus thinner, so I don’t think taking it for flights would do much unless the singer is already feeling the onset of a cold. But doing lots of hand sanitizer during the flight and maybe a “preventative” like Emergen-C or Wellness Formula (an herbal pill found at Whole Foods) is not a bad idea. I got REALLY sick this spring from a bad cold contracted on a plane (the person sitting behind me was hacking and sneezing), and it wreaked havoc on my voice for almost a month. So vigilance about germ protection when flying is now something I communicate even more strongly to my students and patients.</p>
<p>mom at home - is your D taking her Prilosec 1/2 to an hour before eating? It’s MUCH more effective when taken that way, because it’s food activated, but doctors don’t always emphasize that (I have no idea why!). Reflux CAN be a big time voice problem, causing pain as well as throat clearing, excessive/thickened mucus, and a “lump in the throat” feeling - but you D may also have adopted some subtle patterns of muscle tension in her speaking voice to compensate when she was sick with mono. I see this all the time with my patients - people who were sick even for a brief time with swollen throats and/or vocal folds whose bodies kick into extra throat muscle work. By squeezing the throat muscles slightly, the body is trying to compensate for swollen vocal folds that don’t vibrate as well as they normally do - and often when you’re not sick anymore, those compensatory muscle habits hang around well after your body doesn’t need them anymore. This is called muscle tension dysphonia (“MTD” for short) and can manifest itself as hoarseness, internal throat pain, or neck muscle strain/pain. The only way to know what’s really going on is to do what you’re planning to do, get a stroboscopy (rigid - through the mouth, or flexible fiberoptic - through the nose). I had a student this year who had mono last summer and was still fighting the throat pain/fatigue effects well into her audition season - but with voice therapy from a speech pathologist specializing in voice and a voice teacher who knows how to spot even the most subtle muscle overwork, things should be just fine! Make sure D sees a laryngologist, someone who “just does voice” - because they can identify things that general ENT’s can’t.</p>
<p>Coach C, yes she took the Prilosec in the morning before eating. Dr. has since discontinued this treatment. I do think we are going to a Laryngologist that does some speech issues, at least that is what the ENT said. But, since you mentioned it, my D is constantly clearing her throat. I nag her about it and I’ve ever brought it to the attention of my D Voice Teacher in my daughters presence. I don’t think she noticed it until I said something. Do you think we should have the mono checked out again, by that I mean get the labwork done again? My d’s audition season is this coming school yr.</p>
<p>And I want to mention my d’s tonsils were taken out when she was 5 y.o.</p>
<p>MTgirlsmom, thanks for the tip on where to go for the Neti Pot. But, I am confused, do you put medicine in a Neti Pot?</p>
<p>There are little pre-mixed packets you add to distilled water for the Neti Pot, mom at home. As a practical matter, I think they are mainly salt and baking soda. </p>
<p>Thanks for checking on the Mucinex, CoachC, as well as for the airplane travel tips. You are the best!!!</p>
<p>Do you all have suggestions for seasonal (fall now) allergies? My D was just diagnosed. Would most of the cold remedies work for allergies as well? Next year this time she would like to have her voice. Thanks.</p>
<p>I would highly recomme’t using the nasal wash for allergies. The idea is that if you wash
away the “irritant” or allergy “inducer” the whole histamine reaction won’t get started.</p>
<p>Agree with srw. Many of the allergy and cold medications are very drying and singing can be affected by that so trying things that reduce the need for meds is a good thing. Here is a good site about meds and the voice. </p>
<p>As far as allergies, my D was diagnosed 2 years ago and did zyrtec and nasal spray for a year, but still had alot of congestion. This year, she’s started shots and its made a world of difference. Her voice is much clearer. We have the advantage of going to an allergy doctor who moonlights as an opera singer so she’s very careful not to prescribe anything drying.</p>
<p>Up to now I have not been able to talk the d into using the Neti Pot but she may have reached a point where she is desperate enough. Thanks all for the good ideas! I will ask about shots…</p>
<p>Tell her that once she uses it, she will not believe how open and clear the passages will feel. I felt like I had never breathed right before. She will likely be hooked like everyone I know who uses it. It might take a couple of tries to get it just right - the temperature, the amount of solution, the angle - but then it becomes part of a routine. I like the actual little pot, but my D likes the squeeze bottle.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but after finding so much invaluable information on vocal health here, I 'm looking for some advice on general health as audition season approaches. It seems like my daughter is sick ALL OF THE TIME and I’m looking for ways to keep her healthy this winter. She’s recently recovered from Mono, but still has some periods of fatigue. She’s prone to Strep and chronic sinus infections, (although since she’s been treated for allergies, they’ve gotten fewer and further between.) She’s a very thin lactose-intolerant vegetarian, so we have major issues with getting enough protein in her. She was severely malnourished a year ago and tries to be conscious of eating healthy these days, but when she is stressed, she cannot eat or she feels like she will throw up. As a result, her energy level can get very low. All these ailments combined with never having a break from her training and performances make me worry how to keep her well. I almost feel like I have too much information and don’t know what really works- EmergenC or Zicam or Airborne? Vitamins? And any wonder foods that won’t upset her stomach, but will give her some nourishment? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>CVS (and I’m sure other major drugstores) carries both the pot type and the NeilMed squeeze bottles - with solution. D and I use tap water with no problems, but some use distilled water.</p>
<p>inm - I haven’t looked back to see what you have said about the neti pot, but she should try that. I know people who have had chronic sinus infections who had almost miraculous results with the sinus rinse. I would start by focusing on the gut - the center of the immune system. Since she is lactose intolerant, I assume she is not a yogurt eater but for those not lactose intolerant, I would start with a good yogurt. My D also has some issues with dairy so she uses Align and that has helped a lot with stomach issues. She has also had fewer migraines since she has been on it and tolerates dairy better. There is research suggesting that some migraines result from stomach issues too. If the Align doesn’t work, then there are other probiotic type products to try. Getting the gut bugs at balance can be key and is difficult in kids who have taken a lot of antibiotics. Fortunately, my D’s school offers lots of good vegetarian choices. Does your D like soy dogs or Boca burgers? Does she like soy milk shakes? My D likes some of the high fiber, high protein bars and usually eats one a day as a snack - for the protein and the fiber. I assume she is on a good calcium supplement? </p>
<p>I was a big proponent of the cold supps at one point but I’ve come to believe they are not valuable so no more Airborne, zinc supps, etc. We have seen the biggest improvement by concentrating on diet and supps directed at healthy digestion and absorption.</p>
<p>Of course, this is purely anecdotal, but I swear by Stresstabs with Zinc. I think the zinc is really key to boosting one’s immune system. I used to work at a large firm and would take one a day. People would be dropping like flies around me, but I never got sick until I ran out of these vitamins. I started both of my daughters on them this year and, so far so good. I also read that the doctor who wrote the South Beach Diet books takes a coldeeze (which is zinc) every time he flies. That’s good enough for me. The stresstabs with zinc actually have the equivalent amount of zinc in two Coldeeze lozenges.</p>
<p>This may or may not work, but I have started doing about 15 minutes of yoga stretches in the morning. I start off really stuffed up, but by the time I am done, I am breathing SO much better (and moving better, too). Then I finish it off with the NeilMed stuff. The plus side about the neti pots/NeilMed stuff is that it is sposed to help wash out potential fluish germs! Some doctors are recommending gargling and flushing 2 times a day to fight the flu.</p>
<p>inm - I would agree with you. The thing that has helped my daughter’s allergies the most is shots. My d. had multiple respiratory illnesses the beginning of her freshman year and a few allergies (cats/dogs). She was re-tested and started allergy shots in January of this year and it has made a huge difference in her overall health and vocal ability. She does take prescription Singulair, and Flonaise and Allegra as needed. Much of the time the additional meds are not needed. She does use a personal steamer but finds the netti pot pretty unpleasant. For college students adequate sleep, healthy diet and a multi-vitamins are vital.</p>
So vigilance about germ protection when flying is now something I communicate even more strongly to my students and patients.</p>