When I get a cold and my nose feels stopped up I go into panic attacks. I feel claustrophobic (I guess is the way to describe it). I can't eat, I can't drink liquids, nor can I sleep. I'm not suppose to take any decongestant meds since I have high blood pressure. Also, is there any way to keep a cold from going down into your chest? It seems like I can't get a cold any more without it causing my chest to get tight and hurt and again THAT scares me. I hate colds! You'd think that after ALL these years someone could come up with a way to get rid of them wouldn't ya? Does anyone else have this silly problem or does anyone know a quick way to "unclog" a stopped up nose??!! Sometimes when I have a cold I get more things done because I'm too "wound up" to relax!!!!!!!

last time i had a cold like that, i bought a warm steam humidifier. the kind that you can put vicks medicine for humidifiers in. i also bought some nasal strips that people use to reduce snoring. it worked wonders. i was still a little stopped up, but i could at least breathe a little more than before.

MUCINEX!!! It works wonders.

Right now, I have a horrible cold.I had the worst night sleep....stuffed up, coughing, sore throat, and nothing helps.:( It started a week ago, and just seems to be getting worse. I'd rather have a stomach virus! At least they just last a day or two.

The best way to avoid the symptoms of a cold is to avoid it in the first place. How?

Use cold-eeze zinc losenges at the FIRST sign of a cold -- the sore throat. And keep using them every hour you can. (it's either 2 or 4 hours) I'm telling you this has without a doubt stopped colds right in their tracks for me. They never really get past the mildly sore throat stage - no bad stuffy nose, no congested chest.

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The key is to start using them as soon as you feel that sore throat start... the first little thing you notice, take one. I rarely get colds anymore because of these things... and when I do, they're pretty dang mild and managable. (and I'm a man who does NOT tolerate stuffy noses)

Also look into zicam nasal spray. These things are the closest we have to a cure for the common cold -- use them.

Now, IF you do end up with a nasty stuffy nose, I'd reccommend using an afrin type nasal spray for a few nights to get you through the worst of it. It's true there is a rebound affect from Afrin, however, as long as you're disciplined and don't stay on it for more than 3-4 days, you'll be ok.

I know exactly how you feel! I just recently got over the WORST sinus infection/cold I've ever had. I could not breathe at all and I felt like I was going to panic. In the end I went to the doctor and got some antibiotics. That was the only thing that was going to clear the sinus infection. Vicks also helps temporarily.

Can you take nasal drops or sprays for decongestion? Check with your doctor. Drops usually work wonders for me.

Kathrin

I was just sick with a horrible cold/flu. My nose was so stuffy...some nights it was so hard to sleep. I did not have an infection, but what I did was, since I don't like to take any type of med's. I ate nothing but fresh fruit every day, homemade soup, along with eating a small spoonful of Really Raw Honey and drank an 8 oz. glass of water with 1-2 tsps of organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Both have tons of enzymes in it to help your body! I started to feel better after doing this 3 days after feeling sick and it felt like it was getting worse.

I had a cold/flu a couple weeks ago that started feeling better and then it got worse again.

I just wanted to tell you that I am having the same reaction. I am prone to anxiety (take meds for it actually) and I also cannot take cold meds (heart thing). So I hear ya!! I am dealing with it right now and feel like i am going nuts!!