Not Ready For a Neti

Before the "Irrigation", originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

So...I was on GChat with Deee, and she was telling me that she, too, was sick.  We're sick of being sick.

Deepa: as part of my insanity
  i bought a neti pot
  i'm sick of having colds and allergies
  so i'm going all ayurveda auntie
  on the problem!

me: oh, please tell me how that works

12:18 PM Deepa: i wonder if there is something similar for bronchitis? some ayurvedic/non-prescription thing

dude, i think you are as .... squeamish about certain things as me a neti pot is basically used to wash out your nose/nasal cavity

me: i saw it in the nyt and i'm scared of water in my nose but i'm so sick of being sick :(

Deepa: dude, yes - i'm not thrilled with the idea but, if it works

me: and tylenol/anti-histamines etc only have done so much

Deepa: i'll get over it.  yeah, i'm also sick of allergies  and the idea of washing out allergens ... MAKES SENSE

resolved: i will try neti pot with plain water (you are supposed to make mild saline solution) today

i have probably had it for close to a year

it sits in my med cabinet and i look at it, warily and never touch it

me: oh wow.  you had it before the current neti-boom  :)

12:23 PM Deepa: i've been wanting, in theory, to neti for ages

there is also a somewhat less scary option:
  www.kadavy.net/blog/archive/2005/06/sinusrinse_nasa.php
 
sinus rinse

::

So as I staggered to Rite-Aid this evening, I kept thinking there was something I needed besides Tylenol Cough-and-Sore-Throat liquid, a.k.a. Mint Nyquil which doesn't taste like ass.

Thankfully, despite the mental fog and exhaustion, I remembered the afore-pasted convo before I left the store.  I didn't know what I was looking for, so I bought the only thing that looked like a "kit".  Well, that and it was the only product that had the scary but necessary word "irrigation" on it...

::

One day later:  as odd as it was, it worked.  The "kit" I bought was essentially "Neti for Dummies", so it's not that great a surprise that it was effective, but whatever.  It's nice to have an option which doesn't involve benadryl (which leaves me feeling drunk) or claritin (which I'm not sure really works).   I guess India really does do everything better, but don't take that from me, not when Oprah is all giddy over her unfortunately-termed "nose bidet".

Comments

[Mango P]

Hey! I just got one of these called "NeilMed", and works great! It feels weird but kind of good at the same time (in a cleansing sort of way), and I'm normally sqeamish about this stuff as well.

One bit of warning - don't try it with just plain water (without the saline solution), because it stings. I think it has something to do with the pH.

Feel better!

[Brian]

Okay, GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Ahem, now that's out of the way - hope you're feeling better! :)

[Zen]

You look all of 5 years old in that photo :)

[Vivi]

I swear by this. I use a sinus irrigation machine. I know it sounds painful, but it isn't. During the winter I use it 2X a day, and it works. My mom had two sinus surgeries which didn't work and now she uses this machine and it's a gem. Just add baking soda and kosher salt to the water. http://www.breathcure.com/hydropulsemachine.html

[sixy west coast]

feel better :(. how is your sis btw?

[anandos, nasally fortified]

Beta!
It's fantastic, but plain water? That'll kill ya. It'll burn like hell. Use the saline (lukewarm!), it works wonders. I use it before I go to bed and it vastly reduces the cold-snoring.