Remnants of a Cold

[Bally]

You know how after you get a cold, the stuffy head thing continues on for awhile...

Anyone know of an over the counter decongestant that works and is approved by the Feds.

Thanks

 

[swaforme]

Call the guy that does your medicals.

 

[Dave Benjamin]

If you're an AOPA member talk to their aeromedical division. One pilot I know takes a combination of Sudafed and Benadryl. He claims that the Sudafed counteracts any side effects of the Benadryl and the combination relieves both congestion and runny nose. I have no idea if that drug combo would be sanctioned by an AME or the FAA.

 

[lowecur]

Bally

Try Afrin Nasal Spray. You can only use it for 3 or 4 days in a row, but it works great.

 

[CoopDog]

Afrin's not approved for flight

Here's an excerpt (below) from www.aviationmedicine.com, an excellent web-site for medical related issues involving pilots.

Doesn't appear that they're too hip on Afrin....except in case of an emergency to get yourself on the ground.

The FAA also permits airmen to use nasal steroid inhalers such as Beconase,Vancenase, Nasalide and Flonase. Inhalers such as Afrin are not permitted for use prior to flight. It may be reasonable to carry some Afrin in a flight bag for use in emergency situations with ear or sinus blocks on descent.

 

[flynryan15]

Lemon Thera Flu

Lemon Thera Flu works for everything

 

[Dizel8]

"I'm sorry Dave, I can't let you do that" - from Orwell's epic 1984"

Actually, that is from 2001: A Space Odysse by Stanley Kubrick.
Said by HAL, the onboard computer. Now, if you can figure out why it is called HAL, I will give you a carrot!

 

[mar]

Pick me!

"H A L"; each letter precedes the letters "I B M".

 

[Dizel8]

Mar gets the carrot

 

[Alex429595]

If you're an AOPA member talk to their aeromedical division. One pilot I know takes a combination of Sudafed and Benadryl. He claims that the Sudafed counteracts any side effects of the Benadryl and the combination relieves both congestion and runny nose. I have no idea if that drug combo would be sanctioned by an AME or the FAA.

(Sorry to bring up an old thread guys)

http://www.aopa.org/members/databases/medical/druglist.cfm

I looked up Benadryl, and found out it is NOT allowed by the FAA.

Sudafed is allowed, but the FAA mandates that you wait 12 hours before flying.

 

[SEVEN]

"H A L"; each letter precedes the letters "I B M".

Stop making me think.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Mar gets the carrot

I'm sorry, a little confused. Sooooooooo, a carrot can help you with "stuffiness"? And what does this thread have anything to do with bashing jb? Shouldn't it belong on the cargo section?

 

[Okie Pilot]

Call in sick.

I talked to a guy one day that thought he was ok, sort of like what you described. Started his pairing and on the descent started to feel incredible ear pain. Gave the airplane to the FO, and took his David Clarks off and felt something wet in his ear. It was Blood. He called in sick for the rest of the trip and went to the Doctor. He tore his eardrum and has some long term hearing loss now.

No job is worth that, especially since we have medicals to pass and hearing loss is common anyways as you get older.

 

[HAL]

Don't fly until you can easily clear your ears without medication. I had an earblock from a cold on my last trip - I was OK for the first two legs but the last one was the kicker. Descending into ORD it wouldn't clear at all. I didn't tear my eardrum but it hurt like a S.O.B. It's been 10 days now and I'm finally beginning to feel some occasional ear clearing, but I did call out sick on a 4-day trip that was starting tonight because I didn't want to risk it again. Your hearing is too valuable to throw it away because you don't want to use sick time.

As for the HAL thing, Arthur C. Clarke (who wrote 2001) adamantly denied that H.A.L. was named because of the 'one letter' connection to IBM. He said it stood for Hueristic ALogrithmic computer. Since he wrote the thing I'd tend to believe him.

HAL (not the computer)

 

[Gorilla]

Don't fly until you can easily clear your ears without medication. I had an earblock from a cold on my last trip - I was OK for the first two legs but the last one was the kicker. Descending into ORD it wouldn't clear at all. I didn't tear my eardrum but it hurt like a S.O.B. It's been 10 days now and I'm finally beginning to feel some occasional ear clearing, but I did call out sick on a 4-day trip that was starting tonight because I didn't want to risk it again. Your hearing is too valuable to throw it away because you don't want to use sick time.

Concur totally. Plus, nobody wants to sit next to you for 4 days while you snort and snuffle, and blow viruses all over the throttles and flap handle.

I learned my lesson years ago. We descended into LGA from a full 8.5 PSI cabin, and I was completely unable to get ANY air into that stupid ear chamber. It hurt, BAD, and I was totally deaf in my right ear walking to the hotel van. I began to chew those little red sudafed pills one after another. After 8 of them, the swollen membranes finally gave way, and I fixed the 8.5 PSI differential in ONE POP. It felt like a shiv got jammed into my ear, then there was finally relief. You can really damage your ears... if you can't easily get the ear crackle/clearing action before you take off, don't go.

 

[PCL_128]

I blew out an eardrum last year. The painful part isn't when the eardrum actually ruptures (that's actually a relief). The painful part is the few minutes right up to that when the pressure just keeps building up. One of our FAs actually passed out when this happened to her. I was out of work for several weeks and my hearing wasn't completely normal until about 6 weeks. The doctor said that you lose about 5% of your hearing ability each time you perforate the eardrum, but I can't tell any difference now. Long story short, it's not worth it to fly with a sinus infection, cold, or any condition that can cause earblock.

 

[dskflyr]

Tympanic Membrane Rupture

In regards to TM (eardrum) rupture and hearing loss...give it 6 weeks to heal and you shouldn't have any residual hearing loss. If after 6 weeks it's not healed then you should see an ENT specialist. They can usually repair it with good results. Carry your Afrin for emergencies and drink plenty of fluids. If you have a cold don't fly!

 

[800Dog]

I find that a nice 15 year old scotch helps clear my sinuses. Johnny Walker Green or Blue will do the trick.

 

[Bubba Dog]

Hot chinese mustard works great!!!!!!!!!