Creeping Crud Crosses Continent

While I’m sure I will be attacked again. I will just say that my solution to a lot of this is when I’m in crowded places I wear a well fitting good quality N95 mask since I started doing this I have been dramatically healthier. I don’t pick up colds, I don’t pick up whatever the creeping crud is etc. so I know some of you are going to be upset because apparently the fact that I’m wearing a mask is somehow threatening and because “masks don’t work” (which is unfortunately false).

As for describing your symptoms, That’s what Google translate is for. I had to do that for a stomach bug before I started masking. works great.

Thanks Mr E. I’ve been too sick to post.
A couple on the plane home Tuesday coughed the whole way Rome to Newark with no regard for others—no masks. Of course they sat across the aisle from me. Although I had a mask on except when eating and drinking, a day later I was sick and the day after that my husband was sick.
Four days later we’re both still sick. I went to Urgent Care for codeine cough syrup, antibiotics and prescription decongestant. Hubby hates drugs but finally started taking cough syrup so he can get some sleep.
Whatever this is, it’s very contagious. Yes, we tested for Covid and this is not that.

Update 10/3: sorry you are still sick Mr E. This virus is hard to shake. Hubby and I are on days 7 and 8 and probably still have a few more days of coughing and feeling yucky.

To those who will be or are traveling: wear a mask, bring your choice of drugs, if you do get sick be considerate to those around you so they stay well.

Been here two months and feel great. Maybe feeling good is sweeping the continents. LOL

And don't forget to get a flu shot (high dose if you're over 65) and the latest Covid vaccine. It won't keep you from catching something but it will definitely lessen the symptoms.

Carol, re masks, wasn't it interesting how little flu there was during Covid? Masks don't take up much space and wearing one when you're sick would help protect others from your germs.

Mardee, thanks. Need to add that to next weeks doctor visits.

You know how in the US your prescription is good for many refills. The pharmacy will even call when its time for the next pickup or refill. Here, different world. Prescriptions are good for 3 months. Then you must return to the doctor. No phone calls from pharmacies. No insurance filing from pharmacies. So if you have cronic issue, its a return trip every three months. Good thing the doctors are very inexpensive and my insurance pays 100%. But still a hassle.

Lifetime Travel, you will note a bit of jest in the title? That was for perspective.

I've been here a couple of winters and this is most profound outbreak that I have seen. Out of the dozen or so close friends I have here the vast majority have come down with the flu in the last two weeks. Pretty heavy symptoms too. Most people down for a several days. I got better in 2, then relapsed and having to start over; but i think ive finally crossed over to the good side. The local news has been talking a bit about it too.

But at worst the thread reminds people about masks and maybe to bring a starter pack of something, just in case, until you can get to a pharmacy and maybe a few tips on dealing with doctors and pharmacies on the road. So no harm done.

If you don't die from a cold or flu, it doesnt mean the person you pass it on to, won't. We have 30,000 people a year die from the flu in the US and thats nothing to be proud of. I came back from my recent Czech trip and tested positive for COVID the next day. It's still out there.

PS I always visit a pharmacy when abroad, just to see if they have different OTC meds. It's a good cultural learning experience.

Creeping Crud

That's what my Mom always called it.

I make copies of the box that the OTC meds come in and put it in a zipper bag with the blister pack. Less bulk. That way I have the dosing instructions and the active ingredient list if I need to find a similar product. Also easier to read than the print on the back of the blister pack.

I for one thank you for the warning , Mr E.
I pick up bugs easily, so am always aware .
I’m here in southern Italy now and have been wearing my K95 in crowds and on any transport.
Also wore one on the planes coming over.
I’m a person who travels with a “starter pack” of meds.
“Only a cold” to one person could be a bad illness to another.
Stay healthy!

Nice alliterative headline there, Mr. E.
Sitting in an airport as we speak but (alas) only flying domestically today.
Had our shots tho.

I hope you and other posters who are sick feel better soon.

PS I always visit a pharmacy when abroad, just to see if they have different OTC meds. It's a good cultural learning experience

Good idea, stan! I usually stop in pharmacies just because I like shopping in foreign stores, but never thought to check out the OTC meds. I like it!

I’m not sure how far across the Continent because everyone I know in France is well. However, a lot of people I know in France got something during the spring allergy season. No, wasn’t C..

Stan, don't waste your time here. Nothing is over the counter. Do you want aspirin? Tell the pharmacist, and explain why, and if they agree it's appropriate they will get it out of a cabinet behind the counter. Nothing is on the sales floor.

Thanks for the warning, Mr É. My husband is on a feeding tube, and he can't carry enough of his nutrition drink in carry-on to last the whole trip. So, part of our sightseeing in different cities is finding pharmacies and walking to them. We have always been successful in getting pharmacists who speak good English and they are all very helpful. Usually my husband takes an empty bottle to show the pharmacist what we are looking for. I enjoy looking around at what is available on the shelves (make-up, hair products, perfume, etc.).

I enjoy looking around at what is available on the shelves (make-up,
hair products, perfume, etc.).

Nope, not here, not in a pharmacy. Drugs only. Nothing to shop for other than drugs. For all the other things you go to the DM or Rossmann store or maybe an Asian market or ABC convenience store for essentials like toilet paper and soap. The grocery store? They will generally have 1 or 2 brands of some of the basics like bath soap and toilet paper, but that's about it.

Stan, don't waste your time here. Nothing is over the counter. Do you want aspirin? Tell the pharmacist, and explain why, and if they agree it's appropriate they will get it out of a cabinet behind the counter. Nothing is on the sales floor.

You're right Mr É. I misspoke. I like to go the pharmacy and ask for sore throat lozenges, foot powder, bandaids, decongestants, headache meds, antacids or whatever else comes to mind. It's especially fun if they don't speak English.

Stan, my first visit to a pharmacy here, 20 years ago, was to make a Hungarian speaking pharmacist understand I needed Prep-H. Imagine how that was done.

Mr É, that surely beats my buzzing imitation of a French bee-sting.

RE: OTC meds.....I used to bring a few pills, such Advil , Pepto Bismo or aspirin. Sometimes a few Tylenol tablets. No more. That was all in the past.

No OTC meds go into my luggage now, only the prescribed meds that I require on a daily basis.

Thanks for the thread, Mr E. Good to be aware of a new bug zooming around. In Sweden I don't believe it's possible to get a flu shot before beginning November, because winter lasts so long it needs to be effective through at least April. (How's that for local culture?) But I'm going to ask tomorrow. You're definitely right about hardly anything being OTC at least in Italy, but here you can buy almost every OTC med available in the US, except melatonin and TheraFlu, without speaking with a pharmacist, just walk around and pick it out, then check out.

Back to your main point, good idea to bring along some of your fav OTC meds when you travel, who wants to go looking for a pharmacy if they're sick anyway?

We were very sick in the spring (April into May) beginning in Amsterdam and on to Belgium. We went to every pharmacy and only scored the most "natural" throat lozenges. The active ingredient would be something like Thyme. The virus had a hearty laugh - we continued to cough. Even once we made it home the thing that helped the most was gargling with warm salt water. Oh My Gosh - the relief. If I had thought of that while we were overseas we would have had a much better trip! Salt packets will forever be in my toiletry bag.

Be aware, Pepto Bismol is not available in the EU. (You can get it in the UK which, as we know, is not in the EU. But it is kept behind the pharmacy counter.)

Naproxen Sodium (Alleve) is usually by prescription only.

Head and Shoulders in Europe is not the same as H & S in the US. The main anti-dandruff ingredient, pyrithione zinc, can't be sold in the EU.

It's not a bad idea to wear a N95 for air travel, there are lots of viruses out there, both named and unnamed.

I flew back from Athens last month and got sick two days later. Took a covid, flu, and strep test at a clinic that day. All negative. The doctor said that it was still early to test positive for covid, and that sometimes you won't test positive until a few days after symptoms develop.

I took another covid test 48 hours later and it was positive. Whaddya gonna do?

Hope you're feeling better, James

Thank you sir. Unfortunately still suffering it, but better. Maybe a day or two left.

There is definitely an upper respiratory virus going around the EU right now.

I caught it during my most recent trip last week. Did multiple COVID and flu tests (the combined antibody test is really handy), both negative.

It's mostly gone now, thankfully - had a full span of 7 days, start to finish. Made for a very uncomfortable return flight when my right ear's eustachian tube wouldn't clear - ouch! It's back to normal now but wasn't comfy in the moment. And I foolishly didn't bring any pseudoephedrine with me which meant no decongestants of any worth easily available at Swiss pharmacies.

And yes: I did mask on airplanes and long-distance trains. Probably caught the gunk at Oktoberfest in one of the beer tents.

Be vigilant!

RSV? If you haven't got sick yet, there is a vaccine for RSV, just in case.

Yes Judy, this year I was able to find an Rsv vaccine at Walgreens. Also I got my flu shot in one arm and covid in the other concurrently about 10 days later. I've done this three falls in a row now and not had any problems. I was not in a hurry to get these last 2, but my physician encouraged me to get them at a minimum 14 days before departure so my body had a chance to build the immunities.