This post is sponsored by CVS Pharmacy but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.
"There was a brief, seven-year period between getting my first cell phone and entering nursing school when my group chats were buzzing with fairly normal conversations. As I entered my nursing school era, my texts quickly went from, “OMG, Selena and Justin broke up,” to, “Should I get this mole checked out?” in the blink of an eye. And with six years of emergency nursing under my belt, I’ve forever solidified myself as On-Call Nurse of the group chat.
My notifications always seem to double during cold and flu season, and thankfully, I’m well-versed in helping my pals feel better when common colds get them down. When summer comes to an end and comes knocking, me and CVS Pharmacy tend to bring our relationship from casual to committed, and my Extracare Card gets just as much action as my AMEX. From the moment I get my flu shot* to the hours I spend perusing aisles during their Fall Wellness Event, I’m what you could call a frequent flyer. Now is the best time to stock up on meds, supplements, cough drops, humidifiers, and more—here are the over-the-counter items I always recommend that my friends have on hand during sick season:
Pain and fever meds
When headaches, fevers, aches, and pains strike, I always reach for Advil (AKA one of the common brand names for ibuprofen). Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory medicine that reduces pain caused by inflammation and reduces fevers, so I always have these on hand from that time of the month to cold-and-flu season and beyond (plus, these ones have a coating on them, which makes them literally one of the easiest pills to swallow).
If I have a fever or pains that the Advil isn’t single-handedly tackling, I’m likely also leaning on Tylenol (AKA one of the brand names for acetaminophen) for support. While they both combat pain and fever, they work in different ways and are cleared by different parts of the body. Because of this, you can take them back to back, which is crucial if you’re feeling like crap. Since you can take Advil every six hours and Tylenol every six hours, I like to take my Advil dosage first, Tylenol three hours later, Advil three hours after that, and back to Tylenol three hours after that. With this method, you’re keeping up with your pain and fever relief but in a way that keeps your Tylenol-to-Tylenol and your Advil-to-Advil doses six hours apart from each other. Breakthrough pain and fevers? Never heard of ’em.
Advil
Tylenol
An electrolyte replacement
I’m not great at hydrating on a good day, but especially when sick symptoms are wreaking havoc on my spirits. If you’re under the weather and don’t have much of an appetite, you might find yourself reaching for your emotional support water bottle less. And if you also happen to have a fever made complete with an increased respiratory rate and sweating, you likely will need electrolyte replacement. When I’m sick, water gives me the ick, but when I pop a packet of this in my bottle, I know that my water is putting in extra work for me.
Liquid I.V.
Immune support
As with almost all ailments in life, the best treatment is prevention, so come fall, I like to give my immune system the TLC it deserves. I always opt for something with vitamin C in it because it plays an important role in immune health, but I especially love this one from Airborne because it has 12 other vitamins and minerals, including Zinc, which helps to stimulate immune cells. These are also super easy to take on-the-go, which makes them great for travel or bringing on your morning commute.
Airborne
A cough suppressant-expectorant combo
Even with my nursing expertise, I am no stranger to calling my mom in a desperate plea for a long-distance hug and a med rec when I’m feeling sorry for myself. My mom absolutely swears by Mucinex DM for when you’re in those awful early stages of being sick, and you need to call in reinforcements to get some of that… mucus… up and out (sorry, girls, there’s no demure way to say it). It eases those dry coughing fits that don’t scratch the surface of chest congestion and makes the coughs that you do have more productive. It lasts for 12 hours and doesn’t have any sneaky acetaminophen or ibuprofen in it, so it’s a great pairing to your Advil-Tylenol regimen.
Mucinex DM
Allergy meds
One of my favorite games to play when I wake up with an unexpected stuffy nose is “Is it the flu or is it just allergies?” For those of us who are sensitive to ragweed pollen, mold spores, and dust mites, fall can be a time for allergies and can make discerning your symptoms from illness harder than ever. To help control some of the stuffy-nosed, watery-eyed noise, I always recommend that my friends keep up with their allergy meds to help keep those autumnal allergies at bay.
Claritin
Flonase
Something that’ll work fast when you’re in the trenches
On those days when you’re down bad and need a med that’s going to do it all, this fast-acting Alka-Seltzer Cold and Flu situation should do the trick. Because it carries a combination of four meds, it tackles the whole lot of cold and flu symptoms: nasal and sinus congestion, sneezing, runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches, and fevers thanks to it having acetaminophen in it. Just dissolve it in 4 ounces of water and let it do its thing.
Alka-Seltzer
Cough drops
There’s nothing worse than wrapping up a long day of hacking up a lung, only to be met with a night of tossing and turning as you try to ignore that incessant tickle in your throat. And while I’ll take any sort of cough drop when I’m in a state of sickly desperation, the truth is that all cough drops are not made equal. I like to opt for cough drops that double as a cough suppressant and oral anesthetic like Ricola’s Natural Herb Cough Drops, which pack a punch. They are my best-kept secret for soothing a cough and relieving an itchy, sore throat during cold and flu season. You’ll find these in my medicine cabinet, in my work bag, and on my nightstand when I need to get things under control.
Ricola
A cool-mist humidifier
For most of my life, I never paid any mind to cool mist humidifiers—that is, until I took my second nursing job in a pediatric emergency department. After reading hundreds upon hundreds of discharge instructions that encouraged parents to help manage the woes of cold and flu season with a cool mist humidifier, I finally broke down and said, “Fine, I’ll give this thing a try.” So many cold and flu symptoms are made worse with dry air. Runny noses turn into crusty noses, already dry mouths turn into chapped lips, and mouth breathing dry air can further irritate sore throats. By adding moisture back into the air while you’re sleeping, it’ll help you to a) thin congestion so that you can get it out more easily and b) avoid the worsening of symptoms by the all-dreaded dry air.
Please consult a doctor or a health professional before beginning any treatments, supplements, or medications. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ashley Selleke, RN, Branded Content Managing Editor
After receiving her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, Ashley first pursued a career as an emergency department nurse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While she enjoyed the challenge that came with being on the frontlines of patient care in high-acuity settings, her passion for storytelling has fueled her editorial career at The Everygirl since 2019.
*Flu shots available when a certified immunizer is on duty. Age restrictions apply. Eligible patients will not pay any copayments unless otherwise required by their plan, including Medicare Part B. The Flu vaccine is currently available at most CVS Pharmacy® and MinuteClinic® locations and is no cost with most insurance plans.
This post is sponsored by CVS Pharmacy but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.