Right now I'm so sick with a cold. I came on strong today. It makes me wonder what you'd do if you were a day out and suddenly came down sick. Any thoughts from the veterans?
Right now I'm so sick with a cold. I came on strong today. It makes me wonder what you'd do if you were a day out and suddenly came down sick. Any thoughts from the veterans?
Yep, I got sick last time I was out and drank plenty of water and tried to sweat it out. I ended up feeling better by the last day too.
There is a dude on here you may have heard of that likes to try the "backwoods neti pot" approach. Which I hear works great!
Fronkey
I haven't suddenly come down sick, but I hit the AT with bronchitis last year. It sucked but oddly enough only in the morning. Didn't bother me while hiking. Just tough it out and enjoy what you can. You're outside and not at work.
JaxHiker aka Kudzu - WFA
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scale back on your expectations ( for mileage, etc) and pace yourself- the body will be using some of your available energy to fight the invaders.
If you suddenly fall ill while on a trail and a day out, I think it would be wise to take a zero to recoup - this is dependent on supplies though, meaning if you have extra food/water for an extra day out in the woods. If not, as KerMegan as suggested, pace yourself and scale back your expectations/mileage.
To Fronkey's point, backwoods neti might work too
Last time I was out I woke up choking on my Uvula. Darn thing was so big and swollen it would flop forward about halfway on my tounge. Neti pot was no solution for that. Luckily, with the exception of being able to swallow well, it didn't affect much else. A week with Zpack, warm fluids and work and by the 4th day it had stopped getting tugged everytime I swallowed. I had no forewarning, went to sleep just like every night.
Usually can tell when a cold is coming on. I'd make haste to an extraction point if i could. Otherwise, any parent should be able to judge what to do. it's the same thing as when you get sick and your little ones are just SO FULL of energy! Take it easy, reduce your expectations, increase your fluid intakes, decrease your solids. if you have a fever, reduce your caloric intake, if you don't increase your intake if you have it to spare.
If you don't already have one, A Neti Pot like the others suggest really work(you can get one at Walgreens). Making a back woods version with your hydration bladder & tube is easy. It's in Shugs vidios when he got to feeling bad.
Make sure you get plenty of fluids too but if you start to get a high fever don't mess around with that and either take a zero day or get off the trail.
Personally, I have to have my vitamin C to help me along.
Get Well Soon!
Hootenanny Hang June 11-13, 2021
Love many, trust few & always paddle your own canoe. American Proverb
Adventure is Calling... nolilearn.org
Gotten sick while camping but that is usually from being over served.
My first camping experience with a hammock is scheduled for next weekend and lucky me I have shockwave treatment for kidney stones next Wednesday. So I will be hitting the campground in less than 100% condition from the get go. Fortunately this is a trial run with little hiking so unless I feel really bad, I'm going. What could be better than a couple of days resting in a hammock in the peace and quiet? That has to speed healing.
A few years ago, I flew up to New Hampshire for a hiking trip in October. I caught a germ on the plane and spent the night at my sister-in-law's house in Boston. By the time I headed to the White Mountains the next morning, I knew something wasn't right. But on I went. I hiked all day in fairly rough terrain with a drizzly rain all day. The daytime temperature was about 50 and I didn't have any rain gear. I usually don't wear any at that temp.
But, by the end of the day, I was hurting. This was back before I knew any better and was sleeping in a t@^t! I pitched it that night and slept like a baby the whole night and ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE NEXT DAY AND NIGHT! It's actually the only time I've slept peacefully on the ground. Well when I woke up the following day, I was as good as new! I hike 3 more days!
If I would have been home, I probably would have gone to the doctor, taken a bunch of medicine and stayed sick for most of a week! I learned something - there's nothing like nature!!
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
Hi, my real name is Sherry and I have lupus....opps, thought perhaps I was at a meeting I don't usually specify my all aliments, and symptoms cross over so much it doesn't really matter. A lot of us suffer our own battles. For me, I get a steroid shot before whatever adventure, I try to pick my activities very carefully as I know I'll pay the price later. If it is something I think I'll really like, than I'm doing it. I also always set up another appointment to get my next shot when I get back into town..or as soon as they'll give me another, since they are limited. I've also noticed that the time that I'm with great people and outside tend to just be able to push me to limits that I would not be able to otherwise do. Actually meeting the individuals that I've met thus far has been the best medicine for myself. It's very important to listen to your body, also know that your body is usually smarter than you are, lastly...ask for help before it's too late as you may not find it later.
I hope you start feeling better real soon.
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