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By that I meant, people who don't have a condition like diabetes or a compromised immune system.
I have an auto immune chronic liver disease and I don't go to the Doctor for a common cold. As a matter of fact I had what I thought was a cold and did not go to the Doctor for a couple weeks. I finally went and found out I actually had a major sinus infection, double ear infection and upper respiratory infection. 3 medications and 2 weeks later I had to go back because I got a UTI as a result of one of the anti biotics, I was sick for 2.5 months. Your sister and her husband are over using the Doctor and teaching their children to be hypochondriacs.
I am the kind of person that only goes to the doctor if I have to. I have actually nearly died 3 times because I convinced myself I didn't need to go to the hospital. I do not go to the doctor everytime I have a cold. There is no cure for the common cold anyway. Now if I get a secondary infection, like bronchitis or an ear infection, then I will go. If I have a cold I take extra vitamin C, try to get enough rest, and may have tea with honey.
My doc wouldn't even let me make an appointment for a cold, not that I would try. She can't cure it, and all you can do is minimize symptoms with OTCs.
Now green phlegm, a high grade fever for a few days, bronchitis, etc., sure.
Heck, I had influenza with 104 fever for a couple days before I went in to see her. Even then.... can't do much.
The last time I saw the doctor for a "cold" it turned out to be walking pneumonia and I was sent home pronto. Otherwise I self-medicate: aspirin, Vicks and hot toddies. I wish health insurers would give those of us who don't make an appointment at the first sniffle a discount or bonus but I guess we'll balance things up when we get old and gnarly and things will be needing more attention .
Also, how on earth do people who do go to the Doc that often get the time off?! My doctor's hours mean I have to start work 1-2 hours late and then either make up the time or not get paid. I'm quite sure if I was making appointments that frequently my boss would have something sarcastic to say about it.
Assuming you're in fairly good overall health, do you go to the doctor every time you have a cold? What do they prescribe for you?
My sister and her husband go every time they get sick, and my sister insists they recover more quickly than they would otherwise. My husband and I only go when we're sure we need antibiotics, or having trouble breathing that's not relieved by OTC meds, etc. I do the same for my kids, most colds that they have, they recover from without seeing the doctor. My sister thinks we're not being "proactive" in managing our health.
like you, we go to the doctor when the cold appears to be something other than a cold..Your sister can think what she wants, the average cold takes about 5 to 7 days to get over, no meds can speed up the recovery and over the counter meds will do as much good to help us feel better as anything the doctor percribes. Maybe your sister needs to be told by a doctor, she is wasting her money..
Only if I have to miss 3 days of work (which I've only done once, a couple years ago when that strange flu was going around. That's what I had, out 4 days, employer was trying to get a handle on absences.).
I have been to the doctor's 3 times in the last 5 years, twice because of back pain that started at work through worker comp, and once because of a nasty parasite i picked up somewhere and i was pretty much feeling like i was on my deathbed.
Assuming you're in fairly good overall health, do you go to the doctor every time you have a cold? What do they prescribe for you?
My sister and her husband go every time they get sick, and my sister insists they recover more quickly than they would otherwise. My husband and I only go when we're sure we need antibiotics, or having trouble breathing that's not relieved by OTC meds, etc. I do the same for my kids, most colds that they have, they recover from without seeing the doctor. My sister thinks we're not being "proactive" in managing our health.
My father is a physician. He hates your sister and her husband.
I voted "only if it doesn't get better in a week," but I need to clarify that answer. As many have stated, the common cold doesn't need medical attention and will go away on its own. I am a firm believer in managing minor problems on my own and not running to the doctor over every little thing. However, if I am running a significant fever and it doesn't go away in three days, I will see the doctor because it could be bronchitis or pneumonia. The last time this happened I had a temperature of 104º and was coughing so hard that I was getting back spasms. This was no ordinary cold. I still don't know exactly what I had, but my fever just wouldn't break as it would normally do with a cold. The only thing that helped was a Z-pack.
It has to be there over a week, closer to 2. The only time I go right away is when someone else in the house is diagnosed with strep or flu and then I go and get tested to see if I have those.
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