Winter in Germany isn’t over yet, and neither is the battle against cold-season illnesses! The lingering chilly weather has been the perfect setup for my never-ending flu, fever, and – worst of all – this incredibly stubborn cough that just won’t take the hint and leave. Since the beginning of February, I’ve been dealing with an endless cycle of discomfort, and let me tell you, it has been quite the experience.
So, I did what any responsible adult would do – I finally went to the doctor. After a quick check-up, he diagnosed me with the influenza virus (yay, no antibiotics needed! Small wins, people). He handed me a prescription for several medications, but I, being the natural remedy enthusiast that I am, decided to go the “trust my body” route instead. Enter: doTerra essential oils. I took them in capsules, applied them topically, and inhaled their essence, fully expecting my body to heal itself like a self-sufficient superhero.
Plot twist: it did not.
Instead of miraculously recovering, my cough got worse – like, “wake-up-at-2-AM-choking-on-my-own-lungs” worse. Frustrated and humbled, I dragged myself back to the doctor. Again, no antibiotics (thank God), but this time, he prescribed me an oddly wide variety of cough medications. There was one for milder dry cough, another stronger one for stubborn coughs, a nasal spray for my eternally blocked nose, and yet another medicine to clear mucus. My understanding of his English may not have been perfect (or maybe his wasn’t?), but from what I gathered, I had to take them all.
Then came the pharmacist, who took one look at my prescription and was just as confused as I was. After a lengthy discussion in German (which I think I understood correctly, fingers crossed), she recommended I start only with the nasal spray and mucus-clearing medicine in the morning and afternoon, then take the dry cough medicine at night – but not both types. Sound advice, but did I follow it? Of course not!
Instead, I became my own doctor, because clearly, that had worked out so well for me before. My new self-prescribed plan was based on the theory that my dry cough was caused by mucus dripping down my throat. So, I committed to the nasal spray three times a day and started with the milder dry cough medicine for two days. My cough lessened, but not enough. So I upgraded to the stronger dry cough medicine. Two more days in, I started feeling better and thought, “Let’s stop all meds and see how I feel.”
Another plot twist: I started getting phlegm. Sigh. So, back to the cough medicine for mucus. Meanwhile, I stopped using the nasal spray on Friday because I didn’t want to experience its dreaded rebound effect (which, surprise, led to my nose being stuffy all over again).
The good news? I am finally no longer coughing! The bad news? My nose still hates me.
Lessons Learned:
Sometimes, or when in doubt, you have to research or at least understand what medicine you are taking. If something seems unclear, ask the doctor yourself! (I didn’t, to save time, and well… here we are.) Also, apart from the meds, I made sure to fully rest – sleeping more and taking care of my body helped speed up my recovery.
doTerra oils are great… for prevention. Relying on them as my sole cure? Not my brightest idea.
Medicines exist for a reason. As much as I’d love to believe my body can just shake off a virus like a minor inconvenience, science says otherwise. Studies show that properly prescribed medications can significantly shorten the duration of illnesses and prevent complications. For example, cough suppressants with dextromethorphan have been found effective in managing dry cough, while expectorants like guaifenesin help clear mucus buildup (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015). Nasal sprays with decongestants can reduce inflammation and improve breathing but should not be overused (Mayo Clinic, 2020).
Doctors and pharmacists don’t always agree, but pharmacists make a lot of sense. Listen to them!
Self-medicating is risky business. Google is not a substitute for medical expertise, and my homemade schedule was proof of that.
Sometimes, you just need to take the dang medicine.
So, to all my fellow stubborn, essential oil-loving, natural-remedy warriors: it’s okay to trust modern medicine too. A balanced approach is probably best. And next time, maybe I’ll listen to my doctor and my pharmacist instead of playing medical detective.
Until next Sunday – stay healthy, stay skeptical, but maybe not too skeptical!