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Greg Jannetta
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After five days of dealing with this sore throat and congestion, I finally booked myself a visit with my doctor this morning. What he told me was not what I wanted to hear, but he did share some good advise.

Apparently the "mother-of-all" viral infections is sweeping through the county, according to my physician. It's particularly tough on those of us with high blood pressure, because the majority of us cannot take traditional, over-the-counter meds, as they don't mix well with most BP medications like Lisinopril. So, since my infection has not included a fever, I'm told the best thing to do is let the infection run its course. Yea...me!

Now I'm no doctor, but I would like to pass along some advise my REAL doctor gave me this morning. Remember, always consult your own physician if you are experiencing similar symptoms that I have, those being severe soreness of the throat, coughing and congestion.

I was told to wash my hands several times throughout the day, and avoid putting my hands on my face if possible. Since I don't regularly experience the need to excessively stroke my own face, this is pretty easy for me to do. This virus is HIGHLY contagious, according to my doctor.

Gargling with warm salt water, drinking tea with honey, wearing a disposable flu mask and implementing a regiment of Ibuprofen and Tylenol for discomfort, were all things my doctor suggested I do. Again, consult your own physician for advise before you try to treat yourself, especially if you have any medication allergies or have been advised to avoid certain meds by your doctor.

I was told that it can take up to two weeks for this virus to finish doing its thing. Again, I'm just sharing some information I got from my doctor this morning so hopefully you don't spend the holidays in the ER.

Take care of yourselves, and keep those hands clean. Trust me, you don't want to get what I got.

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