If I learned anything freshman year of college, it was that you’re going to get sick. A lot. If not you, then your roommate. If not your roommate, then your suitemate. All of us have been sick before, but, for many people, this might be their first time getting sick away from home. This means no medicine from your parents, nobody to take you to the doctor and nobody to nag you into doing what will get you healthy again. You might be tempted to go straight to Student Health Services, which can lead to its own share of problems. Here’s some advice on what to do and what to buy to stay out of the clinic.
Student Health Services can be great, but it has several drawbacks. For one, if you have a busy schedule on top of being sick, it can be difficult to find a convenient time for an appointment. After all, Student Health Services serves a humongous number of people compared to staff size. Even if you do go and get an appointment, you’re putting yourself at risk for getting more ill, particularly when the waiting room gets crowded during flu season.
Furthermore, if you don’t have insurance, don’t have insurance that covers the pharmacy at Student Health Services or don’t have the money to pay for your pharmacy co-pay even if you do have insurance, Student Health Services could lead to a lot of confusion and an empty wallet. If your illness isn’t particularly harsh, you might be doing yourself more harm than good by going to Student Health Services.
So, for minor illnesses, the best things you can do for yourself are to remain hydrated, eat plenty and rest up. If all three of those just aren’t cutting it, perhaps you should consider some over-the-counter medication. My personal go-to medications are as follows: Benadryl for bug bites and moderate allergies, Advil or Ibuprofen for mild pain and fever, Mucinex for congestion, Sudafed to dry up mucus and Tylenol for mild pain and fever.
Remember to always read the warning labels before taking any medication, always take the correct dosage and watch out for potential drug interactions (particularly with alcohol). They are there for a reason. After all, even over-the-counter medications as seemingly innocuous as Advil and Tylenol can result in ulcers, GI bleeding, kidney damage and liver failure if taken incorrectly.
There are some situations when water, food, rest and medication just can’t get the job done — situations when no matter what you do, you still feel awful. When should you get worried?
Certain illnesses can land you in the hospital, and you should be at least aware of some of the symptoms so that you can catch them ahead of time and not delay your treatment. Two to consider are meningitis, with symptoms of "fever, severe, unrelenting headache, confusion, vomiting and a stiff neck," and mononucleosis, with symptoms of "fatigue, sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits, swollen tonsils, headache, skin rash and a soft, swollen spleen." Spotting these early cannot only help you get better quicker, it can help save your life.
Staying healthy all the time is everyone’s goal, but it isn’t realistic. At some point, especially in the residence halls, you’re going to get sick. When you do, just remember to slow things down and to treat your body right. By learning to treat yourself, you can avoid ending up at Student Health Services.