I landed, got a bit of a sore throat, and 3 days into a 3 week trip i definitely got some sort of cold. What do I do now? The internet suggested Esutakku Ibu Fine EX, so I got that tonight but I wasn’t sure what else I could try. We’ve already had to skip plans because I don’t feel well 🙁
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I wrote [a guide](https://reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/s/nFJgEIzVI3) for OTC cold medicine earlier this year, if you find yourself needing more. Drugstores and convenience stores will also have cough/throat drops, vitamin packs (in little foil packets, refrigerated), and electrolyte drinks like Pocari Sweat and Aquarius.
Oh boy, I experienced the same thing once before and I never ever want to experience it ever again! Go to Donki to buy some sore throat candy and cold medicine, those 2 are life saving and always drink herbal tea whenever it’s available. Mostly in Chinatown there are always herbal shops that sells herbal tea, the bitter the better. Skip fried food until you fully healed, better safe than sorry. Hope you get well soon!
Get a covid test as well!
Strong Zero
Benza-Block L is my go-to. Gets me through pretty much any cold feeling just a little not-great instead of too unwell to do anything.
Don’t really have much advice on how to get over being sick but definitely check if you have COVID. My wife and I just returned from Japan and she tested positive this morning and I’m probably going to start having symptoms soon.
Start masking to keep others from getting sick! Sounds like you have covid and not a cold. Hole up and hopefully you’ll start feeling better soon
[This](https://www.daikokudrug-taiwan.com/opt/prodm.htm?n=81055623) is my go to, stop the running nose immediately for me.
Hydrate
Sleep… nap… sleep more
Eat nutrient dense foods
Manage symptoms with otc meds for congestion, cough, sore throat, and aches
Go to a doc or clinic if things get worse
If you want an electrolyte drink, pocari sweat is the way to go.
Also, if you get a fever, one thing a doctor told me in Japan when I was taking Tylenol and the fever stayed very high– Japanese Tylenol/ibuprofen is that it’s a lower dose than western medicine, so you may need to take more.
It may be worth it to just go to a doctor real quick to get it over quicker.
Feel better!
And mask up!
If nothing else head over to any pharmacy and explain your cold symptoms they can recommend some over the counter medicine. If you can’t speak well just get your smartphone to translate symptoms, and say something like “kusuri osusume wa Nan desu ka” what medicine would you recommend?
We were there in July and my wife developed an annoying cough. Pharmacy worker suggested a product called Pear(pair?) Coal. It took here cough away within 20-30 minutes. She had to take it about every 4 hours. Point is you should talk to a pharmacist.
Just had this experience a few weeks ago, [this one saved me](https://imgcp.aacdn.jp/img-a/1200/auto/global-aaj-front/article/2016/01/568b6c63d76c7_568b63a7d63cc_1636465156.jpg)
I feel like I am cursed because whenever I go to Japan i *always* get a cold on my first week.
The trick is to just do everything the articles tell you to do: Drink water, eat healthy, get tons of rest. Even at the expense of using up your vacation time.
But let’s say you have things that simply aren’t worth cancelling, like hard to get reservations. In that case, load up on these:
– Tylenol is available at most places. Weaker, but available
– Tissues
– Face mask – preferably a comfortable one that isn’t rough. My lulu lemon mask was worth every penny
– Gatsby wipes. I had some random moments of getting really sweaty, and these wipes help a lot in sanitizing / de-stinkifying
All that said – try not to get anyone else sick, and stay in as much as possible.
Get tested for COVID!
It’s better to be sure and act on it rather than treating it with medicine not meant for your condition.
Rest, fluids, time.
Whatever medicine they give, anything bought in Japan, take double or triple the dose. My brother only got 2x 200mg paracetamol tablets dosage when a regular adult dose is 1000mg lol.
I didn’t see anyone post this yet but I remember convenience stores have a vitamin/ immune support drink section. Get the vit C ones.
Eat more food for more energy, electrolytes if you are sweating and harden up. People have been dealing with colds all throughout history without running off to Watson’s to clear the medicine shelf. You will be fine within a few days regardless.
I was just there…used s.tac ex neo it and that stuff did the trick. They said it was a drowsy med but it did not make me tired. Did a great job with congestion and getting rid of the cold though
Did OP wear disposable latex gloves and a mask?
Drink lots of water, take a shot of lime with well chopped garlic every 12 hours and drink acetaminophen.
Get a Covid test and mask up. This is precisely why should be masking on the plane.
I wish I could remember what it was, but I had this little medicine drink out there. Bottle is a similar size and shape to food colouring, strong ginger and caffeine, I went from struggling to move around my room to full energy for a good 8 hours. May be worth asking in a FamilyMart for medicine drinks?
Live in Tokyo and am sick as well. The flu is going around here, so please be careful and consider masking.
Get the white version of this. The white version is for colds. This yellow box is for cough/sore throats
[medicine](https://imgur.com/a/3V0kwXw)
Lulu Attack EX and Pokka Sapporo Lemon helped me get by when I got sick out there.
The Blue box with yellow head logo, called EX Cold pills over the counter at pharmacy, often it will have a yellow sticker on it and the box is empty, for security reasons, these have pseudoephedrine so they are the real deal! Also go into the combini and grab one of the yellow small Vitamin C 1000 potion bottles, these are usually in a small mini fridge at the front of isles, not in the regular drinks area. Yes they are probably full of sugar but a couple of those a day will get you right, easier than lemons when on holiday.
[This page](https://lifeabroad.jp/html/medical_health/cold_flu.html) really helped me, it’s a list of OTC cold and flu meds in Japan, with ingredients and names in English. I have it bookmarked just in case 🙂
A hot, salty, porky bowl of ramen…
Can you contact your travel insurance and see if they’ll help you find a clinic? Get tested for Covid and ask if they have Paxlovid.
It doesn’t look like anyone has mentioned Paburon? Head to the nearest pharmacy and get some. It’s methyl-ephidrine which is often not available OTC in other countries. It is BLISS – honestly the best thing about being in Japan with a cold. GET ON IT NOW!