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Related Discussions
Sick on the day of the LSATs...again.
kacantolina
Free Trial Member
So here's a general question for anyone who's ever had this awful experience...It appears I'm going to be sick on the day of the February LSATs after having the flu on the day I had to take the December ones. ( I think I tempted fate by loudly announcing to the universe, "oh well, at least I know I won't get sick again for the February LSATs, haha" after taking the first ones). The first time I didn't take any meds (because I didn't want to further dull my thinking), didn't touch or breathe on anyone, and just tried to muscle through. This time, all I appear to have is a cold, but I'm wondering if you all know of any cough/cold meds that you can take that won't make you drowsy or dull your thinking at all. Has anyone been in this position before? Did you have suggestions for how to get through this? I got through a test with a flu without it too much affecting my score (just a 165, but it's not the best I can do by a longshot) so a cold should be easy. But I just don't want to take anything that's going to put me out of it.
Cheers and good luck tomorrow!
Comments
@kacantolina I'm currently dealing with post-nasal drip and some other symptoms, which all started a couple days ago. I took Mucinex last night to deal with my cold and it did a fairly good job in helping me deal with the symptoms and I didn't feel more drowsy as a result of taking it. I would recommend you consider Mucinex if your cold symptoms are dealing with a-lot of sniffling and mucus. ALthough I personally didn't have to deal with sickness before the LSAT, but I hope with ample rest and some medication we will both be recovered enough to take the test well!
@kacantolina @westcoastbestcoast Well I'm glad to know I'm not alone. I've also got a cold. Talk about timing
I'm just drinking a lot of tea with raw ginger, lemon and honey. I am staying med free tomorrow but will be taking my tissues. That said, when I'm super sick but still need to work I usually go down the dayquil route. It doesn't make me drowsy - it actually gives me a bit of extra energy.
I'd personally avoid mucinex the day of because one of it's common symptoms is drowsiness (though if you know it works for you like @westcoastbestcoast, then by all means go for it!). I'd give whatever you want to take tomorrow a try today.
We're going to kick butt tomorrow even if we have to sniffle our way through it!
@SherryS1 Haha its good to know that we are in good company indeed, takes the anxiety off a little bit. That's really odd that I didn't feel drowsy after taking it, perhaps its the pre-LSAT adrenaline in these final few days. This may sound dumb but are we allowed to blow our noses during the exam; I remember that LSAT rules were pretty strict about not being distracting to our fellow test takers?
@kacantolina I woke up this morning feeling a little off also, don't worry like everyone else said you're not alone! If you haven't already tried anything else one thing that always helps me is oil of oregano. It's really disgusting but you just have to take 5 drops every few hours as per the instructions and it doesn't make you feel drowsy or anything at all, but it helps with a sore throat/sniffles.
Go to the pharmacy consult desk and speak with the pharmacist. Explain the situation and they'll set you up with what you need.
This made me laugh. I'd be surprised if this was not allowed in non extreme circumstances. Like if you cough quietly once, I think that's ok but if you're coming off of bronchitis maybe not? I was hoping to blow my nose very, very quietly lol
@kacantolina
From personal experience, I would avoid the following: DXM (In many OTC cough medicines), and Melatonin or Sudafed the night before.
DXM (Dextromethorphan) is psychoactive and can affect cognition. It can act as a mild sedative and dissociative. I took some cough medicine during the PT phase, and while it didn't have a huge impact, it definitely dulled my senses. Check labels, as it can be in cough drops and other 'cold products'.
Melatonin, at least for me, led to great sleep but lasting grogginess the next day. I was trying to get good sleep while sick.
Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine) can lead to difficulty sleeping in general. If your stuffiness gets in the way of testing, this could help on the day-of. It can cause agitation, increased blood pressure, etc. so may not be good to pair with test stress.
Mucinex (Guaifenesin) has no psychoactive properties, and it will help clear stuffiness. I take this when I have a head cold because it doesn't affect my mental clarity.
Honey in a hot drink can help to reduce throat irritation, and I swear by it for a cough. Plus, some sugar never hurt before a big day! I'll be bringing in a bottle of mint tea with honey just in case my throat gets sore from not drinking a lot of liquids tomorrow.
Just my 2 cents, personal opinion, and I am not a doctor.
Haha, I'm relieved to know I'm in such good company. Maybe all of the LSAT stress has gotten our immune systems suppressed. Thanks for the advice--I'm thinking it sounds smart to bring lots of water, rest up, and avoid any meds.
Good luck all! We can get through this!