Product Review - My Personal Experience with DayQuil

I'm sick. Yes, I am sick for the second time in as many weeks. Not only am I sick, but I'm getting sick of being sick. In light of this development, I decided to finally take matters into my own hands. I drank the orange-flavored liquid DayQuil, and let me tell you why I will never, EVER make that mistake again.

First, I need to explain the events that led up to the DayQuil debacle. Several days ago, I woke up with a mild sore throat. As the day progressed, the sore throat issue subsided, apparently to make way for some particularly annoying nasal congestion.

About three days have passed and the congestion continues. I'll admit that it could easily be worse. I've been lucky with the absence of the sinus headache that usually accompanies a severe stuffy nose. On the other hand, my nose is driving me nuts!

I have been limited to the use of a single nostril for three days. That probably doesn't sound abnormal, but I would love for someone to explain to me how only the right nostril stays congested - even if I lay on my left side. And honestly, does it not defy logic and the basic principles of science that a nostril can be air tight at the same time as liquid passes through it?

By this evening, I was thoroughly convinced that my nose was a vile traitor. I also wasn't thrilled with my not-so-better half who had spent the entire day nagging me to take some DayQuil and be done with it already. And all day, I declined the DayQuil. Because my sickness was only annoying and not painful, I didn't think there was any reason to pump myself full of medicine.

On top of that, I didn't think that it would be much fun to add hurling to my illness repertoire. I was also skeptical that the DayQuil would even work, considering that the severe/sinus/cold something-or-other that I had taken the day before provided me with zero relief. I have never had good results with any "Quil" products, so why would I think that the scary orange bottle of doom in my kitchen would work any better?

I really held out as long as I could, but between the nagging and the sinus stupidity, I couldn't take it anymore. I trudged reluctantly into the kitchen. I eyed the day-glo orange liquid. I picked up the bottle and read the whole label. I read it again, in a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable.

The dosing instructions specified taking two tablespoons every 6 hours. I dug a spoon out of the drawer. Still very suspicious, I slowly opened the bottle, which had long since developed an odd crusty crystallization around the cap. I peered inside the bottle, not quite sure what I expected to see in there. Then I smelled the DayQuil.

My head recoiled as if the medicine had jumped out and smacked me. For something so pretty, I just knew that medicinal odor was directly related to how it would taste. My desperation to be able to breathe again prodded me forward, despite knowing that I would soon end up regretting it.

Armed with my trusty tablespoon and determined not to let the DayQuil get the best of me, I poured the nasty-smelling concoction. Now, there was no turning back. With what was likely a pretty disgusted facial expression, I drank the first tablespoon.

It was the most horrid thing I had ever tasted. It tasted nothing at all like orange. In fact, I recall thinking that brown or black would have been a more fitting color choice. On top of the non-orange flavor, there was more menthol crammed into that bottle than you could shake a stick at. I could have achieved the same effect by shoving a cough drop up my nose.

My sinuses cleared instantly, but unfortunately, by the time I removed the spoon from my mouth, they were clogged again. I drank a second spoonful, then a third - both just as vile as the first. I was hopeful that my perseverance would be rewarded, that I would finally regain the use of my nose.

Yeah, right. Not only was I still hopelessly congested (both nostrils now), I also was having trouble breathing through my mouth. Between the gagging, coughing, and sputtering, I sounded like a Volkswagen Microbus in a state of serious disrepair. Once I regained my composure, I came to the following conclusions.

DayQuil is wrong on so many levels. It's bad enough being sick in the first place. The situation is only made worse when the medicine that is supposed to help you fails miserably. The DayQuil never did kick in - all it did was add insult to injury. Thanks for nothing, DayQuil!