Author Topic: HEALTH: sore throat tech  (Read 13133 times)

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Emmy

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HEALTH: sore throat tech
« on: Apr 29, 2005, 12:57 am »
:x Hey everyone,
I was wondering if you also experienced the pleasure or more likely the pain of getting sick going in to tech rehearsals. This is the second time in a row that I have gotten sick. Does anyone know at way to stop this cycle? For the future are there any tricks of the trade to get better sooner? or better yet not get sick at all. I take vitamins and drink plenty of water wash hands. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
« Last Edit: Jun 08, 2009, 11:25 pm by PSMKay »

isha

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sore throat tech
« Reply #1 on: Apr 29, 2005, 02:07 am »
take time for yourself...I know this is hard for a stage manager..but it's true..plan in your schedule 5 minutes where you can sit and do NOTHING!! It's hard but worth it. If you do this each day for tech week you won't get sick. Just plan those 5 minute breaks just for you..when no-one else is at break, and it can be just yours, and just breath... (it's hard..I know..I always planned it right when everything had been set up; the actors were getting in costume and I had assigned every techie a 5 minute job ; )
that and eat lots of carrots..there good to munch on for stress relief and chock full of natural vitamins..EAT healthy!!! drink lots of water..
And if you're religious pray for strength, from whatever god you believe in. This helps me..
~isha

Debo123

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« Reply #2 on: Apr 29, 2005, 08:35 am »
Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! My last show I spent a good hour of the two hour break in the 10/12 taking a nap in the green room and it was an excellent choice. Make yourself get as much sleep as you can, both in anticipation of tech and during the actual process (well not at the table... but you know what I mean).  Also, try to relax yourself during tech... this might sound stupid, but dont waste any energy that you don't have to. So your lighting designer is taking FOREVER to program a cue. Can other people work on stuff? Can you do something productive? Do not have "stressed out" be your status quo, even during tech. If you can't be doing anything at the moment, then just take a sec to breathe. Cough drops are also important... try Fisherman's Friend. Use the God mic- don't yell. Oh, and always try to not blow your nose directly in to the headset, or better yet, turn it off. Most people dont wanna hear that.  :D

casper

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« Reply #3 on: Apr 29, 2005, 10:39 am »
There is a cold medicine that my actors live by....Airborne.  It is like an alka seltzer tablet that you mix with water.  It works like a charm.  As mentioned in the previous posts, you also need rest.  Taking deep breaths through out the day reminds me that I need to slow things down and re focus.  I tend to try and do too many things at once instead of getting one thing done before moving on to the next.

take care of yourself!

hbelden

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Stay well
« Reply #4 on: Apr 29, 2005, 10:20 pm »
Take a look at your process as a stage manager - if you "always" get sick during tech week, that says to me that you're trying to do more than is good for your body. Look at how you tend to structure your work, and cut back on the non-essentials.

We all need ways to get through what we have to get through - and there are some good ideas here - but if your *standard* is to be sick and medicate yourself for every tech - CHANGE YOUR WORK HABITS!  Or else what are you going to do on the really tough shows when the medication just isn't enough?

And start exercising regularly - once a week at least.
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Heath Belden

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centaura

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« Reply #5 on: Apr 30, 2005, 10:26 pm »
A B-complex vitamin supplement, on top of a daily multi-vitamin, is very good to take if you know you're going into a stessful situation; take it daily during the stressful time.  Also, if you do start to get sick, at the very first sign of a sore throat (or whatever your first symptom is) I start to take an Echinacea & Goldenseal combo.  Won't stop you from getting sick, but I find that it will help me not be as sick as long.

But I also agree with the person who said that if you get sick every tech, then you need to look at your working habits.  Or how much you're letting the stress of work get into your off-time hours.  Stressing your mind can do as much damage as stressing your body.  I'll also add a redundant "get sleep" 'cause I also believe that it can't be stressed enough.

-Centaura

Tigerrr

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« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2005, 12:04 pm »
I don't know if this is available in the US yet, but there's a product called Cold-FX that you can get in Canada.  Take it at the first signs of illness and, no word of a lie, it just disappears.  It doesn't make you groggy or tired.  It just seriously kills the cold.  It's the closest thing doctors have found for a cure to the common cold.  And get this: it's primary ingredient is ginseng.  The best part about it, unlike echinacea or other herbal remedies, is that you don't have to take it BEFORE the cold comes on.  I've found that with most herbal supplements, for them to really work, you have to take them before you get sick.  Well, I don't like to self-medicate, herbal or not (I don't remember the last time I even took a Tylenol!).

Beyond that, I have to agree with everyone else - rest and exercise.  And by exercise, I don't mean trying to get to the gym: trying to fit that into your schedule can be stressful in itself.  Can you park your car farther from the theatre and walk the rest of the way?  Choose stairs over the elevator.  In blocking rehearsals, do sitting exercises.  My favourites are the "butt clench" and the "buddha tummy".  Everytime you inhale, let your tummy expand.  Let it get bigger and bigger each time, and make sure you exhale all the way.  You only need to do about 20 of these at a time, and you can do it whenever.  It's great for toning tummy muscles, and the breathing also relaxes you.

Emmy

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Thanks
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2005, 01:00 am »
Thanks for your help on staying healty. Before I start my next show I will definatly incoperate these tactics.

Erin_Candice

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sore throat tech
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2005, 01:21 am »
I find that a garlic supplement is a big help.  (Garlic has anit-bacterial properties)  And you can get it in orderless!
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groovygert

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« Reply #9 on: Nov 15, 2005, 01:35 am »
stress, stress, stress (oh, and nerves)... i've had it some for shows, especially when i overlap my shows too much. take care of yourself and your body. its often difficult to do that while show rehearsals and such going on. eat well, sleep enough, just take care of yourself and find ways to deal with the stress that comes with theater.

Mac Calder

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sore throat tech
« Reply #10 on: Nov 15, 2005, 03:58 am »
When it all gets too much, there is a lovely cocktail I have - Ibbuprofin, cold and flu meds, throat medicine, diazapam, caffine and of course more caffine (not all at once of course, but stagered throughout the day). It is a patch-up thing only. I am one of those people who is not happy unless they have an overbooked schedule, so I often end up needing my cocktail of drugs for a few weeks and then crashing for a few days after it. It is most definatly not recomended. Last week for example, I was calling a morning panto, a matine musical, and a night time caberet. For an entire week. Get up at 4am to get to the panto at 5:30, ready for an 8am curtain. Close at 10am, get to the next theatre by 11am ready for a 1pm curtain, close at 3, get to the caberet by 5pm ready for a 7pm show, which closed at 11pm, eat dinner at 12am (provided at the caberet) get home at 1am and sleep till 4.

The only thing that kept me alive was the caffine I carried arround. It was probably the most fun I have had in a while. The progressive bumpouts were a bit rough though. I crashed for two days straight after it. No shows till next week and then I start rehearsals (4 weeks) for a show that will bump in christmas eve (and as mentioned in another thread, I will probably finish the bumpin on christmas day, alone).

The things we do for the jobs we live.

groovygert

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« Reply #11 on: Nov 15, 2005, 04:16 am »
i alwayas keep my herbal tea box in the green room kitchenette

ddsherrer

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« Reply #12 on: Nov 15, 2005, 11:05 am »
AIRBORN!!!AIRBORN!!!AIRBORN!!!

Take it daily, when you start to feel sick OR when you are sick.  It's amazing.
If all the world's a stage, where's my stage manager?

EmJ

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sore throat tech
« Reply #13 on: Nov 17, 2005, 02:59 pm »
To help shorten a cold is Zicam.  I get the ones that are the medicated swaps, OMG!  I love them, i may still get a cold, but its less sevre and it doesn't take a week or so to get thru it.  And Airborne is a god send!  Tablets are great, but carry some of the lozenges as well, never know when an actor my need one.

And like everyone else, sleep is a must.  I'm not a caffine addict so getting 6hrs plus of sleep is what I need.  If you don't have that option, like a previous poster, nap.  Water, water, water.  And if that's too boring for you, look for Crystal Light or Lipton teas that are a powder form that you can add to a water bottle.  The Lipton Green Tea has honey in it and has antioxidents, so its all good.

My stand by when feeling stressed... CHOCOLATE!!!!!!  There are properities in chocolate that reduce stress. So eat the chocolate if you 1) do not have a sore throat and 2) actors aren't around to bum some off you!  :)

An extra tip if you are suffering from nasty sore and scratchy throats.
Go with the old stand by of gargling salt water, I learned from a cashier at a grocery store that sugar can cause a sore throat to worsen due to the bacteria deriving strength from the sugar.  The salt kills the bacteria and will clean out your throat of mucus and other nasties.  

Also avoid dairy and stuff that has gluten in it, it causes increased mucus production and its not the most pleasant thing to hack stuff up while in rehearsal or during a show!

That's about all the tips I can offer to avoid overly medicating yourself.  I'm someone who can't sleep after taking NightQuil and DayQuil is fine, but I prefer prevention over treatment.  And I think we have a lovely list of ways to prevent yourself from getting sick versus to get over a cold quick.   :D
I would much rather live a living death than a dying life.

amylee

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« Reply #14 on: Nov 18, 2005, 12:44 pm »
i usually double-up on my multivitamin the week before tech week. there's nothing so dangerous in there that would build up to a toxic level, and the only side-effect is your pee turns bright yellow LOL.

also - drink more water than you think you can stand - all of your body systems, including immune system, work better when you're well-hydrated.
amy lee
:)  :(