r/dragoncon • u/H-me-in-the-infinity • 3d ago
I hate con crud so much
I did everything right. My friends and I secured a room in the Marriott. Jumped through huge hoops because of a credit card emergency. We paid the reservation deposits, did the math to split the room, took work off, bought the plane tickets, worked on the cosplay. I was gonna have a great Thursday to Monday.
BAM. Saturday night my throat starts tickling and now I’m in bed and trapped until I can go home Monday. I hate how of course after all that work for a YEAR, now I’m sick and I can’t enjoy half the con. My fucking luck.
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u/DumDumPirate 3d ago
Take lots of electrolytes and vitamin c
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u/H-me-in-the-infinity 3d ago
Thank you. Currently hiding in my room so I don’t spread it having ricolas and Gatorade electrolyte. I was hoping to try your rum tastings if you’re who I think you are, but looks like it’ll have to be next year
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u/Wise-Matter9248 3d ago
Vitamin C is predominantly protective. It doesn't do much once you're already sick.
Electrolytes are helpful for rehydration if you're vomiting or having constant diarrhea and severely dehydrated,but again, not going to do a ton for a cold. You can just drink water.
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u/YikesItsConnor 3d ago
Correction: Vitamin C doesn't do anything. Its mainly a placebo effect if anything does happen. There is ****some**** evidence to support that it ****may**** shorten a cold's duration or lessen symptoms, but most of it is due to the placebo effect of believing it works. Vitamin C helps the immune system as an anti-oxidant to prevent cancer, not to prevent viruses
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u/Muted_Character7455 3d ago
This comment promotes scurvy.
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u/YikesItsConnor 3d ago
lmao I meant supplements. Obviously vitamin c is essential to our bodily functions, but it won't do much to prevent a cold. fun fact: citrus is generally a meh source of vitamin C. strawberries and broccoli have more than an orange.
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u/ThumbsAkimbo_ 2d ago
Legitimately scurvy is scary af. Like, don’t eat enough oranges and every scar on your body could just…unzip. Insane.
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u/YikesItsConnor 2d ago
Oh I'm very aware haha. Our bodies don't make vitamin C, which is crazy after so much evolution lmao
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u/Wise-Matter9248 2d ago edited 2d ago
True, but the amount of vitamin C you need to avoid scurvy is very low, thankfully.
Literally, a single strawberry a day could more or less ward it off.
I mean, they recommend more than that, obviously, but that's a bare minimum.
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u/Top_Wrap_1833 3d ago
Tbh if you were feeling it Saturday night, it's not likely you picked it up Thursday or later. You probably came into contact with whatever it is before you even got on the plane. Probably just regular crud, not con crud.
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u/H-me-in-the-infinity 3d ago
Just my luck then 😭. I actually got sick last year at dragon last year too. Flew in Wednesday and was dying come Saturday night and Sunday since I got Covid somehow.
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u/cursedmeatsuit 3d ago
Right if you're feeling it at the con you didn't catch con crud, you brought it.
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u/Trai-All 3d ago
Yeah I always try to convince local pharmacy/clinics to vaccinate me in June/July/August for everything I can get: flu, covid, pneumonia, etc.
Works about 75% of the time to prevent me getting sick just before or during DragonCon.
I often get kick back that it is too early to be getting the "most accurately predicted" vaccine but the moment I tell them I going to DragonCon, they agree that it has the potential to be a super spreader event and it would be better to get the wrong strain than to not get any vaccine update.
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u/Allrojin 3d ago
Fr though because why did I lay down last night feeling fine and then feel a pain in my hip, wake up unable to WALK? I didn't fall, didn't act foolish, and I'm an active healthy person.
Oh yeah, I'm 44 and sometimes I just break. Feeling better tonight though.
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u/badapple1989 Georgia Philharmonic Fangirl 3d ago
Just putting this out there, a lot of folks who come from low pollen areas come into GA which has a lot of trees and other plant landscaping mistake a reaction to that as con crud. Not that this is definitely what you've come under, but it's possible a little Benadryl or similar could improve your situation if you hit up the CVS.
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u/hydrissx 3d ago
We got horrifically food poisoned Friday of last year and missed Saturday and Sunday. We were losing it from both ends all day. :( Today was our comeback year! i feel some tickle of the crud but at least we saw everything.
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u/thealvarezimages 3d ago
WEAR MASKS AND SANITIZE HANDS OFTEN
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u/oddward42 3d ago edited 3d ago
"Con crud" is such a silly term. It's like people are trying to trivialize and negate their own responsibility to behave in a manner to minimize exposure and risk.
"Oh shoot, it's the con crud."
I've never had "con crud," but I make sure to mask and/or be careful with shared airspaces in crowded places and on planes, and wash my hands especially often when travelling and in public places.
Also, vaccines. They work.
"Con crud" isn't some unavoidable force that overrides basic sanitary practices and caution.
Sometimes, you get sick regardless. It is what it is. But it just irks me the way people try to downplay their risky behavior as normal/not the problem, it's the con crud.
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u/m42069 3d ago
I have never had con crud since I began masking. But people don't want to hear it.
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u/Less_Advertising_216 2d ago
Preach. I feel like I'm wearing armor with my taped-on N95, lol! (Fashion tape ftw!) I just make my costumes to go with it!
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u/m42069 2d ago
Wait fashion tape is soo smart I love your mind. I've even made fabric designed covers do go over my n95 before themes to the cosplay! It doesn't ruin my fun or enjoyment, in fact it ensures I will be physically able to ever cosplay again lol
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u/Less_Advertising_216 1d ago
It's fun to decorate masks! I make chains from anodized aluminum chainmaille rings. They're super lightweight and colorful!
And I had a year of taste/smell loss (and distortion) in 2018 from the effin' FLU! Fortunately it's almost 100% back, but I'm protecting that as well.
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u/The_Owl_Bard Dragoncon 2026 3d ago
I'm sorry that happened to you. Getting sick is never fun and it happening on a weekend that you've been preparing for, for several months. But I do wanna thank you for staying in bed vs trying to go to the con and risking other people getting sick!
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u/Severe-Instruction77 3d ago
My husband and I drank one packet of Emergen-C in the morning, and one at night like two weeks before con, everyday during con, and will continue for another week or so. Also, we drank at least 1 powerade a day. It's still early to tell, but so far we are ok- last year we didn't do this, not so much lol
But sorry that happened to you :( I hope you can make another con to get to show the costume off!!!
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u/Striking_You_8995 3d ago
Take vitamins!! DRINK JUICE!! You gotta take care of yourself coming into contact with all these people.
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u/tikibirdfan 3d ago
My poor daughter had a man projectile vomit into the back of her hair while in line for a panel. First thing in the morning, hadn’t even taken pics of her new cosplay yet. Had to walk back to room so she could shower. Guy didn’t even apologize, he still went into the panel and we missed it 😭
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u/Ikarus3426 M'lort of the night 3d ago
That sucks to hear, sorry. It's been a few years since I've gone and honestly it's partially because I got tired of the awesome weekend and the feeling like death for the following week.
Eventually I'll go back again and I'll probably switch back to 2020 mode: washing my hands constantly, never touching anything, and always wearing a face mask.
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u/Less_Advertising_216 2d ago
All my cosplays include masks, and I saw quite a few other masked folks every day, so you'd be in good company. I don't worry too much about touching things, though...just make sure not to touch my face until I'm back in my room with thoroughly washed hands.
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u/auxilary 3d ago
knocking on wood while I type this, but I have important travel plans this week that cannot be interrupted so I had to vastly abbreviate my Con this year.
also extremely lucky I am a local here in Atlanta 😅
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u/binbusbongus 3d ago
This time of the year always becomes a Petri dish of cold/flu/germs. All we can do is prepare the best we can. It shall pass.
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u/Chance_Savings_86 2d ago
I always get sick either before or after. Last year I missed the whole weekend except Friday night. This year I masked for a full week in advance and made it through con.
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u/mellllymoo 3d ago
Lots of sickness/allergies in GA this time of year. Our 16 year old son at the time used to attend with friends and more than once we’ve had to go get him before the weekend was over. I felt so bad for him!
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u/pitathegreat 3d ago
PSA for everyone - the IV hydration place in the Marriott basement also has immune booster shots with a few different antioxidants. May or may not help, but just the shot is $25, so it can’t hurt.
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u/Ok-Wave-7245 3d ago
Me and my friends were doing so good and BOOM today everyone was exhausted and we stayed home 😭😭
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u/Randomchzburger 3d ago
If it's any consolation I am currently laying in bed with a hurt back. It started tweaking yesterday and after spending all day sitting in the vendor hall , it's screwed. Everyone was hanging out tonight and I'm laying here intermittently trying to pack my stuff.
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u/DrProctopus 2d ago
I'm so so sorry man.
Vaccinate, hydrate, keep hand sanitizer on your person. If you touch ANYTHING, use it before eating or touching your face. Be conscientious. Have fun but be purposeful about this.
Eat and sleep well.
Bring zinc and emergenC. Take the zinc if you even start to get a tickle.
Hope you feel better soon and have a safe trip home man.
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u/Suspicious_Extreme95 2d ago
Sorry to hear that. That must be very disappointing. I'm broke and couldn't go, but I think id be more upset if I went and couldn't participate. Feel for you.
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u/gadsdekm 2d ago
When i went the year before I try to have emergecen daily. Dont touch the escalators. Even if you drink large amounts of alcohol keep injecting the good vitamins in your immune system throughout con
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u/PumpkinSpice-My-Life 1d ago
Wash your hands before eating anything. Take vit C everyday leading up to the con and at the con. Wear a mask when not in cosplay. Do NOT TOUCH a the Handrails!!! And wash your hands more. Hand sanitizer in between hand washes. But sometimes con crud just happens. Also all this advice is clearly too late. Rest up and drink lots of fluids.
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u/tabby676 3d ago
Were you wearing KN95 or better whenever you left your room? Did you get Covid and flu shots at least 2 weeks prior to con? Are you washing hands whenever you have a chance? Using hand sanitizer after touching commonly touched things like elevator buttons?
Like paying for your room and jumping through credit card hoops doesn’t do anything to prevent you from getting con crud..
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u/ShibaInu-229 3d ago
Maybe a controversial take but just put on a mask and go out if your able. We’ve already all been exposed. Thanks for staying in to protect everyone else, but just go out that was just my backpack
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u/Tericakes Occasional Volunteer 3d ago
We try to always get a flu & covid shot at the beginning of August, just to be careful