Yes, I swear by Mucinex the minute I think I'm getting a cold. This is kind of gross, but a nurse practitioner explained to me recently that when you have a cold, the mucus is food for the cold. So the more mucus you have hanging around, the worse your cold will get. If I take it for too long, I will get a slight nose-bleed and immediately stop taking it.
BellaBoo, that sounds like a great doctor who will try to use OTC first instead of just whipping out his prescription pad right away. I hope you and everyone else feel better.