Health Discussions

Sorry to read you are having a hard time. I too am an allergy sufferer.

Have you seen an allergist? Are you able to get allergy shots for this? Too bad you don't have another bathroom. 

I have been particularly vulnerable these days to vinyl and rubber. I have to be careful if I'm in a store that sells things like welcome mats. Even if go by an aisle without knowing it's there, I soon find out. My nose plugs, my eyes burn and tear, head pounds, dizziness and nausea. At that point I have to get out of the area as soon as possible or I'll vomit or faint or worse-both. Fresh air and water are the best things for me along with aspirin and an allergy pill. Sometimes something like chlorotrimetron helps. Sometimes I'm ill for a couple of days depending on how long the exposure. Sometimes it triggers a migraine.

I found out the fumes produced from those products aren't good for anyone.

I think the best thing is to see an allergist. Good luck, CyndiA. Feel better. Many blessings.

I'm allergic to cats and dogs, but like an idiot I live with lots of them... though I am usually semi-congested, my body has become used to the allergens over time.  Spring does cause problems for me...  I used to take Zyrtec-D twice a day but the pulmonologist took me off of it because my pulse was racing during a visit.  (I was nervous about getting the "lose weight" lecture) I thought I would die without it, but I have to say that I've been fine for a year now without a daily allergy medication.  I use Flonase when everything starts blooming and Benadryl if I'm feeling extra sneezy or scratchy. 

I was considering seeing an allergist. The pharmacist said they'd have to order in pine tests though and a special mixture. She said it would be very expensive. She suggested I remove all pine from the house, but I think most of the wall beams are pine, so that would not work too well.

I probably have some minor allergies to other things - like the cat and dog. Bummer. But, it's pine that totally puts me in bed. The neighbors have some pine trees. Now I have fresh cut pine in the bathroom. Sigh.

I'm going to try putting sealer on everything I think is pine inside and see if that helps. A handy man told me to try that. Just put it on like brushing on paint.

Will your insurance cover it? Good luck with everything!

This is a topic I know, oh, too well about. . . I've found that the best way is prevention. I try to keep the generic of Claritin D, Loratadine (works just as good as name brand) in my system at ALL times! . . . But when there's slip ups in my routine allergy pill taking or the wind has just stirred up so much guck in the air that the routine is ineffective, I use a combo of items:

   Allergine eye drops (very handy), Zircom nasal spray, I continue taking the OTC medicine, but I'll add sinus relief medicine at night when it feels close to an infection.

   The thing that helps the most is a Neti Pot, if you have one. Simply put 1/8th teaspoon of iodized salt in 8 oz. of luke warm water in the Neti Pot and use it to drain each nostril. The process is uncomfortable and the feeling in you nose during the draining is unpleasant, but your nose feels so good afterwards. Doing this every night for about 5 to 7 days really does the trick for me.

   I also tend to get massive sore throats from sinus troubles. I use "Traditional_Medicines: Throat_Coat_Tea" Traditional Medicines also has teas for sinuses and allergies. They're tasty and soothing.

   Lastly, when all else fails, I seek the help of my nose and throat doctor. I keep his business card handy. I noticed you have an allergist. Has he/she not given you more options?

   There's also a procedure I'd heard of (an in and out minor surgery) where your nostril nerve endings that are sensative to allergies can be clipped back. I've had some people I know go through the surgery and rarely had colds afterwards and allergies are gone, but then I know of others who've had bad experience with the surgery. I guess it depends on the doctor. I haven't done the surgery yet myself, but it's an avenue you might want to consider. Just make sure you do your research.

Good luck! Feel Better!

No. I do not have an allergist. I just spoke with the pharmacist. It sounded like I was up the creek with a rare allergy and would be spending out the wazoo for even tests and then any treatments. I'll keep reading and thinking and may go more drastic. I really do hate to have to take daily meds to breathe.

I think perhaps you meant to say in your subject:  "When pretending you DON'T have allergies doesn't work?"  That was a little confusing at first.  It certainly doesn't sound like you are pretending to have a problem -- it's real but 98% of the problem is probably correct diagnosis.  I hope you find the answer and will feel better soon.  Take care!

 

(-: Hey. You're right. Most of my typos are in headlines - sadly. I try to pretend I DON'T have allergies, but that does not seem to work very well. The Claritin has helped a great deal. I'd rather not take it, but I like to breathe too. I'm not sure I need the D though with the decongestant. That makes my eyes and mouth really dry.

Cindi - funny you should mention this - well I guess it isn't so funny because the cute crocuses are up and are killing me. Some years I'm fine but this year - well I'm either sick and jet lagged or I dropped into MA and my allergies hit me. I use a prescription (to be reviewed tomorrow) - Allegra. I've used Claritin also. Right now my head is pounding so I'm taking motrin as well (:

When they tested me for 96 different allergens, I reacted to 95 of them. (Always check with your doctor before starting any new medication and make sure to tell them when you're on something OTC.) Here's what I've used:

• I've been on allergy shots for over 10 years (but I decided to stop them in December because they nearly killed me when they either mixed them incorrectly or contaminated them and I had switched to a dr's office 2 miles away to save time but I would have to wait in the office for about 20 minutes every time and they wouldn't let me make an appt for it--I finally just decided it wasn't worth it but I have felt fine off the shots--YEAH!)
• Benadryl worked pretty well but made me feel like I was in a coma but it's OTC and doesn't cost much.
• Allegra helped me somewhat without so much drowsiness but is prescription and can be a bit pricey.
• Flonase nasal spray (another prescription) worked but made my nose bleed so badly that it had to be cauterized--OUCH (it also has a strange smell that makes me cough every time my husband uses it)
• Nasonex nasal spray (prescription) helps my 2 oldest daughters and doesn't seem to have side effects for them. It does cost a lot.
• Astelin nasal spray (prescription) works well for my oldest daughter, who wasn't getting complete relief from teh Nasonex. It also costs a lot BUT the bottle is significantly larger than Nasonex. (Nasonex tends to last almost 2 months when the Astelin lasts for over 3 months.)
• Albuterol (inhalers and nebulizers) really help me and the girls when we can't breathe due to asthma--this is fast-acting but considered a "rescue" medication so if you have asthma and have to use the rescue meds very often, the doctor will tend to add something else. This is prescription and the cost varies depending on whether its an inhaler or nebulizer. I believe the generic isn't available because they made a new law about the way the inhaler has to be made now. We got free spacers (to use with the inhalers) through a program at Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
• Saline nasal spray and using saline (which you can make) lavage (also called a neti pot or nasal douche) can wash out the allergens and may get a lot of the "crud" out and can work well for kids in smaller amounts but my sinuses tend to get so swollen so quickly that I have a hard time getting saline in and you might need a straight jacket to do this on a child
• Nasalcrom is OTC and has been very effective but has to be used about 4 times/day--you can get a better price at places like Sams. I use this when I feel my sinuses beginning to swell and it has worked wonders for me in preventing sinus infections.
• Afrin will OPEN your nasal passages wide open so you can breathe and works very quickly but you cannot use it more than 2-3 days but it can work well in conjunction with antibiotics in helping to clear an infection more quickly and completely. A word of caution--this does have some possible heart-related side effects so check with you doctor first (it can also be quite effective in stopping a bad nosebleed but only do that on a one-time basis). If you use Afrin for longer than 2-3 days, it will have the opposite effect and close your nasal passages.
• My kids used Claritin/Clarinex and ended up having major meltdowns over and over--I haven't used either of those but thought the info might be helpful if anyone has kids
• I have one child on prescription Zyrtec (which they don't make anymore) and it works wonders for her without any major problems. The newer OTC kind contains gluten or may have gluten contamination and causes her to have meltdowns (hoping to find something to take its place for children SOON)
• Four of us have used Singulair (prescription) that is a pill taken once a day that is particularly helpful with asthma. My kids have really been helped by Singulair but it is expensive if you don't have a drug plan.
• Some of my friends swear by Mucinex (OTC) but it contains gluten so we haven't tried it.
• Decongestants can help dry up the mucous and usually will be identified by "D" after the name of the OTC drugs and is often kept behind the counter at the pharmacy, but decongestants tend to make my kids act terrible and I have a heart condition so I cannot take decongestants. I used to take entex (prescription), which is a decongestant--I believe it comes in a 6 hour and 12 hour form.
• I have found that I am sensitive to certain foods. If I eat chocolate, for example, I tend to start flaring up but the symptoms go away within about 2-3 days if I don't eat any more chocolate. I do not test positive for food allergies but I have certainly noticed a difference when we changed over to a gluten free diet and when I avoid certain other foods like chocolate. I used to have a sinus infection within 2 weeks of stopping an antibiotic for a previous infection ALL THE TIME. Now I think I've only had sinusitis about 3 times in the last 5 years and I attribute a lot of that to our diet changes.

Oh, any allergy to chocolate, poor thing! That'd make me cry cause I love chocolate!

Goodness, you've tried a lot of stuff! . . . I do think they need a more mellow allergy remedy for children that actually works. It'd even be nice if they had one for toddlers, cause my son could have used something, instead of suffering.

I really think you ought to try making an appointment with a nose and throat specialist, instead of a traditional physician. They give you a thorough examination of your nose and allergy issues and give options. And since you said you are about ready to consider something drastic, ask him/her about the in-out surgery that clips back the nasal nerve endings. It might be necessary in your case. I know I said I heard bad experiences, but honestly, I've heard more, much more good results than bad.

cmohr80 said…

Oh, any allergy to chocolate, poor thing! That'd make me cry cause I love chocolate!

Goodness, you've tried a lot of stuff! . . . I do think they need a more mellow allergy remedy for children that actually works. It'd even be nice if they had one for toddlers, cause my son could have used something, instead of suffering.

I really think you ought to try making an appointment with a nose and throat specialist, instead of a traditional physician. They give you a thorough examination of your nose and allergy issues and give options. And since you said you are about ready to consider something drastic, ask him/her about the in-out surgery that clips back the nasal nerve endings. It might be necessary in your case. I know I said I heard bad experiences, but honestly, I've heard more, much more good results than bad.

---

Thanks for the sympathy--I will admit that sometimes I just throw caution to the wind and go ahead and eat chocolate because I absolutely love it but I'll only eat what I really like. It's not worth it with something I only like a little bit.

Right now I'm on nothing and feeling fine and have been off my shots for about 3 months and hope to stay that way. I do have an allergist. I went to see an ENT dr MANY years ago and he said it would be a waste of time to get allergy testing done. I'm glad I didn't listen to him! (Don't get me wrong--there are a lot of good ENT drs out there but I was not impressed with that one.)

My mom used to be on allergy shots but it made her feel worse. My mom has extremely bad allergies. She is allergic to aspirin so she has to be careful when taking meds that have aspirin in it. Most of her allergies are airborne.

I'm so thankful I don't take after my mom in regards to allergies. As you know I'm sensitive to gluten food, but that is about it for me except for the occasional cold / sinus infection. The only drugs I'm allergic to is sulfur drugs and erythamycin . That is great you don't get too many sinus infections any more.

Goodness, I conquer with that impression. I live over 2 hours away from my dr, use to live near by his office. Anyhow, we still drive out that way when I need to see him because I like his service so much, but I do wish more doctors would be more thorough, sympathetic, and think outside the box a little more often. . . That's why I regularly go for the holistic approach first.

I used to take allergy shots (3/week) but sick of doing it, so I just suffered.  My allergies are much better now that I live in a dry climate - there's not much around that sprouts tree pollen, which was always my biggest allergy.