Do you get seasonal allergies?

[Skiz]

If so, what do you take? What works for you?

I get them almost year-round. This time of year is just brutal for me. Itchy nose and eyes. Nose running like a faucet but sinus' stopped up at the same time. Stuffy head to where I can't even think straight. Sneezing constantly.

I take Zyrtec (daily pill) and use Nasacort (nasal spray) as well, but they seem to have no effect this time of year. :(

Austin is a great city, but the allergens here are ridiculous.


http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/4407/sfxtweanpollencountlargqk8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8259/sfxtweanallergyforecastzw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9256/allergensfallsmlargexi1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Barbarossa]

I get a bit of hayfever in early June. It was a pain, as it always coincided with school exam time. :dabs:

It's not so much of a problem now. It never affected me badly enough for me to feel the need to take anything :unsure:

[JazzyJeff]

Aye I get the same but all I do is block my nose with toilet paper.
You could also try a 200ml mix of tobasco sauce and vinegar, works wonders.

[AmpeD]

If so, what do you take? What works for you?

I get them almost year-round. This time of year is just brutal for me. Itchy nose and eyes. Nose running like a faucet but sinus' stopped up at the same time. Stuffy head to where I can't even think straight. Sneezing constantly.

I take Zyrtec (daily pill) and use Nasacort (nasal spray) as well, but they seem to have no effect this time of year. :(

Austin is a great city, but the allergens here are ridiculous.


http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/4407/sfxtweanpollencountlargqk8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8259/sfxtweanallergyforecastzw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9256/allergensfallsmlargexi1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
exact same for me, except I take zyrtec and singulair

[BudgieSmuggler]

Skizo I'm like you and suffer severe allergies (mainly pollen). I used to take all sorts of sprays and pills to stop it (including what you mention).

One day I was so bad I had to go to the doctor. Point is he tested me for my allergies and recommended I undertake a 3 year desensitisation program. You have to go for weekly injections during the winter months where they slowly introduce an allergen into your system. Over time you build up an immunity. Success rate is around 80% and it has made all the difference in the world.

Even if you don't do this (and I don't blame you because it is a long commitment), it might be worth at least get tested to find out what the cause is


Other option: move cities (my doctor gave me that advice too)

[Skiz]

A scratch test? I know a friend who went through that and he recommends it as well. I guess I need to get the ball rolling on that, b/c somethings got to give.

I can't live my life this sick all the time.

[BudgieSmuggler]

yeah also called a pin prick test. They stick a whole heap of allergens on your arm and make scratches to see what you are most allergic too.

[Barbarossa]

What if you are allergic to pins?

[Something Else]

You can go to a homeopath and they can test from a hair....

[BudgieSmuggler]

pack your bags - It's time you lived in a bubble

[lynx]

I'd suffered from "hay fever" for several years, but the worst episode was when I was 19 years old. My parents had moved to a rural area, and when I came home from college I was so badly affected I simply could not stop sneezing, along with the other usual effects.

I was sneezing about once per minute on average, the only way I could alleviate the symptoms was to put my head under a damp cloth to keep the pollen out, clearly not a satisfactory solution.

Just one visit to the doctor solved the problem, he gave me a single large dose steroid injection. The sneezing stopped within a very short time, but the real benefit is that I've hardly been affected since.

Given that this treatment was so effective, I seriously question the need for these repeated medications. I suspect that the dosage proposed by the drug companies is of a sufficient level to give temporary relief from the symptoms, but not enough to trigger a permanent cure. Guess who makes lots of money.

[kelly338825]

yeah also called a pin prick test. They stick a whole heap of allergens on your arm and make scratches to see what you are most allergic too.

My brother was getting sick alot and was misdiagnosed by two or more doctors. Finally he was administered the pin/scratch test, and it revealed he was allergic to many different things previously he had no knowledge of. If you havent got one yet, its definitely worth it.

[Magnetrix]

Pollen allergy in spring. Now i am not anymore as sensitive as few years ago, as i.e my nose was bleeding several times a week. I am not completely healed now, but I dont have any problems going into nature

[Skiz]

Damn, it still hasn't let up. I'm sick as can be every single day right now. Popping Zyrtec and Aleive Cold%Sinus as soon as I wake up, then a steroid nasal spray before leaving the house.

[blackbird]

Just one visit to the doctor solved the problem, he gave me a single large dose steroid injection. The sneezing stopped within a very short time, but the real benefit is that I've hardly been affected sincei should try that .. i am allergic to dust ... :(


I get them almost year-round. This time of year is just brutal for me. Itchy nose and eyes. Nose running like a faucet but sinus' stopped up at the same time. Stuffy head to where I can't even think straight. Sneezing constantly

same here ... :(

and cetrizine is killing my liver ..

[Sench]

i always have an allergy in spring-its awful :(( my nose hurts so much cuz of wiping it...

[phrenzy]

Have your house checked for mold..... have the Air ducts cleaned..... Change the AC filter monthly.. you don't have to buy the expensive ones either, just change'm all the time....That made a world of difference for me...I live in Southern Va and we got everything you can imagine as far as pollen goes...

[Seedler]

Clartin everyday.

[thebazzla]

i always have an allergy in spring-its awful :(( my nose hurts so much cuz of wiping it...same here damn hayfever it even worse with me being a fisherman cant avoid the stuff :(

[Barbarossa]

Is there alot of pollen in the ocean then? :blink:

[thebazzla]

i should have said course fisherman i throw back what i catch when i san see them through my streaming eyes

[gamer4eva]

i actually sneezed when i saw this thread. Does that count??

[CrabGirl]

I'm allergic to everything. Seriously horribly horribly allergic. I take antihistamines every day, carry an epi-pen with adrenaline in for emergencies, am constantly sneezing and itchy. It's great.

Best piece of advice I can give to those people who take Zyrtek or similar, many stores do a generic or own brand version which is far far cheaper. Anything with Cetirozine hydrochloride in it will work just as well. Superdrug do a good one for about 99p for 7. Far cheaper than prescriptions or the branded one.

[ROFL-LOL]

I'm allergic to everything too... ashtma...

[Racket]

Allegra-D is good for seasonal allergies as well as Astelin®, Flonase®, etc. A steroid nasal spray is recommended too such as Nasacort® or Nasonex®. Singulair® is also sometimes prescribed in combination with the rest. If allergies are severe, you could take these every day of the year. Even allergy shots qweekly if needed. My advice, see an ENT doctor (Otolaryngologist) if you have insurance.

Edit-I actually read the first post this time. For Skizo, read above. You may need all. Nasacort is a great steroidal nasal spray as is Nasonex; they are just different tiered on my insurance RX plan. Question: Did you have any nasal surgery that mediated the need for a steroidal spray? Also, you really need is to drop the Zyrtec; it sucked for me as most medications did (except for Hismanal; damn the FDA, but that's another story). I would recommend getting a prescription for Astelin nasal spray (it's an antihistamine), which works much better than zyrtec as it is distributed parentally to the nasal sinuses. 2 sprays per nostril BID would be a good starting point, then maybe lowering to one spray per nostril daily. If you can afford it, I would also get the Singulair. It works differently by blocking leukotrienes, the chemical mediators for asthma/hay fever. It is worth it if you need it. As for immunotherapy, my ENT didn't even do a scratch test for allergens. Now, it is just a blood sample, which is sent off to a lab for allergen testing; this method gives much more objective results. But I would hold off on the immunotherapy until you have at least tried a proper antihistamine nasal spray.

[BudgieSmuggler]

Skizo - another possibility is it may be diet related. Small chance from what you say but can't hurt to check it out too.

[Racket]

Diet would cause no respiratory related rhinitis; any effects may be shown to effect the skin as prurititis. If it was a big problem related to diet, he would have already experienced anaphylatic shock in relation to a food allergen. He just needs to identify the allergens responsible (cigarette smoke, weeds, pollen, grass, cat hair, dust, etc); avoid such allergens if possible, and begin proper medical treatment as I precluded. above.

[BudgieSmuggler]

Good point about the anaphylatic shock and food integration.

Whatever the cause is - seek medical advice :)

[Saroman]

Rite now dunno...

My palms and feet have started to sweat a lot :(
Have to use socks constantly...:|

Dunno if theres any cure for that...!!

[BudgieSmuggler]

if the problem has just started it could indicate a biophysical reaction - just an educated guess though

[lynx]

There's an old saying - if you've got cold feet, wear a hat.

So I suppose if you've got hot sweaty feet you should take your hat off, and possibly shave your head.

[hippychick]

Yes, I'm suffering right now with whatever is in the air.
I take Benadryl, stuff works good, but makes me very sleepy.

[BudgieSmuggler]

maybe we need a medical forum here. To cure us all ;)

[bigboab]

maybe we need a medical forum here. To cure us all ;)

Can I be a consultant? I think I have had nearly everything and been wrongly diagnosed with the rest. :)

[weesasha]

have had hayfever for the past 3 years or so, was using piriton for a few weeks then became immune to them and moved onto zirtec, then asda own brand which seem to work the best, also had nasal sprays which are also quite effective

[BudgieSmuggler]

maybe we need a medical forum here. To cure us all ;)

Can I be a consultant? I think I have had nearly everything and been wrongly diagnosed with the rest. :)

I think that is half the problem - misdiagnosis - kallieb explains what I mean in the over medictaion thread

[Saroman]

if the problem has just started it could indicate a biophysical reaction - just an educated guess though

No its kinda old, but used Homeopathic treatment a while back, it didnt help:ermm: So no treatment nowone..just have to use socks constantly :P


There's an old saying - if you've got cold feet, wear a hat.

So I suppose if you've got hot sweaty feet you should take your hat off, and possibly shave your head.

lol never heard of it, :P


Yes, I'm suffering right now with whatever is in the air.
I take Benadryl, stuff works good, but makes me very sleepy.

Benadryl is definitely sleep tonic, But yeah it definitely solved cough problem :D

[solaris]

palms and feet become sweaty becoz of that socks smell bad :pinch: