Allergy Alert:Need Freeper Advice On Seasonal Allergies (Dyin Over Here)

My Nose,My Throat | 5-7-05 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

I never thought I would be doing a vanity on this but here it goes.

I am interested in knowing how people cope with Spring allergies. I have never had them until this year apparently. I have had a sore throat now going into day 18,I have seen the doctor twice where once gave me Ketex and decongestion meds and those did nothing,so they ruled out the common cold or flu or any bacterial infection.

My throat is still red,I still am congested,I have regular acid reflux (gerd) to be exact so when I sleep at night all of the congestion and post-nasal drip about drowns me. I am miserable to say the least.

I feel physically fine half of the day and then all of a sudden it feels like I have zero energy. I wake up and my eyes are dry as can be. So I went back to the doctors yesterday and they believe it is really bad allergies and want to put me on some kind of steroids which I am not crazy about. I usually stick to eastern medicine i.e. acupuncture and that sort of thing but even that is not working. My blood work came back fine so I know it is not anything serious of nature causing it.

I just need some kind of relief and remedy as I have never had Spring or any kind of airborne allergy. Supposedly the Pollen and Oak count is the highest its ever been in Central Florida mainly due to the 3 hurricanes that came through my town this year and what it did to the trees,everglades,and ocean air flow.

HELP! Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[borntobeagle]

My sympathies are with you and so sorry to hear about the sudden allergies.

My 3 daughters and I have been seeing an allergist for the past 5 years. If you end up with year round allergies, it will be a tough road ahead.

For immediate relief I would recommend the saline nasal wash/drops as mentioned earlier, and a quick trip to your regular Dr. for a cortisone/steroid shot, which should help to alleviate some of the symptoms. If possible I'd use Allegra-D which will combat allergens and has a decongestant. I include using Benadryl at night.

I would also urge you to get an air purifier (I use the Health Mates by Autsin Air), keep your doors and windows shut, run a dehumidifier, wear a 3-M mask when cleaning and vacuuming, wash clothing and bedding in high temps or use an allergen reducing detergent.

If you have any pets, keep them out of the bedroom. You may have never had a reaction to dander prior to this episode, but when the immune system is weakened, it can trigger more reactions to other allergens.

For the long term, find a local RAW honey producer and take 1-2 teaspoons daily. This has worked better than anything we have ever tried. It has helped us build a resistance to the local pollens that the years of allergy shots never did do for us.

Hang in there, grass season will be starting soon so hopefully you'll recover quickly.

[My Favorite Headache]

I have the GERD under control by about 80% through acupuncture and herbs...besides I also take nexium by script. I am making a laundry list here to go from...I just wish I could have a normal throat again...I am sick of it.

[TheBigB]

HOT SPICE TEA...I drank this by the gallon when I had tonsillitis. It helped my throat immensely:

1 jar tang
1 pk lemonaid mix (Unsweetened)
1/2 cup instant tea (Plain no lemon or sugar)
1 teaspoon cloves (ground)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups sugar
Mis all in a large bowl and put in plastic containers and put in fridge. Also you might get a little bottle of honey and add a teaspoon after you mix your tea. 3 or 4 teaspoons in a cup of boiling water.

[My Favorite Headache]

I appreciate it..I am going to take some of your advice to heart in the morning and get cracking on some of it.

[goodnesswins]

FOOD allergies!!!! What in your diet has changed? Try a "challenge diet" and report back - I had terrible allergies for several years....turned out to be food.

[borntobeagle]

Don't you think Flonase has an odd smell? I couldn't stand the smell of it.

[My Favorite Headache]

I was just about to buy a steamer today to have next to my bed in the meantime for my dry throat. I am headed to wal-mart when I wake up to do that. I am gonna go hang out in the shower until the water turns cold.

[goodnesswins]

P.S.....sugar was part of my food allergy problem.

[TheBigB]

A bit of one, but as soon as I started using that, I didn't need any Afrin for months. I get some EVERY spring and it helps me every time.

[My Favorite Headache]

Lemme ask you one thing here...is it better to use hot/warm when drinking with these kinds of sore throats? Or cold/mild? I have been buying slurpees like crazy the last few days for relief of the dry throat.Not the soda ones...but the juice ones...crystal light.

[xJones]

no red streaks..no spots inside..glands are not swollen...just when the doc put his light inside he said and I quote "yep..still kinda red back there"

Okay, the reason I asked was that my son, the most allergy-prone one in the family, was blowing his nose much worse than usual and complained of a sore throat for the first time. His neck and checks had developed red streaks overnight, and the doctor immediately diagnosed it as a bad case of strep throat.

Allergy medications vary with everyone's different body chemistries. What works for one doesn't work for another. The prescription medicines Claritan and Allegra never did a thing for my family, but they do for many others. Benedryl and Sudafed never gave me any relief, but the prescription Vistaril or the over-the-counter Actifed will dry my nose up over night. To each his own, and if one thing doesn't work you could consider trying another brand.

Best regards and I'll look into buying more Kleenex stock.:)

[Nov3]

They are all good. Some are harder on my sinuses. Again as far as the anti-histamines go the old ones are the only ones that work for me once I really get going.

Chloripheniramine Maleate it works for me. Ask at the pharmacy. Get it without the Sudafed in it. It doesn't sedate as bad as Benadryl but it will slow you down some. Much preferable to being totally miserable.

I reread your original post about the eyes. For the Short TERM and I mean two or three days you might try using Opcon-A eye drops at night before you sleep. Make sure they have the "A" which stands for antihistamine. THESE THINGS ARE LIKE AFRIN NASAL SPRAY- IF YOU USE THEM FOR A WEEK OR SO YOUR EYES WILL BE RED WHEN YOU DON'T USE THEM! Use them SHORT term - 2-3 days

[lainie]

I occasionally that a sharp pain in my right ear, too. I was told by my ENT (I have seen countless docs over the years) that it was pressure due to the fluid building up, after the tube is essentially swelling shut. With the Alkalol (which I drip straight down my nasal passages), I guess the collected mucus is dissolved, allowing for backed up mucus to move? I'm not totally sure. I do use it straight, but the first dose burns. I also use nasal allergy sprays on occasion, but pretty rarely these days. Flonase works best for me when I need it. I do take Sudafed as it helps keep things clear. Once it gets ahead of me and I have a full-blown cold, Sudafed is useless.

I have actually headed off colds setting up in my throat with this stuff.. I've done my own unscientific research. It kills bugs. It's the greatest invention since sliced bread!

[No Longer Free State]

For the long term, find a local RAW honey producer and take 1-2 teaspoons daily. This has worked better than anything we have ever tried. It has helped us build a resistance to the local pollens that the years of allergy shots never did do for us.

I've never tried this myself, but I've heard this same remedy from several sources. Apparently you have to take local honey from within about 20 miles of where you live.

[borntobeagle]

I may try it again, it has been a rough spring allergy-wise. It might be worth it to smell something (anything) again!

[Nov3]

Don't you think Flonase has an odd smell? I couldn't stand the smell of it.

My wife thought it was another women's perfume!

[My Favorite Headache]

Strep was ruled out immediately yesterday due to the fact that antibiotics would have killed it,no appearance of it,and I had my tonsils out when I was 5 and never have had strep since. I have never had a sore throat this long...its amazingly annoying to be honest. I don't smoke or drink alcohol or own pets...so I am ahead of the game there.

[TheBigB]

Cold will make it feel better for a short time, but hot will actually help the swelling and redness. Believe me; four years ago I had tonsillitis and mono at the same time. My doc told my Mom he had never seen a throat that looked like mine. Hurt like hell to swallow. Mom whipped up a batch of the tea and I drank it like water for days. Helped a great deal. Alternate it with a coke or ginger ale over ice every once in a while. :)

[eddie willers]

Try Rhinocort AQ or NasacourtAQ

Water based sprays and I could taste neither and both work miracles.

[ConservativeMind]

Although it won't directly address the allergies, Omega-3's can greatly reduce your inflammatory response and help prevent you from getting other allergies.

Take concentrated fish oil pills and cut down on Omega-6 fats such as soy, corn, and others. Those make our bodies hyper-sensitive, leading to later problems.

FYI.