Sinus problems and Tickle in throat

[itself]

I need help! At least I am not getting pneumonia this time. Horrible post nasal drip keeping me up all night. The nettie pot is helping. I am taking NyQuil just to knock myself out for a couple of hours.

Thanks for your help. I want to ride again, I have been off the bike a month!!

[westtexas]

Have you tried Afrin? You have to be careful with that stuff, and although it says you can use it twice a day, I save it for nighttime use only. Works wonders. You are instantly decongested and can breath again.

Also, if you're really congested have you tried going for an easy ride? I was really sick last week and this week I'm not too bad but coughing every now and then and some dripping through the day and night from the sinuses. I went on my first ride in a week - an easy 16 miles to downtown and back - and wow my sinuses drained like crazy. Snot rockets everywhere. But now I feel great and can breathe again. Might be worth a try...

HTH

[indysteel]

Are you taking anything for seasonal allergies?

[itself]

No not taking anything for allergies, just my sinus tea. The Nettie pot is working really well, better than I thought. I finally slept last night.

[malkin]

Saline nasal spray might help. You can use it as often as you like because it is just a little bit of what we are made of. It will help keep things moist and help move the gunk too.

Think about Claritin or one of its class too.

[indysteel]

No not taking anything for allergies, just my sinus tea. The Nettie pot is working really well, better than I thought. I finally slept last night.

I have to wonder whether you are suffering from allergies, seasonal or otherwise. I would talk to your doctor about it or simply try an OTC allergy med. I take Allegra myself. I can tolerate Claritin, but Zyrtec puts me sleep. I think each person reacts differently to each med though, so you generally have to experiment. I take Allegra each day whether I'm symptomatic or not. IME, if you wait until you're symptomatic, you've made it that much harder for the drug to work effectively. My chronic sinus issues did not go away unti I took this approach, but I haven't had a sinus infection since I did (knock on wood). A Neti pots helps but for me, it's no substitute for the meds.

[zoom-zoom]

I second the recommendation for an antihistamine. Zyrtec is the one I've had the best luck with (I take it 365 days/year...I suspect I'm allergic to the same things that my mom has tested for--cats, dust mites, and mold...and we both live in old homes with cats). For the drainage stuff I find that Mucinex works well--not the cough suppressant, but the expectorant (guaifenesin, or something like that). It keeps stuff extra runny, instead of sticky and tickley.

[indysteel]

I second the recommendation for an antihistamine. Zyrtec is the one I've had the best luck with (I take it 365 days/year...I suspect I'm allergic to the same things that my mom has tested for--cats, dust mites, and mold...and we both live in old homes with cats). For the drainage stuff I find that Mucinex works well--not the cough suppressant, but the expectorant (guaifenesin, or something like that). It keeps stuff extra runny, instead of sticky and tickley.

+1 on the Mucinex.

[snapdragen]

Have you been tested for allergies? I was taking a variety of allergy meds with no luck. Finally got tested, I'm not allergic to anything. I have non-allergic rhinitis. Kind of like having allergies without being allergic. Things that set me off are strong perfume, windy days and *oh joy* changes in the weather. It's like having a barometer in my head Big fun. I use a Neti pot, and Astepro spray.

[OakLeaf]

+1 on allergy testing and treatment.

I take antihistamines and Singulair (leukotriene blocker) for breakthrough symptoms and for the many things for which there's no allergy treatment, but they don't come close to the relief that immunotherapy gives me. Without exaggeration, I could not function whatsoever during peak ragweed season (3-4 weeks in late summer) or peak cedar season (2-3 weeks in early spring) until I started getting shots.

Also try a challenge diet. It's your total allergic load that determines how bad your symptoms are.

[Crankin]

I agree; you have to pre-treat with anti-histamines AND use saline, whether in a rinse, spray, or pot. If this approach doesn't work, get tested.
I felt like a giant truck hit me this morning, until I realized I had slept with the windows open and there's a high allergy alert. After letting the Claritin take effect, I am fine.
Singulair didn't work for me, but it generally does help. I was on immunotherapy for years, but my allergies/asthma/chronic bronchitis have improved so much since leaving AZ, I stopped.

[Owlie]

I had a thing earlier this year where I couldn't tell if it was a bad cold or bad allergies. So +1 on getting it checked.

I'm weird and none of the non-sedating antihistamines work for more than one season. I'm taking Allegra this year--it makes me fuzzy, but it's working better than Zyrtec or Claratin have recently. Zyrtec doesn't do anything to my attention span, and Claratin makes me a bit fuzzy. (Benadryl doesn't do anything, and it IS a sedating antihistamine. Funny how these things work.) I supplement it by taking a shower (including rinsing my hair) as soon as I get home.

[itself]

Gonna have to get checked. I forgot to mention that I have had laryngitis for two weeks now....did I tell you I hate doctors and medicine?

[OakLeaf]

Ha, I hate doctors too, with a passion, but I make an exception for my allergists. ;)

[tulip]

Are you familiar with quercetin? It's a supplement that I started taking when I visited my mother, who has three cats. Normally I would take Claritin or even Benedryl just to survive at her house. I'm very allergic to cats.

I started taking quercetin and I have had nary a sniffle on my visits to Mom's. It has anti-inflammatory properties and has been a tremendous help to me. You might want to research it to see if you want to give it a try.

Also, do you live in a house or apartment with carpeting? I was constantly sick when I lived in a carpeted apartment years ago, and it all cleared up when I moved to a place with wood floors and no carpets. Carpets can cause alot of problems.

[Crankin]

A generic "hate medicine" might keep you away from a treatment that would really help you. You've been suffering for a while, and it is not "normal" to have repeated bouts of pneumonia, etc. All of this can be allergy related. I've had this stuff my whole adult life, and while there are *lots* of environmental things you can do to eliminate the triggers, as Tulip mentioned, it doesn't seem productive at this point to avoid going to the doctor. Be proactive and assertive with your providers, but listen to them. There are a lot of different treatments for allergies.

[malkin]

Gonna have to get checked. I forgot to mention that I have had laryngitis for two weeks now....did I tell you I hate doctors and medicine?


As my granny would have said, "Suit yourself."

[itself]

Are you familiar with quercetin? It's a supplement that I started taking when I visited my mother, who has three cats. Normally I would take Claritin or even Benedryl just to survive at her house. I'm very allergic to cats.

I started taking quercetin and I have had nary a sniffle on my visits to Mom's. It has anti-inflammatory properties and has been a tremendous help to me. You might want to research it to see if you want to give it a try.

Also, do you live in a house or apartment with carpeting? I was constantly sick when I lived in a carpeted apartment years ago, and it all cleared up when I moved to a place with wood floors and no carpets. Carpets can cause alot of problems.

Arizona is full of dust, and yes, we have carpets unfortunately. Good advice by all. My mom and my partner are all over me to get to a doctor...

[goldfinch]

A generic "hate medicine" might keep you away from a treatment that would really help you. You've been suffering for a while, and it is not "normal" to have repeated bouts of pneumonia, etc. All of this can be allergy related. I've had this stuff my whole adult life, and while there are *lots* of environmental things you can do to eliminate the triggers, as Tulip mentioned, it doesn't seem productive at this point to avoid going to the doctor. Be proactive and assertive with your providers, but listen to them. There are a lot of different treatments for allergies.

This.

[Crankin]

Living in AZ was deadly for me. I was sick all of the time. Dust and mold spores, as well as non-indigenous plants. At one point both myself and DS #1 were on a nebulizer every 4 hrs.
I never exercised outside until I moved.