allergies/asthma

[Eden]

I know someone who is getting cataracts from long term use of nasal steroids... I only use flonase at the absolute peak of my allergies. I don't think that thrills the allergist, but it makes my ophthalmologist happier.

I've never had a sinus infection, and I think I found out, most of what I thought were colds probably allergies. I have no food allergies, unless you count a sensitivity to sulfates - though that's more of an additive than a "food"... and it's not super severe - I get a stuffy nose if I drink red wine that has a lot of sulfates.

[Owlie]

The food allergies I do have are entirely related to the fact I have seasonal allergies (http://www.chop.edu/service/allergy/...-syndrome.html ) Guess which pollen I'm allergic to? Birch/oak (they're related). Gah.

[OakLeaf]

I don't know what I'd do if I had to give up almonds, walnuts or cherries.

One of my finger joints got all inflamed last week. Hours after my allergy shot. I am hoping so bad that it isn't related, because I am going to be in very serious trouble if I can't take shots any more. I do NOT want to go on oral steroids.

[Owlie]

I don't know what I'd do if I had to give up almonds, walnuts or cherries.

One of my finger joints got all inflamed last week. Hours after my allergy shot. I am hoping so bad that it isn't related, because I am going to be in very serious trouble if I can't take shots any more. I do NOT want to go on oral steroids.

Yikes, Oak. Hopefully they're not related...

In my case, not all of the foods listed trigger a reaction, and there are some that aren't on the list (peanuts). I can eat parsley, but not celery. Walnuts don't bother me, and almost every food on the list is fine if I cook it. I prefer almonds and peanuts roasted anyway. Cherries are the only iffy one. If they're properly ripe (dark red and slightly squishy), they're fine.

[Crankin]

I know about the cataracts thing. That's why I don't take the Flonase continually. I used to use Nasalcrom when it was a prescription drug. I didn't know it was OTC... my insurance stopped paying for it and that was probably why.
I am allergic to peanuts (not horribly, i.e. I can be around them, touch them, just not eat them), dust, and mold. I am also allergic to thimerisol, IV contrast dye, and penicillin. I have been tested 3X, once at age 7, again at 16, and another time when I was about 33. I tried allergy shots at 16 and 33 and every time I would have a fricking asthma attack after the shot. I suspect the solution had preservatives, Thimerisol. I didn't know I was allergic to that until they started putting it into contact lens solution, when I was about 35. My eyes swelled shut. Thankfully, lens solutions are preservative free now. I gave up on the shots.
I am much healthier, in terms of allergies, since I left AZ. The dust and molds in the desert were killing me. I developed asthma when I was in my early thirties and was on a nebulizer every 4 hours at one point. A couple of years ago, I had a CT scan for back pain, they saw spots on my lung and my PCP freaked. I went to the pulmonologist and he looked at me and said, Cocci? Yes, I had Valley Fever and didn't even know it. And it seems like I must have had it some time in the late 80s, because that's when all of my asthma and bronchitis started. So, my lungs are definitely compromised, but I have very little issues with them, even in very cold weather. For about 5 years I couldn't even walk through a store that had perfumes or make up without getting a reaction, but somehow, I outgrew that.

[zoom-zoom]

Here is a note- my kids are getting treated with allergy shots. A few days after a treatment (the 22 yo, she is 2 years into treatment) she got shingles. I think it may have been due to weakness from the immune stress. She did enjoy reading about how the shingles vaccination is suggested for persons over 65yo while waiting for her pain meds at the pharmacy.

fspot

Shingles is a weird thing. I had it maybe 5 years ago, in my mid 30s. My brother had it in his early 30s. We both deal with allergies and tend to catch colds easily. We also both had pretty mild cases of chicken pox as kids. It's funny to us that it's considered an "old people" illness. I'm hoping that having it once will keep me from catching it again, but I'll be getting the vaccine as soon as I can.

[ACG]

Fetchspot.
I am allergic to all types of trees and all types of grass. I also have asthma. I always look at the allergy maps. It took me years to figure out what was wrong with me. I couldn't figure out why some days on the bike I couldn't breathe. For years I tried everything, changing my diet, taking supplements, nothing, the netty pot, etc. Then one day after my 3rd bout of bronchitis a doctor told me if was obvious I had allergies, and maybe I should stop riding my bike! I now see a specialist and I'm under control.I did go thru the series of allergy shots. I don't take the singular she prescribed for me. I do take over the counter claritin for a week or so when I see the pollen levels spiking. I didn't take the other meds either but finally sucumbed in the name of being able to breathe and see straight. I have an inhailer and a nasal spray that I do use.

Good luck to you!

[KatzPajamas]

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. Once in your system, it remains dormant until your immunity is low. 2000-3000mg of L-Lysine daily will stop shingles in its tracks! Studies to prove it have been done at Baylor College of Medicine and University of Michigan Health System- http://www.livestrong.com/article/27...-and-shingles/

Aches and pains? Take a double shot of pure cherry juice just before bed. In the morning you will feel like a young gal again. I take it every night, especially if I have eaten alot of sweets during the day. It really does work.http://www.cherryjuicepower.com/frui...chbenefits.htm

Allergies? I have a cup of my vinegar cocktail as soon as I wake up in the morning all year long. During the allergy season, I will drink more throughout the day, even with a meal. Use 1/2 cup natural organic honey and 1/2 cup Dr. Braggs organic vinegar with the mother. Add enough water to make it palatable...I usually add enough to make a total of 2 qts of liquid. It really is not bad at all and it definitely helps alleviate the symptoms of allergy-sneezing and runny nose and cough. Also, Echineacea taken for about 6 weeks, starting just before the allergy season, will build up the immune system to fight off possible sinus infection. Remember what your mom taught you too-keep your fingers out of your nose.

Don't want to sound like a "know it all", but I am old (pushing 60) and I don't like going to the doctor or taking prescriptions. Therefore, I have tried alot of natural remedies and found a few that really work.

[OakLeaf]

My experience with echinacea is the opposite. With me, it ramps up my immune system indiscriminately, making my allergies much worse.

The good news is we decided to go ahead with last week's allergy shot and I didn't have any reaction. Phew. Still wish I knew what did cause it though - inflammatory arthritis scares the cr*p out of me.

[Slowspoke]

It's unseasonably warm here and has been for the past few days. My throat is getting more and more sore and I started coughing. The worst part is the foggy brain and feeling soo tired. My DH has not experienced this and doesn't really get how I can be so tired! I have dealt with alergies all my life. I can already tell this spring will be a hard one.

[Slowspoke]

Honestly, I am so tired of coughing! I went to the doctor. I got nasonex and claritin. By the second day, BAM my throat got more sore and I was up for 30 hours straight! No, not just awake, but cartwheels while I vacuume at 4 am awake! I stopped taking everything and am staying indoors and waiting it out. Thankfully my lungs are clear and I am not wheezing at all.

[Owlie]

Honestly, I am so tired of coughing! I went to the doctor. I got nasonex and claritin. By the second day, BAM my throat got more sore and I was up for 30 hours straight! No, not just awake, but cartwheels while I vacuume at 4 am awake! I stopped taking everything and am staying indoors and waiting it out. Thankfully my lungs are clear and I am not wheezing at all.

Slowspoke, are you one of those people who react "strangely" to Benadryl?

Claratin does nothing for me. I've tried Zyrtec and Allegra this season. The Allegra controls the snot fountains, but not the eyes. The Zyrtec manages the eyes, but not so much the runny nose. However, Zyrtec is a 10mg pill (much easier to swallow than the 180mg Allegra, and according to most theories, fewer side effects), and it doesn't have nearly the sedating effects that Allegra does. (Non-sedating antihistamines, my a$$.) My attention span is still shot, though.

Can I go live in Antarctica or something, just until the trees stop shedding? Knowing my luck, I'd probably be allergic to penguins, though...

[alexis_the_tiny]

Can I go live in Antarctica or something, just until the trees stop shedding? Knowing my luck, I'd probably be allergic to penguins, though...

+1 for living in Antarctica. I just went to the school doctor. We went over a list of what worked or didn't worked (just about everything) for my allergies in the past. She's now got me on nasal steroids and patanol for my eyes. I'm worried about the cataracts thing but it's summer all year round here and pretty much everyday is allergy season. Plus, people do this ridiculous thing where they refrigerate all indoor areas with air conditioning to 10C under the outside temperatures and the temperature difference will trigger all my symptoms. Lovely doctor also told me that I need a break from any kind of exercise for a few days because she's worried that the current breathlessness and airways itch I'm experiencing means my allergies are going to give me asthma. What kind of exercise can you do when you're supposed to 'take it easy'? Walk?

[OakLeaf]

I'm speaking from personal experience and not from biochemistry, but Singulair (leukotriene blocker) does much, much more for my mental symptoms than any antihistamine ever did. It's expensive as h$ll, but if your insurance will cover it, it's well worth it to me.

(It helps me with my asthma symptoms too, which I'm apparently in the minority there, but I'd still take it if "all" it did was let me think straight.)

[indysteel]

Here's something I've been pondering. In the past few years, my seasonal allergies went from mild to severe. This time of year is typically one of the worst (the flowering trees do me in). During this same 2-3 year time period, it would appear that my thyroid started to go wonky, resulting finally in a mild or sub-clinical case of Graves. I haven't had a thyroid antibody test done since August, but with my regular use of anti-thyroid meds, it's likely that my thyroid-related antibody load has decreased.

Interestingly, I've had virtually no nasal allergy symptoms yet this season. I've been wondering if there's a connection. Has my immunse system stopped fighting me so badly?