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  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853

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    Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
    Oh, man. Hope you can get some relief from the new meds.

    I will say I got at least 80% relief from my cedar allergy within three or four shots. Way before I was even built up to full strength. So I don't know why they wouldn't want you to try that even if was "only" going to be a year or four.
    She said it was hard on your immune system to start them, then switch to others for a different location. That coupled with the lack of wheezing and junk in my lungs and she thought it may not be 100% related to allergens. I guess sometimes people just have asthma issues without the allergies causing it.

    Electra Townie 7D

  2. #32
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    Oh yeah. My asthma triggers are exercise (especially cycling up steep hills), cold dry winter air and air pollutants like the concrete dust from the parking lot renovation at my last office or the asphalt plant pollution at the one I'm supposed to work at now. I also have asthma symptoms when they put tons of salt on the roads in winter. My allergy symptoms are primarily non-asthma -- itchy eyes and sneezing. I do feel some chest tightness sometimes after a long bike ride when pollen levels are very high, but most days it's not an issue.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    Yeah, NY, I asked her why I was so well controlled back in Illinois and she said it was likely due to the killing frost there, coupled with a host of new exposures here. It could be anything from the salt in the air to the endless array of mold spores here, and they can only test for so much.

    Electra Townie 7D

  4. #34
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    And the tests sometimes yield false positives or negatives. My allergist told me that food allergy tests in particular are of limited use because of the processing they have to do to create the serum used for the test.

    I've been noticing some strange patterns with the chronic hives that I get. (The doctor thinks they are autoimmune though he did not order testing to confirm that, and I'm okay with that since the treatment is the same either way.) In the past I've had several big flare ups right before getting my period. Last winter they kicked up during a perimenopausal hormone swing from several months of hot flashes to several months of periods. At the same time I started having joint pain in several fingers on my left hand. The hives calmed down and the joint pain went away, but now they're both back again this week. I did a bike ride in very hot weather on Saturday -- the first time out in the heat this year, and it hit me hard because I'm completely unacclimated -- and I think that caused this most recent flare, as I've gotten heat rash and hives in the past after long bike rides on very hot days.

    I've never noticed any relationship between my asthma symptoms and flare ups of hives or hormone swings, but I wouldn't be surprised if things like hormones or stress (whether its from being out in the heat or moving or starting a new job) can combine with environmental factors to make asthma worse.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    I can imagine stress playing a roll in my current issue, the idea of my problem causing us to have to move made me an emotional mess. My breathing is still labored, usually mid-morning each day, but it's getting better overall... and I'm more at peace, overall. Don't think it's a coincidence, mind/body connection is very real.

    Electra Townie 7D

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    NY, your hives story is very interesting. I had chronic hives during the period I was having the asthma issues, when I was about 34-35. But, after I moved back here, and I was generally healthier, I had them again, on and off for 2 years. No one found any cause, and they were concerned because my mom had them all of her life and she died of an autoimmune liver disease. But, my tests for that were fine. I've come to the conclusion it was stress, coupled with peri-menopause, which for me, started at about age 39 (yes, 7.5 years of hell).
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    The decision is made, we will be moving home. The only question left is when; we're going home for a week in late July and will look at a couple of condos and apartments, if we find something we like we will go when the opportunity presents (closing date or availability date). If we don't find anything we'll keep looking from afar; our latest date to go home will be May of 2017 (10 months from now) if my asthma cooperates, but I'm betting it won't be that long before we go.

    Electra Townie 7D

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I am sure you are relieved to have the decision made. Sometimes, it's a lesson in being flexible when things do not go as we thought they would.
    Here's to happy future adventures.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Traveling Nomad
    Posts
    6,763
    What Crankin said! I know I feel better once a decision is made (the "J" part of my Myers-Briggs personality type), so I, at least, would be relieved just to have that part behind me. I hope you'll keep posting about how your move plans go. Wishing you happy trails and smooth sailing ahead, Pax!

    (And I hope you don't have to move north during the winter!!!)
    Emily

    2011 Jamis Dakar XC "Toto" - Selle Italia Ldy Gel Flow
    2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD "Gloria" - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow
    2004 Bike Friday Petite Pocket Crusoe - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    Thanks Crankin, the relief in our home is palpable. I feel bad for my honey since she loves being outside so much, but she's even ready to throw in the towel because of the bigots.

    Emily, it's another adventure! I'll post in this thread as things progress.

    We're going to open bank accounts while we're home, and get pre-qual'd for a mortgage. That way if we find something we like we can buy and just have our lawyer handle it while we're in FL.

    Electra Townie 7D

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    I'll miss you, but it sounds like it's for the best.

    Happy house hunting.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    Thanks, Oak, I'll miss you too. Although I may be here for one more snowbird season.

    Electra Townie 7D

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    10,889
    Good luck, and it sounds like it is really for the best. May it go smoothly!

  14. #44
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    I thought of you often this past week, Pax. I just returned from my first-ever visit to Cape Cod which was wonderful except that I am apparently allergic to it! It started with mild asthma symptoms my first night there, then developed into non-stop nasal congestion, sneezing and lots of coughing. Also I had a few hives. We left yesterday and my head cleared by the time we reached Connecticut. I'm still coughing a bit, as the histamines are still calming down.

    I have no idea what I reacted to -- some kind of pollen, but don't know what. Pollen.com said grass and sorrel/dock were predominant. I don't usually have problems with grass but maybe there's a different variety up there. The worst days were at the beginning of the trip when it was windy. The best were when I was on a boat, visiting Martha's Vineyard one day and taking a canal cruise on another.

    I'm already taking 2x the usual dose of Zyrtec plus Zantac every day for the chronic hives. I was going to try adding Flonase but the pharmacist recommended against it because I recently switched to Flovent for my daily inhaler and it uses the same active ingredient. So I took a decongestant instead and used albuterol on and off.

    I've never had an allergic asthma reaction like that before, nor have I had such a strong reaction to any pollen. I just kept thinking, I could never live here. Or visit again in the spring or early summer. I'm so tired of coughing!

    I hope your move back to Illinois goes well!

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  15. #45
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I am sorry you had that, NY. Even though I spent every summer of my life at the Cape, until I was 17, I have noticed that in the past 5 years or so, I get the achy, allergy symptoms when I am there. It's happened enough to make me think it's the mold. I mostly notice it when I go there and ride, which makes sense, as under normal everyday activity levels, I am not breathing in that crap in the same way. I don't notice it if I go to the beach for the day. Last summer, I spent 3 days at a friends' house in Orleans. I was ok hiking in the dunes on a dry day, but when we rode the next morning in pea soup humidity, I could barely breathe or move.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

 

 

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