Allergies?

[bobpbx]

I am just so happy to learn that these pollen allergies I picked up in the last few years are now starting to really get me down. Awful! My nose is constantly clogged and dripping and I'm sneezing real bad.

I took Loratidine yesterday and do have a nasal irrigator, but it only gives temporary relief. I would go so far as to say the Loratidine does not help at all.

I'd like some tips from any of you who have learned to manage this very well.

Thanks in advance.

 

[46er]

 

[manumuskin]

good news for tomorrow Bob.The Pollen count on pollen.com is going to drop to 0.9 no doubt because of the heavy downpours we have coming tonight.go to pollen.com for your local allergy reports.they will email em to you.doesn't help your problem but lets you know why your having it.I very seldom ever have a problem but occasionally when the pine pollen gets very bad i will get a sore throat and have a hard time swallowing and sometimes get dry eye though since my lens replacement my left eye is always dry anyway.

 

[bobpbx]

Thanks Al. I signed up for the emails.

46'r, I used to think I just always got a spring cold. Stupid of me to think that, instead of allergies, but I did. Anyway, I find a good heavy beer and shots of apricot brandy at least made me feel relaxed!

 

[46er]

46'r, I used to think I just always got a spring cold. Stupid of me to think that, instead of allergies, but I did. Anyway, I find a good heavy beer and shots of apricot brandy at least made me feel relaxed!

When the pine dust is thick, as it will shortly be, and I am working outside, I use one of those inexpensive white nose/mouth mask things. Ace and Home Depot have them. Helps quite a bit, you can see the stuff it catches, and after a qtr bottle of Old # 7 I could care less what passerby's think

I hate these little stringy things that are falling now; clogs the rain gutters, the truck air intakes and in general just makes a mess. Rain gutters will be overflowing if the rain they say is coming actually comes.

 

[manumuskin]

my truck is covered by them stringy things and yeller pollen.

 

[bobpbx]

Yes, those stringy things are Oak flowers.

I just bought a bottle of Nasacort and did the required 2 sprays in each nostril. This product was recently approved for over the counter use.

 

[noboat]

You can get Old #7 over the counter too

 

[manumuskin]

Yes them nasty oak catkins really gum up me wipers.

 

[46er]

Couple of tips for those suffering;

-Close the air vents in your vehicle. If its hot use the AC on recirculate.
-Keep house windows closed.
-Wash and wash often, if only just a rinse. Especially if you still have hair. Also your clothing.
-Use a mask, it works, except when shopping or at the bank.
-OTC eye drops help.
-If your white vehicle is suddenly light green, stay home.

 

[Boyd]

You guys may be different, but drinking alcohol really makes things worse for me during allergy season and I'm not the only one....

The Claim - Alcohol Worsens Allergies - The New York Times

The pine dust started bothering me maybe 10 years ago - didn't use to. It's bad around here right now, but I have been keeping the windows closed so there isn't much inside the house. I was very congested and sneezy a few days ago, but I think that was actually a cold/flu because even with the pine dust, I've been fine for the past couple days.

 

[manumuskin]

I am usually not bothered by pine pollen till it gets to the point that as you walk through the woods every step produces a small cloud of yellow dust around your feet.This rain should really knock it down for a few days.

 

[TheePackRat]

I only started suffering from seasonal allergies the last 6-7 years. Allergy medication seems to make me feel disconnected. Horseradish is my go to for relieving congestion. Heap some onto a roast beef sandwich and it clears my sinus out quick. Just a quick wiff of the jar occasionally through the rest of day keeps it clear.

I'll second washing often. Hot showers help.

 

[bobpbx]

Now I'm stuck in second guessing myself: is it a cold or allergy? There are plenty of tables around that give you tips, but it is really inconclusive. But...and this might be key; I don't have itchy eyes, and never do when I feel like this. Just congestion and coughing. Also, when I took generic Claritin, it did not work at all.

 

[Boyd]

I read an article about this recently somewhere…. if it seems to come and go (gets better, then worse), it is probably an allergy. A cold or flu gets bad and stays that way for a few days.

 

[46er]

A trip to the doc should solve the mystery. You certainly don't want to be trying stuff you don't need and may have adverse reactions.

 

[Old Crazy]

After reading this book http://www.drperlmutter.com/about/grain-brain-by-david-perlmutter/ I decided on February 1 to adopt a Paleo framework of eating (meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit...avoid grains, refined sugars, gluten, legumes, and limit dairy) In addition to losing 24 pounds without dieting or calorie restricting, for the first time in my life I am going though a spring without allergies. And that's significant because my allergies had become so bad the last few years that not only did I suffer with debilitating headaches, nasal pain, nasal drip, ear wax build-up with ringing in the ears, and fatigue, the mucous build-up behind my contact lenses was literally affecting my vision to the point of making it dangerous for me to drive a car.

I was out fishing on a lake yesterday that was covered in a film of pollen, yet I feel perfectly fine today. My nasal passages are clear and open.

 

[bobpbx]

After reading this book http://www.drperlmutter.com/about/grain-brain-by-david-perlmutter/ I decided on February 1 to adopt a Paleo framework of eating (meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit...avoid grains, refined sugars, gluten, legumes, and limit dairy)

Interesting. Whatever works for you I suppose. There are books and there are books. All of that confuses me. I'll stick with the general guidelines for now until the doctor tells me I need to alter course.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp

 

[Old Crazy]

There's no doubt that studying human nutrition can be confusing. If you read five books on the subject you'll likely get five very different opinions on what you should and shouldn't eat. Pretty much everybody agrees that refined sweeteners, trans-fats and processed foods have a detrimental effect on your health, while fruits and vegetables are beneficial. Each of us is biochemically individual and genetically unique, so there's no "one size fits all" perfect diet out there. While I can eat foods like eggs, cheese, nuts and rice, any one of those could be harmful to somebody else. If one is serious about getting healthy, I think the best thing he can do is eat a totally clean diet for 30 days, then one by one reintroduce potentially harmful food categories and see how they make you feel. That way you can find out what works best for you.

 

[Gerania]

Now I'm stuck in second guessing myself: is it a cold or allergy? There are plenty of tables around that give you tips, but it is really inconclusive. But...and this might be key; I don't have itchy eyes, and never do when I feel like this. Just congestion and coughing. Also, when I took generic Claritin, it did not work at all.

Are you taking them daily? I used to go to an allergist. He told me that you've got to take the medication, pills, for a few days before you'll really see some sort of result. If you're in real misery, take a Benadryl.