Derailed By Allergies

[Elizabeth Ann West]

Anyone else having a "I hate pollen" week? We're just miserable here. For the last 3 days, it's been all I can do to take care of me and a 9 month old with a constantly running nose and congestion. Plus, this allergy/sinus stuff just makes me so tired, we've been napping together. And this is why fall is my favorite time of year, the weather is nice, and there's no pollenation.

[Evelyn]

I'm not personally suffering, but I have a friend in upstate NY who had to check into the hospital because the Sudafed caused her heart to go out of control. There's another article I need to add to my 16-page list of titles: Side Effect of Allergy Medicine: Dangerous High Blood Pressure.

My sympathies to anyone who has allergies, and why don't you send a little rain over to Northern Minnesota? We could sure use it! Share the suffering!

[Elizabeth Ann West]

We've had no rain. There was a feeble attempt last night, but not enough to bring down the pollen count in our area it turns out. No rain until Sunday, and then it's only "isolated thunderstorms" This is so not fun, and I hear you about the sudafed. I'm doing my best to survive on just my allegra and only giving benadryl sparingly to Catelynn ( I know, I know the FDA voted against those meds for anyone under the age of 6 citing parent overdosing and possibility they do not work (explain how that makes sense) but the vote was 9 to 13. When THEY have to listen to my child wheeze and struggle to breathe as she crawls along the floor, then THEY can tell me their vote.) I've scrubbed the house clean, but between the pollen and the new house construction right next door, our air quality is crappy.

[nichewriter]

Anyone else having a "I hate pollen" week? We're just miserable here. For the last 3 days, it's been all I can do to take care of me and a 9 month old with a constantly running nose and congestion. Plus, this allergy/sinus stuff just makes me so tired, we've been napping together. And this is why fall is my favorite time of year, the weather is nice, and there's no pollenation.

Elizabeth,

I'm having a "I hate pollen" month. I've been suffering from allergies for over a month now -- since spring started. Two weeks ago, I literally was sneezing for an entire week. We've had more rain last winter and the experts are saying that's one of the main reasons the pollen here's at an all-time high. It's easing up a little, but earlier on I was on Allegra and alternating between Claritin and Zyrtec, and then twice a day on Advair. I had to take codeine and sudafed a few times just so I could get some decent sleep. Fall is my favorite time of the year and I wish it could be fall all year...

Whenever I feel really congested, I do a contrast shower and aim the showerhead on my chest -- 3 minutes of hot (as hot as I can take it) followed by 30 seconds of cold (as cold as I can take it) and then repeat it two more times. It can be a shocker if you've never done something like that before, but it'll leave you feeling good afterward. It works too on the sinuses and muscle pains.

Hope you and your little girl feel better soon!

~Sherry

[eek]

My family has never had trouble with allergies until this spring. Until the pollen count finally went down a little in our area, my girls both had allergy symptoms for the first time. Someone here blamed it partially on the unseasonably warm weather, which brought all of the trees & weeds into pollen-producing together.

I heard on the news that allergy sufferers can get relief if they take one spoonful of local honey every day, consistently, for a long time. We buy & eat local honey already, but I'm thinking I'll let my girls try that. Anyone here had any luck with it?

[cathleengarvey]

I live in Greece and am suffering terribly with allergies. My huband only started getting it 3 years ago after we met and is convinced I gave it to him, even though I (and several others) have told him allergies are not contagious.