How do you deal with seasonal allergies?

Cosmodragoon · 2019-03-22T23:46:21.000Z

I tried allergy shots for over a year. It was a real pain and a whole lot to do. I experienced no benefit but did have a couple of minor reactions at the office. At this point in life, I get by with Zyrtec. During the worst parts of the pollen season, I take two pills instead of one. My doctor said that was fine and I haven’t noticed any side effects from doing so. I also have budesonide nasal spray on hand for when sinus inflammation ramps up. Everyone’s body is different but I’ve found that inflammation can take on a life of its own if let it run rampant. It’s best to nip it in the bud when it starts.

BTW, budesonide nasal spray is considerably more effective and has less side effects than fluticasone (Flonase) in my experience. Just a guess but it might be because most of the fluticasone formulations out there use a problematic preservative: benzalkonium chloride. The generic budesonide I get does not use that ingredient.

LightObsession · 2019-03-23T02:02:33.000Z

For my sinus issues, rinsing the sinuses with a netti pot and saline solution seems to be helpful.

BurningPlayd0h · 2019-03-24T06:23:49.000Z

Old_Klein:

Just my 2 cents here…

I was badly allergic every summer for 28 years, took cortisone shots and pills, sprays…

THEN, — I changed my diet to a low carb - High fat (Nearly carnivore)
Excluded almost all Gluten and PUFA’s…
then by magic, throoat cleared up, and no more stuffed runny nose/eye.
And I have not used Any medicine the last 2 years.

However, if i eat gluten in large amounts, the allergy kicks in again for a couple days.

Allergy is a side effect of all the Shit that you eat, take away the shit, then everything heals.
took me 28 years to figure that out by myself, no doctor have ever said that too me, i guess they wanted to keep their job,

Except some people have zero gluten allergy at all… Calling carbs “shit” is pretty disingenuous when its a macro-nutrient that literally everyone requires. Gluten and carbs are independent anyway.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are fatty acids that contain more than one double bond in their backbone. This class includes many important compounds, such as essential fatty acids and those that give drying oils their characteristic property.

Hmmmm

Cosmodragoon · 2019-03-24T14:26:02.000Z

It’s true that wheat isn’t the same plant as it has been for most of human history. Holstein cows are relatively new and might have some different proteins in their milk. Much of our food is heavily processed or contains all kinds of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc. I’d be surprised if those things, especially the latter, didn’t have an impact on our health.

However, I have tried some of the exclusionary diets in question. I think that my general inflammation levels might have been a little better on a low-carb/non-wheat diet but I still had allergies. Ragweed and tree pollen seasons were still brutal. Taking honey and probiotics might have helped a little but that’s hard to quantify because “allergy seasons” vary by actual pollen levels and a lot goes into determining that. Going off dairy might have made me a little less phlegmy but as with the other benefits, notice the “might” and “a little”.

I’m all for better quality and more natural food. At the same time, I know that allergies are a learned malfunction with the immune system. I wouldn’t expect them to wear off any faster than your immune system “forgets” the immunity it gains from vaccination, and that’s usually an immunity to something you’re not being exposed to every year.

raccoon · 2019-04-06T06:15:16.000Z

I saw my doctor today.

He recommended a nasal rinse.

LightObsession:

For my sinus issues, rinsing the sinuses with a netti pot and saline solution seems to be helpful.

Yeah, something like this.

It seems like an awful lot of effort, so instead I am using saline nasal spray.

So far it has helped.

I also ordered some Flonase from Amazon.

I'm going to use Claratin, Flonase, and the saline nasal spray.

My doctor doesn't think that I have bad enough allergies to get allergy shots, and I agree with him.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Cosmodragoon · 2019-04-06T07:09:09.000Z

raccoon city:

It seems like an awful lot of effort, so instead I am using saline nasal spray…
I also ordered some Flonase from Amazon… I’m going to use Claratin, Flonase, and the saline nasal spray.

I stopped using Flonase because it was preserved with benzalkonium chloride. This is a problematic ingredient. It can have adverse effects such as irritation and worsening of your underlying sinusitis. Of course, since the steroid is effective, this can happen without you knowing. This is a probable contributor to the “rebound swelling” people sometimes get when going off of it.

I switched to a generic nasal steroid that is not preserved with this ingredient. It seemed to work better. Unlike flonase, I had no side effects. Unlike flonsase, I also had no rebound swelling when going off of it after different pollen seasons.

BTW, this preservative is used in a bunch of things. It is mostly a problem for products that go in your eyes or nasal passages. Check to be sure your saline isn’t preserved with it either.

tekwyzrd · 2019-04-06T08:58:58.000Z

As a child I suffered from severe pollen allergies, with grass pollen among the worst (other than poison oak or ivy which I was informed could be deadly if inhaled from burning - skin contact requires steroids and an antihistamine with atropine and digitalis). I endured scratch tests to determine what I was allergic to, and afterward weekly injections for years to try to reduce sensitivity ($40 each week in the mid to late 1970s). In the 1980s I was prescribed and regularly used seldane (terfenadine which produces fexofenadine aka allegra when metabolized) and have tried to avoid antihistamines since. After I got older and became a smoker my allergies became less and less severe. I quit smoking several times and when I did the allergies became more severe. I suspect that tobacco, for me, is more effective than the concoction that was intended to desensitize me. That reminds me… it’s about time to decide what tobacco strains I want to grow this year and start some seeds.

noboneshotdog · 2019-04-06T11:11:33.000Z

Nicolicous:

avoid medication.

eat natural fruits that contain antihistamine… like pineapple

also need exercising + swimming

Yes! I take a natural supplement called QUERCITIN. It works great and has been getting my son and I through seasonal allergies since we discovered it 3 years ago. And, ZERO side effects! :+1:

teacher · 2019-04-06T13:06:27.000Z

Cetirizine / (Generic Zyrtec /cetirizine hydrochloride) / 10mg x 1 per day / 180 tablets - $28.95 @ WalMart

In times of high pollen count, equal parts of the ingredients below. Warmed, thoroughly mixed, & sipped as needed.

Jack Daniels Black Label /
Honey
Lemon juice

texas_shooter · 2019-04-06T13:58:34.000Z

I take 2 Benadryl pills each night and after a about a week to ten days of it I’m snot free. Then just keep taking them at night until the season is over. The drowsy side effect of Benadryl helps me sleep.

RobertB · 2019-04-06T14:28:02.000Z

I found I didn’t need drugs, just a good dust mask, and a good HVAC filter… When living in Virginia, it was awful. Huge clouds of yellow pollen for weeks on end. I used to pray for heavy rain. When it did rain, the rain runoff would be yellow with pollen. Living in Michigan, the pollen season isn’t nearly as long or intense.

Macka17 · 2019-04-06T23:08:32.000Z

MOVE….
Live near the coast in Australia.
Clean fresh Oceanic breezes all yr. On East and West coasts.
Next stop from South Coast is the Antarctic.
Our inland is all Red Desert. But virtually not capable of being lived on
inside the mountain (Ha Ha) Ranges.

You move for work don’t you.
Why not move for your health. It’s more important.
The only thing stopping you. Is YOU.

raccoon · 2019-04-06T23:23:57.000Z

If I could afford to move, I would.

Our family owns the land and house we live in, so I pay very little to live here.

Luckily I love living with my family, because I cannot afford to live anywhere else.

caramba · 2019-04-07T05:23:00.000Z

Neti pot?
I think it is torture

raccoon · 2019-04-07T06:25:32.000Z

I would bet that the neti pot works wonders, but I'm getting good results with just saline nasal spray.

I received literature about nasal rinses and the main thing I learned is that tap water is not good for the nose or sinuses.

I was rinsing out my nose with tap water and made my condition much worse.

Now that I use saline nasal spray instead, things are starting to go my way.

Bob_McBob · 2019-04-07T06:21:52.000Z

I’ve had seasonal allergies all my life. I take Kirkland generic fluticasone (Flonase) and desloratadine. I get a lot of congestion so I used to take Claritin-D (loratadine/pseudoephedrine in Canada), but the generic Flonase works extremely well and is a better choice for long-term use.

caramba · 2019-04-07T22:11:41.000Z

raccoon city:

I would bet that the neti pot works wonders, but I’m getting good results with just saline nasal spray.

I received literature about nasal rinses and the main thing I learned is that tap water is not good for the nose or sinuses.

I was rinsing out my nose with tap water and made my condition much worse.

Now that I use saline nasal spray instead, things are starting to go my way.

good for you,

How small is pollen? what about using one of those respirators p95 on really bad days?

Lightbringer · 2019-05-13T00:12:19.000Z

A “from the archives” article. but youse might find something of interest…

https://www.highya.com/articles-guides/how-to-survive-spring-allergy-season

Inkidu · 2019-05-13T00:36:14.000Z

Azelastine

Brands: Astelin, Optivar

An antihistamine that doesn’t make me drowsy. Doesn’t taste good, but I have read they have a version that includes an artificial sweetener.

raccoon · 2019-05-13T00:46:23.000Z

Lightbringer:

A “from the archives” article. but youse might find something of interest…

https://www.highya.com/articles-guides/how-to-survive-spring-allergy-season

Looks like a good article!

Some of the things they recommend (and I use) are saline nasal spray and fish oil.

I take fish oil for my cholesterol.

I didn't realize it is good for allergies as well.