OT: Is anyone else DYING from spring allergies this year?

Diana

I am miserable! Now that it's finally gotten warm here, all of the trees have burst into (nasty, polleny, sneezy) bloom. Yesterday I was walking home, and by the time I got there, I was literally crying from all the pollen in my eyes and nose. It's beautiful out today, and I want to go out and enjoy it, but I also know that the minute I step outside, my already itchy eyes and runny nose will get a hundred times worse. =(

OK, now that I am done whining... does anyone have any allergy remedy suggestions? I am already taking a daily dose of Allegra (which works to some extent, but obviously not completely) and vacuuming/showering a lot.

13 years ago

General

18 replies

Latest reply was from Kari

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

This is one allergy i don't have but both my husband and son suffer through this every year. My husband has taken every kind of over the counter allergy medicine there is i believe, but nothing truely seems to work for him. Or if it does, he doesn't get to enjoy it anyway because he is passed out from it.

I give my son non-drowsy children's Claritin though and it seems to work wonders. I've also done the wet washcloth over his eyes at bedtime. And kept our windows closed. Nothing really ground breaking i'm afraid.

I"m so sorry you have to go through this! I've seen how miserable it can be and i hope it is over soon for you and then you can get to enjoying summer!

13 years ago

Louise

Veteran

I can totally sympathise with the hayfever I've had previous years when I could have scratched my eyes out they've been so itchy and sore and I remember 1 summer at work sitting with ice cubes over them!! Touch wood since starting tablets for my asthma I haven't really suffered with the hayfever bar gritty eyes on really bad days. I found great success with an antihistamine called Chlorphenamine Maleate I always get warned about it causing drowsyness but I've never suffered. I can also recommend eye washes. I get them in single use phials and the are great for rinsing your eyes out x

13 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

Me too !
And have been most of my life, here are my tricks of the trade:

- First, know that the various allergy medication sold over the counter (Claritin, Aerus, Allegra...) each have a different molecular structure; this means that they each work differently. You might find relief with one but not with another. You have to try different kinds.

- Two different kinds taken either together or at different times of the day will be more effective, as they will target allergies from different pollen. We react to multiple stimuli, so taking only one medication is not enough. That's why often despite taking a daily dose of one brand we still have to carry around the Kleenex with us. You may choose to take one non-drowsy in the morning and one drowsy at night.

- Lately I have tried the water cure with salt as described here http://zenchillcom.blogspot.co.....-cure.html and to my surprise I am seeing improvements, but it is not immediate.

- I have also been given corticosteroids during acute flare ups and I must say that one half dose has eliminated all symptoms for 2-3 days. But it is drowsy when you take it (drowsiness lasts about 4 hours). Sometimes when desperate it is a savior though.

13 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Yes, I am too!
I went back to taking Nasonex because the only OTC meds that work for me make me too sleepy and my twice daily sinus rinse just wasn't cutting it. I am feeling so much better now that it has gotten into my system. I'm allergic to something night blooming, and I was waking up in the middle of the night with horrible allergies as well as having them in the daytime. I hope you can find something that works for you. My son takes Allegra along with Nasonex- he needs the combination to keep his allergies at bay.

13 years ago

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Another one here. I had a few days of relief but it started again two days ago. For me, it isn't the eyes but the sinuses. I get intense sinus headaches that feel like my head is filled with cement and if I bend too far forward, I get dizzy.

I use Reactine (zyrtec in the U.S. and it does a pretty good job with no sleepiness. My son is allergic to many things and he uses it too (he's not a child though). I am finding that it isn't quite as effective lately but that is likely because I've been using it for about three years. I need to try others but Aerius was totally ineffective for me.

13 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

Sneezing in style...

Always, always carrying a delicate embroidered handkerchief. When in dire straits in a social situation, quickly pull it out to gently wipe or blot (not blow) nose, then (dare I say?), in the most inconspicuous manner, discreetly fold it back into your long sleeve (it will rest against your wrist. It sounds gross only if you blew your nose, not if you used the inner folded side to wipe. Sorry hope you're not eating while reading this).

Never wear pocket-less bell sleeved or sleeveless garments during allergy season or you will inevitable find yourself in a difficult position eventually.

In your purse, make sure you always have some green based moisturizing concealer (or sometimes just eye concealer will do) to retouch your nose during the day (in a private place). Some will get away with pressed powder, but if you suffer a lot like me your skin will likely be too dry for any powder, even the super expensive ones.

Outside, always wear large sunglasses even on overcast days as it serves to protect eyes from pollen-carrying wind. At home rinse eyes with the corner of a towel soaked in warm/hot water at least daily.

And you, what do you do?

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

Glad to hear I'm not the only one! I'm thinking it might be time to switch antihistamines, since I've been on Allegra for several years now - Claritin never did anything for me, though, so I may try some Zyrtec.

Louise, today I have resorted to putting ice cubes on my eyes too. It started with the outside of my cold drink glass, but now it is just ice cubes.

Here's hoping we all feel better soon!

13 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I have this too; my eyes just start watering and my makeup melts into my eyes and it's all streaky and I'm trying to drive with one eye... while the other one stings like crazy. I try to keep all the windows closed!

13 years ago

Dashrashi

Veteran

I take Allegra twice a day, Flonase (rx nasal spray) once a day when I'm in the thick of allergy season, real Sudafed (the behind-the-rx-counter stuff, not Sudafed PE) in the morning as needed, and Actifed (otc) as needed (also has an antihistamine so makes the nose stop running). I also used to use Zyrtec for years, which worked great until it stopped working. My allergies are late-summer-early-fall allergies, but I get a smaller reaction in the spring. I'm fairly lucky because I get negligible side effects from all of those; your mileage may vary. Really, though, I also don't do outdoor activities or keep the windows open or anything like that when I'm in the middle of allergy season. I've been known to have my whole face swell up when I overdo it.

13 years ago

Joy

Veteran

Me too! Claritin seems to help me most. Once you get the antihistimines working, don't let them wear off. It takes awhile for your system to build up.
Pollen here this week covers the outside of my sunglasses when outside. I've heard that smearing vasaline around your eyes and on your lashes to catch the pollen before it gets to your eyes helps. I just manage to smear it on my glasses rubbing my itchy eyes. I don't even consider wearing eye makeup.
Don't have open windows at night because that's when the pollen is released. It will be around more in the early mornings than afternoon.

13 years ago

Melissa

Active Member

Ugh, so sorry! I've had good luck in past with the new prescription version of zyrtec, which I think is called xyzal. I went off it because it was costing me too much per month, and now I am managing with allegra twice per day, plus flonase once per day and then supplementing with benadryl at nights when I need it.

Has anyone done allergy shots? I'm really thinking about it.

13 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

My doctor turned me on to Zyrtec D when I had a head cold a month or so ago, and it worked better for allergy-type symptoms than anything I've ever tried. Dried me right up! You may want to give it a try!

12 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

Hey, thanks Dashrashi and Melissa for the the medication tips! I will ask my doctor for sure.

Question to Flonase user: doesn't it make you sneeze more? Or is that an initial reaction that subsides? How did it work for you?
I can never past the first squirt which unleashes an endless string of aatchooms and aapitchooms.

12 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

Diana, I feel your pain. I get hayfever too, although it varies in intensity from year to year. I use over-the-counter antihistamines -- I switch from one to the other, not sure if any single one is better than any other -- and sometimes take Flonase. I've found that rinsing my sinuses is, for some reason, helpful. I started doing it on my doctor's recommendation one winter when I got a yucky sinus cold, and I'll be darned if it doesn't work like a charm for that. I tried it last year when I had allergies, and it seemed to help. Maybe it flushes out the pollen?

Anyway, in case you've never heard of rinsing your sinuses, this is what you do: go to the drugstore, get one of those squeezy bottles with premixed salt packets, fill it with warm water, dissolve a packet of salt, and squirt the whole works up each nostril. It's horrible and gag-inducing -- what can I say? -- but it really works.

Krishnidoux: I don't find that Flonase makes me sneeze when I squirt it up my nose. It feels horrible though.

12 years ago

Lynne

Veteran

Poor you! The Birch tree pollen is exceptionally high in Denmark at the moment, too. Normal lubricating eye drops can help settle your eyes by clearing away accumulated allergans there.

12 years ago

Dashrashi

Veteran

I've actually found that Flonase is the smoothest of the nasal sprays I've tried (nasonex, nasalcrom, etc etc etc). It still feels like water up your nose, a bit, but overall it's worth it. I try really hard not to sneeze it out, and one thing that can work is to angle the nozzle out a bit (i.e. towards your cheek rather than your septum) so the spray is not going up-up your nose but rather on the inside of your nose.

12 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

Thanks Dashrani. Very useful!

12 years ago

Kari

Veteran

Yes - and I live on Nasonex from April through August. Otherwise, I spend every nice & sunny day (with the accompanying high pollen count) extremely congested, blowing my nose all day, and with itchy eyes. Not so fun.

Claratin helped me a little bit as a preventative, but Nasonex (when used every day BEFORE the allergies strike) seems to be more effective.

My family also swears by using Neti Pots daily during allergy or cold seasons. Personally, I can't stand the sensation, but it might be worth trying.

12 years ago

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