Allergies...I don't know how much more I can take...UGH!

[Swimnoid]

I'm right there with you, OP.

Besides the sneezing, and sinus dripping my main symptom is itchy palate. Weird. This year has been the worst in a long time. My whole mouth is affected. Finally last week it started to subside...yay!... Then I had to go to the mountains and their pollen production must be a couple of weeks behind ours because I had a nasty flair. UGH!

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I'm on day four of complete allergy misery. Itching red eyes, sneezing constantly, chest and back hurt from breathing, yuck! I am taking allegra, flonase and benadryl and they help, a little. I want to go to sleep and wake up when the allergens are gone!

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have terrible sinus issues. My poor forehead just pounds and never stops. I have never found anything that helps since they took seldane-D off the market. This last round lasted 3 days of pounding. Your not alone with the issues.

 

[disfan07]

Yes, I do take the Claritin. Zyrtec worked for about 4 years for me, but for some reason lost some of the effectiveness a couple years ago.

The singular is a great med. I am hoping once I get straight a little more I can try again. I wondered if the problem was more the combo of meds rather than singular itself. I felt the best I ever have on it.

Kelly

I hope you can get back on the singular as well! Doesn't it stink that such a great medication has such lousy side effects?

 

[quandrea]

I hear ya.

Right now for allergies I am taking: Zyrtec in the AM, Allegra in the afternoon, and Benadryl at night. I am using both Zetonna and patanase nasal sprays and patanol eye drops
For asthma I am taking: symbicort 160/4.5 3x day, xoponex nebs 2x day, pulmicort nebs 2xday and xoponex inhaler as needed.

It's ridiculous right now. On top of that, we have a nasty respiratory virus going around which of course I caught earlier this week.

Have they given you antibiotics? You could have a recurring sinus infection that needs antibiotics.

THis is great advice. I sometimes fine the allergies get so bad that a secondary infection sets in and I need a round of anitbiotics. I am also on a long list of meds like the OP, as is my daughter, 4. HAve you seen your allergist through all this? I found it took frequent visits and a lot of medication tweaking to get me over what was five years of almost chronic, severe illness. Now I'm pretty good, so long as I stay ahead of the meds. I find I need way more antihistamine than what the bottles say. My little one is on a quadruple dose of meds in relation to the package recommended dose. Prescribed by the allergist. That's why I say to check in with him or her again. Good luck.

 

[quandrea]

Wow I never knew that. Guess I am lucky then, because I have been on singular for a few years and the only side effect for me has been an extra 10 pounds that I can't get rid of.

Are any of you on Claritin? I take that in the morning along with a couple sniffs of flonase, and take the singular at night. My allergies are not gone, by any means, but are manageable.

Singular was a life changing med for me. I guess I am very lucky about the headaches. Not a one so far.

 

[minkydog]

Grass allergies are kicking my butt. Taking alleges, Sudafed, and Tylenol. Washing my face several times a day. I can't tolerate singulair--I keep getting ear infections when I was on it. Burst my left eardrum three times!

 

[disfan07]

Grass allergies are kicking my butt. Taking alleges, Sudafed, and Tylenol. Washing my face several times a day. I can't tolerate singulair--I keep getting ear infections when I was on it. Burst my left eardrum three times!

Wow! Never heard of that being a side effect! The headache I got from it doesn't sound half bad now.

Do you also use a nasal spray? I've been told that nasal sprays are really good for grass allergies.

 

[smitch425]

Have any of you looked into allergy shots? DS has been getting them for a couple of years now, and it has helped him tremendously. The first year, he had to get a shot in each arm every week, but for the past year, he has been on an every other week schedule. He is allergic to cats, dogs, a bunch of grasses and several trees. That is why he gets two shots each time. If you don't have a whole lot of allergies, they could get it into just one shot. Might be worth considering for some of you. I only have to give him his Zyrtec when we are staying with my mom who has two giant indoor dogs. Otherwise, he is fine with just the shots.

 

[disfan07]

Have any of you looked into allergy shots? DS has been getting them for a couple of years now, and it has helped him tremendously. The first year, he had to get a shot in each arm every week, but for the past year, he has been on an every other week schedule. He is allergic to cats, dogs, a bunch of grasses and several trees. That is why he gets two shots each time. If you don't have a whole lot of allergies, they could get it into just one shot. Might be worth considering for some of you. I only have to give him his Zyrtec when we are staying with my mom who has two giant indoor dogs. Otherwise, he is fine with just the shots.

I tried them last year as cluster shots. 3 doses every time (3 shots each dose...so 9 shots total). I had 2 anaphylactic reactioninducing the first 10 weeks of shots so we had to stop. We are reconsidering starting them again on a slower schedule but my allergist is a little reluctant to try again even though we've run out of options.

I'm glad they have worked for your son! I like hearing positive stories like that. It gives me hope that maybe if we slow down the schedule that they might work for me.

 

[maxiesmom]

Do you also use a nasal spray? I've been told that nasal sprays are really good for grass allergies.

I hope you don't mind me answering this one. For me, the flonase is a wonderous thing! It helps a great deal with grass allergies and the like. However, I have to take a short break from it every so often. It does give me nose bleeds and then I have to stop using it for a bit.

I thought I read somewhere that they were worried about it doing some harm to the membranes in your nose, but that was a while ago and I haven't heard it again.

 

[disfan07]

I hope you don't mind me answering this one. For me, the flonase is a wonderous thing! It helps a great deal with grass allergies and the like. However, I have to take a short break from it every so often. It does give me nose bleeds and then I have to stop using it for a bit.

I thought I read somewhere that they were worried about it doing some harm to the membranes in your nose, but that was a while ago and I haven't heard it again.

Flonase is a wonderful medication! I've heard the same thing as you about the harm that nasal sprays can do but I havent heard about it as much recently. But I do know that using a steroid nasal spray can make rebound symptoms worse meaning that the congestion could be worse when first coming off of the nasal spray.

I used Flonase for a while adn it worked wonders at the time. BUt now I use zetonna and add patanase when its really bad.

 

[kellyg403]

Wow...sure seems a lot of us suffering this year.

I took Flonase for about 6 months last year. It worked great, then I started getting recurrent nosebleeds. So I had to stop that. It did help, I had no other issues.

I am hoping that I can start on allergy shots. I have an appt. finally with an allergist. I have been seeing a Pulminologist, as well as my family dr. He does a great job with things, but the time had come to see an Allergist. It took 2 months to get an appt between the insurance referral and the dr's patient load. I see him soon, thank goodness.

I hope everyone feels better soon. At least today I can breathe. I finish the antibiotics for the sinus infection tomorrow. I do feel a bunch better. At least my face doesn't hurt anymore...

It has been a year in April that I have had nothing but respitory issues. When I was in the hospital in Dec they did a CT Scan and several other tests to rule out things like blood clots and other lung diseases. Nothing. I had a biopsy done on the little viliea(sp) in my lungs to make sure they are working properly etc All those test came back normal. I am also taking Zantac for reflux, that helps some but I never really knew I had reflux? Sometimes I feel like everytime I get sick I end up taking something else just to see what happens. I don't actually think I have been well for so long, I might not remember!

Kelly

 

[disfan07]

Wow...sure seems a lot of us suffering this year.

I took Flonase for about 6 months last year. It worked great, then I started getting recurrent nosebleeds. So I had to stop that. It did help, I had no other issues.

I am hoping that I can start on allergy shots. I have an appt. finally with an allergist. I have been seeing a Pulminologist, as well as my family dr. He does a great job with things, but the time had come to see an Allergist. It took 2 months to get an appt between the insurance referral and the dr's patient load. I see him soon, thank goodness.

I hope everyone feels better soon. At least today I can breathe. I finish the antibiotics for the sinus infection tomorrow. I do feel a bunch better. At least my face doesn't hurt anymore...

It has been a year in April that I have had nothing but respitory issues. When I was in the hospital in Dec they did a CT Scan and several other tests to rule out things like blood clots and other lung diseases. Nothing. I had a biopsy done on the little viliea(sp) in my lungs to make sure they are working properly etc All those test came back normal. I am also taking Zantac for reflux, that helps some but I never really knew I had reflux? Sometimes I feel like everytime I get sick I end up taking something else just to see what happens. I don't actually think I have been well for so long, I might not remember!

Kelly

One of the symptoms of reflux can be respiratory symptoms. I know with me when my reflux gets bad, it exacerbates my asthma. In addition, allergic reactions cause a refulx exacerbation for me. It might be worthwhile to talk to your doctor about maybe trying prilosec instead of zantac for reflux symptoms. it might not do anything but IMO, i dont think it would hurt to try.

I'm assuming you have had pulmonary function tests done? If not, I would definitely ask the pulmonologist about getting those done. and not just spirometry...but full pulmonary function tests.

 

[minkydog]

Wow! Never heard of that being a side effect! The headache I got from it doesn't sound half bad now.

Do you also use a nasal spray? I've been told that nasal sprays are really good for grass allergies.

No, I can't tolerate the sweet smell...gag me!

 

[npmommie]

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com...and-peppermint-the-natural-antihistamine.html



This is what i use

 

[tinatark]

Same here. It's the same everywhere. It's really not that difficult. You show your ID, they give you a box, you sign and pay.

It's a pain here.

Wait in the line at the Pharmacy, go over your symptoms (can't buy it for your kids/anyone else) with the pharmacist, show ID and you can buy in limited quantity.

The Wal Mart here is out of Sudafed, etc with Sudaphrene (sp) even the store brand. They have apparently been out for awhile and don't know when they'll get more.

 

[kellyg403]

One of the symptoms of reflux can be respiratory symptoms. I know with me when my reflux gets bad, it exacerbates my asthma. In addition, allergic reactions cause a refulx exacerbation for me. It might be worthwhile to talk to your doctor about maybe trying prilosec instead of zantac for reflux symptoms. it might not do anything but IMO, i dont think it would hurt to try.

I'm assuming you have had pulmonary function tests done? If not, I would definitely ask the pulmonologist about getting those done. and not just spirometry...but full pulmonary function tests.

Yes, I have had the full work up on the function tests.

I will speak to the dr regarding Prilosec instead. I actually have been taking the Zantac only because after a course of Prednisone I have horrible heartburn. One of the side effects of the steroid. Again, every med has something that comes along with it that causes issues.

Thanks for all the advice Disfan. I don't have anywhere near the issues that you have. I feel bad for complaining when I see the amount of meds and issues that you have. I hope that you are able to get right soon as well. It is scary when you can't breathe!

Kelly

 

[kellyg403]

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com...and-peppermint-the-natural-antihistamine.html



This is what i use

I think I am going to look into this. One of the hardest parts of this process is the fact that I have never been someone who has taken a lot of meds. About the most I have ever taken is advil/tylenol and a vitamin. Lately I have added B-12 just for energy.

I would love something more natural. Thank you!

Kelly

 

[kellyg403]

I hope you don't mind me answering this one. For me, the flonase is a wonderous thing! It helps a great deal with grass allergies and the like. However, I have to take a short break from it every so often. It does give me nose bleeds and then I have to stop using it for a bit.

I thought I read somewhere that they were worried about it doing some harm to the membranes in your nose, but that was a while ago and I haven't heard it again.

Maxismom...how long do you take a break from the Flonase? I did not mind using the Flonase but my doc stopped it once the nosebleeds became daily. I did try to go back on after a 2 week timeframe and the nosebleeds didn't start back up for about a week and then they were back. So I am wondering if I could try again since it has been about 6 months since I used it.

Thanks!
Kelly