@@$^*^&$ Allergies

[Tiggeroo]

anybody else dealing with fall allergies? Mine started around two months ago and just aren't going away. They have triggered my asthma which I haven't needed meds for in over two years. I am having a difficult time getting the asthma under control and it's completely because of the allergies.
I have tried taking cingular, claritin, zyrtec, two of them together, flonaise, some other script nose spray and now I'm using one of those over the counter nasal sprays. Initially I was just stuffy, now I'm stuffy, runny, itchy eyes, itchy throat and the whole time the cloudy headed feeling. The meds are drying me out. I don't really know what else to try. I always avoided going for the shots but it was never this bad. I could always clear up the problem with claritin for a week or two.
Any tips or suggestions? Are there any useful non-traditional allergy treatments?

 

[lovetoscrap]

Has your dr prescribed a steroid like Prednisone? My allergies have been awful for about a month. So far it hasn't affected my asthma and hasn't progressed beyond annoying but when it gets bad I always end up on a steroid. That generally takes care of it.

Also remember that you have to be on the allergy medicines long term. You mentioned quite a few, but did you take them for several weeks to see their full effect.

 

[Tiggeroo]

When my asthma first started up I was on a week of prednisone. It improved it.I can hold a conversation without running out of breath. I can go up stairs and I'm not up at night coughing. The problem is I'm using albuterol several times a day to maintain. I tried advair and it seemed to make it worst.
I tried every allergy med at least two weeks. I've currently been on zyrtec for three weeks. It initially seemed to help some. Who knows, maybe I'd be much worst without it. I have had allergies and allergy induced asthma for years but it's sporadic and I don't remember it being this bad in awhile. Part of the problem is I have high blood pressure so I'll no longer take any with a decongetant. Claritin D would get me the best results but I don't take that now.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Do you see an allergist? Sounds like it could be time if you don't. But usually they are booked up so you may need to make an appt for ASAP and see your reg. dr now. If you are using the albuterol that often you are not under control. Take it from someone that was taken to the ER in an ambulance a few months ago for an asthma attack-- you need to get this under control. You probably need an inhaled steroid and sometimes you can also get better results with a nebulizer rather than a hand held puffer.

My DH has hbp, he uses Mucinex for congestion. You might check that out. I use it at night also becuase Sudafed keeps me awake--it works pretty well. You aren't taking a Dristan type nasal spray are you? It sounds like you really need to see your dr and get some help. If advair didn't help there are other options.

I have allergies and asthma sporadically like you do. The problem is that it is a downward spiral. Once one gets triggered it causes the other to get worse, and you just keep spiraling downward with each making the other worse. You may need a major combo of inhaled and oral steroid. I will never forget the advice of one of the best allergist's I ever had. I called when I was like you, absolutely miserable and not getting better. She told me that I should never be miserable and unable to function from allergies. To always call and they CAN help. Unfortunately it can be difficult to find a great allergist or family dr to treat you correctly.

to you. I know how you are feeling and it sucks.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I'm making an appointment with an allergist and another with my dr. At my last visit though I feel like my dr did all she could. She put me cingulair, advair and the albuterol. I have in the past been bad enough to need nebulizer treatment and have gone to the er for this as well. I am no where near that bad. One of the reasons for the albuterol is that I have begun working out. I need to take it 15 minutes before my workout no matter what, when it is acting up. I don't think the new inhalers work as well either. I felt like the advair was making me feel worst but I"m going to try it again. The main problem is the allergies and the cloudy headed feeling they give. And now the constant sneezing which is a new one. My previous dr lost his sister due to asthma and a car accident. He said all asthma sufferers operate at 80% lung function on good days. They just don't realize this because they feel good and normal here. Then when they get near a trigger it drops quickly and you can be very compromized at 70%.