"seasonal allergies"

robble. i never noticed this one.

Sinuses=fucked. Mold count still very high, but late summer grasses at high now as well, plus I think the changes in the weather at the moment might be as much a part of the problem as my allergies. Plus I have a stiff neck, I must have slept funny.

(Weeds not grasses. Whatever.)

here we go again

my mold allergies + suspect hvac system at work = i have a radar o'reilly-like ability to tell when the ac is coming on seconds before anyone else knows.

got em today, flowers have felled me once more

fuck these, seriously. I thought I was getting a cold a week and a half ago until I realized that the pollen level just got cranked above the level that pills will neutralize for me. fuck.

http://pollen.com/images/usa_map.gif

OM NOM NOM NOM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/pollen/

flowers have felled me once more

I used to think this, too. But I was wrong.

Pretty much anything with a flower evolved that flower in order to attract pollenators, such as bees or wasps. The U&K thing about being pollenated by an insect is that you (the plant) can make a much bigger grain of pollen, packed with more genetic information, and then let the bee carry it hither and yon for you. Bees are strong critters.

Before flowers evolved, plants had to pollenate by dumping their pollen grains into the air and letting the wind carry them. Big drawback there, because you (the plant) must be contented with less genetic info exchange.

Small pollen grains on the wind are the real culprit in seasonal allergies. That means non-flowering plants like grasses and some kinds of trees (e.g. alders) are doing the damage. If you see a big, showy flower display, it means insect pollenation, big pollen, and not to blame for your or my misery.

I like how, on that map, there's this little extended kick right into Arkansas.
I feel so crappy -- dang you, ragweed!

ugh i love how this came on just as i have a whole bunch of work to get done that my brain will not now allow me to do because it's so fuzzy.

I'm through the worst of it, but see a lot of people struggling. I was really bad a few weeks ago.

claritin is cutting most of my symptoms down by about half but i still hate life right now

The meds are just awful!

was there a big spike in pollen today? is this why i have a sore throat maybe?

I'm doing a little better this year; I'm preemptively taking meds (about two months early) and doing occasional neti pot. But yeah; it's bad today.

i am dying :(

Ever since Sunday I've been in absolute fucking AGONY. I've never tried Claritin before. Is it any good?

The generic version of Claritin is called loratadine. One dose is generally for 24 hours. It works pretty well and doesn't have drowsy side effects for me when I stick to the suggested dose.

However, I do take some additonal Benedryl (generic: diphenhydramine) at night to help keep the symptoms down when pollen counts are high. That knocks back some of the histamines in my system and the drowsiness doesn't matter.

FUCK THIS. yeah, put me in the "thought i had a cold OH WAIT" pile. :( :( :(

xpost to map: that map has changed!

the claritin is doing nothing for me at the moment, and i even took extra!

yikes!

i've found using saline solution really helps, i flush my nostrils out 3 times a day. it immediately alleviates the itchiness in the nose, clears out any existing congestion, and is um..a really involved process.

my mom keeps recommending i do this but i am ascared.

totally considering it, in fact i checked a local pharmacy today but they didn't have it

Neti pot + 8 oz warm tap water + 1/2 tsp plain salt + 1/4 tsp baking soda is my lifesaver. I don't know how exactly but running saline through my nose helps keep my eyes and ears from itching like mad as well.

i saw a neti pot at whole foods this afternoon but i was too afraid to buy one. this looks enticing, though, cause my nose and ears and throat have been totally itchy!

They are freaky to use, especially the first couple of times, but really worth it imo. Great for dry winter places, dusty air (I was working in a coal yard 2 weeks ago), and washing out the allergens.

damn

If'n y'don't have a neti pot, it is possible to simply place some warmish, slightly salty water in a shallow bowl, dip your nose into the water and snort it up into your nasal passages. I do this frequently.

I used to do that, but got more sinus infections. Then switched to that Ocean saline spray, then neti pot 3 years ago. In one side and out the other seems to be U&K for me. ymmv. You can use a teacup or a measuring cup, or a gravy boat too. But using something with a spout helps.

Tza, get the neti pot. it works. It's fucked up but it totally totally works.

misery

such misery

http://www.pollen.com/fimages/std/9.8.gif

Not usually susceptible to this shit, but I spent yesterday with kleenex noseplugs.

mine have been really mild recently

http://www.drudgesiren.com/siren.gif DEVELOPING... http://www.drudgesiren.com/siren.gif