"seasonal allergies"

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

I don't know if I have seasonal or mould allergies, but whichever it is, I'm having weirdly severe congestion this year, with sinus headaches, optical migraines, and difficulty reading computer screens I might actually consider going to a doctor, except I'm in a foreign, non-socialized-medicine country and have no idea how to deal with it. Ugh.

Thanks for providing a place to complain, ILX.

Throat-affecting allergies?

I've had a wacky throat irritation since late May, which my sister (from 100 miles away) diagnoses as allergies. Well, I've never had a persistently touchy throat like this before...Went to the doctor a month ago, and he felt a cyst on my throat -- which mercifully turned out, after an ultrasound, to be "nothing" -- but, see, he was so distracted by the "lump" that HE FORGOT TO LOOK IN MY MOUTH!

So now I'm going back to him next week cuz, hey, I'm spitting up *minute* amounts of blood. Anyone have that from allergies?

oh god, could someone please bring me a scouring pad for my eyeballs!!

MOTHERFUCKER!

<3 u Mr. Snrub, take care of yourself

I am about ready to take my eyes out and put them in the freezer. Guess it's time to remind myself which antihistamines result in pounding headaches and which result in constant nausea.

I should remind myself to write down exactly which antihistamine or loratadine works with me, because I forget all the time. Not that matters though, it varies every year. Have tried three different ones this year already. Sadly, no dice...

Teh Fever has been not too bad for me in UK this year until yesterday, when usually reliable loratadine did absolutely fuck all and the whole afternoon and evening was rasping, streaming, bleary eyed horror. Strangely, am back to ok today so not sure if it was a freakishly high pollen count or just random weirdness.

yeah, also in UK and last night was my first bad hayfever this year. I don't think my hayfever is all that bad, just lots of sneezing, watery eyes and really itchy ears. Piriton does the job for me, only problem is its really soporific and knocks me the fucked out.

It's a bit of a lark, but have you guys considered trying raw, local honey?

I don't know if I have seasonal or mould allergies, but whichever it is, I'm having weirdly severe congestion this year, with sinus headaches, optical migraines, and difficulty reading computer screens I might actually consider going to a doctor

Wow, very same thing I'm experiencing. :-(

I'm okay now, but a couple of weeks ago, I was experiencing the worst allergies attacks I've suffered in a decade (which is saying something). This has been a brutal season.

Raw local honey hasn't worked for me this spring, but the most "local" I could get it was from Maine, so it could be from 300 miles away for all I know. It IS incredibly tasty, more so than regular honey or sugar, though.

Nathalie I hope you can get to a doctor...I was pretty miserable all last summer, wouldn't wish the same on you :(

I blame it on colony collapse disorder. No bees to catch the pollen, it goes right into your eyes and nose.

has anyone being getting weird night allergies? im ok during the day but as soon as i get sleepy the top of my mouth hurts and i get sneezy. very weird.

Thx for the honey tip, Alex (v. amusing blog post too, I was getting sympathetic sinus twinges just reading it). Am tempted to track down some local honey if I can, though as you say might be a bit late to start spooning it down now. Would this year's be effective next year, or do the bees use different plants annually?

No night allergies here, but I do sometimes have sneezing jags as soon as I get up, which is great fun at six in the morning.

it doesn't seem too bad this year (yet) but yeah, i'm sneezy when i get up and when i get tired at night

So I've been plagued by these seasonal allergies for the past 7 late springs/early summers. Tried every single OTC allergy med there was to offer, nothing worked and I inevitably spent 7-9 days in total misery - watering, sneezing, dripping. Finally sucked it up and went to the doc this year. He explained that antihistamines work for 85% of the population, but some people need topical steroids. He prescribed Flonase and it has worked like a charm. I'm breathing through both nostrils for the first time in 2 weeks!

collony collapse is a good theory, it does seem like everyone's season allergies are way worse in the past two years than they ever used to be, despite the new antihistimes available.

i was using zyrtec for the past couple of years and it worked great until the past few months. useless now.

dying here

been eating raw honey + cayenne pepper

taking otc claritin by the pound

do they make everyone feel super tired?

When you are hard core on the antihistamines their drowsy effects wear off after a time. But the effect of the pollen itself can leave you tired, as if your body has been fighting an infection.