Seasonal Allergies

[HagginHall1999]

I am getting hammered by seasonal Allergies this year. Never was an issue until the past few seasons. Basically, first 40 years of my life I never dealt with them.

I'm on my third bout already this spring.

Walked the dog 8 miles yesterday and gave our grass the first cut of the year....paying for it today.

It was literally so bad this afternoon I felt like I was going to pass out while driving.

Tree pollen is particularly bad right now.

Anyone deal with this and have suggestions?

I have a daily Flonase knock off I take....has worked fairly well...didn't take until my second bout and just assuming since I spent a ton of time outside yesterday it couldn't keep up.

 

[bigsmoothie]

Loraratdine works for my oldest son. Takes it in March and April then he’s good. You have to start it before the pollen count get up and things start growing.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I am getting hammered by seasonal Allergies this year. Never was an issue until the past few seasons. Basically, first 40 years of my life I never dealt with them.

I'm on my third bout already this spring.

Walked the dog 8 miles yesterday and gave out grass the first cut of the year....paying for it today.

It was literally so bad this afternoon I felt like I was going to pass out while driving.

Tree pollen is particularly bad right now.

Anyone deal with this and have suggestions?

I have a daily Flonase knock off I take....has worked fairly well...didn't take until my second bout and just assuming since I spent a ton of time outside yesterday it couldn't keep up.

I've read that since COVID has changed the way of living, a lot of folks have experienced heightened allergies, or at least allergy symptoms. Maybe because everyone was forced inside, maybe the masks.. or it might not be true.

I also know that Flonase and allergy medicines can take several days before they are working at their peak. It's not like Benedryl. So keep taking it.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Don’t take afrin. I straight up got addicted to that **** and got to the point where I couldn’t breath without it. Went to the doctor and he goes “Oh ya, you got afrin nose!” Thought he was messing with me but apparently it’s a thing.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I’m not crying, I’m just allergic to jerks

 

[Dig Dirkler]

Teaspoon of local sourced honey.

Bees from your area.

 

[Ahnan E. Muss]

Generic steroid nasal spray if your primary symptom is nasal congestion. Takes a few days to really work to its fullest, and must be used consistently during your allergy season.

Generic antihistamine (claritin, zyrtec, allegra) if your primary symptom is runny nose. Take one every night.

Do BOTH if you have runny nose AND congestion or itchy, watery, red eyes along with nasal issues. The steroid nasal spray and the antihistamine work really well together.

Also, remember pollen gets all over your clothes and in your hair. So after being outside for a long time, when you go back in for the night, change clothes and maybe take a quick shower.

If all that isn't enough, consider a Neilmed saline kit. https://www.neilmed.com/usa/index.php Takes a little getting used to but can really help. If you want to start slower, just get a little bottle of saline spray and use it generously to help flush the pollen out of your nasal passages.

 

[funKYcat75]

Claritin and Flonase seem to be doing the trick. Generic for each of course.

 

[downw/ball-lineD]

Same story as original poster. Never had bad allergies until the last couple of years. I have no idea why. Thanks for all the advice guys. It’s been a struggle the last couple weeks

 

[bigsmoothie]

I've read that since COVID has changed the way of living, a lot of folks have experienced heightened allergies, or at least allergy symptoms. Maybe because everyone was forced inside, maybe the masks.. or it might not be true.

I also know that Flonase and allergy medicines can take several days before they are working at their peak. It's not like Benedryl. So keep taking it.

This. The allergy meds take several days to work. You may think they aren’t but they need several days to work.

 

[Kingseve1]

Had em every year the last 15 years. Started doing wim hof and it’s gone

 

[entropy13]

I have bad year-round allergies that are usually worse in the spring (grass pollen) and fall (ragweed). Allergic to other stuff too, like dust mites.

There's a new antihistamine, Xyzal, that works well and is completely non-drowsy. Same active component as Zyrtec but easier on your system (levocetrizine instead of cetrizene).

As others have said, a steroid nasal spray usually works well but takes several days to become effective. I was having a terrible time a few weeks ago and my allergist actually prescribed me a dissolvable tablet of budesonide, which is stronger than flonase, and which you use in a nasal rinse once per day. You're only supposed to use it maybe one day each week, as it can cause headaches, but damn did it calm things down quickly.

There's a new type of allergy shot that's beginning to be offered. The old type they gave in the arm weekly took about 2 years to build up, and then you'd still get a maintenance shot every 2-4 weeks for many years. Anyway, this new type of shot is called intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT). It's only three shots over two months and you're done. They take a small dose of the allergen and inject it into your inguinal lymph node, which trains your immune system to recognize it much more quickly, so that it doesn't attack it as something dangerous. This just got approved by the FDA in 2020 or 2021. Anyway, after suffering for years, I'm going for my first ILIT shot later this month.

I'd suggest getting tested by an allergist to see what specific things you're allergic to. They can do either a blood or skin test. From there, they can recommend some things. Instead of the old style of shots, they've moved to sub-lingual allergy drops, but those also take years to really take effect. I don't have the time or patience for that, which is why ILIT seems like a game-changer.

 

[Rebelfreedomeagle]

Generic Zyrtec or Claritin work really well for me and I’m just starting back.
I’ve sneezed so much this week I’m concerned that I’m going to blow out a blood vessel and die.

 

[vhcat70]

I have seasonal allergies all year round. It's just different things in different seasons. Been taking shots for it for nearly 50 years that prevent repeated sinus infections as I used to get.

 

[rudd1]

-musinex helps keep the sinus infection at bay.

 

[H. Lecter]

Same happened to me about 2 years ago. I take loratadine as well. Completely resolved my problem. Start mid March til September. One a day in the morning

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

I start taking Claritin every year about the middle of February. It doesn't work for me unless I get a few weeks of it under my belt before the tree pollen blows up.

If I wait until I start having symptoms I can't catch up for some reason.


Around Derby Day I can usually quit taking it for the year.

I don't know which tree pollen is the culprit, but considering the early onset, I'd suspect that it's Maple or Elm.

In any case, I have to get ahead of it, and if I do, it helps immensely.

Ditto to the poster that metioned Afrin. That stuff is the devil. Temporary relief, but you pay for it, DEARLY down the road. That rebound congestion is a living hell.

 

[OHIO COLONEL]

When I first met my wife (25+ years ago) her allergies were terrible. Allergic to all kinds of things... pollen, dog hair, etc. She took everything under the sun (scripts and OTC).... including shots and nothing really helped all that much. She always said that allergies change in people about every 5 years. Think she got that from one of her doctors.

Now, and for the last 5-6 years, she's fine. Allergic to an occasional dog. Not allergic at all anymore to seasonal allergies (which was her worse) like ragweed, etc. Weird. Makes no sense to me.

 

[H-D cat]

I've had terrible spring allergies my entire life...until this year. I've had absolutely no symptoms whatsoever thus far. I had assumed that it was due to the cool temps and delayed bloom, but it seems others are having it rough already. I'm obviously not complaining, but it's strange.

 

[bigsmoothie]

I start taking Claritin every year about the middle of February. It doesn't work for me unless I get a few weeks of it under my belt before the tree pollen blows up.

If I wait until I start having symptoms I can't catch up for some reason.


Around Derby Day I can usually quit taking it for the year.

I don't know which tree pollen is the culprit, but considering the early onset, I'd suspect that it's Maple or Elm.

In any case, I have to get ahead of it, and if I do, it helps immensely.

Ditto to the poster that metioned Afrin. That stuff is the devil. Temporary relief, but you pay for it, DEARLY down the road. That rebound congestion is a living hell.

This is the key. You have to start the medicine before you get symptoms. My son knows it’s coming. He starts first of March and it help him tremendously

 

[Dubya C Dubya]

Xyzal is THE BOMB. It used to be prescription but is now OTC. Bite off half of one around 6pm and it will work wonders.

 

[Wrong]

Went to Alabama last week to a lake that was surrounded by trees. The hardwood tree pollen was unreal. I take Xyzal daily with Flonase during the peak pollen season and still my eyes watered to the point I could barely see. As luck has it I saw a Pataday commercial for allergy eyes and it seems to work ok so far.

I had zero issues as a kid and allergies just started hitting me at about 40. I'm probably to the point that I need to see an allergist.

 

[entropy13]

Xyzal is THE BOMB. It used to be prescription but is now OTC. Bite off half of one around 6pm and it will work wonders.

The pill is tiny already. How you do dat?

 

[Dubya C Dubya]

The pill is tiny already. How you do dat?

Each pill has a seem down the middle. I just bite down on that seem and it snaps in two. A full pill puts me into outer space. A half after dinner does the trick.

 

[tls]

Same happened to me about 2 years ago. I take loratadine as well. Completely resolved my problem. Start mid March til September. One a day in the morning

Have rag weed allergies in the fall but have been bothered a bit this spring from something. Loratadine is the best thing I’ve ever found. Works great for me.

 

[entropy13]

A full pill puts me into outer space.

Wuss.

 

[entropy13]

Have rag weed allergies in the fall but have been bothered a bit this spring from something. Loratadine is the best thing I’ve ever found. Works great for me.

It's tree pollen season now, grass pollen to follow shortly thereafter.

 

[Bowiewasmyhero]

Allegra and Flonase, everyday whether you feel bad or not. That has kept my horrible allergies and asthma at bay for several years now.

 

[ukalum1988]

My allergies got really bad when I moved from Ky to Louisiana for work back in 1990. It got to the point where I had to give myself allergy shots every day for about six years. I moved to Maryland in 1998 and my allergies were pretty much gone. Moved to Evansville in 2001 and have had occasional allergy spells, usually about once in the spring and once in the fall. I just take Benadryl and my symptoms are very manageable at that point.

 

[KyCatFan1]

Don’t take afrin. I straight up got addicted to that **** and got to the point where I couldn’t breath without it. Went to the doctor and he goes “Oh ya, you got afrin nose!” Thought he was messing with me but apparently it’s a thing.

My allergy doctor warned me about not using it for more than like 4 days and then stop. I had some Covid like symptoms a few months ago and I couldn't hardly breathe when I laid down so I broke the Afrin back out and used it a few times and it helped tremendously. Wish I could use that stuff all the time without issues. Best I have been able to breathe in years.

 

[LordEggForgotHisPassword_rivals]

I mainline Zyrtec. For whatever reason this year has been a bit better for me than average. I was out of the area for the majority of the Bradford pear blooming so that may have helped. At least I didn’t have to smell them. I’m pretty sure if I had lived in pioneer times I would have just died about ten minutes into the wagon ride west.

 

[American Dragon]

Go see an allergist.

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

I took Zyrtec everyday for like 3 years straight.

When I quit taking it I was miserable. My skin was crawling for 3 months. Itched like crazy. It was horrible.

That is why I use antihistamines for my absolute worst time period (early tree pollen) and then quit once mid-May rolls around.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

Early May is brutal for me. I think it has to do with grass. I mean severe eye swelling, can't stop sneezing, etc.

This has been going on since I was 5 years old. When I was 14 I took a drug called Seldane. Literally one pill cleared me up for the year. Then all of a sudden they discontinued it because it had some stupid side effect called "killing people". Totally worth it in my opinion. I'd pay $1,000 for a Seldane in May.

 

[rick64]

Claritin and Zyrtec usually gets me through the seasonal stuff pretty good. I like using Vick's vapor rub to help me breath at night.

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

I mainline Zyrtec. For whatever reason this year has been a bit better for me than average. I was out of the area for the majority of the Bradford pear blooming so that may have helped. At least I didn’t have to smell them. I’m pretty sure if I had lived in pioneer times I would have just died about ten minutes into the wagon ride west.

You died of dysenter... errr... hay fever.

 

[Ahnan E. Muss]

Early May is brutal for me. I think it has to do with grass. I mean severe eye swelling, can't stop sneezing, etc.

This has been going on since I was 5 years old. When I was 14 I took a drug called Seldane. Literally one pill cleared me up for the year. Then all of a sudden they discontinued it because it had some stupid side effect called "killing people". Totally worth it in my opinion. I'd pay $1,000 for a Seldane in May.

Allegra is Seldane without the cardiac risks.

 

[Dubya C Dubya]

Wuss.

I just get REALLY drowsy on a full pill. Half does me just right and gets rid of the sinus headache and itchy eyes.

 

[notFromhere]

I am getting hammered by seasonal Allergies this year. Never was an issue until the past few seasons. Basically, first 40 years of my life I never dealt with them.

I'm on my third bout already this spring.

Walked the dog 8 miles yesterday and gave our grass the first cut of the year....paying for it today.

It was literally so bad this afternoon I felt like I was going to pass out while driving.

Tree pollen is particularly bad right now.

Anyone deal with this and have suggestions?

I have a daily Flonase knock off I take....has worked fairly well...didn't take until my second bout and just assuming since I spent a ton of time outside yesterday it couldn't keep up.

Im very sorry you're having so much trouble.. I know all too well what thats like, and I pray you get relief soon. I don't deserve it, but God has really blessed me this year. This has been my best allergy year in my lifetime so far.

Allergies are cumulative in the body, so reducing other stressors is huge. Lowering sugar consumption, getting sleep, reducing exposure to molds, decay, and petroleum products can help a lot. I also try to avoid cows milk and non-organic wheat at this time of year.

That's helped a lot over the years, but this year I've actually not been as diligent with avoiding these things as I should... the main thing that has changed is having a really really good water filtration system at home. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. I'm just very thankful and hope you feel better. Allergies are miserable to deal with

 

[ganner918_rivals60369]

Generic steroid nasal spray if your primary symptom is nasal congestion. Takes a few days to really work to its fullest, and must be used consistently during your allergy season.

Generic antihistamine (claritin, zyrtec, allegra) if your primary symptom is runny nose. Take one every night.

Do BOTH if you have runny nose AND congestion or itchy, watery, red eyes along with nasal issues. The steroid nasal spray and the antihistamine work really well together.

Also, remember pollen gets all over your clothes and in your hair. So after being outside for a long time, when you go back in for the night, change clothes and maybe take a quick shower.

If all that isn't enough, consider a Neilmed saline kit. https://www.neilmed.com/usa/index.php Takes a little getting used to but can really help. If you want to start slower, just get a little bottle of saline spray and use it generously to help flush the pollen out of your nasal passages.

And to add to this, some sudafed (the real **** behind the pharmacy counter) when congestion is particularly bad.