the worst time of year.

people who know me in real life know that this is my least favorite time of year. while the rest of the country celebrates the budding flowers, i feel like dying. i should go to an allergist, but they are expensive and extremely time consuming (i can't go sit and get myself tested/get shots often when i have these babies to care for...). So I'm on three different allergy meds and they barely make life livable. I'm always wondering why my body so violently reacts to tiny, pretty little buds:
even the buds on this tree at my daughter's school, in the middle of the city, try to kill me. Ugh. The whole inside and outside of my head itches for two months straight. And our part of the country, apparently, has the highest levels of all types of pollen. awesome.

I'm moving to the tundra.

but before I move...
do any of you have any crazy suggestions? I've tried so much... (don't mention a netti pot.... doesn't go over so well...). Medicines, showers every 10 minutes (almost), staying inside, exercising inside, drinking lots of water, etc, etc....
am i missing something life-changing?
HELP!

Comments

  1. The only thing I've ever found that consistently keeps my allergies under control is vigorous daily exercise. Go for a run; see if it helps.

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  2. Have you ever tried a prescription nasal spray combined with allergy pills? I am just like you (blame those Schmidt genes...), and I used to be miserable for about two months every spring. I tried a nasal spray back in high school and it was gross, but the ones they have now aren't that bad. It isn't perfect, and there are still about two weeks every year where my allergies are bad, but it's made it bearable for those two weeks. The nice part is as the pollen gets worse you can increase the number of times you use the nasal spray. So at the worst of it I take two sprays on each side twice a day.

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  3. after several years (30+) of spring and fall pneumonia, bronchitis, etc, I've come up with my personal combo therapy that has finally worked this season...

    Pharma stuff
    Xyzal antihistamine daily (now a generic, need a scrip, $10 bucks a month with our insurance)

    Ibuprofen (only when my face has painful pressure)

    Food stuff
    1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil daily
    1 tablespoon of local Honey daily

    Herbal stuff
    1 - 2 New Chapter Histamine TakeCare lozenges when symptoms still persist daily. These are the newest item in the arsenal and they work amazingly well for me. If my nose begins to swell shut, eating one of these has un-stopped it within 10 minutes.

    BTW - The netti pot nearly killed me and I'll never use it again!

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  4. Forgot to mention that the Neti Pot is awful. I have used the squeeze bottle version somewhat successfully. My doctor also recommended using one of those baby booger sucking thingys (a new one obvi) to squirt the saline solution up your nose.

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  5. thanks peeps... yes, I'm on allergy meds (zyrtec is apparently the same thing as xyzol), benadryl, and a prescription nasal spray, and allergy eye drops. i'm really hoping that starts to work soon... just started it b/c it messes with eye pressure, and since i had eye surgeries... had to be careful. but i'm loving the natural/herbal suggestions too, T. That will be good to try. need to do the local honey thing, and i'm gonna go find those "new chapter" lozenges.
    keep up the tips!!! THANKSSSS!
    (oh and my dear nate... i love exercising... but good lawd when you can't breath... but i'll push through! i'll do it! i think i can i think i can)

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  6. Hey Becca - Zyrtec and Xyzal are two different drugs. Zyrtec did nothing for me, but Xyzal has been a lifesaver of sorts. That was the only change I made two years ago and while I was still sluggish those two seasons, it was tolerable. No hay fever attacks, no dripping faucet. T=Tommy by the way ;-) Also, drinking more coffee helps!

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  7. oooh really tommy? they're not the same? this is gooooood information. i will get some of that other stuff then. i'm feeling hopeful...
    (and DUH. coffee.)

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  8. Zyrtek and VeraMyst for me. And on the insanely windy days, just staying in as much as i can...not easy. ALlergies are a real HUGE issue in our house too, three of my kids (M, Anthony, EmmY) all just really suffer then. A being the WORST.....oy. poor kid. It's a tough season......Hang in there!

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  9. Allegra and Astelin spray and Flonase keep me functioning.

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  10. Local bee pollen! And the squeezy sinus cleanse thingy from Walmart. If my 7 year old can do it, so can you! Just remember, don't squirt up, squirt back! Very important. Also, a health food store should have local blends of homeopathics that work for your pollens. Homeopathics are usually cheap.

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  11. From a lurker...Veramyst works wonders for nasal and eye allergies, but it costs a fortune. I'm considering going back on it myself because Allegra D and Flonase aren't working for me anymore.

    I've heard local bee pollen several times but I haven't found any made in Chicago. :)

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