[SteveFord]

Here in the northeast everthing possible is throwing pollen into the air. I swear I saw some come out of the back end of my wife's dog.
I use a SinuPulse machine morning and evening and picked up some Equate Flonase-equivalent (I always was kind of a skinflint on junk like that).
I've even increased my tobacco intake but to no avail - the sinuses, they are dragging me down.

Anyone have any other ideas other than retire and move far, far away?
That would be the best one but isn't feasible quite yet.

[David C]

I know the feeling. A couple of things.... I finally went to an allergist and was tested, main allergies to eggs and dogs. I get a shot once a week and it has helped a lot . Change bedding more frequently and use detergent that has no additives such as fabreeze etc.  I also take one Claritin a day. Also change clothes after you have been outside in the yard. You carry it in with you. Moving may not help...... I had bad allergies in Houston, NOLA, none in London and got them back when I retired and moved to South Carolina

[JLM]

I've suffered for the last 54 years here in southern Michigan (the nation's worse place for ragweeds).  Got tested at age 10, came up positive on 71 of 75 samples, but ragweed was by far the worst.  Did vaccination shots for 10 years (probably kept me from getting worse, but didn't help much).  My salvation was topical steroids (nose spray).  Now my cardiologist has recommended using Nasalcrom (that simply lines the inside of the nose with a thin film - no drugs per se).  Thankfully now the farmers are spraying wheat fields with something in the spring that eliminates ragweed from growing in the wheat stubble in August, so the amount of ragweed is way down.

But in the last 15 years spring allergies have bothered me more.  And my eyes are suffering as bad as my nose (other than eye drop relief no real solutions).  It's been a late/wet spring here this year.  I mowed (rider on 2 acres) for roughly 2 hours a few days ago and spent the next two days suffering with drainage from eyes and nose. 

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Here in the northeast everthing possible is throwing pollen into the air. I swear I saw some come out of the back end of my wife's dog.
I use a SinuPulse machine morning and evening and picked up some Equate Flonase-equivalent (I always was kind of a skinflint on junk like that).
I've even increased my tobacco intake but to no avail - the sinuses, they are dragging me down.

Anyone have any other ideas other than retire and move far, far away?
That would be the best one but isn't feasible quite yet.

Hi Steve, I am an EMed physician and a fellow allergy sufferer.  Take an antihistamine like Zyrtec 10mg daily and you can take another 12 hours later or you can take an allegra 180mg 12 hours later. Alternatively you can take Zyrtec or Allegra in the morning and 25mg to 50mg of benadryl at bedtime as long as you don't have an enlarged prostate or Glacoma. Benadryl is the strongest antihistamine but it causes sedation. Sometimes Zyrtec can cause drowsiness (about 10% of people) and if it does, take it at bedtime and Allegra during the day.  Use Flonase or one of the other nasal steroid sprays.  They take about 10-14 days to really take effect.  Make sure you don't point it straight up in the nose as it is a dead end.  The nasal passages point straight back.   Using saline nasal washes in the morning and night time will help wash out the pollen from your nose.  Also, wash your face and eyes frequently to remove pollen. If you have itchy eyes, use Zaditor or Patanol eye drops, they are over the counter and come as a prescription.  Get generic forms of all these meds as they will be much cheaper.

Consider seeing your Dr when things are really bad and ask for an oral steroid like prednisone for 7-14 days as this will give you dramatic relief for 2 weeks.  Another Nasal spray that sometimes helps is Astelin (it is a prescription drug), it is an antihistamine that has some other anti-allergy properties.   Consider seeing an allergist.

No treatment will give you complete relief.  Oral steriods combined with an oral antihistamine will work the best for temporary relief but you cannot take oral steroids long term.  But twice a year for severe allergies is ok.  Diabetes would be the one contraindication for oral steroids as they will raise your blood sugar.

Best Regards,

Larry

[Mike B.]

I am bothered by dust and pollen for grasses. I live in a lush valley that is the grass seed capital of the country. I went through shots to desensitize when I was in my 20's and it helped. I later found getting a shot of cortisone alleviated the symptoms. However, about 20 years ago, that practice was became highly discouraged, so I rely on a nasal spray and Zyrtec.   

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I am bothered by dust and pollen for grasses. I live in a lush valley that is the grass seed capital of the country. I went through shots to desensitize when I was in my 20's and it helped. I later found getting a shot of cortisone alleviated the symptoms. However, about 20 years ago, that practice was became highly discouraged, so I rely on a nasal spray and Zyrtec.

Yes, years ago we would give a shot of a long acting steroid like Kenalog or Celstone and you would gets weeks of relief but long acting steroids can cause serious problems.

[mresseguie]

[Sigh]

Mike B and I live in the same amazing valley. I'm 50 miles north of him. I usually begin suffering in late March and my symptoms taper off sometime in late June. During this period, I normally take a single Loratadine 10mg tablet before bed. This takes care of most of my symptoms, but I still have excess mucous in my throat. Right about this time of the year, I tend to get extra bombardment, so I take 10mg every 12 hours for approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

This takes care of the worst of it for me.

[bside123]

Greetings to All Itchers and Sneezers!

I've taken a slightly different approach that helps greatly but it doesn't necessarily take away all allergy symptoms. It significantly reduces them to sometimes almost gone, and at the worst times it makes the symptoms tolerable. I use this method in the spring during buds, blossoms and pollens, and then again during the fall to fight against hay fever and weed pollens. The best part is that I do NOT use any pharmaceuticals, no drugs. As a matter of fact, I haven't taken an antihistamine in many years.

Secret!? Change of diet. No kidding.... When the allergy season hits, ELIMINATE: 1) ALL and any sugar or products with sugar, of any sort, 2) all dairy products products with the RARE exception of certain raw and organic cheeses, such as goat, and 3) all commercial wheat products. I also cut way back on carbs in general. As soon as about 3 days, you will notice a significant difference in the symptoms. I reckon that this is a type of fasting. You also have to make sure to drink PLENTY of water.

At this point, it seems a pretty well known and accepted fact that, 1) sugar is poison, sugar tastes good but is really bad for you, shucks! 2) dairy is not easy to digest, there's lots of intolerances, commercial dairy full of drugs and chemicals, and dairy produces lots of mucus, and 3) commercial wheat products are also hard to digest, are full of chemicals (think Roundup) and carbs create SUGAR. My explanation for how I feel better is that me, myself and my immune system now have more energy and wherewithal to fight the allergies rather than using up and wasting energy trying to fight, process and digest hard to "digest" foods. I feel more vital, less tired, less itchy, less irritable and less rung out.

I can go for hours without one symptom. Sometimes, "bam," I'll have itchy eyes or a sneezing attack. The episode will last 10 minutes or so, and after some nose blowing, the symptoms abate, and I'm then good for another long stretch with no drugs. Of course when the allergy season is over, I can go alway back to eating that bowl of cookies and ice cream (wheat, sugar, dairy, cold mucus, etc.), but at my age, I try to stay away from that too. I've tested my allergy fasting by eating something I've taken off the list, and I get IMMEDIATE feedback. The symptoms rage and go straight to my nose, eyes, ears and palate.

Like I said, this approach won't eliminate all symptoms all the time. It might, at times, only make the symptoms tolerable, but... it is drug-free! No drowsiness, no other side-effects and no long-term use. The other side effect of the diet is good food, healthy choices, easier digestion, more energy. Not a bad exchange for a temporary period of abstention.

That's my pitch for diet control. Thanks for reading! YMMV 

[Tomy2Tone]

I can attest to bside123's remedy for allergies as I too have done a revamping of my diet the last 18 months or so and I have never felt better in regards to seasonal allergies. I got tested years ago and started taking weekly shots but if there was a bad spring I would end up taking a bunch of meds anyway so I stopped. I was taking about every over the counter med that was available but always felt it was just a bandaid. I eventually got so bad that I was getting migraine headaches and dizziness from all the mucus backup in my head. My doctor prescribed a med that helped with the dizziness but a side effect was having anxiety which is no fun so I quit it as well.

Talking to many allergy sufferers who had gotten better said a change in diet along with a nasal rinse routinely really helped so I began my diet change by eliminating wheat and wheat products, any and all dairy, cutting out as much refined sugar as possible, and eggs which was always a trigger for me. After a few months I noticed a big difference in how I was feeling and sleeping. Like bside123, I noticed if I ever went back to one of the foods that I eliminated I would feel the mucus and sinus pressure within minutes. One of the last things that helped me get over the hump was cutting out whey protein shakes. I like to work out and always used a protein supplement and whey was usually one of the better tasting products. I eventually switched to a vegan protein shake with no whey, soy, or wheat products and I've been feeling great ever since. I take other supplements for the vitamins and minerals I don't get from the dairy and wheat.

It's been quite a while since I've taken any meds and almost pride myself to do so which helps me stick to my diet. I had allergies year round as I was allergic to everything from the pollen to dust to cats so my diet never stops but to me its worth it for the way I feel. I'm not cured as during the spring and fall I still sneeze but not as much as I used to and my eyes are much better as well. Everybody reacts differently to pollen and seasonal allergies so I don't suggest my way of handling it is right for everybody but the way I was feeling before I felt like I was put into a corner and was getting depressed quite regularly. I looked into moving to the coast as people said being near the salty air would be much better but only to find out that people who did eventually got new and different allergies to the new climate. Seemed if you moved to a new place you would be fine or cured but then after 3 or 4 years you would develop new allergies. The new diet and routine nasal rinsing has allowed me to stay where I'm at, at least for the time being.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

[Sigh]

Mike B and I live in the same amazing valley. I'm 50 miles north of him. I usually begin suffering in late March and my symptoms taper off sometime in late June. During this period, I normally take a single Loratadine 10mg tablet before bed. This takes care of most of my symptoms, but I still have excess mucous in my throat. Right about this time of the year, I tend to get extra bombardment, so I take 10mg every 12 hours for approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

This takes care of the worst of it for me.

Loratadine is Claritin.  It is the weakest of the 3 non-drowsy antihistamines (Zyrtec, Allegra and Claritin).  I see so many patients that complain that Claritin does not help much.  But, every one's body is different and some people get more relief with one than the other.  I have had some patients say that Claritin works better than the other 2.   That's why I encourage patients to try different antihistamines and see what works best for them.

[mresseguie]

I do not recall trying Allegra, but I did not care for how Zyrtec affected me. It was like 10 cups of coffee or speed or worse(!). It was not pleasant. Loratadine is just fine for me and my needs, thank you. 

[Early B.]

I can attest to bside123's remedy for allergies as I too have done a revamping of my diet the last 18 months or so and I have never felt better in regards to seasonal allergies.

This.

It's unnatural to get sick merely from going outside in the spring. Nature does what it does. Dietary improvements seem to be the answer to a lot of current health issues that weren't quite as prevalent when we were younger.

In addition to diet, the one thing that has helped me tremendously has been high dosages of Vitamin C throughout the year. Don't wait until allergy season to start popping pills. It's too late. I take 10,000 mg of Vitamin C daily. This year, I added quetercin to my regimen. There were two days that were pretty rough; otherwise, I've been OK. I live in the southeast. I'd also recommend adaptgenic herbs all year as well as periodic cleansing of your system, especially the liver. There are tons of good, inexpensive liver detox formulas out there. The healthier you are, the greater your ability to fight off colds, infections, allergies, and other stuff.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

That is way too much Vit. C.  High dose Vit. C increases your risk of Kidney Stone's ( and if you have never had one, women say it is worse than labor), it can cause a many other issues-

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-c/safety/hrb-20060322

10,000mg is way too high.  Safer doses are 500-1,000mg per day.

[Early B.]

That is way too much Vit. C.  High dose Vit. C increases your risk of Kidney Stone's ( and if you have never had one, women say it is worse than labor), it can cause a many other issues-

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-c/safety/hrb-20060322

10,000mg is way too high.  Safer doses are 500-1,000mg per day.

The guy who popularized daily consumption high dosages of Vitamin C was a two-time nobel prize chemist who studied Vitamin C extensively. Nevertheless, there's no conclusive evidence for whether or not high dosages of Vitamin C actually work. There have been thousands of research studies on Vitamin C dosage, and many of them contradict each other. Of course, it's in the best interest of the medical industry to adopt an ultra conservative approach to such research. Conflicting research studies are rampant in the medical industry, so the consumer is left to experiment on their own. Taking lots of Vitamin C works well for me and everyone else I know who does it, that's all I can say.


 

[WGH]

The solution is actually quite simple, a quality dust mask. I wear a mask (not this model) while woodworking and besides protecting my lungs from sawdust my ragweed symptoms disappear.

3m 8210V Particulate Respirator 8210v, N95, Cool Flow Valve
NIOSH approved for at least 95 percent filtration efficiency

[Tomy2Tone]

I forgot to mention the dust mask! That's the same one I wear Wayne.

 I wear it almost every day where I work because of the amount of trees, bushes, and grasses that I'm allergic  to are everywhere and not to mention the dust that blows. There's times where if I don't wear it I can taste the pollen on my lips...

[SteveFord]

Here's a recommendation from a fellow on a motorcycle forum:

You might also try using only local honey to build up your immunity to local pollen. Go to a farmer's market or health food store to purchase, unless you can be certain the honey is being produced locally.

So, now I'm eating local honey.
I've been thinking about bee keeping on and off for a bit, maybe it's time to do less thinking and more actual bee keeping.

[charmerci]

Here's a recommendation from a fellow on a motorcycle forum:

You might also try using only local honey to build up your immunity to local pollen. Go to a farmer's market or health food store to purchase, unless you can be certain the honey is being produced locally.

So, now I'm eating local honey.
I've been thinking about bee keeping on and off for a bit, maybe it's time to do less thinking and more actual bee keeping.

You might have something there. My allergies to the cottonwood trees here haven't been affecting me since I had some last fall. Also, my allergies were reduced over the years since I've been eating an orange a day.

[FullRangeMan]

Since the 90s I use the Olive essence from Bach Floral remedies:
https://www.bachcentre.com/centre/38/olive.htm
to increase the immune system, yesterday I bough one more tube from 20ml, it no more cheap as in the early days since now they are famous.
I strongly rec the Bach Floral Remedies system>
https://www.bachcentre.com/centre/remedies.htm

[Photon46]

I suffered greatly from allergic rhinitis during spring pollen season here in Florida when I was younger. Allergy testing and then years of building tolerance to allergens with weekly allergy shots took care of the problem most of the time. However, my wife didn't find allergy testing and shots helpful and gave up on that therapeutic modality. She seemed to just evolve out of the problem. Occasionally, I still need to take a little ceterizine hcl and will use Nasacort (over the counter availability now) nasal spray once in a while. Try different nasal sprays, no way to tell what will work best for you. Everybody is different.

One other thing no one else has mentioned that I find VERY helpful is to use a neti pot regularly to clean out your nasal passages and sinuses. Use water without chlorine, heat it to slightly warmer than body temperature, add a little salt, buffer with a pinch of baking soda if need be, and rinse away. Makes your nose feel a lot better and it does help to calm allergy symptoms.

Can't say that I've found any of the dietary supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins, and dietary changes others mentioned to help at all. Yeah, I've tried many, many things over the years. For many years I've gotten acupuncture every two weeks to help tame my inherited predisposition for hypertension but it never seemed to help my allergies. Unfortunately, there's no universal panacea, everyone is different.