Allergy Sufferers Unite!

Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
So it's that time of year again. Pollen counts are high, mold is growing like crazy after all the rain and snow melt and those of us with allergies are feeling pretty miserable.

I am allergic to pretty much everything, from our animals to spring, summer and fall seasonal things. I take a Zyrtec every day and that mostly controls the major symptoms but...

Ugh! On really high pollen days or days I have to brush or bathe the dogs I really suffer a lot. Itchy eyes, clogged sinuses, stuffy nose, sneezing, watering eyes and feeling like I could sleep for days are the main problems.

I'm sure a ton of you are in the same boat. My question is this...

Besides OTC or prescription allergy meds, what do you do to get some relief? Any home remedies or tips and tricks?

This year is pretty bad for me and I'm thinking... unite and share with fellow sufferers and maybe we can ALL ease our suffering a bit!
05/08/2013
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Contributor: js250 js250
*sniff, sniff* I'm here!! I find having a mentholated or eucalyptus candle in the house helps to clear my sinuses and allows me to breathe a bit easier. Mint also seems to help ease the sniffles and opens my airways a bit.
05/08/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by js250
*sniff, sniff* I'm here!! I find having a mentholated or eucalyptus candle in the house helps to clear my sinuses and allows me to breathe a bit easier. Mint also seems to help ease the sniffles and opens my airways a bit.
I wonder if a washrag soaked with mint tea, folded up and laid over the eyes would help with some of the sinus pressure while giving the nice effect for breathing....

(It's the only mint I have at the moment so I'm improvising here!)
05/08/2013
Contributor: Gary Gary
I feel very fortunate that I don't suffer allergies. I see so many people miserable around me.
05/08/2013
Contributor: gorgeous gorgeous
I've had sneezing, watery eyes, and nose issues for the past couple weeks. I've never had allergies this bad before. My boyfriend even looked at me one night and told me "You look miserable". And I felt it. In the past I would just take some claritin, but I haven't taken anything this year yet. Though I might have to take something to get me through work tonight.
05/08/2013
Contributor: charmedtomeetyou charmedtomeetyou
I'm an Allegra D girl myself....and this the time of year that I take it back to back to back....

It seems it's much worse at night when I go to bed...which is getting in the way of naked time something awful....
05/08/2013
Contributor: Kallina Kallina
Ugh. Monday was the worst all season for me. I know it was the trees. Damn trees. I feel like I'm starring in that movie, The Happening, where the plants take revenge against humanity and start releasing toxic whatever-it-was. I went with Excedrin for the headache and went to bed at 9pm.
05/08/2013
Contributor: snowminx snowminx
My spring allergies have gotten a lot better over the years. I used to have a stuffed/running nose ALL THE TIME during the spring and sneezing but now I have none of that anymore. This might just be me but I think maybe NOT taking medication helps, your body just gets used to the allergy meds and something that might have worked before no long helps as much.
The only things I had this season was a nose bleed (from the sudden change of temp here) and I got a head ache when I was walking one day and surrounded by flowers. Even then my porch was completely covered in pollen I didn't have any issues and I'm the kind of person that will even be sneezing to death from just dust.
05/08/2013
Contributor: wicked48 wicked48
Besides OTC meds I use a neti pot & saline solution to flush out my nasal passages. Takes a little getting use to but it works.
05/08/2013
Contributor: Sammi Sammi
Fortunately, I don't have any allergies (and since I have to take Zyrtec daily, it's controlling any that I'm not aware of )
05/08/2013
Contributor: VeganChick (is Gone) VeganChick (is Gone)
Quote:
Originally posted by wicked48
Besides OTC meds I use a neti pot & saline solution to flush out my nasal passages. Takes a little getting use to but it works.
I prefer the NeilMed Sinus Rinse over the Neti Pot. It has more pressure so it really flushes everything out and helps me feel better. I can feel the difference after I wash my sinuses. I also take Sudafed when I need it.
05/08/2013
Contributor: lovekink lovekink
The past few years is when I first started noticing my allergies. Now it seems like every year they get worse. I'll pretty much take whatever I have in the house and then try to sleep it off. When I first noticed how much the allergies were bothering me I went to the Dr and was prescribed Nasonex. Worked like a charm. But then my prescription ran out and I am too lazy and cheap to run back and forth to the Dr for allergy medication.
05/08/2013
Contributor: gsfanatic gsfanatic
It hasn't been that bad this year, but it helps that it's rained a decent amount. When I visited my family in a drier area, that was a less than pleasant trip.
05/08/2013
Contributor: married with children married with children
mine were bothering me a few weeks ago, but now that the sun came out and everything warmed up I have been feeling fine.
05/08/2013
Contributor: VeganChick (is Gone) VeganChick (is Gone)
Quote:
Originally posted by lovekink
The past few years is when I first started noticing my allergies. Now it seems like every year they get worse. I'll pretty much take whatever I have in the house and then try to sleep it off. When I first noticed how much the allergies were ... more
Yeah, I take Flonase and that really helps. I used to get several sinus infections a year until I started it.
05/08/2013
Contributor: peachmarie peachmarie
I was the ultimate allergy sufferer. All though my childhood and adult life I had terrible seasonal indoor/outdoor allergies. I was allergic to pretty much everything to the point where if any window was open during allergy season even if it were closed for a period all the pollen in the room would send me into an allergy attack, during the summer i would hold my breath driving past people mowing their lawns, I knew if I could smell the cut grass I would have an allergy attack. Allergies would be one thing if I were able to have any sort of relief from any antihistamine other than Benadryl but I didn't. I'd be forced to down 2 Benadryl's just to make the pain and misery go away. It was such a miserable way to live, being drugged and trying to carry on my other responsibilities such as work, school, living. I went in to an allergist and they confirmed that I was allergic to pretty much everything. I've been getting allergy injections for almost a year now and it is just mind blowing how effective it is. I had one systemic reaction at the clinic but was not deterred, i'd rather have a severe allergic reaction once in awhile than live with the allergies that I had before I started the injections.
05/08/2013
Contributor: joolie joolie
Local honey is helpful for allergy sufferers. I think it's a homeopathic type treatment. When pollen is really heavy out I put t shirts on my dogs for walks and take them off at the door when we come inside, and wipe their little feet to so as not to get pollen all over the place inside. I wear a cap outside that I take off when coming inside, and often have a set of clothes designated as clothes for inside,and clothes for outside. I vacuum A LOT, and dust with a damp cloth
05/09/2013
Contributor: GONE! GONE!
My nose just won't stop running. It's annoying as can be.
05/09/2013
Contributor: SourAppleMartini SourAppleMartini
I suffer from allergies. Luckily, none of mine are too bad, so I won't die from a peanut or something like that. Still, allergies are annoying. For example I can hardy wear make-up because I am so sensitive to it. And hay fever is the worst, I moved to Australia last year and because I am unfamiliar with local plants it is stronger than ever.

Over-the-counter antihistamines don't work for me for some reason, but turmeric powder does. I am not a fan of home remedies, but it seriously helps.
05/09/2013
Contributor: K101 K101
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
So it's that time of year again. Pollen counts are high, mold is growing like crazy after all the rain and snow melt and those of us with allergies are feeling pretty miserable.

I am allergic to pretty much everything, from our animals to ... more
I was dealing with some minor crappy stuff from pollen last month, but it wasn't bad & didn't last long, thankfully. However, my partner, the kids & my dad have been coughing like crazy. Especially the kid. He's coughing all night right now & had rough sniffles over the weekend.

I've been taking seabuckthorn oil & Emergen-C like mad. Taking the oil and the extract/powder and even doubled up on it when they started hacking. Lol. Maybe that's why I'm one of two people who haven't had it in my family so far.

For relief, I've been giving the kids (and my partner has been taking it) the seabuckthorn oil since it's higher in Vitamin C than anything else & when you have enough Vitamin C, infection won't be able to thrive. So I gave the kid 2 dropper fulls of the oil -- nobody will take the extract, probably because it literally smells like sewage. LOL. I'm the only one who'll do it, but I just dump the sour powder in my mouth and chase it with a lot of Dr. Pepper (water isn't tasty enough to rid the sour!). That way, it doesn't smell like sewage! Lol.

The Emergen-C powder packs are actually very helpful. We keep them at the house year round. The thing is, only taking one packet a day doesn't give a lot of relief because it's only 1,000 mg. If we take at least double (for my partner and I, we even require far more than that sometimes) it actually does something.

The EmergenC tastes bad too, but I found a solution! I only get the citrus flavor because I can dump it in water, then add Mio black cherry flavor & it tastes like fruit punch, sorta! Very easy to get down that way. You can also use Kool-Aid flavor or something similar.

Also, me & the kid have been taking aloe vera today -- mostly for our stomachs though, not really for the allergies, although it might provide some relief since it's anti-bacterial & all.

Herbal teas are helpful too. No OTC drug works for me besides BC Powder for headaches and fever. Otherwise, it just makes me dizzy or loopy. I also take a spoon of raw honey when I have a cough or cold or just because it has so many benefits. Add lemon too, it's supposed to be helpful.

When I had the issues last month & a horrid cough along with it, I'd take spoon fulls of honey and when I woke up (when the cough was the worst) I'd boil water, add 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, let it cool, add a tablespoon of honey & drink it. It can be hard to get down if you add too much cinnamon, but it is very helpful! My cough was clearing up after two days of this.

I also have some herbal concoction called Kick Ass Immune Booster -- took a lot of when I first got it, but whew! That taste is almost unbearable. I just can't stand it anymore. Lol. It does help though!

I'd say honey, cinnamon & vinegar (a combo or separately) are the best things for this stuff. I don't think there's a whole lot that will do as much as it, and Seabuckthorn.
05/09/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by charmedtomeetyou
I'm an Allegra D girl myself....and this the time of year that I take it back to back to back....

It seems it's much worse at night when I go to bed...which is getting in the way of naked time something awful....
I've taken to chugging down alka seltzer cold medicine at night. It works SO fast and lets me get to sleep super easily -- but I hate having to rely on that on top of my regular allergy meds.
05/09/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by joolie
Local honey is helpful for allergy sufferers. I think it's a homeopathic type treatment. When pollen is really heavy out I put t shirts on my dogs for walks and take them off at the door when we come inside, and wipe their little feet to so as ... more
Oy. You just reminded me I need to vacuum and that not having done so last weekend probably is making things much worse for me!
05/09/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by K101
I was dealing with some minor crappy stuff from pollen last month, but it wasn't bad & didn't last long, thankfully. However, my partner, the kids & my dad have been coughing like crazy. Especially the kid. He's coughing all night ... more
I am needing that "like" button for this post.
05/09/2013
Contributor: LoveX LoveX
I love this post! I have horrible allergies too, but I am the sit and suffer type. I never think to do anything about them (like otc etc)
05/09/2013
Contributor: .kaycat .kaycat
I use a neti-pot twice everyday and every other day I do an Epsom salt bath.
I have a little Himalayan salt rock lamp I use at night that helps a lot I'm allergic to the work even when it's not allergy season
05/09/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by .kaycat
I use a neti-pot twice everyday and every other day I do an Epsom salt bath.
I have a little Himalayan salt rock lamp I use at night that helps a lot I'm allergic to the work even when it's not allergy season
I've never heard of a salt rock lamp. Now I have to google it!
05/09/2013
Contributor: Woman China Woman China
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
I've never heard of a salt rock lamp. Now I have to google it!
The salt rock lamp is just a lovely little thing isn't it!!!

Take some cinnamon with some local honey and suck the spoon clean. Twice a day, morning and night. In some way, it helps.

Keep your windows closed at dusk and dawn when pollen counts are highest, if you spend time outside during this time, jump into the shower and scrub.

Capsaicin: eating the hot peppers, makes your nose runny. The pollen that is stuck in your nose comes out. Sounds gross... but... it works.

Continue using a humidifier in your bedroom a cool misting one is good for this time of year as it is starting to get warmer at night.

Carrie, you spoke about peppermint tea... put it into a large bowl, making sure it is still steaming, head down, towel covering your head and breathe deep. The mint should help de-clog, and relax. Stress also can increase your allergy symptoms.

Bump up your probiotic intake with sauerkraut or pill form. These little buggers help play a key role in keeping the immune system balanced.

Quercetin Supplements or increasing your apple and onion intake. Then increase your pineapple intake (bromelain). This is a natural anti-histamine.

The Chinese doctors around here suggest acupuncture for allergies, but I don't know if you want to try that route.
05/09/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
I'm definitely going to have to try one of those salt rock lamps. It seems like it would be both useful and totally gorgeous.

Also, doing the tea steam and cinnamon/honey right now! (Well, as soon as I get the teapot boiling, anyhow...)
05/09/2013
Contributor: ShadowedSeductress ShadowedSeductress
Allergy season for me just brings along terrible sinus/eye headaches. I haven't tried much to clear it up, all I know is that advil/aspirin doesn't do a thing.
05/09/2013
Contributor: twelve13 twelve13
God, allergies are miserable. I take Claritin and Benedryl, but I don't think Claritin helps and Benedryl puts me to sleep. I get allergy shots, but last week I went into anaphylactic shock, so I'm not sure if I'm going to keep getting them. Ugh. Allergies.
05/10/2013