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Post by pktwatch on May 5, 2013 7:32:07 GMT -5
Well again this year I am suffering from what I now think is hay fever. It started off with me thinking that I was getting a cold but has progressed into itchy eyes, stuffed nasal passages and slight headaches. Last year I had similar symptoms and I was asked to get allegory testing. I found that the tests were very expensive and my ins did not pay for them, this year I am on Medicare and it will pay for the tests.
Right now I am taking Sudafed, Zyrtec and Tylenol and I use a sinus rinse a couple of times a day. I tried to take Benadryl but it made me so sleepy........ The way that I understand our DS we do not do well with "time release" meds. Most of the allergy meds with the decongestant in them are time release and that is why I chose to take Sudafed separately, my Pharmacist says taken this way it is not time release.
My questions are:
1. If they do identify it as hay fever or seasonal allergies is there any treatment that will help me?
2. Are there better meds than what I am now taking for hay fever?
3. Do you have any tips or tricks to help get you through the season?
I have tried Flonase and a couple of other prescription nasel sprays and drops in the past and could not tell that they did anything for me.
I have a Dr appointment next week and need to talk to him about all of the above but am just wondering if anyone has any good advice or question to ask my DR. Also I want to know if the allergy tests did you any good, I really feel that my problem IS seasonal allergies since I got though the late fall and winter without these symptoms and they raised their ugly heads back up right after the trees started leaving out this spring.......
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Post by bboop on May 5, 2013 8:59:11 GMT -5
I take Claritin and actually use the generic WalMart brand. It really seems to help me. I also use the Flonase this time of year...but I don't take either one all year. I, too suffer from seasonal allergies. In fact early on I feel as if I'm anemic...lifeless, and in general just like I don't or can't do anything. Getting up in the morning is an event. Fortunately it is only temporary, until it heats up and the pollen goes down.
I had the test ages ago and took allery shots but for the life of me, I can't remember what I was allergic to. After running to the doc last year for anemia tests...I finally figured it out. I wish I could be more helpful. I'm sorry you are suffering...allergies are worse than a cold.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 9:12:12 GMT -5
Well again this year I am suffering from what I now think is hay fever. It started off with me thinking that I was getting a cold but has progressed into itchy eyes, stuffed nasal passages and slight headaches. Last year I had similar symptoms and I was asked to get allegory testing. I found that the tests were very expensive and my ins did not pay for them, this year I am on Medicare and it will pay for the tests. Right now I am taking Sudafed, Zyrtec and Tylenol and I use a sinus rinse a couple of times a day. I tried to take Benadryl but it made me so sleepy........ The way that I understand our DS we do not do well with "time release" meds. Most of the allergy meds with the decongestant in them are time release and that is why I chose to take Sudafed separately, my Pharmacist says taken this way it is not time release. My questions are: 1. If they do identify it as hay fever or seasonal allergies is there any treatment that will help me? 2. Are there better meds than what I am now taking for hay fever? 3. Do you have any tips or tricks to help get you through the season? I have tried Flonase and a couple of other prescription nasel sprays and drops in the past and could not tell that they did anything for me. I have a Dr appointment next week and need to talk to him about all of the above but am just wondering if anyone has any good advice or question to ask my DR. Also I want to know if the allergy tests did you any good, I really feel that my problem IS seasonal allergies since I got though the late fall and winter without these symptoms and they raised their ugly heads back up right after the trees started leaving out this spring....... Hello PKT. Unfortunately for me, nothing really works for my sinus issues. The Claritin D stuff that was supposed to be a miracle does nothing for me, in fact I find I feel worse when I take these meds. I will occasionally take a sudafed with Ibuoprofen or Acetaminophen for Sinus Headache, but as far as drainage and such....nothing works for me. All of that being said, different meds affect people differently.....so try what you can. One caution, don't take the same type drugs together. These type meds can cause Blood Pressure to sky rocket so only take one of the sinus/allergy meds at a time..... Good luck! While we are on the topic of drugs, I need to give a general general warning to all. If you know this already please ignores. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is probably the most dangerous drug on the market today because most people don't have a clue that you can easily kill yourself if you take more than the recommended amount, and even if you take the max recommended dosage for several days in a row. There are no warning signs until it is too late and one can easily do permanent damage to their liver and die from unintentional over dosing (not talking about taking half a bottle). See this article www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/dec2007_report_acetaminophen_01.htm |
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Post by aa on May 5, 2013 14:12:11 GMT -5
Shots do it for me. I almost never sneeze any longer & take no meds. at all for allergies.
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Post by Becky on May 5, 2013 14:44:14 GMT -5
I have a weird allergy to my body temperature raising. As the weather gets warmer, I tend to break out in hives and huge itchy welts whenever I do ANYTHING. Walking up stairs can cause it. I take Zyrtec daily and it helps somewhat. It's way worse if I don't take it. I tried Claritin, but I'm allergic to it (my doctor got a chuckle out of being allergic to the allergy medicine). I take sudafed when I need it for my sinuses, and when I do I cut it up so I don't have to depend on my stomach to get through the coating. I haven't had any issues with the Zyrtec though -- it works about the same now as it did before surgery. I also take hydroxyzine on occasion when I get a really bad attack of the random itchies. It knocks me out though and leaves me with a crappy feeling the next day, so I don't take it often.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 15:04:19 GMT -5
I have a weird allergy to my body temperature raising. As the weather gets warmer, I tend to break out in hives and huge itchy welts whenever I do ANYTHING. Walking up stairs can cause it. I take Zyrtec daily and it helps somewhat. It's way worse if I don't take it. I tried Claritin, but I'm allergic to it (my doctor got a chuckle out of being allergic to the allergy medicine). I take sudafed when I need it for my sinuses, and when I do I cut it up so I don't have to depend on my stomach to get through the coating. I haven't had any issues with the Zyrtec though -- it works about the same now as it did before surgery. I also take hydroxyzine on occasion when I get a really bad attack of the random itchies. It knocks me out though and leaves me with a crappy feeling the next day, so I don't take it often. When my oldest was little he had a skin condition called urticaria pigmentosa where his skin if agitated at all or for no reason, would break out in hives. Benadryl was all that helped and he eventually grew out of it. |
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jg
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Post by jg on May 6, 2013 0:03:09 GMT -5
I take sudafed when I need it for my sinuses, and when I do I cut it up so I don't have to depend on my stomach to get through the coating. Becky, never thought of cutting Sudafed, but once one got wet and that red coating dissolved really easily.... |
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jg
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Post by jg on May 6, 2013 0:10:26 GMT -5
I use Benedryl. Luckily, since my DS I have found that I can get by with way less. I take a 1/2 pill about every 4 hrs. I could do it more frequently, if needed. Sudafed works well for my sinus headaches. Hope you find what works for you.  |
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Post by sheanie on May 6, 2013 19:10:04 GMT -5
Butch: I've had excellent luck taking Allavert, Singulair, and Astelin (nasal spray) daily during allergy season. The Allavert and Astelin are for nasal allergies, the Singulair is for asthma. I am doing so well that I haven't needed my inhaler for almost 5 years now. Allergy shots did not help me all that much in the long run. I had several anaphalactic (sp) shock reactions and felt it was more risk than it was worth to continue with the shots. My main allergy is leaf mold (outdoor). I outgrew my allergies to trees, timothy grass (hay fever) and some other things, including cats. You know it's possible to grow out of your allergies as an adult, right? So even if you get tested today, next year your allergies may well be different.
Shots for me were a pain in the ass. The shock-type reactions were hard to take, and going once a week was also draining. It was more help just to KNOW what I was allergic to so I could avoid the offensive item. I no longer rake leaves in the fall, and I don't mow the grass.
It's certainly possible to find the "magic mix" of allergy drugs that work for you.
Sudafed is only a decongestant. Zyrtec is an antihistamine. Tylenol does absolutely nothing for allergies. I assume you're taking it for pain? So the only thing you're taking for your allergy currently (that is therapeutic) is Zyrtec. You might want to try the other many allergy meds in the pharmacy. Some might work better for you than Zyrtec. That stuff does nothing for me. Same for Claritin and all the others.
For those who take Benadryl, take note: If you are having a SEVERE allergy attack, take one Tagamet with your Benadryl. When you're having a really bad allergy attack, the Benadryl sometimes won't absorb without the Tagamet. I learned this when my son had a reaction to Cashew nuts and I took him to the ER.
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Post by fattynnc on May 6, 2013 21:58:43 GMT -5
I go with a diphenhydramine (generic benadryl) at night and a cetrizine (generic zyrtec) in the morning. Those keep most symptoms away. If I have a bunch of head pressure I will add on a generic sudafed.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2013 8:22:30 GMT -5
Illinids, You may find that those same allergy drugs that don't work now, will work, after WLS. I didn't used to take tylenol at all because it just didn't work for me pre-WLS. Now, 1 tylenol will take just about all the pain from anything away. (I didn't even use all the the lortab pain meds that i got after surgery, I took 1 tylenol every 6 hour. Thats all it took, and did better than the lortab.
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Post by aa on May 7, 2013 10:52:08 GMT -5
Butch: I've had excellent luck taking Allavert, Singulair, and Astelin (nasal spray) daily during allergy season. The Allavert and Astelin are for nasal allergies, the Singulair is for asthma. I am doing so well that I haven't needed my inhaler for almost 5 years now. Allergy shots did not help me all that much in the long run. I had several anaphalactic (sp) shock reactions and felt it was more risk than it was worth to continue with the shots. My main allergy is leaf mold (outdoor). I outgrew my allergies to trees, timothy grass (hay fever) and some other things, including cats. You know it's possible to grow out of your allergies as an adult, right? So even if you get tested today, next year your allergies may well be different. Shots for me were a pain in the ass. The shock-type reactions were hard to take, and going once a week was also draining. It was more help just to KNOW what I was allergic to so I could avoid the offensive item. I no longer rake leaves in the fall, and I don't mow the grass... That does sound dreadful. I'm lucky I never have had a reaction like that in all the years I've taken the shots. Plus, once I built up I only have to go monthly, not weekly. So it works out for me. But as we always say YMMV. So I'm glad you're regimen is working for you. |
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Post by Becky on May 7, 2013 11:46:15 GMT -5
I have a weird allergy to my body temperature raising. As the weather gets warmer, I tend to break out in hives and huge itchy welts whenever I do ANYTHING. Walking up stairs can cause it. I take Zyrtec daily and it helps somewhat. It's way worse if I don't take it. I tried Claritin, but I'm allergic to it (my doctor got a chuckle out of being allergic to the allergy medicine). I take sudafed when I need it for my sinuses, and when I do I cut it up so I don't have to depend on my stomach to get through the coating. I haven't had any issues with the Zyrtec though -- it works about the same now as it did before surgery. I also take hydroxyzine on occasion when I get a really bad attack of the random itchies. It knocks me out though and leaves me with a crappy feeling the next day, so I don't take it often. When my oldest was little he had a skin condition called urticaria pigmentosa where his skin if agitated at all or for no reason, would break out in hives. Benadryl was all that helped and he eventually grew out of it. One of my BP meds caused sun allergy on top of body temperature allergy. I was an itchy mess for a while. I stopped taking it once we figured it out. Thankfully I don't need any of the BP meds now! |
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Post by pktwatch on May 7, 2013 11:48:28 GMT -5
I bought some Allegra to replace the Zyrtec, I will give others a try until I find SOMETHING that will help. I will ask the Dr about Astelin later this week and see if he thinks it may help, I know that Flonase never did anything for me but I do not know if they are the same class of drugs or not.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2013 11:49:59 GMT -5
When my oldest was little he had a skin condition called urticaria pigmentosa where his skin if agitated at all or for no reason, would break out in hives. Benadryl was all that helped and he eventually grew out of it. One of my BP meds caused sun allergy on top of body temperature allergy. I was an itchy mess for a while. I stopped taking it once we figured it out. Thankfully I don't need any of the BP meds now! I used to take Lisinopril for BP and it only took me a year to figure out it was making me hack all the time.. |
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Post by sheanie on May 8, 2013 17:52:19 GMT -5
Butch: Flonase did absolutely nothing for me. My mom took it with great results. Astelin is the only nasal spray that works for me. Ironically, the night I posted in answer to you, I had my first allergy symptom in YEARS. So I got out my Astelin, and one use and I'm good. My pine trees are poofing pollen right now in great big huge yellow clouds. And it probably doesn't help that I've been to all 5 local greenhouses in the past week and sniffed every single flower I've seen!!!
PABA sunscreen causes me to manifest in tiny red bumps all over. A red rash is usually a symptom of a drug allergy, by the way.
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Post by pktwatch on May 8, 2013 22:34:41 GMT -5
Butch: Flonase did absolutely nothing for me. My mom took it with great results. Astelin is the only nasal spray that works for me. Ironically, the night I posted in answer to you, I had my first allergy symptom in YEARS. So I got out my Astelin, and one use and I'm good. My pine trees are poofing pollen right now in great big huge yellow clouds. And it probably doesn't help that I've been to all 5 local greenhouses in the past week and sniffed every single flower I've seen!!! PABA sunscreen causes me to manifest in tiny red bumps all over. A red rash is usually a symptom of a drug allergy, by the way. Thanks, My Dr. appointment is tomorrow, I will ask him about Astelin and hope that he has some samples. I switched from Zyrtec to Allegra 3 days ago, I think I am somewhat better. My routine is Allegra in the morning, Sudafed as needed and then Benadryl at bedtime. I use a nasal rinse 2 to 4 times a day. |
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Post by Red Rage on May 9, 2013 6:40:10 GMT -5
I'm not sure if this will help you Butch, but thought it might be helpful. I've been taking Allegra for years for allergies. But regular Allegra does nothing for me. It has to be Allegra-D. It's kind of crazy because I wouldn't have thought that the decongestant would make me less sneezy, but it does. Also helps my sore throat by eliminating or at least minimizing post-nasal drip. Now that there's a generic version available, I buy generic Allegra (fexofenadine) at Costco, and pseudoephedrine at CVS or Target or Walgreens - wherever I happen to be that doesn't have a huge line waiting at the pharmacy counter. Walgreens actually has a combo version but it's more expensive than buying the two meds separately.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using proboards
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Post by pktwatch on May 9, 2013 7:12:10 GMT -5
Thanks Red Rage, I am taking Sudafed as needed, I thought that it was the "D" in Allegra?
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Post by pktwatch on May 9, 2013 14:57:18 GMT -5
My Dr. gave me a allergy shot today. He also prescribed Astelin but said I should try to wait a couple of days to see if I still need it after the injection. He said the he wouldn't give all of his patients that injection because it can raise your blood surgar (it's a steroid) but since i am doing so well and have tried several treatments (and taken Zyrtec for years) he would recomend it.
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