Colds vs. Allergies

[LaraW]

I think that I am developing seasonal allergies, but I am not sure. I have 2 symptoms: sneezing and a runny nose. I guess my eyes feel a little itchy, but I live in a dry climate and I wear contacts, so that one is hard to figure out.

I have been taking sudafed 12 hour and that has helped tremendously, but I have had these symptoms for almost 2 weeks (off and on). It does not seem to be getting worse which I would expect with a cold, but it does not seem to be getting better either.

I've never had allergies before - I have suspected that I am getting them, but this year has been worse than others. Maybe I had a cold before.:confused:

Does anyone out there have seasonal allergies and what should I do???

[lhall]

Everyone at the house has seasonal allergies.

I was always taught that color could tell you what your problem was. Yeah, you must look after using a tissue. I know it's gross, but it does work for me.

Clear - Allergies
Yellow - Gold
Green - Sinus Infection.

Sounds like you do have allergies. My poor dad, who just turned 64, just developed seasonal allergies about 2 years ago.

Leigh

[LaraW]

Originally posted by lhall

Sounds like you do have allergies.

Drat. But I don't want allergies. Can I make them go away!?!

[lhall]

Yes, with medications.

Most of the OTC allergy remedies (except sudafed) make you drowsy.

You can go see your DR and they can prescribe something. The Dr. could also tell you for sure if you have allergies.

I take Zyrtec and like it. DD1 takes Claratin, another one is Allegra.

Allergy season here is from mid march thru early june. Our pollen counts were down today, only 956! Keep in mind 120 is EXTREMEMLY HIGH. In the past few years we've had several days straight in the high 2000's/low 3000's.

Leigh

[aggie94]

I have horrible seasonal allergies. When I'm not on the right medication, they can get so bad some times of the year that I'm actually laid up in bed for days and miserable.

See an allergist - they may recommend some testing and depending on results, they may think you can benefit from allergy shots. My allergist didn't think I would, but after lots of experimentation, I finally found the right combination of drugs that keeps my allergies at bay even in the Willamette Valley (reputed to be the allergy capital of the world). I use Claritin once a day and Beconase (a nasal steroid) twice a day, year-round. It works WONDERS and I haven't had a problem with allergies in a couple of years. But what works for one may not work for another, so see your allergist. My best friend swears by Zyrtec. Your doctor can give you samples of stuff to try to see if they help.

[JHolcomb]

Sounds like allergies. The only way to really get rid of them is through taking allergy shots (which is immunotherapy--it reduces your immune response to whatever you're injected with), but they'll only give those to patients with really, really bad symptoms because they're kinda an inconvience (I go twice a week right now but will start a once a week regimen for a year pretty soon, then I have to go 2 times a month for 5 years) and they don't always work. Our pollen counts are really high right now. Usually my allergies are pretty well controlled with Zyrtec and Rhinocort, but neither is working well right now (our count is in the mid 1000's with oak as the predominant pollen. Guess what outdoor allergen I'm most allergic to?), so the doc prescribed me a short term course of steroids. Anyway, get yourself to an allergist. They'll do some tests probably and then give you an antihistimine. You'll feel a lot better, and you probably won't have to take the antihistimine year round.

[Laura]

Lara, I live in Colorado Springs and my family's allergies have been horrible. I think all the recent warm weather sent everything into bloom at once. Combine that with the high winds and lack of moisture, I think it all adds up to nasty allergies. I am wondering if ours will get better with this cold spell that is supposed to arrive tomorrow. I use Claritin and it helps a lot. I find the prescription meds are better than OTC. But beware, they can be pricey if you don't have prescription coverage. Hope you feel better soon. Laura

[desertdaisy]

I was born and raised in Arizona and NEVER had a problem with allergies, so when I started feeling tired all the time, with a runny nose and a sore throat that just seemed to never go away, I was convinced I had Strep or Mono. This my first year working in pediatrics and they tell me that your first year you will catch everything that walks through the door!! I figured that I caught Strep or Mono from one of my little patients!! When I went to the doctor she insisted they were allergies. She recommended trying an OTC antihistamine. Well that didn't help and I started to have very bad vertigo - it was so bad that I actually fell at work! I went back to my doctor and she stuck by her original diagnosis of allergies. She said the buildup of fluid in my sinuses had actually reached my ears! She put me on Zyrtek and Flonaise to manage the seasonal allergies and she gave me a prescription for Meclizine (a very strong antihistamine - so strong you can't drive) to take when I experienced the vertigo. (Just a quick aside... Why would you predcribe something to treat vertigo that causes doublevision??)
Magically within a week all the symptoms were gone, even the veritgo!! I guess she was right!!

I never knew you could develop seasonal allergies in a climate where you have lived all your life!! Nor did I know they could be so debilitating!!

Good Luck LaraW!! I hope you can get some relief!! :)