Seasonal Allergies / Relief Ideas

[joe1234]

can a mod please merge with this thread? https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=28546.0

[ejb123]

I've been living with this for a long time. A couple of thoughts:

- At the moment, I am using Xyxal, which has been working pretty well over the past few years. I also use Asterpro spray 2x a day.
- If we have a massive heat wave early (like we are in the Northeastern US right now), it causes trees to super pollinate, and Allergies go off the charts.
- If your allergy meds make you drowsy, get a 24 hour one and then take it before bedtime
- Shower before bed - to wash off any pollen that might be on your body from walking outside - especially so if you have a beard, or longer hair.
- Hose down your car
- If you have a home A/C system get an anti-allergen filter. Try not to open your windows

Of course - best advise is don't go outside - which is always the hardest at this time of year when the weather turns warmer and everyone wants to be outside after the winter. I take Claritin and also use Flonase and try to limit outdoor activity over the next two to three weeks.

Note that for those taking Claritin, Allegra or Flonase - Costco sells generic versions at a significant savings to the name brand.

Good luck!

[rbs-g1.5]

We tried giving my daughter (who suffers from alot of sneezing) the loratadine first thing in the morning today as per your advice. So far so good. She came home from school excited that she didn't sneeze today.

so far  3 days better than she has had in months!!!!

[mevinyavin]

Dunno about any of this but this is what someone says:

https://www.techradar.com/news/how-to-sleep-better-with-hay-fever

How to sleep better with hay fever symptoms: 5 expert tips
By Jim McCauley published 1 day ago
If hay fever symptoms are ruining your sleep we have expert advice that can help

Spring is finally asserting itself – in the UK, particularly – and while for many of us the warmer weather and appearance of spring blooms and blossom is a welcome development, for some it means the arrival of seasonal allergies and hay fever symptoms, and that in turn can mean interrupted sleep.

Right now the UK pollen count is rated as very high, and if you're prone to hay fever you doubtless don't need us to tell you about it. Hay fever symptoms include sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy, red or watery eyes and similar irritation in the throat, mouth, nose and ears. And while merely getting through the day with a full-blown bout of hay fever symptoms, getting through the night can be even harder, and even having the best mattress won't make a lot of difference when allergies are making sleep impossible.

One in five people will suffer from seasonal allergies at some point in their life; thankfully there are a few things you can do to improve matters and reduce the chances of hay fever symptoms wrecking your sleep. Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep expert for And So To Bed(opens in new tab) has shared some ways to aid sleep when sleeping is difficult as a result of your hay fever symptoms.

1. Keep your head elevated
Man lies in bed with one hand behind his head

You may have treated yourself to the best pillow, but if it's not lofty enough it could be causing you difficulties when you're trying to sleep with hay fever symptoms. "You should try to keep your head elevated as much as possible," says Lindsay. "Try adding an extra pillow and shift your sleeping position to a slightly more seated one and remain on your back.

"This will bring gravity back into the mix allowing excess mucus to drain and not pool, lessening the irritation. It is important to note though that if your breathing is affected by sleep apnoea and not congestion, sleeping on your back is not recommended, in these cases it is best to sleep on your side."

2. Buy an air purifier
If you're struggling with hay fever or asthma, having an air purifier in the bedroom can make a real difference, says Lindsay, as it helps remove pollen and dust particles from the air that will trigger symptoms. "If your congestion is a result of a virus," she adds, "you can use a humidifier to help loosen the mucus on your lungs and aid in clearing your sinuses."

3. Keep your bedroom and bedding clean

Another way to ensure you sleep better when coping with seasonal allergy symptoms is to regularly clean your bedroom and bedding. Lindsay points out that humans shed 200 million skin cells every hour, which is what makes up dust, amongst other things.

"Ensuring you regularly vacuum the carpet, dust the surfaces and wash your bedding will prevent dust from building up and make sleeping easier," she says. However she recommends being careful about how you deal with your washed bedding if hay fever is a problem for you. "Be cautious about drying your freshly cleaned bedding on the line outside though as you will get lots of pollen in the bedding from the outdoor air."

4. Evict pets from your bedroom

They're our best friends and all that, but if you're the sort of soft-hearted pet owner who lets their furry friends sleep in the bedroom (or on the bed) then they could be making your hay fever symptoms worse. "This is because they can increase allergens in the bed," notes Lindsay. "Pet hair and dander are two of the most common allergens which will enhance and make your hay fever symptoms even worse at night."

5. Have a shower before bed

Keeping your bedroom clean, bringing in an air purifier and sending your pets off to sleep elsewhere can make a big difference to the amount of pollen and other allergens that could be triggering seasonal allergies, but you might still be bringing them into bed with you. So Lindsay recommends getting rid of those with a shower before you go to bed.

"A shower will help wash away any pollen that may have clung to your skin and hair while outside," she points out, and a shower is a great way to get rid of them rather than transferring them to your bed linen. "This is also a great tip for those extra warm summer evenings," she adds, "as a cool, not cold, shower will help lower your body temperature, making it easier to drop off."


And as a final tip, for coping with hay fever symptoms, she suggests keeping your windows and doors closed during the day to help prevent pollen from entering your home.

Dr. Lindsay Browning
Sleep expert
Dr Lindsay Browning is a chartered psychologist, neuroscientist, and sleep expert at Trouble Sleeping. A member of the British Sleep Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, she has published several academic papers and an international self-help book: Navigating Sleeplessness.

[S209]

My doctor told me when I was a teen that Claritin (loratadine) is a Stage 1 suppressor. From when your body detects an allergen in the morning, it takes about 25 minutes to progress from Stage 1 (reaction) to Stage 2 (overdrive, and from your body itself). It also takes Claritin 20 minutes to affect your body. He said if you miss the 5 minute window it is a waste of a pill. But lechora if you religiously pop it first thing in the morning you should be good.
Agav, it worked for me for 7 years and then it stopped helping. Allegra (as in my post above, fexofenadine) was next and that still works most of the time.

Claritin first thing in the morning worked for me for years, Claritin D is amazing when congestion is bad.

[ExGingi]

Anyone here ever try Ryaltris?

I took my son to an allergist, and he's about to start shots, which are expected to take quite a while. In the meantime he was prescribed Ryaltris (not regularly covered by insurance, filing for an exception).

[Alexsei]

Claritin first thing in the morning worked for me for years, Claritin D is amazing when congestion is bad.

Does the first thing in the morning work for tablets as well or only the liquid?

[mevinyavin]

Does the first thing in the morning work for tablets as well or only the liquid?

Never took the liquid. Does that answer your question?

[ExGingi]

Does the first thing in the morning work for tablets as well or only the liquid?

Isn't liquid only for kids?

[mevinyavin]

Isn't liquid only for kids?

Yes. And when I started on Claritin I was one.
 

[rbs-g1.5]

Does the first thing in the morning work for tablets as well or only the liquid?

It seems to help my daughter with tablets. After reading about it here (thanks @meivinyavin )we started bringing it to her bed when we wake her up in the morning and she has had the best couple of weeks in  a very long time!

[Naftuli19]

I used to suffer terribly for allergies was on the Clartin D Allegra D Zyrtec D Pataday, Nasal sprays , and I would rotate every few weeks cause they stopped working while being barley effective during the season, Around a year ago i decided to start cutting out processed foods and focus on eating as clean as I possibly can, usually the allergy season starts for me end of Feb-mar (depending on the year) and i used to start taking pills a few weeks prior, this year i decided not to take anything and see what happens, so far I gotta say bh its a lot a lot better without taking anything id say its about 10-20% of what it used to be on days where there's heavy pollen.
(Not giving any advice Just sharing my experience )


 

[mevinyavin]

I used to suffer terribly for allergies was on the Clartin D Allegra D Zyrtec D Pataday, Nasal sprays , and I would rotate every few weeks cause they stopped working while being barley effective during the season, Around a year ago i decided to start cutting out processed foods and focus on eating as clean as I possibly can, usually the allergy season starts for me end of Feb-mar (depending on the year) and i used to start taking pills a few weeks prior, this year i decided not to take anything and see what happens, so far I gotta say bh its a lot a lot better without taking anything id say its about 10-20% of what it used to be on days where there's heavy pollen.
(Not giving any advice Just sharing my experience )

Yup. There's allergens and there's allergens. Often they look the same result-wise but the source can be totally different.

[hvaces42]

There is an acupuncturist in Queens who works magic for seasonal allergies. I've seen it first hand. He literally turns off the faucet and sneezing with 3 needles. My wife and FIL have been using him for years. One treatment for the entire season. PM for details.

[dovy2]

There is an acupuncturist in Queens who works magic for seasonal allergies. I've seen it first hand. He literally turns off the faucet and sneezing with 3 needles. My wife and FIL have been using him for years. One treatment for the entire season. PM for details.

Worked for me 2/5 times

[HoKo]

Allergy shots (also known as immunotherapy) have been an absolute miracle cure for me! I'm not even kidding, it's been life-changing.

I've been on these shots for a whole decade now and they've made a world of difference. Before I started, my symptoms were off the charts. Sneezing, itching, watery eyes, you name it, I had it. I couldn't even step outside without feeling like my face was about to explode from all the allergens attacking me.

But now, thanks to these shots, my symptoms have been reduced by 95%.

Allergy shots work by gradually exposing your body to small doses of the allergen that's causing your symptoms. Over time, your immune system builds up a tolerance, and those allergic reactions become a distant memory.

Now, don't get me wrong, the shots aren't a walk in the park. You do have to commit to the process, and it can be a bit inconvenient at times. But trust me, the payoff is worth every single minute spent in that office. I am no longer burdened by my allergies, and that's a freedom I wouldn't trade for anything.

So, if any of you are out there suffering from awful allergies like I used to, I'm telling you, allergy shots might just be your saving grace. They've worked wonders for me, and I can't recommend them enough.

[jfish227]

Allergy shots (also known as immunotherapy) have been an absolute miracle cure for me! I'm not even kidding, it's been life-changing.

I've been on these shots for a whole decade now and they've made a world of difference. Before I started, my symptoms were off the charts. Sneezing, itching, watery eyes, you name it, I had it. I couldn't even step outside without feeling like my face was about to explode from all the allergens attacking me.

But now, thanks to these shots, my symptoms have been reduced by 95%.

Allergy shots work by gradually exposing your body to small doses of the allergen that's causing your symptoms. Over time, your immune system builds up a tolerance, and those allergic reactions become a distant memory.

Now, don't get me wrong, the shots aren't a walk in the park. You do have to commit to the process, and it can be a bit inconvenient at times. But trust me, the payoff is worth every single minute spent in that office. I am no longer burdened by my allergies, and that's a freedom I wouldn't trade for anything.

So, if any of you are out there suffering from awful allergies like I used to, I'm telling you, allergy shots might just be your saving grace. They've worked wonders for me, and I can't recommend them enough.

smells like an AI post

[Alexsei]

smells like an AI post

And? Are you testing your smelling skills?

[jfish227]

And? Are you testing your smelling skills?

after these allergies its a real chore. Also I hear there's an up and coming market for AI sniffers

[HoKo]

smells like an AI post

Indeed, I used AI to save time. The tone of the writing is a bit cheesy, but the content of the post is indeed reflective of my experience. They really have been life changing.