That gives me an idea...:idea3:

decongestants don't realllydo anything for allergies which are histamine reactions controlled by antihistamines (benydryl, phenegren, ect...), but decongestants otc are mostly epinephrine which can cause heart problems, ect.... you can definitely build up a tolerance to antihistamines and they won't work anymore in some people.

be careful with the nasal spray if you are using it every day. it is a corticosteroid and the jury is still out but you may want to look up what some of the issues are.

Blast
 

it is that time of year again for me....:(

I have Nasonex that I use when the allergy season is bad. It works pretty fast and lasts for 24 hours. I always end up needing it when I mow the grass and don't use a dust mask.

I hear ya Roy, ragweed and tree pollen were sent directly from beezlebub to destroy me.

I tried the allergy shots for several years (6 or 7?), ingested all those dopey drugs, tried eating raw natural honey - all with minimal relief (or if it worked - I was a space cadet from all the good drugs).

So last year (and I swear, this is not just some new creepy holistic pitch)....I faithfully used a nasal syringe (or neti pot) in the morning and evening. I maybe sneezed and snotted a little bit.....but for the most part, I was fine and I didn't take any other medications. Yes, that's right, I said a nasal syringe. Basically, you squirt this mixture of salt water up and out each nostril - flushing the irritants out of your sinuses. Yes, it looks funny. Yes, my kids laugh at me. Yes, people are generally grossed out about it....but you know what? I don't give a damn, I don't sneeze 50 times/day anymore and want to die because the ragweed is choking away my zeal for life.

The End.

And I willingly concede, this may not for everybody...but by golly, it worked for me.

Roy - I get bad seasonal allergies - to grass. Starts around May here, ends late September. I use Reactine. Key is to start taking the pills BEFORE the season starts. Once the body has started to react to the allergen, it is much more difficult to slow down and stop the process than it is to prevent it in the first place. If you get the jump on the season, usually you can control it - at least in my experience. My allergies seem to have gotten better as I get older (less severe).

It varies year to year for me. Sometimes, I've never had to take any medication at all. One year I remember it was so bad I was taking Reactine, a nasal spray (corticosteroid) and eye drops. Both the eye drops and spray were prescription, not OTC.

I've had attacks so severe, I've had to run inside a car, roll the windows up and sit there for a while until the swelling in my eyes subsided enough for me to see clearly again.

You're right - they SUCK LEMON. I would use much stronger terms however. They can completely ruin a beautiful summer day. Before I had allergies, I'd look out into a summer field at the cottage and think "That's beautiful, I should take my girlfriend for a picnic and etc, etc." :D

Now I think "You aren't getting me anywhere near that bloody allergen haven, cut the field down and pave the bastard!"

I do that in the shower after mowing the grass by snorting a handful of water.:o

LMAO. Me too.

Would your allergies be better/worse in NC?


But gentleman, is the shower water a perfect balance of celtic sea salt/water? (1 teaspoon to 2 cup warm filtered water) Here's the whacky holistic part - apparently that ratio is superior because it mimicks the salty % in your body and it just automagically makes me better.

I'm not the founder of the Men's Neti Pot club, just a happy subscriber.

I have not tried a saline snort ... although everytime it happens while body-surfing, it feels like a punch to the nose.:eek: I guess I'll try the lower salt ratio and hope it doesn't burn. I even have some sea salts to try it with.:)

Dunno. I know when I am surfing in NC, Cape Hatteras, I am both allergy-symptom free and exceptionally happy. Perhaps there is something to that...:D

Claritan and Sudeafed PE and Benidryl.

Claritin.....





It sucks getting allergies at this time of year..... Sooo much stuff to do, and it cuts into the time I have to do the stuff.

Damn, it's bad here today. Had to resort to Claritin. I don't like taking the stuff. I noticed that the generic brand I was using last year increased my blood pressure.
I never had allergies until I moved to Colorado.
Snowstorm predicted for tonight and tomorrow. Looking forward to that to knock down the pollen.

This past week has been a bad pollen week here. Our cars turn yellow everyday.:eek: I just bought one of those California Dusters and I'm amazed at how well they work. It only takes 5 minutes to dust the pollen off the whole car.:cool: