Hay fever/Allergic rhinitis from the Midwest

[mommymilkies]

I've lived most of my life in the Midwest. For the past decade, I've had a stuffy nose. Dust is an issue, but environmental allergens are getting worse. If I travel to other regions, it gets better. It's not the pets-they travel with me! Even if I travel two states away, it's better than here.

 

Well, I've had about six weeks of a dry gagging cough. I've strained a couple muscles in my stomach, I have constant headaches, and I'd really not like to stress my bladder! My doctor says I have atrocious seasonal allergies. I'm on Flonase and Claritin so far.

 

I'm assuming it's from the corn fields I'm surrounded by, because when I travel to areas without heavy corn production, I get better. I think I've convinced dh to move.

 

Does anyone know or have experience with areas that are better for allergy sufferers?

 

Any other tips for allergy sufferers? Nasal irrigation?

[jeninok]

Of the three most commons meds, Allegra, Zyrtec, and Claritin, I believe claritin is the first choice because it is not as strong. Allegra is my first choice, I can go from thinking I have a full blown cold, to breathing within about an hour of taking it. When the crap settles in Mucinex helps break it up, and real sudafed is a miracle.

 

Saline spray helps tons to flush out the allergens, flonase can be good for getting over the hump but it makes my nose bleed with continued use.

 

Use high quality air filters in your hvac, consider a humidifier or air purifier for next to the bed.

 

I eat local raw honey,and take extra probiotics during peak season too.

[mommymilkies]

We have a boiler and no a/c. My cough is dry, will mucinex help that? I won't take sudafed. The side effects are worse than the disease for me. Lol

 

I'll have to check if Allegra or Zyrtec are ok when bf. Claritin is. I have the humidifier (KK pressured me ;) ) and raw honey and probiotics.

 

Would a Neti pot be ok? I'm looking at this one. The idea horrified me, but I'm desperate. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0028SZEE4/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?ie=UTF8&m=A2NXAJZFEY620O

[dbmamaz]

I have recently fallen in love with Zyrtec.  When i first tried it, it made me jittery, but i started taking a half pill, and i'm IN LOVE.  My dry cough stops, my wet cough stops, my nose picking stops, my nose blowing stops.  I was doing either a mucinex with sudaphed in it, or sudaphed and a mucinex with cough med in it, and nyquil at night.  But if i stay on the half pill of zyrtec ever day, it seems a lot better.  

 

well, its only been a week . . . 

 

I tried a neti pot (actually a plastic bottle i got at the drug store designed for the same task) and it made my nose MORE swollen - i assume i was having an allergic reaction to the salt?  I think they are for people who are unable to clear out their sinuses by blowing.  I dont have that problem.

[mommymilkies]

Mine isn't drippy at all and nothing happens when I blow it. I also have delicate eardrums (two tympanoplasties), so I don't try hard. It's a dry swollen kind of stuffy.

[prairiewindmomma]

I take zyrtec while preggie and while bf. For some women it can cause a drop in supply, but it's not a super common side effect (per my allergist).

 

Get a rz nose spray. I prefer nasonex over flonase.

[prairiewindmomma]

Sorry...nak....rx nose spray if you have drippy nose, stuffy nose, or fluid in ears.

[Mama Geek]

I have lived in many areas in the US and you know what has helped the most.  Having tile or wood floors instead of carpet.  It makes my life so much better.

[jeninok]

If you are swollen the flonase should help, so would soothing your nose with the saline. I don't do Neti pots, I refuse!

 

Have you tried warm compresses or cool ones? I don't know which might help, I personally tend to prefer warm in my nose and cheekbones, and cool on my forehead.

 

What about steaming your face over warm water, maybe with eucalyptis or lavender? Are you allergic to ragweed? If not chammomile tea soothes mucous membranes as does mallow tea.

[City Mouse]

As far as moving, I think eventually you develop allergies where ever you live.

 

Two years ago we moved to a high desert like area with very little humidity and/or rain fall and short growing season. There has been a several year drought here as well. I still had allergy symptoms but the were much, much better than when we lived in Houston. Then we had an unusually wet summer (actually it was "normal" but the area haven't had normal for a long while). Plants actually started growing and the last couple of months have been really bad as far as allergies. I am back to daily Zyrtec. Now that we have had a couple of below freezing night I am starting to feel better.

 

Over all, my allergy symptoms are much better here.

[Paige]

I've lived around the US and, for me, some places are definitely better than others. I grew up in the Ohio Valley, which is probably the worst place in the country for allergies. I remember constantly being sick as a child. I thought that was how life was supposed to be in the winter, spring, and fall.

 

When I got married and moved to a different part of the country, I noticed that for the first time I wasn't sick all winter. We moved somewhere else and I was even less sick. I still had seasonal allergies, but they were far less intense and didn't last all year long. Now, we've moved back to the Ohio Valley and I am back to being as sick as I was as a child. It must depend on what you are allergic to. We lived in ATL and I wasn't this bad even though the cars were literally yellow from all the pollen. Here, the allergy reports say that everything is low and I am stuffy and sneezing.

[mommymilkies]

Yup, near the Ohio valley. I'm going to go out for some Allegra or Zyrtec. I got a Gingerbread latte last night and it felt soooo good just sitting on my chest! Usually I just get itchy eyes and a stuffy nose. This year I feel like I'm dying! After my next doc appointment, I'm going to ask for an allergy referral. I know it's not terribly accurate after what my daughter went through, but it might tell me something.

[dbmamaz]

Actually, there was one time in my life i kept moving back and forth between central PA, and Houston.  Each time I moved, my allergies would be really bad for 4-8 weeks . . . and start to calm down . .and then i'd move again and they'd flare up again . . . .

[Jerico]

I've heard amazing things about allergy shots for severe allergies, maybe that's an option. I had allergies going up but no issues in the Ohio river valley (surprisingly) or the plains of Illinois.