Allergies...

T

tina72382

Cathlete
Hi everyone :) I have suffered from allergies for years. I regularly take claritin OTC everyday, for every month except jan/feb. I have been feeling especially lightheaded and out of it for the past few weeks. I can still workout, But I sometimes have to bring it down a level because of the lightheadedness. Also, I often wake up with fluid in my ears (yuck) i can get it out, but this is also why I think it may be allergies.

My question: do any of you suffer from the same thing? What do you do to remedy it? Thanks a bunch :) -Tina
 
I have terrible allergies. I take Dimetapp OTC and use a Nasonex nasal spray. I am never lightheaded and never nauseous. These medications also take care of fluid in my ears :)
 
I have similar allergy symptoms and tried Claritin OTC and it did absolutely nothing for me. The best medicine I've tried so far is Flonase - It takes a little getting used to since it's sprayed up your nose and can leave a bad taste temporarily. It's one of the only allergy meds that covers most allergens - indoor/outdoor. It has to be taken everyday though, regardless of whether you feel symptoms. I have no fluid in my ears anymore which is such a relief.
 
wow thanks for your input guys :)curly q- the thing I am worried about with the nasal sprays... are they addictive? also, is flonase an otc thing? or prescription? Thanks again :)
 
Allergies and sinus problems here! I have found Tylenol Allery/Sinus to give the best relief. Claritin just makes my mouth dry.

ETA - my allergies have really been bothering me the last couple of days.

Mar(
 
Not so much that Nasonex is addictive but it's steroidal and has to be used every day during the season in which you're allergic. In my case, every day because I'm allergic to dust. It's steroidal but is applied directly on affected area so only reduces inflammation in my sinus area.
 
Hi Tina,

I've suffered from seasonal allergies for the past few years. Mine have "developed" as I've gotten a little older- started in my late 20s. I'm 30 now. At first I used the cliche OTCs like Benadryl, but the I soon grew tired of living in a lethargic fog. So, I started doing some research about natural remedies and found a few things that really work well for me in conjunction with Loratadine- without any fogginess or lethargy.

Of course, I'm not a doctor, or herbalist or anything else official. I'm just a regular person who prefers to use natural, safe, and well-researched remedies whenever possible. Different things work for different people, and you should check with your doctor before taking any herbs or anything- especially if you take any prescriptions. (End of disclaimer, lol.)

Foods that have quercetin can help to block histamines. They are: apples (with the skin), red & purple grapes, green & black tea, berries, cherries, dark leafy greens and onions. Foods that are high in vitamin A also help to relieve and prevent allergy symptoms: yams, carrots, collards, spinach and melons. Foods rich in vitamin C have also been proven helpful- because vit C has anti-baterial properties. Eating honey that is local to your area can be benefical, too.

I've experienced the most profound and consistent results with drinking a cup of green tea at least once a day. I brew 1/2 T of gunpowder green tea (loose tea) once or twice a day, but I think tea bags would work just as well. My mom has experienced some relief by drinking 3 cups of green tea (in bags) a day. Her allergies are much more severe than mine.

I've also been sure to eat about a cup of berries each morning, onions and carrots for lunch and sometimes dinner, at least 1 citrus fruit each afternoon, and at least 1 big serving of dark leafy greens a day. I avoid dairy, except for organic yogurt which is benefical because of the active cultures. It may sound a little improbable, but it's really made a huge difference. My symptoms have just about disappeared. It's almost magical to me. ;)

Last year and this year, I've added in a couple herbs. Here's a list of herbs that have been proven to alleviate or prevent allergy symptoms: stinging nettile, echinacea (especially for sore throats), goldenseal root, eyebright, and dandelion root to name a few. Here are some links:

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,,s1-1-51-542-5018-1,00.html

http://www.motherearthpublishing.com/herbalharvest/freecontent/herbs.shtml

http://www.naturalnutrition.com.au/allergy_b.html

http://www.myherbguy.com/herbs.htm#Herbs for Allergies

I'm currently taking stinging nettle, echinacea, goldenseal, and burdock root. I'm noticing some improvement, but I started taking these herbs too late in the season to be fully effective. Depending on where you live, this might be the case for you too.

Good luck, and let me know what you decide and how it works for you. OK?

Connie :D
 
Hi Tina! I usually have to RUN to my doctor for an antibiotic. Otherwise I'll come down w/bronchitis. This year has been especially more difficult than other years. Inconsistency in weather. That's what causes it (for me anyway). I hear ya on having to take it down a peg w/your workouts. My weight training really suffers b/c of lack of oxygen to the muscles. My muscles shake like crazy. I take it down a peg w/cardio. If I do high impact my infection just gets worse. Usually will work out for 30 min. but I try to suffer through my weight training but with lower weights.

Once it passes, I'm back up & running. Its such a bummer. Kathy:(
 
Keeping in mind that herbal remedies are "natural" but can also be toxic if not taken properly. Also, some people can have serious allergic reactions to herbal remedies. I had a reaction to a herbal pain medication just recently.

Just wanted to mention this because some people think just because something is "natural" it can't be toxic...that's not the case :)
 
I've used flonase with great success, although it does smell/taste bad. For that reason I switched to Rhinocort, which has also worked well. Both are prescription only - but well worth the doc visit and cost.
 
I suffer from allergies almost all year round. I've developed allergy-induced asthma, too. I'm on Clarinex right now. I also keep Albuterol (an inhaler, for asthma) around, just in case. I don't have fluid in my ears, but I have this annoying post-nasal drip. Have you gone to the doctor to see what the ear fluid is all about?

Pinky:)
 
Wow thanks everyone! its so nice to know i'm not the only one with this problem. The natural remedies sound good, I may try drinking green tea, as I heard it is good for other things as well. The ear fluid is soemthing I have had for a long time, it just come and goes. The docs know about it, but say I really don't have much to do about it.

I called my doc to see if they wil call in some nasal spray, flonase. HOpefully they will because they know how much trouble I have with my allergies.

I hope it works!

Also, I am teaching a spinning class tonight, do you think I should take it easy? Or just push through? Would it really hurt me to just do it?

Thanks again!!! :)
 
Hi Tina! The spinning class might & say might clear up your nasal passages. However, spinning is hard especially on the legs. Its your call really but I probably would skip it if it were me. HTH, Kathy:D
 
Good luck, Tina. Allergies can really mess me up sometimes and the symptoms are not easy to ignore :( :)
 
thanks everyone! i ended up teaching off the bike. I am going to rest tomorrow too, and do a rain dance to wash the pollen out of the air:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top