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Health šŸ„ Allergies

Maister

Maister

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I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation before, but it's 2020. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?
Food allergies?
Have your allergies ever changed over time?

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Welcome to my hell. I have moderate to severe asthma which is allergy based. That's pretty much year round but gets worse in the summer. As for food allergies, hot dogs and bologna and that's it. My innards are pretty much cast iron outside of that.
 
I have apparently outgrown mine. There was a time in my early 20's when I was a mess during pollen season. Now it's not bad at all. I was even tested way back when and reacted to almost everything which was a little scary. Including dogs and cats but I was like, well that's not changing. I was even on Claritin before it was over the counter. Another one was poison ivy. I would get that terribly. Now I can pull it out with my bare hands. But I'm sure the shoe is about to drop on some other malady now.
 
Historically, my environmental allergies have not been that bad. Worthy of note I lived in North Carolina for about three years and interestingly did not suffer from all the pollen there back in the day. I set foot in the state, however, some years later and my nose started running like a faucet. Something clearly had changed in me internally.

For those unfamiliar with pine pollen in the Carolinas take a look at this unaltered photograph. It is REALLY this bad.
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Oh yeah.
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I grew up in toxic central New Jersey so I figured I was immune to just about everything Mother Nature could throw at me. "Hold my beer" said the Ohio Valley.

It took a few years, but I got my first sinus headache and believed with every fiber of my being that a spear had been forcibly shoved up my nasal cavity and into my frontal lobe. I was in such awesome pain that I was sure it had to be a mortal wound. It finally subsided but I was permanently aware that this would be the new normal. It was spring allergies at first and now includes some summer allergies (as this past week has proven to my extreme consternation).

Best I can tell, it is only airborne allergies for me. I take a generic zyrtec every morning that seems to take the worst of it away most of the time. (And sometimes I also take one at night if I'm going to be outdoors during pollen season.)
 
I have a sister with allergies (flora, fauna, industrial) so severe she should live in a bubble. Going to college in Atlanta meant allergy shots on a regular basis, and even wearing a mask during the worst of the pollen season. Now she lives overseas and only has a problem in the spring if she doesn't take her over the counter allergy pills. Completely different climate and she's like a new person.

I have some flora allergies and a couple of drug/industrial-based allergies that are easy to avoid. Some extra sneezing in the spring, but my OTC keeps it in check.

My dog's allergies get worse each year. This year they were so bad she chewed through her skin bit and earned a trip to the vet. She got a heavy-duty allergy shot and was fine for the rest of the spring. We will do that again next year, but earlier - before she eats herself up.
 
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Tis the season for sneezing!

I just got off the phone with my doctor. Despite being on multiple preventative medicines, sinus rinses, and weekly allergy shots, fall and spring require something a bit more extreme. For me, it is less about the typical flowers and more problems from the tiny flowers on shade trees like maples and oaks. The larger stuff that accumulates on vehicles does not affect me quite as much.

We had a sudden blast of warm & wet weather, so they all flowered at the same time causing so much fun.
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I am allergic to tea.

But I tend to have ragweed allergies at various times throughout the year. Bendryl and an early bedtime does the trick.
 
I do have some minor seasonal allergies. Had shots twice a week for a few years in college with no apparent benefit. The problem was sinus polyps turbinate issues. Had those removed and all sinus cavities cleaned out. Allows me to finally breath through my nose. Dad and brother, and one of my sons have had this procedure with my had several times.
 
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