Miserable Allergies – My Remedy of Last Resort
The allergies I keep insisting that I “don’t really have” may just be the death of me this Spring. (Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.) I always go on a Spring cleaning spree around this time of year to try and combat this which includes scrubbing floors, changing HVAC and humidifier filters, and de-cluttering all the old (and dusty) things I no longer need.
I’ll admit that throughout my adult years I’ve developed an allergy to cats. Not a show stopper. I just have to be careful not to rub my eyes, after my cat and I have enjoyed some girl bonding time over a good book. Unless I’m in the mood for a serious eyeball burn-and-itch-fest.
This hasn’t prevented us from owning a cat, mind you, or anything rational like that. Although when she pukes, daily, on our new carpet… I confess I entertain letting my husband find her a different place to live. But that’s a different story for a different day.
So What Causes Allergies?
I’ve read histamines are your body’s defense system kicking in to get rid of an unwanted intruder that’s been introduced.
I’ve also read the onset of allergies can occur after having children (we all know how much THAT changes things). Really?? Have we moms not already paid a high enough price?
I suspect your susceptibility to allergies also increases with age. Of course, I always suspect that the bad things which happen to me (physiological-wise) are in some way related to Increasing With Age Fallout. Call me paranoid. But I’m pretty sure I’m right.
We live in an area with a lot of orchards, so that means some serious pollen activity. But it makes me sad that my body has decided to start breaking down in such a manner, and can no longer process this kind of information.
If only I could just explain to my sinuses/eyes/throat, in a calm, reasoning manner: “You’re not being attacked. Stop overreacting and throwing such a miserable Hissy [Histamine] Fit.”
My Remedy of Absolute Last Resort
So I finally broke down and joined the Neti Pot Club. Good Lord, I still can’t believe I actually use this thing!
After a lifetime of religiously plugging my nose when I swim… here I am deliberately squirting in what feels like gallons of fluid. If that doesn’t relay my desperation to you, then you’ve not yet joined the Neti Pot Club.
That did actually seem to help a great deal, by the way. She begrudgingly admitted.
Will I make it to see the light of a Summer Day? Have you had extra allergies this year? Do you have any tips to share?
*o* *o* *o*
Comments (11)
disneykatrina
April 23, 2012 at 2:27 pm
My seasonal allergies don’t come every year – it’s odd. Somehow I seemed to have escaped our Spring ones – and last fall too. But other years they just knock me flat. My daughter on the other hand seems to deal with the all the time – and I’m thinking that at age 14 it might finally be time to go to the allergist. Though. I wonder if I could delay that and get her to try a neti pot?!
COMtnMom
April 23, 2012 at 3:21 pm
I do have a whole new level of empathy for people who suffer allergies! Your poor daughter. 🙁
Actually, my friend has had her kids doing nasal rinsing with a Neti Pot for years, for many things – cold, sinus, allergies, whatever. Those kids don’t mind it at all… so hopefully it wouldn’t be too traumatizing for her to try!
Thanks for stopping by, Katrina!
Steve Burns
April 23, 2012 at 8:02 pm
A couple of years ago, my doctor told me to take Zyrtec every day. Actually, I take the generic version. I still have some allergy problems for a week or two in the spring or fall, but overall I have been much better.
COMtnMom
April 23, 2012 at 9:45 pm
That’s the only one I haven’t tried. Maybe it’s worth a shot? More & more people I know are to the point where they have to take allergy medicine every day – often year round! Such a drag.
Steve Burns
April 23, 2012 at 9:49 pm
I find that my allergies are territorial, too. If I go a couple of hundred miles from here, I am fine. At least until I come back home. 🙂
Trasa Ogozaly
April 23, 2012 at 8:39 pm
Hey Sis, We’re not dealing much better in Pa this year either. It’s funny…I’ve also been blaming the aging process on my ever changing allergy symptoms. I bragged for years that I had managed to escape getting allergies and poof here they are and at racing speed. I used to only deal with sneezing and that tickly cough, but now my newest symptom is itchy eyes (I want to scratch them out of their sockets some days). I have found that Zyrtec (generic of course) seems to work well. Our allergies if not managed have even caused ear and sinus infections this year..so when the symptoms seem to be in the ears and sinuses, we have taken Claritan D and that helped it not get any further. This just seems to be the dues we have to pay for nicer weather! Hope you keep them at bay..see you soon in Pa! ♥ from the family! BTW: Love your posts!
COMtnMom
April 23, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Hey sis! Thanks so much for your comment… sorry to hear you guys are suffering, too. 🙁
I never thought about it being a trade-off for the great weather? I’ll try and remind myself of that glass-half-full argument, the next time I have an attack!
Steve
April 23, 2012 at 9:40 pm
OK, I had to go Google what a Neti Pot was. Yikes! You have my sympathies. Hoping for your sake that allergy season goes away quick!
COMtnMom
April 23, 2012 at 9:44 pm
LOL … I’m happy for you that you are NOT a member of the Neti Pot Club.
Maybe I need to move to Canada, eh? Better allergy enviro??
COMtnMom
April 23, 2012 at 9:53 pm
And thanks for the feedback – I’ve now added a Wikipedia link, for those blissfully ignorant of the Neti Pot.
Plus, the picture cracked me up… 🙂
Rich
April 24, 2012 at 4:51 pm
I’ve found running a Holmes air filter unit overnight about every other day does wonders for my indoor allergies.
BTW: I don’t know how well the homeopathic part of neti pots works, but the salt water part has a pretty straightforward explanation. It reduces inflammation, and inflammation is a major part of that ‘stuffed up’ feeling.