Ragweed allergies...HELP!

[Dolomite_supafly]

For those of you who have it what is the best medication you have found for treating it?

 

I am pretty sure I have a ragweed allergy. For years we always kept our property cleared well this year we did not and if we could sell ragweed plants we would be millionaires. My symptoms started a few months ago and have since went into overdrive. At first I thought I had a head cold but I do not believe that is the case because it has gone on for so long.

 

My doctor recommends Alegra or Zyrtec. Right now I have been taking Claritin and Sudafed and it helps but it is still pretty bad.

[.357SIG]

The best allergy medicine that I ever took was called xyzol. I am pretty sure that is how it is spelled. It was only like a 5mg pill but it was amazing the difference it made.

 

I had all kind of allergies as a kid and had to end up getting allergy shots. They made an even bigger difference than any medication. Just another option to look into.

 

Hope this info helps your suffering

[Major Kong]

Allegra has been my go to for seasonal allergies for the last few years. Seems to work just fine for me.

[Raoul]

Netti pot, guaifenesin, advil, and bourbon.

[Troutburger]

Local honey can help build up your tolerance. Oh and bourbon.

The wife uses Flonase and Alegra D.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Netti pot, guaifenesin, advil, and bourbon.

 

Can't do Advil, guaifenesin or alcohol but have been doing the netti pot thing for a few days.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Allegra has been my go to for seasonal allergies for the last few years. Seems to work just fine for me.

 

Allegra or Allegra-D?

 

Thinking Allegra D rather than regular Allegra.

[Troutburger]

The wife uses Allegra "d"
She says it doesn't work as well without the d

[tyguy]

I like the Allegra products. They don't make my head as fuzzy as Claritin or some of the other popular ones.

[Oh Shoot]

. My symptoms started a few months ago and have since went into overdrive..

 

I'm an old hand regarding ragweed, only thing I'm seriously allergic to, started suddenly when I was in late 30's, woke up one Labor Day morning in the country with my eyes swelled and glued shut, no idea what it was. Eyes the worst part, viewed from the side so swollen the cornea area looks like flat section with eyeball bulged over it top and bottom. Besides the itching and other allergy symptoms, doc said eye reaction very bad, high eye pressure and whatnot, have to treat it.

 

At any rate, if your symptoms started well before end of Aug, and have gotten worse recently, it's almost certainly not ragweed, at least as the prime culprit. Main pollen release is like Labor Day through first week of Oct. here in E TN.

 

I can roll in it the day before the pollen is released with no symptoms at all, matter of fact I machete all of it around the complex here toward the end of Aug. Nothing like the amount of it as in the country, but a perimeter of the Giant Ragweed all around the place,  12 footers. When it's "ripe" you can shake a plant as see the yellow cloud. Of course cutting the nearby stuff isn't possible in the boonies, as it's everywhere around you in most places, and it may not even really help even here in the urb, as the pollen circulates everywhere, they sample it even in the very extremities of the upper atmosphere.

 

At any rate, through the years I always went with the magic bullet of the day, and for years that was Tavist once it became OTC and then also generic,  and then later Claratin, which I still use, but of course the generic drug itself, Loratadine, half the price using CVS/Walgreen store brand,  or even less in bulk bottles from Sam's. Loratadine has been quite effective through the years for me, again though, doubling the dose to every 12 hours.

 

 

In all cases of using both through the years, I've doubled the dose though, taking every 12 hours instead of once every 24.

 

It's gotten less virulent for me through the years, so my system has changed some, just like it had changed to suddenly become allergic to it, and I seldom have to dose against it these days, at least here in the urb.

 

Also, I discovered about 10 years ago by accident that low carbing helped significantly during ragweed season. Long story on theory of why it does, but lots of people have found same with lots of different allergies, not just the ragweed.

 

At any rate, though, again, if your symptoms have gotten significantly worse during Oct than Sept, and worse over last two weeks, don't see any way it's ragweed that's primary cause.

 

At any rate, assuming your problem is some sort of specific allergy, highly recommend trying the generic for Claratin, every 12 hours for a few days. I've found it's fairly important that it doesn't lapse in system too, seems a constant level of it is much more effective than trying to only use it when symptomatic and "catching back up" with the histamines.

 

Even though I'm doubtful of the ragweed as your prime suspect you might eventually have to have the tests done to see. Our bodies change. Can tell you that if you are still having significant symptoms after first hard frost, if indeed it is an allergy, then it's likely not from outside, but something else common that you've become suddenly sensitive too, like, gulp, cat or dog dander. (I certainly hope not). Could even be something in diet that body chemistry now doesn't like, wheat and other grains are often prime suspects, which plays into the overall low carbing thing I mentioned earlier in post.

 

- OS

Edited October 26, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Dolomite_supafly]

It has been going on for at least 3 months now. Itchy eyes, stopped up nose, itchy throat and all of it seems to get worst in the morning then better throughout the day. Gus seems to wake up stopped up the same days I am. Maybe my current outbreak isn't ragweed related but I can tell you it is something in the air that is doing it. I shut all the windows and have been running the AC fan constantly to cycle the air through our HEPA filter system and it is helping. Our HEPA system was an add on to our HVAC setup, it is not just a filter at the intake but a separate system to clean the air. Since thinking it was ragweed I have started wearing either a mask or a rag over my face when I go out and I am not miserable like I was a day or two ago.

 

This current round of misery started about a week ago now, maybe a little longer. I tried to deal with it but three days ago I spent all night walking around the house because anytime I would lay down I had a choking feeling from all the phlegm running down the back of my throat. I have literally had less than 12 hours sleep in 4 days now and most are 2 hours or less at a time.

 

We normally mow our hill in front but did not this year and it is wall to wall ragweed. You cant take 3 steps without hitting a plant and some places you can't avoid hitting a plant. I went out earlier, with mask, determined to try to machete them all down. That did not go so well because I managed to find a yellow jacket nest and got stung several times. Poor Gus didn't know what was going on and stood there long enough to get a bunch on him then he ran in the house, been killing yellow jackets in the house since it happened. Hope I got them all because Petra is allergic, as in carry around an Epi Pen allergic.

 

Anyways I am going to try the Allegra D and keep the house buttoned up tight. I just realized I need to go find the machete that I probably threw when I had the yellow jackets on me.

[UncleJak]

Zyrtec daily for me. If you are having symptoms try the zyrtec d for a week then switch to regular.

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[peejman]

Zyrtec works for me, but it's different for every person. Claritin doesn't do anything for me.

I'd also suggest regular sinus irrigation. I use a nasal syringe with a modest salt water solution. Just pouring it through with a neti pot doesn't work for me. I gotta pressure wash it out.

And I agree with OS, seems late for ragweed. Might be worthwhile to go see an allergist and get the "test of 1000 pin pricks" to help figure out what you're actually allergic to.

[Oh Shoot]

 

....determined to try to machete them all down....

 

Don't bother, long past when that would help, they've released their pollen long ago, I believe none is left at all except residual already circulating in atmosphere.

 

- OS

Edited October 26, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[vontar]

If it is in the budget, get an allergist.  I finally broke down and did it a few years ago.  I had the test on my back and they determined a list of triggers.

I started taking shots, at first twice a week until I was up to the full dose, then once a week for a year, then every 2 weeks for a year.

 

Next Month I go to 1 shot every 3 weeks for a year.

 

A year from now 1 shot every 4 weeks.

 

After that year, he told me it will be my choice if I want to continue at 1 shot a year or go off the shots and see if I am cured. 

We talked about that and as long as insurance helps out with paying for the shots I will probably just keep taking them.

 

If you want a doctor recommendation just let me know.

Edited October 26, 2014 by vontar

[Raoul]

I will occasionally surrender and take about 1/2 of a teaspoon of Claritin for children. For me the antihistamines are worse than the cause.

Back in the 70's I used to pay to feel the way the antihistamines make me feel.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Raoul

[Dolomite_supafly]

Don't bother, long past when that would help, they've released their pollen long ago, I believe none is left at all except residual already circulating in atmosphere.

 

- OS

 

Maybe so but something had to pay for how I have been feeling. Hoping to do a midnight run on the yellow jackets and kill them.

[hipower]

No real help on the allergy condition I'm afraid. I take zertec and occasionally benedryl. Claratin is like popping candy for me, it just doesn't help. The Flonase will work for a short time at night.

 

I can commiserate with you on the yellowjackets. I was part of a neighborhood cleanup group yesterday, and got stung on my left hand several times. The  little bugger just kept hitting me. I must have invaded his personal space, as I was just standing beside my truck at the time.

 

I have been using a wet aspirin on the site, it seems to help with the burning itching. But that's about all. Since I see my doc for scheduled visit tomorrow, I'll ask him.

[Pain103]

 I typically take the regular Allegra daily. If I start feeling like I'm actually getting sick I'll take the Allegra D for a few days and I'm good unless I just get stomped by it and get a sinus infection then I go get some antibotics along with it. The daily Allegra seems to help and I can tell if I haven't taken it for a few days.

[gregintenn]

The best stuff I've found contains pseudoephederin (sp?). You are treated like a criminal now when you buy it, but it sure helps. Sudafed, or one of it's generic equivalents helps a lot.

[Dolomite_supafly]

The best stuff I've found contains pseudoephederin (sp?). You are treated like a criminal now when you buy it, but it sure helps. Sudafed, or one of it's generic equivalents helps a lot.

Been on a generic version of Sudafed for a few days now. That, along with Claritin, did help some but I still have a nagging drainage problem in the back of my throat.

[glowdotGlock]

Claratin never worked for me. I take Zyrtec. Or the WalMart brand. The ingredient is Citerizene. Good stuff.

[lunarpowered]

I take a zyterc at night (makes me drowsy) and then it takes care of my allergies through the next day.

[Oh Shoot]

Been on a generic version of Sudafed for a few days now. That, along with Claritin, did help some....

 

Probably not the best of ideas. Both safer and more effective in long run to try one antihistamine derivative at a time for maybe 5 days to see which if any are effective.

 

edit: I see Sudafed is not an antihistamine, never mind. But staying with one antihistimine for a number of days to test is still good advice I think. They seem to be somewhat "cumulative" in nature, need to get a constant saturation to see if effective.

 

By the way, for quick temporary relief of the maddening eye itch and crud is use dab of baby shampoo on fingers lather it up and use lather with fingers gently with eyes half open, no kidding, get in slightly under bottom edges of eyelids even. Rinse well with cold or at least cool water, not warm, dry, then lubricating eye drops, NOT any of the "get the red out" types. Cool compress will take town any swelling a good bit too.

 

I actually have to do this most every morning to get out crud from dry eye syndrome, similar chronic condition. If you need to look like your haven't been smoking pot to go out, you can use Visine or whatever to get the red out :),  but the lubricating type drops are better all around for comfort.

 

Assuming it is indeed some kind of pollen/spore caused, be sure and wash your hair/beard at least once a day, hair attracts and holds and distributes the pollen back to your face to breathe in again.

 

- OS

Edited October 27, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Lumber_Jack]

I take Claritin (generic) every day all year. I think it helps even though allergies con and go with seasons. I too take Sudafed for a decongestant as-needed as you're not supposed to take a decongestant long term. (Hence why I don't take Claritin-D)

The biggest help for me was I got a long term nasal steroid spray. I use Floticison (Flonase). It has taken me from months of stopped up nose and watery eyes to hardly any symptoms ever. It's really the key to my relief.

The crux for me is taking the maintenance drugs year round. Never getting to a point of suffering. Edited October 27, 2014 by Lumber_Jack