get rid of allergies

I have shed many a tear over this issue. It’s something I deal with everyday. Most people don’t consider allergies to be very serious, but mine is a severe condition. I have exercise-induced anaphylaxis, something very rare and has no known cause.

Since I moved to Long Island for college, it has been even more of a struggle. No allergist would take me in without starting me over on their OWN vials. Not to mention, their vials aren’t portable, so I’d have to rely on them forever. Also, there are no clinics that will administer the shots alone, except for one that’s an hour (and 100 bucks) away.

But I’ve realized, that’s better than nothing. I will have to call a cab every week for months, spending over 1,000 dollars in transportation. But there are worse things. Starting over would just erase all my progress since April 2009. And the insurance won’t cover that. I already have a bunch of vials, I might as well use them. OR I could stop shots altogether, but then I would revert to my original condition. (AKA, breaking out in a full-body rash after 10 minutes of minimal exertion.) Also, not an option. So I’m sticking to my original plan. I’m going to get through this. And after February 2010, I’ll only have to go every two weeks. Then in August 2010, every three weeks. February 2011? Just once a month. I can do that. I can do this.

I’m no where close to getting rid of my allergies, so for now just not having symptoms is good enough.

I had been thinking that my doctors where brushing me off when they said to talk to the pharmasist. But I’m impressed. Reactine(extra strength), OTC works for me. Claritin, allerga and zytex don’t, but this does. It’s awesome.

Maybe I’ll be checking this as a goal completed.

...

I just stopped getting my allergy injections, as recommended by my allergist. I haven’t gone through a spring season up here in Portland yet, so we’ll see how it goes. But my allergies are so much better than 5 years ago, I’m sure it won’t be a huge problem. Still keeping some anti-histamines and nasal spray on hand though!

As strange as it may seem, I wish to get rid of my allergy to animals. When I come into contact with furry animals, I go into anaphylactic shock. This is very rare and is usually only seen in scientists constantly working with lab animals. I wish to get rid of it because nobody seems to realize that I could die from petting a dog or borrowing a jacket from someone who has a cat at home. I have been taking allergy shots since June and I can tell a slight difference. The last reaction I had was cleared up with benadryl and my inhaler.

Found some medications that work pretty well. Also, not sure why but my allergies seem to have just disappeared. I went on a trip, stopped taking the meds, came back home, and I’m fine. So I guess….I’ve gotten rid of my allergies?

I think it might be the seasonal allergy thing, and I’m allergic in spring/summer, which is why I’m okay now. But supposedly I’m allergic to my cat too. So I don’t know what’s going on.

Got a new neti pot yesterday. For those who have never heard of it Neti is an ancient process of cleaning the nasal passages. Take warm clean (bottled/distilled/boiled) water and add some salt (usually sold in packages with the salt) to make the water resemble the salt content of the body and lean forward over a sink then pour the water through one nostril and let the water flow out through the other.

I am using NasaFlo which is cool cause it has a lid unlike my other neti pot. They (NasaFlo) say it takes 200-240 mili liters (240=8ounces) through each side and more than just the force of gravity (a steady flow not just dripping) to remove the mucus and allergins from the nose effectivly.

I find it a lot better than nasal sprays with their horrid after taste that only try to reduce immflamation as this process removes the allergens and the excess mucus.

I started these a few months ago and hadn’t been having any problems. However, starting last week, I’ve gotten lovely raised, red welts where they did the injections. Today I went in to show the doc…we have an odd relationship. She asked me how I dared to have such a reaction, to which I asked her how she dared to give me a dosage that caused the reaction! It went back and forth for a bit, but we were really just joking.
SInce my youngest is in preschool 3 days a week, I switched my shot schedule from Mon and Thurs to Tues….that way I don’t have to worry about her having a meltdown when I go into a different room for my shots.
It’s Thursday night and the spot on my left arm is larger than a Kennedy half dollar! It’s still raised, still red, and hot to the touch. The spot on the right arm looks like it’s becoming a bruise, is still hot to the touch, and both are itching like crazy.

I have a topical steroid cream for times like this, and she doesn’t want to give up on the shots – only 1 more round of shots after I finish this one (think I have 2 more days from this vial before we switch). She told me to take my medicine an hour before I get the shots so that it will help with the histamine reaction. Hopefully, that will help calm things down a bit.

I’m beginning to wonder if I should continue with the shots, but to give up now seems foolish…...I’m also wondering if the allergic reaction is contributing to my severe moods lately…..

because last weekend my husband noticed all the dust from the kleenex after I sneezed floating in the air. The dust would hang there then I’d inhale it as I started another sneeze and the cycle got worse. So I have hidden all the Kleenex in my house now and am using hankerchiefs instead. It also means less dust in my house. :)

Recently I learned that since the advent of genetically modified foods, American kids have experienced an increase in life-threatening food allergies on an epidemic scale.

This isn’t happening in countries that have banned GMOs.

I would like to see the FDA ban them here, but the FDA is controlled by the people who are making and selling the GMOs, as well as controlling the research.