Allergies...I feel like I am dying!
I have not had a head cold since March of 2000. I just don't get them now that I am off of dairy. I have not had hay fever in 20+ years. This is year 2 in this house and I didn't have problems last year. It is not the dog, had her longer than this problem. Probably not the rabbit as I have lived with many rabbits and I don't handle him. I just cannot figure out the problem! I finally got up at 4 a.m. because I could not sleep for the sneezing and runny nose. This will last till about 11 or 12 noon and be done for the day. The time from about 3 a.m. until noon is just awful.
I broke down and bought Actifed this weekend because I had to do something and I am hypersensitive to about everything, just a little less so to the Actifed. It is hit or miss and today was a miss because it has yet to work in the 3 hours it has been onboard.
Any ideas what this is? Do you all have some natural ways to combat this? I used to take an herb, now I can't remember what, that would stop this in its tracks. I am just miserable and more so since I have not had a single issue in over 20 yrs. With my zits and my allergies I feel 13 again and I really don't like it!
Sometimes I think it's just the way the wind is blowing. Also, there is the fact that I've been told that just because you've never had allergies doesn't mean you can't or won't develop them. You know how it goes--you have an allergy as a kid and then "grow out of it." I think the same thing holds true for adults--we can grow into or out of allergies too. I'm hoping it's just the wind though.
It could be someone has planted new plants in your area. I never had a pollen allergy until 1991 when they brought in a bunch of foriegn plants to put in some new parks etc. for Expo 1992 (may its memory be erased). That was the year half the city started having terrible allergic reactions! Then in about 1996 when one of the Spanish princesses was married here, they planted a bunch of new things in Maria Luisa Park downtown (you'll have seen the Plaza de España in Star Wars first Prequel, only you won't know what it was--caused laughter in theatres here, though!). The new bushes drive me mad, I can no longer visit that park in spring because I sneeze my head off and my eyes stream tears.
The only thing that really has helped me were homeopathic drops. Antihistamines work for a while but make me groggy and b*tchy (not "irritable"--just plain b*itchy), but then after a season or two they stop working. I'd give you the name of my drops but they're made here. Can you find a homeopath where you live?
Tell me what you get and I am sure I know a homeopath or can find one.
Since you haven't had hay fever in years, it might not be allergies. Is it possible there is mold somewhere in your house? I know mold can cause all kinds of problems for people.
Some people swear by stinging nettle to relieve allergy symptoms (anything histamine related), but I can't say for myself because I don't have allergies.
If you harvest the nettles, make sure you use young ones or the very tips, and don't let yourself be stung.
You can steam them and eat them (yumm), you can make tea out of them and drink that 2-3 times a day, you can also dry it and make tea, tincture, or put it into capsules and take those.
Supposedly the acids and phyto-histamines weaken the action of your own body's histamines. I'm not sure, but it's worth a try.
Do any stinging nettles grow in your area?
Polinosan (not sure of the spelling, but its pronounced polly-no-san) is made by vogel. Don't know if it's vegan or even veggie since its been a good decade or so since I've needed it. You should be able to get it at the HFS.
K^2
I've seen stinging nettle supplements at healthfood stores so that may be an easier/faster way than planting, but never knew what it was for.
I've never had allergies before but recently started getting them this year too.... I think it's just all the junk the wind circulates in the air. A friend of mine turned me onto SinuCleanse (you can find it at Walgreens) and sometimes that works to flush/irrigate out the allergens/mucus/whatever in your sinuses. I think they talked about this stuff on NPR too. I'm still looking for more in the ways of prevention/treatment of allergies though because I'm really not used to the allergy symptoms, and they suck :'(
Tell me what you get and I am sure I know a homeopath or can find one.
Mine is made in Spain by Homeolabs, it's called Cepatol-H. A 60 ml bottle contains:Blatta orientalis 20D, Pollantinum 20D, Graminea pollen 20D, Histaminun 20D, Antimonium Tartaricum 15D, Allium cepa 8D, Sabadilia 8D, Angelica 8D, Actaea racemosa 8D, Euphrasia 8D, Apis mellifica 8D, Arsenicum album 8D, Spongia 8D, Belladonna 8D, Euphorbium 6D, Lufra operculata 6D, Thuya occidentalis 15D, Galium album 8D, Yerba santa 1D, Lobelia 2D, Ginko biloba 1D, Ephedra 1D Glyariza glabra 1D (not too sure about that last one, there's a smudge on the label).
It comes in drops or lozenges.
Ephedra? I'm wondering if the ephedrine in otc meds is the same as the one that got banned here? Or is it pseuphedrine (sp?) ? Maybe it's good in small amounts?
Ok, that's good to know. I think I have some miso and stinging nettle in the cupboard, so I will try that.
I (18 years old) just developed an allergy to some types of synthetic fibers. It was practically over night! If I wear the offending materials I get extremely itchy and develop a sick dry rash thing. Sooo weird. Lol, ladies, I bet you can apprciate the challenge of finding elastic- and nylon-free bras :-\
GET A NETI POT!! its a nasal lavage... its is so easy to use, though it was freaky the first time i used it, but it is AMAZING!
i have never had allergies (or so i thought) but i started getting sinus/ head/ nech/ chest pain! from the congestion and muscle tension. and i now use a neti pot, and it really works!! it totally cleans you out.
a neti pot costs like 18 bucks, but there are small plastic nasal lavages for a few bucks.
i totally have to agree with the Netti pot. i started getting really bad sinus allergies about 5 years ago, so i know the pain of the constant sniffles, sore throat, everyone asking you if you're crying... :P
anyway, in the spring and fall they can be absolute murder. shame, too, because it's such a nice time to be outside. i used to have to take sudafed nearly every day for months on end just so i could see straight. then my yoga teach told me about the Netti pot, and things have improved about 85% since then with NO meds.
i even have one i keep at work. as lucidanne said, it's a little freaky at first (weirder still if coworkers walk in on you during the "cleansing"), but dang if it doesn't help me sleep though the night. i think i bought my first one at a health food store for like 12 bucks, with another 3 for the saline. give it a shot. if nothing else, it's a nice parlour trick. ;D
definitely try using the Neti pot!
last non-vegan thing i used was half-and-half in my coffee -- when i cut that out, i noticed a nice "side-effect" was that my allergy/sinus problems were greatly improved . . . don't know if i am truly allergic to dairy, but my guess is that, like many, i have a sensitivity to it (wheat is apparently a really common allergen too)
but . . . being in an urban area, there is (are?!?) TONS of pollution combined with pollen, mold spores, dust, etc. etc. etc. . . . my laundromat is the WORST! (maybe all the lint?)
so using a Neti pot really helps . . . unfortunately i have not been using it daily, as i have in the past, but i really should!
i do not use any special saline solution, just plain ol' sea salt . . . you could also try adding Varcho Veda "Neti Wash Plus" (zinc, goldenseal, etc.) to the solution (http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/Shopping/ps-271-24-neti-wash-plussupsup-2-oz.aspx)
you could also try the Nasya Oil, from Banyan Botanicals (http://www.banyan-botanicals.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3181&variation=&aitem=1&mitem=3)
happy breathing!
-- kathy z. :D
If it's respiratory it could be Dustmites. I believe it's the most common allergy. I get a runny nose, which can lead to a sore throat. I need to blow my nose all the time. I have sneezing fits which gets my breathing out of kilter and I have to concentrate real hard on my breathing to calm down enough to sleep. It can take an hour or more if I'm not on any medication. I think my symptoms are more severe than most.
The best way to find out is to get a skin prick test, not sure how vegan that is. If it is Dustmites the best thing is to have a dust free house.
If you think it is Dustmites, I can tell you more.
I never had allergies until I was about 19 years old. It was only recently that it wasn't so bad (since going veg*n). But this year is terrible. I usually get sinus infections with allergies. This is the first time in two years that I feel one coming on. EEKKK. So I'm also going to use some of your advice.
This clothes allergy is another story (can't wear anything but cotton) ......
You may want to try an allergist.
I went to one for 10 years and it made a profound difference in my level of suffering.
Yes, you will have to go through the "prick" test. It takes forever, is very tiring and annoying. However, after the testing, the allergist can make serum specifically to your particular allergens.
I ended up being allergic to pretty much everything that flies through the air, including cockroach (feces) tobacco and dust mite (feces.) So yes, the dustmite serum is vegan. No dust mites actually die to produce the serum.
The only foods I was allergic to were peanuts, walnuts and rye. I still eat all three of those foods.
After the first shot, my allergies cleared up about 50%. After the second shot I no longer had symptoms. My doctor required I come to his office for my biweekly shots for about 6 weeks then the nurse taught me how to give them to myself. (Actually much better as I was far more gentle with myself than any nurse ever was.)
I took shots for over a decade as I became desensitized. The way this works is the serum you inject is a dilute weakened version of your allergens. Slowly, your body builds immunity to the allergen and no longer produces histamines to attack the invading allergen. I feel this is so much healthier than taking chemical prescriptions as you are only injecting yourself with natural substances that aren't supposed to be toxic. It's just that currently, your immune system is confused.
Some people need only take the shots one or two years before they build immunity. Others need to take the shots the remainder of their lives. It took me a little over 10 years.
Were the results perfect? No. I do still have allergies. But they are SO MUCH better than they used to be. I don't take any prescriptions or over the counter medication. Only rarely do I have problems that involve any real suffering.
If necessary, I'd do the whole thing over again. It offered that much of a prolonged and noticeable relief.
Good luck.
Ahh yes, the scratch test...I had one of those. I don't mind giving blood, but for some reason someone coming at me and pricking me repeatedly for about 5 min gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies. Especially the way it's done here, like a cattle market, they put about 20 people in the same room and you all get to watch everyone else suffer before the nurse gets to you....eeek!
There was a nice young man sitting next to me and I started to feel a major spazz attack coming on, so I gave him my nicest smile and said, "I'll give you 5 bucks if you hold my other hand while she "scratches" me!" He laughed, realised I was serious, and nicely held my hand for me. AND refused the cash, which I was more than happy to give him. I even offered to buy him the drink of his choice after and he turned me down. I felt he had earned it! ;D
Well and this is what I don't understand. I wrote this earlier in teh week and what happened? NO ALLERGY PROBLEMS FOR TWO DAYS! Not a sneeze.
This is what is just so strange. I have a problem, then I don't.