Hello,

Recently I took a trip down to Brownsville, TX. After my first week there I started having symptoms of what seemed like allergies (itching/watering eye, running nose). Unfortunately I seem to have attacks at some of the strangest times. If I was in my hotel room I was fine, but either at work or outside my "allergies" would really bother me.

Since I have been home (Friday Night) I have continued to suffer occasionally. In my living room I have some symptoms, but while in our bedroom I am fine. Furthermore, in our basement I am also okay.

My worst reaction thus far was yesterday when we walked into WalMart. Immediately after entering the store my left eye started itching and watering as well as my left nostril running uncontrollably. As quickly as my symptoms appear they can dissipate. Every time I go to my room for 5 minutes I am back to my old self without any symptoms at all.

On a side note, Everything I have experienced is only on my left side only. I have read in several places that if it were allergies then it would be effecting both sides!

I have started taking Claritin until my doctors appointment (Next Saturday) but cannot tell if it is helping yet. I haven't gone back to WalMart nor care to go back until I find out what is causing this.

If you have any suggestions on how to handle these symptoms to help me make it through next week at work please let me know. I'm afraid that I may have a similar reaction there as what I had at Walmart making it impossible for me to function properly.

Thanks!

So far I have been doing better with taking Claritin, however, I still have some slight symptoms. Hopefully my test results give some insight. We now carry benedryl with us just in case I have a severe reaction to anything I eat. Stupid allergies! I have never been allergic to anything before.

How have you been feeling and faring, lately?

I didn't have allergies until adulthood, as well; when they hit, it's with a vengeance at times (most times).

When allergies are real horrendous, washing your hair and taking a shower or bath - after having been "exposed" - to the allergens is supposed to help.

Also, a lot of people claim that Neti Pot is quiet effective.

Well, I had to come here on this forum. As a child I was diagnosed with Rose Fever. Not Hay Fever. Rose Fever. Don't know what that is but I had it.

I distinctly remember going to the doctor every week for injections and once I was on his table and he squirted some hot liquid up my nose. I hated every second of this. I will NEVER forget this.

So as the years passed, I never had any allergic symptoms any more.

I could smell flowers, smell EVERYTHING. No runny noses, no nothing.

A few years ago, I was clearing out LOTS OF BOOKS that I had up for sale on half.com. We are talking thousands of books. I never realized that I should have worn a mask or something.

Shortly after they were gone, my throat was bothering me, my nose, my ears, I was clearing my throat, etc.

I went to the doctor and I said: What the heck kind of cold is this? And he said: "do you have allergies, what have you been exposed to lately?" and when I told him about the books, he yelled 'OH MY GOD, ARE YOU NUTS, ALL THAT DUST!!!

He gave me a prescription nasal spray. Can't remember the name. If I heard it, I'll remember it. It was not Nasonex. That I know.

So lately, (I live in Brooklyn, NY), WELL!!! everybody in my neighborhood is sneezing, clearing throats, and people are talking and saying "Oh my god, this is going to be the worst allergy season EVER".

I said to Alan "See, that's why my nose is running and I'm blowing my nose, and my ears are itchy and my eyes are watery. Alan was sneezing yesterday too and I've sneezed a few times myself in the last few days. Just so you know, I NEVER SNEEZE.

But I have this drip at the back of my throat. Drives me nuts.

The guy around the corner (as Alan and I were passing), and he didn't even know that we were talking about allergies, well he blurted out "Oh my goodness, look at all the dried pollen coming off of these trees". I looked at Alan and said "oh my".

We have even had some trees fall down because two days ago there was this hurricane kind of wind and the next day EVERY FLOWER WAS OFF THE TREES and on the sidewalks around my neighborhood.

So I guess at the ripe old age of 62, I'm back in the allergy business again?

And one more thing. Every single morning, when I go to my neighborhood cafe and I have their hot coffee, I ALWAYS HAVE TO BLOW MY NOSE.

Every single morning.

Well, forget about this morning. I never blew my nose so much in my life. It's like my nose would not stop running. And everybody outside was sneezing.

So I went online and typed in Pollen Count for 11204, and all I saw was tall red lines that went from low to medium, and gave a 5 day forecast.

I don't know how to read these predictions. So if all the red lines were up to the word HIGH, I gather the pollen count around my neighborhood is not that great?

Am I right?

If someone can check for me and type in Pollen Count in 11204, please translate for me.

I am clueless about allergies because it's been over 50 years since I had Rose Fever.

Thanks much

Melody

Hi,
A lot of people in Texas have bad allergies, I lived there 25 years. Some parts of the state are a lot worse than other places. There was one area I knew of that a lot of people would get sick with allergies just driving through it on the interstate because of what was growing there, etc. and people talk about getting Cedar Fever when the cedar trees go into bloom.

You said you walked into WalMart, did the symptoms appear as soon as you walked in or in a particular area or department? My son and I both have problems going anywhere with eucalyptus plants, even dried ones, and I know WalMart carries floral arrangements of various types. Obviously, perfumes and a lot of other things could have set your allergies off.

If you do have allergies, it is possible you are getting a reaction only on one side because you may have a blockage in your sinuses etc. on one side. Have you tried getting a saline wash or using a neti pot?

On food allergies, I have over 25 tested food allergies. I use Benadryl dissolve strips, that I can only order online now because most pharmacies don't carry them. I also have an EpiPen for severe reactions. With some of the food allergies I get, I can't swallow to get the food down - it gets impacted in the esophagus - and I have to use a dissolve strip to get it to settle down. Obviously, you can't swallow a pill if you can't swallow, so that is why I get the dissolve strips.