Welcome Wednesday: Allergy sufferers, how do you cope?

[#1]

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

In my part of the world the warm weather has really started to shine and that also means there is a ton of pollen in the air. Unfortunately, for me this means itchy, watery eyes & a nose I can’t breathe from. This was always an issue for me growing up, but for the last 19 years when my wife and I were living 2 hours north of here, things weren’t as bad. Now that we have moved back closer to where we both grew up, my allergies symptoms have returned with a vengeance.

My question for you all this week, Do you have any allergies that you live with? If so, what are they? And, how do you manage with them?

Personally, I use allergy medication when things get really bad, otherwise I just try to push through the symptoms. Thankfully, this only lasts for a short period of time each year.

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

[Andy Gladstone]

@Jimmy Seddon feel better! Sorry to hear that you are a walking advertisement for antihistamines right now.

I don't currently suffer from any significant allergies, but I did suffer from both asthma and allergies as a child. From the age of 7 until 14 I was at the allergist's office once or twice a week for the dreaded allergy shot. Wait in a crowded office, get called in by a nurse, spend less than a minute getting a shot and wait in the office 30 more minutes to see if there was any reaction. The injection site would almost always blow up. they'd apply some cooling spray, and I'd be on my way. 

At first my mother would have to bring me to every appointment. But at 10 years old I was allowed to ride my bike there and that signaled freedom! By the time I was 12 I was no longer waiting after the shot and would just ride home and apply the spray myself. By 14 I had either outgrown the allergies or just chose to suffer from the allergies than the interminable wait for the shot. I can't remember which. But the experience is seared in my memory forever.

[Anahit Sukiasyan]

@Jimmy Seddon yes, I can totally relate! I also have an allergy to the sun and pollen - my eyes start crying. 😅 It gets really uncomfortable, especially during warmer days. I’ve been taking some allergy medicine too, which helps a bit, but some days are just tough to get through. You're definitely not alone in this - wishing you a smooth allergy season ahead!

[Debbie Jolley]

I have weird allergies to some smells - including oranges and coconut - plus some perfumes and cleaning products (esp if used in excess).  Cause a mix of migraines and/or breathing problems.

Because of me, my office has a ban on citrus fruit.

But it's a hard one as I can't control people around me - fortunately I work in a very male dominated environment (bad in some ways... ;-) ), but good in as far as they're far less likely to bathe in smelly products.

[Barbara Szczesniak]

Many commiserations, @Jimmy Seddon. 

I had no allergies growing up in upstate New York, where I spent many of my waking hours outside. About a year after I moved to Los Angeles, I started to have issues, and allergy testing revealed allergies to all types of grasses, house dust, and molds. I wasn't sure how moving to a place of cement and very little grass could cause this, but they told me that the smog caused allergies for many people new to the area.

Over the years, I seem to have developed even more environmental and medication allergies, and I have now had allergy testing 3 times. Every time I move to a new place (new country, new state in the US), someone always tells me "This is the worst place for allergies." 🤣

I have taken a 24-hour allergy medication every day since about 2001. About 7 years ago, they added another, so I take 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening. About 2 years ago, they also gave me a spray that I'm supposed to use twice every day, but I just can't handle all of that all the time, so I reserve this for when I can't actually breathe through my nose. 

[John Funk]

I have had allergies since I was a kid. Grass pollen is one of the worst for me. Whenever someone is cutting the grass, my nose will burn. And with several different types of trees in the southern US, Fall and trigger lots of allergies. Now I take elderberry syrup (or capsules) along with powdered garlic capsules. Seems to help a lot!

[Amanda Barber]

I just have seasonal allergies that allergy meds mostly address, thankfully. My cousin's kiddo has some more severe food allergies which has really rocked our family meals. We make it work, but planning around dairy, eggs, and nuts has been tricky!

[Hugo Sepúlveda]

I used to have an allergy to insect bites, but luckily it has always been mild. Fortunately, I don’t suffer from seasonal allergies, which are pretty common around here in the spring. I definitely feel for everyone going through it — hope it passes quickly for you all!

[Teodora V _Fun Inc_]

I hope it resolves soon @Jimmy Seddon!
I've been suffering from allergies with mild to intense symptoms for the past 10-15 years. The interesting part is that I never know what the year will bring, and I am always surprised by the severity of the allergies, whether they are mild, strong, or absent. Keeps the joy in life, I guess :D  

However, I usually push through and use saltwater nose sprays to relieve some of the symptoms.