Allergies

[bolimepipi]

to all of you with seasonal allergies, you know what time is coming soon

i have battled allergies my whole life. i had seasonal asthma as a child, but thankfully i don't really have problems with this anymore and don't need an inhalator. i am mainly allergic to plants/pollen, and when i say this i mean literally any plant you can imagine i walk past a tree in bloom and i'm dying. when it comes to other things, i've always been allergic to dust mites and also i can't sleep on pillows with feathers. thankfully i am not allergic to any animals but recently i found out that i'm either allergic or intolerant to a lot of different foods. lastly, almost every february i get an unexplainable rash, no matter which country i'm in, it lasts for a few days, i'm in agony, then it goes away. didn't get it this year tho!

now onto more positive things, how to help!
i've always been given pills by doctors but since i've been fighting with this pretty much my whole life, i don't want to depend on pills anymore even if they do make life more manageable. i want to find more and more alternative solutions. one thing that everyone recommends is black cumin oil. it's pretty disgusting on its own so i take it in capsules. another thing for momentary relief is steam inhalation: a towel over your head with a bowl filled with hot chamomile/mint tea under your face. this works wonders! i also went to a pharmacist who makes her own alternative medicines and she gives me cold pressed oil for my mouth, and drops for my eyes and nose.

i thought here we could share tips on how to manage these stupid allergies the best way possible and make our lives easier this spring

also, how many of you get death stares when you're outside and sneezing and coughing since covid?!? i hate it

 

[under the ivy]

I have allergic rhinitis (constant runny nose) because of dust mites allergies - like how do you avoid it?! It’s so embarasing sometimes when I’m out, I always make sure I have tissues with me.

I use anti-allergy eye drops and take Loratadine tablets - helps a little bit.

 

[WilmaHun]

I'm the same. My allergies are so bad they cause me to have nosebleeds. Throughout summer sometimes I can have 3 or 4 nosebleeds a day. I couldn't believe it when the doctors said my nosebleeds were due to allergies, I'd never heard that before I also get the usual symptoms of stuffy nose, itchy eyes etc.

I get prescribed cetirizine hydrochloride, which does help a little. My GP told me to put vaseline round my nostrils in the summer as that will prevent the dust/pollen getting in, I tried it but personally didn't feel it made a difference.

I'll definitely give the towel over the head a go! Looking forward to seeing other peoples suggestions.

 

[orange club biscuit]

I get seasonal allergies, asthma and eczema/contact dermatitis

TBH I can deal with the allergies and rhinitis - I was prescribed some strong prescription antihistamines and use the allergic eye drops if it’s really bad. The bit I can’t deal with is the skin rashes and eczema flares I think my triggers are dust mites but other then that I’ve got no idea, sometimes it happens so randomly. I’ve been meaning to try and get referred for a patch test at a derm but it’s so expensive so need to figure out how to go through my health insurance policy. Has anyone else had one of these?

do you all also have allergies running in your family? Everyone in my immediate family has terrible eczema (dad is allergic to nightshades, brother is v sensitive to dust mites, nuts, cow’s milk and cockroaches!! yes that is actually tested for! ). My mum and brother both have asthma too. My brother also has anaphylaxis basically we had no chance! I am currently pregnant and praying for my life that my poor child inherits my husband’s non-allergic DNA!

 

[bolimepipi]

I have allergic rhinitis (constant runny nose) because of dust mites allergies - like how do you avoid it?! It’s so embarasing sometimes when I’m out, I always make sure I have tissues with me.

yeah impossible to avoid all of these things, i also always have tissues with me! i hate it when i'm going somewhere important or somewhere fancy and i put nice makeup on and as soon as i step outside i ruin it with wiping my nose

I'm the same. My allergies are so bad they cause me to have nosebleeds. Throughout summer sometimes I can have 3 or 4 nosebleeds a day. I couldn't believe it when the doctors said my nosebleeds were due to allergies, I'd never heard that before I also get the usual symptoms of stuffy nose, itchy eyes etc.

i also got nosebleeds! and cuts in my nose which hurt for weeks
definitely try the towel over the head! i use 2 litres of boiling water and chamomile tea. and then stay under for about 20 minutes and don't wipe anything, haha that sounds gross but it always makes me feel much better and helps with allergy headaches as well

TBH I can deal with the allergies and rhinitis - I was prescribed some strong prescription antihistamines and use the allergic eye drops if it’s really bad. The bit I can’t deal with is the skin rashes and eczema flares I think my triggers are dust mites but other then that I’ve got no idea, sometimes it happens so randomly. I’ve been meaning to try and get referred for a patch test at a derm but it’s so expensive so need to figure out how to go through my health insurance policy. Has anyone else had one of these?

do you all also have allergies running in your family? Everyone in my immediate family has terrible eczema (dad is allergic to nightshades, brother is v sensitive to dust mites, nuts, cow’s milk and cockroaches!! yes that is actually tested for! ). My mum and brother both have asthma too. My brother also has anaphylaxis basically we had no chance! I am currently pregnant and praying for my life that my poor child inherits my husband’s non-allergic DNA!

i have had those tests but i'm not from the uk, they are free in croatia, so i can't help you with this
no one in my family has allergies!! NOT A SINGLE PERSON!! pisses me off

 

[Lulu Goss]

I’m allergic to grass pollen so get really bad hay fever every year without fail. Blocked and runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sore itchy throat, sneezing, the lot! It makes me so miserable - there have been times where I’m out for the day doing something nice or at a bbq and I just can’t enjoy it because I’ve got what feels like a full blown winter cold!

Usually I start taking fenofexidine from around now, right through until September. But I’m pregnant, so waiting to find out if I’m allowed (google says no). I’ll definitely need to have something for it, there’s no way I can get through the summer just putting up with it

 

[bolimepipi]

I’m allergic to grass pollen so get really bad hay fever every year without fail. Blocked and runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sore itchy throat, sneezing, the lot! It makes me so miserable - there have been times where I’m out for the day doing something nice or at a bbq and I just can’t enjoy it because I’ve got what feels like a full blown winter cold!

Usually I start taking fenofexidine from around now, right through until September. But I’m pregnant, so waiting to find out if I’m allowed (google says no). I’ll definitely need to have something for it, there’s no way I can get through the summer just putting up with it

i think the safest thing for when you're pregnant is propolis honey
best to figure something out with your doctor!

 

[lemonlime]

I really need to see an allergy specialist/immunologist. HI've been dealing with a stupid hive outbreak for no good reason and the doctor I've seen about it pretty much said "Yeaah it can be anything idk here's some pills". I struggle with hypochondria so these things out of the blue stress me out like nothing else. I have allergic asthma and I'm sensitive to dust and smoke. To think that I've spent a good few months in a sculpture studio for art classes when I was in high school is crazy to me now; I ended up dragging myself to the doctor because I didn't know why I was miserable and everything hurt. I suspect I've developed allergic rhinitis because the cough and runny/bloody nose hasn't stopped in a full year now. It's infuriating. I also get angioedema on my hands if I am reacting to something, and yes, I don't know what I react to because I've never been tested.

The only treatment I have is antihistamines; finally switched from Clarityn to a better medication because it messed with my sleep like nothing else. Dreading spring because hayfever has been getting worse as I age

 

[bolimepipi]

@lemonlime girrrrrrrl, you really need to do a proper allergy test! it really makes a difference and they can adapt medication to that. if you don't deal with the allergies, they can really take over your life. when i get lazy with taking my supplements and drops, i can instantly see a difference. don't let that happen!

 

[lemonlime]

Thank you, it's on my to do list now! I have one more regular doctor visit I need to arrange (sigh) so when that's out of the way, the hospital better be ready for me because I might cry out of frustration and stress

 

[Jellybeansoup]

How did those who managed to see an allergy specialist get their GP to refer them? I had an allergic reaction to something last year and my lips swelled up massively, I went down the private route thinking it would be quicker but I had to jump through so many hoops to even get an appointment with an allergist! I had just a standard blood test and that was it, not the testing I thought I’d get?

I also get hives regularly, eczema / skin conditions across my body and I (think) chronic sinusitis but now I’m wondering if it’s allergy related

 

[bolimepipi]

How did those who managed to see an allergy specialist get their GP to refer them? I had an allergic reaction to something last year and my lips swelled up massively, I went down the private route thinking it would be quicker but I had to jump through so many hoops to even get an appointment with an allergist! I had just a standard blood test and that was it, not the testing I thought I’d get?

I also get hives regularly, eczema / skin conditions across my body and I (think) chronic sinusitis but now I’m wondering if it’s allergy related

that's really surprising to me! sorry i'm assuming you are from the uk, i'm not so can't help much here :| but if you are having constant allergic reactions and ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist, shouldn't that be it? :O

 

[orange club biscuit]

How did those who managed to see an allergy specialist get their GP to refer them? I had an allergic reaction to something last year and my lips swelled up massively, I went down the private route thinking it would be quicker but I had to jump through so many hoops to even get an appointment with an allergist! I had just a standard blood test and that was it, not the testing I thought I’d get?

I also get hives regularly, eczema / skin conditions across my body and I (think) chronic sinusitis but now I’m wondering if it’s allergy related

So my dad managed to get referred through his GP. He had really terrible eczema on his hands (dyshidriotic?) and managed to get an appointment with the dermatologist who does patch testing. I have been doing some research on this too as I want to get it - blood tests aren’t very accurate for some allergies as sometimes you’ll react to stuff on your skin but a blood test won’t show it up. I won’t go into loads of detail but basically they tested him for loads of common allergens plus things he used on a daily basis - they put a little bit of each substance on your back to see how your skin reacts.
I really wish I knew more about how to get referred - my dad had suffered for years and I think he was just persistent! Also, I think we are lucky to have an specialist allergy clinic in our city, not sure every hospital would have one. Worth looking up private options too as I know the consultant who saw my dad does that.

my brother also had allergy testing recently as he had a severe allergy to nuts as a child. He managed to get referred through his GP too.

I’m allergic to grass pollen so get really bad hay fever every year without fail. Blocked and runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sore itchy throat, sneezing, the lot! It makes me so miserable - there have been times where I’m out for the day doing something nice or at a bbq and I just can’t enjoy it because I’ve got what feels like a full blown winter cold!

Usually I start taking fenofexidine from around now, right through until September. But I’m pregnant, so waiting to find out if I’m allowed (google says no). I’ll definitely need to have something for it, there’s no way I can get through the summer just putting up with it

Ugh me too, I usually use fenofexidine and had an awful allergic reaction a few weeks ago and the pharmacist was sooo unhelpful regarding what can be taken during pregnancy. I’ve ended up taking Clarityn after speaking to my GP because I had a really really bad reaction on my face and it was unbearable. TBH the advice around medication and pregnancy is so sketchy - there’s a really interesting chapter in ‘expecting better’ (it’s American but still relevant) which helped me to understand why doctors are so reluctant to prescribe stuff!

 

[1001 others]

I've broken out in hives which is really unlike me (just woke up on Thursday morning and was covered in the things). I went to the pharmacy this morning (dabbing Savlon cream on them all of Thursday didn't help one bit), and the pharmacists took one look at them and said they were environmental allergies. I've never had them before - so strange. So am now taking some antihistamines and staying indoors for a bit ... no improvement so far, but here's hoping in a couple of days they'll have gone down a bit.

 

[Jellybeansoup]

So my dad managed to get referred through his GP. He had really terrible eczema on his hands (dyshidriotic?) and managed to get an appointment with the dermatologist who does patch testing. I have been doing some research on this too as I want to get it - blood tests aren’t very accurate for some allergies as sometimes you’ll react to stuff on your skin but a blood test won’t show it up. I won’t go into loads of detail but basically they tested him for loads of common allergens plus things he used on a daily basis - they put a little bit of each substance on your back to see how your skin reacts.
I really wish I knew more about how to get referred - my dad had suffered for years and I think he was just persistent! Also, I think we are lucky to have an specialist allergy clinic in our city, not sure every hospital would have one. Worth looking up private options too as I know the consultant who saw my dad does that.

my brother also had allergy testing recently as he had a severe allergy to nuts as a child. He managed to get referred through his GP too.

annoyingly I’ve had outbreaks of dyshidrotic eczema before and when I had a major flare across my palm with thick infected blisters my GP literally simply said to me ‘at least it’s not on your face’ WTF

I ended up kicking off with a referral to a sk:n clinic, she gave me steroid cream and left it at that - I wasn’t offered a follow up

to manage it now my gp let’s me have a steady prescription of clobetasol to use ‘as and when’ and prednisolone but they don’t seem interested in actually managing it to find the source.

I will persevere and hopefully I can get them to do some investigating - really feel for your family though! Allergies are a witch x

that's really surprising to me! sorry i'm assuming you are from the uk, i'm not so can't help much here :| but if you are having constant allergic reactions and ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist, shouldn't that be it? :O

I am from the UK yes the levels of questioning I had to go through with AXA healthcare (private company vs the NHS) just to get the allergist appointment made me think they were sick of people abusing the system just to get the prick tests done! Either way my actual GP nor AXA seem interested so I can’t win

 

[orange club biscuit]

annoyingly I’ve had outbreaks of dyshidrotic eczema before and when I had a major flare across my palm with thick infected blisters my GP literally simply said to me ‘at least it’s not on your face’ WTF

I ended up kicking off with a referral to a sk:n clinic, she gave me steroid cream and left it at that - I wasn’t offered a follow up

to manage it now my gp let’s me have a steady prescription of clobetasol to use ‘as and when’ and prednisolone but they don’t seem interested in actually managing it to find the source.

I will persevere and hopefully I can get them to do some investigating - really feel for your family though! Allergies are a witch x



I am from the UK yes the levels of questioning I had to go through with AXA healthcare (private company vs the NHS) just to get the allergist appointment made me think they were sick of people abusing the system just to get the prick tests done! Either way my actual GP nor AXA seem interested so I can’t win

FFS! It’s so frustrating isn’t it - I feel like most of the time just don’t get taken seriously if you’re not on the verge of death or infected or something I have had very mixed experiences with GPs, some are v v sympathetic and others don’t care. I think my dad was lucky that his had an interest in dermatology. Could you ring your practice and see if there’s anyone specialised in it who you could see to start with? Also, I think something my mum did with her skin issues was to really emphasise the impact on mental health, sleep etc...if you haven’t already it might be worth trying.

When I had my horrific angioderma on my face the GP wasn’t like oh it’s because you’re pregnant...cheers so shall I just suffer and look like this for 6 more months!

annoying to hear about AXA as that’s my work medical insurance provider too...

btw this was the tests my dad had (not sure where you are in the UK but this is in Leeds) https://www.drfaheemlatheef.com/allergy-testing

 

[Jellybeansoup]

FFS! It’s so frustrating isn’t it - I feel like most of the time just don’t get taken seriously if you’re not on the verge of death or infected or something I have had very mixed experiences with GPs, some are v v sympathetic and others don’t care. I think my dad was lucky that his had an interest in dermatology. Could you ring your practice and see if there’s anyone specialised in it who you could see to start with? Also, I think something my mum did with her skin issues was to really emphasise the impact on mental health, sleep etc...if you haven’t already it might be worth trying.

When I had my horrific angioderma on my face the GP wasn’t like oh it’s because you’re pregnant...cheers so shall I just suffer and look like this for 6 more months!

annoying to hear about AXA as that’s my work medical insurance provider too...

btw this was the tests my dad had (not sure where you are in the UK but this is in Leeds) https://www.drfaheemlatheef.com/allergy-testing

Ah you’re a diamond thank you for the tips! I’m london and honestly the calibre of GP’s down here ranges from piss awful to terrible

AXA is generally good for everything else! Do you have dr care anywhere? Ive found those appointments always helpful and they referred my partner really quickly for some tests when he was having respiratory issues - there is hope! X

 

[orange club biscuit]

Ah you’re a diamond thank you for the tips! I’m london and honestly the calibre of GP’s down here ranges from piss awful to terrible

AXA is generally good for everything else! Do you have dr care anywhere? Ive found those appointments always helpful and they referred my partner really quickly for some tests when he was having respiratory issues - there is hope! X

Ha yes - I was down there for a few years until last year so I truly feel your pain! Good luck with it and don’t give up - hassle them until they give in

(Also another thing I’ve done is to take pictures of your skin at its worst to show to the docs if it tends to come and go and isn’t awful for your actual appointment!)

Agreed that doctor care anywhere is awesome - so much easier than dealing with GP receptionists...! Also the physio self referral is amazing and cuts so much hassle out

 

[greenvelvet]

It’s interesting how pollen in different places can set you off - I lived in another country and when I did, my allergies were so bad I felt like I had the flu

I have chronic allergic rhinitis and when I go outside, one eye constantly streams. Why?! My makeup drips down on one side and I look deranged

I’ve found a lot to help with the congestion, but not much with the streaming/nose running. IIRC I was on loratadine and a steroid spray when I was the least leaky. I stopped the steroid spray as you can’t be on them forever, and the immunity lasted a year or so I think

I find that a daily sinus rinse and face massage helps. I just bought a random massage wand and use it on my face doing lymphatic drainage patterns. It really helps. Not supposed to do it if you’re actually unwell though as it spreads the infection around

 

[lemonlime]

Decided not to take my antihistamine last night to see if this hives/urticaria bullshit is over. Joy of joys, it is not! Woke up and noticed a couple small bumps near my elbow, around it's usual place and I felt like crying. So far mine have been very irritating and very uncomfortable but haven't been debilitating but not knowing why this happens, ergo not knowing how to stop it really got on my nerves and I had a little cry while making my breakfast, lol. Doesn't help that most allergy specialists are catering to children only, for some reason, so I don't know who is reliable and who will take this seriously. I'll book an appointment with my endocrinologist next week for my biannual checkup, I'll ask her if she can diagnose or help or at least give me a name. Nothing online helps either, if I see one more bullshit "reduce stress" advice I'll scream.