Pine Pollen...HELP!

[KFC911]

For the first time in my life, I'm willing to take something for this crap. Been clearing a qtr acre of 100s of small dense pines recently (up to 4" or so) and it's created a pollen nuclear zone that has NEVER effected me like this before. PP is peaking right now and I've been misearable. Anything OTC I can take? I've never even considered taking anything before...it's been that bad I meant to ask earlier and a wicked rain passed through, so maybe it won't be so bad now...but just in case, what do you suggest?

[Drdogface]

Try Allegra...it's supposed to be 'non drowsy' but knocks me out for a day or so... Were it me I'd wait till the season passes...

[gamin]

I feel your pain. I am using Nasacort this year and it actually seems to be working. By this time in the pollen season I have had at least a couple of bouts of nasal alergies. Not this year. Just a couple of sneezes. That's it. We'll see when grasses and weeds crank up, but so far so good. I'm guessing it's cheapest at Walmart.

[gamin]

Should have mentioned, Nasacort does not make me drowsy. In fact, I don't notice any side effects.

[Drdogface]

Is that OTC or Rx ? I need to try it...

Nevermind...found my answer..

[jwasbury]

I live on Allegra-D for the allergy season. It comes in 12 hr or 24 hr timed release. I take a 12 hr once per day, almost every day...except in the winter. If I don't, I am a sneezy, stuffed up, sinus headache, miserable person. The D stands for decongestant...it means pseudo ephedrine. Thus, you have to buy this OTC drug from the pharmacist so that they can put you in the FBI meth lab database.

[71scgc]

Glad I don't suffer from hay fever. My mother can't go outside this time of year. She'll be unable to breathe the rest of the day.
I've watched her suffer like this my whole life.

Every inch out here is covered in a layer of yellow-green dust. Like that every spring.

My Corvette looks like it's baby-snot green, not Steel Cities Grey.

Carter

[onewhippedpuppy]

I finally broke down a few years ago and got prescription allergy medicine, I have no idea why I didn't do this 20 years ago. Flonase nasal spray has been literally life changing. I used to have several days per month of pure allergy misery, now I'm pretty much normal all year round.

[Tobra]

What sort of mask are you wearing when you are working?

Zyrtec is the one the allergy guru told me to use. If you get some of those little low pressure water mister setups and put them up around perimeter of the house, it will knock a lot of it down. Hose yourself off occasionally when you are working too, if you can, definitely take your clothes off outside. Run the A/C in the car and keep your windows up, every little bit helps.

[Baz]

Claritin and Allegra are now available OTC.

Not sure if they are the same strength as Rx but it doesn't really matter as long as you follow the directions.

I pop an Allegra once in a while but thankfully not routinely.

[cboosh]

The following are all oral dosages:
Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec, Benadryl all OTC (all available generic too).
Benadryl is the strongest, but will cause the most drowsiness (the same active ingredient in Sominex).
Claritin won't cause drowsiness but doesn't work that well.
Allegra and Zyrtec work great cause SOME drowsiness in SOME people.
Most of these are also available as +D products at your friendly pharmacist counter.

Nasonex is now OTC. This is a nasal steroid. Works great, needs regular use for AT LEAST 5 days before you see a benefit. Primary side effect: dry/bloody sinuses & bloody nose.

Saline nasal spray works well to cleanse and soothe the sinuses. Side effect free.

I usually recommend Zyrtec (cetirizine) and nasal saline. Most will do well with this. If not, add Nasonex, but must be used daily, not just as needed.

Go talk to your pharmacist. We are great with this!

[HardDrive]

Get a neti pot. Not the prettiest thing trying to water board yourself, but I swear on a stack of bibles it works wonders. Best used in the shower.

[livi]

Many of my Young patients have a hell around this time. Here it is mainly the Birch. We have had the highest pollen Counts in decades.

I Always recommend the following:

1: Combine two oral antihistamins, for example loratadin with cetirizin. One in the morning the other at night.
2: Nasal steroids of any kind. 1-2 doses twice Daily.
3: Combine two kinds of antihistamin eyedrops, morning and night.

[KFC911]

Thanks for all of your suggestioins. Today was much better after the rain. I think I'll get some Zyrtec from Dr. Mom to have on hand if I ever have a day like that again. Of course I don't wear a mask...yeah, I know

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Not the prettiest thing trying to water board yourself...

LMAO. Nice visual.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Get a neti pot. Not the prettiest thing trying to water board yourself, but I swear on a stack of bibles it works wonders. Best used in the shower.

+1. Keith, I use the NeilMed. Same company, same solution, different delivery tool. Huge difference. Also Nasocort is now OTC. CVS here in Charlotte has it. I use the NeilMed, wait 20 minutes, then Nasocort. Add in zertec and you should be set.

[Tobra]

Solution to pollution is dilution, aphorism that broadly applies.

Dude, I will mail you a mask, free, for nothing. If that stuff never gets in there, you don't need to be popping anti-histamines as much.

Oh yeah, there is a filter in the HVAC system for your daily driver, maybe try change it, and hose off the floor mats if you have them. Have people leave their shoes at the door when it is bad too.

[Rick Lee]

I'm dying these last few weeks. I can't even sleep well, as it all collects in my head when I lay down. Zyrtec-D works sometimes, but the side effects are bad for me. I can't stop blowing my nose long enough for any kind of spray to work.

[emcon5]

For me, Zyrtec works better then either Allegra or Claritin.

Funny think about pine pollen, I didn't know there was such a thing until I lived here for a year:



In the summer, a good gust of wind would make yellow clouds fall out of the trees. There was a fine layer of yellow dust on everything. Insane amount of pollen.

[crb07]

I used to really suffer in North Georgia growing up, I took a pick up truck with all my crap and moved to South Florida.
If I am in the pine pollen Allegra is great stuff.