How do you handle allergies?

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by cabmando

IDK about others but my shots were of the stuff I reacted to in the skin test.... which was about everything.

I got a general steroid shot for allergies in Anchorage. No reaction grid tests. That was 30+ years ago. Maybe the shots I rcvd were more of a shotgun approach?

I do remember vividly (1986) the one and only time jogging outside in the late summer there when Fireweed was in full bloom. With sweat, allowing the cooties to stick, every bit of exposed skin had welts and my eyeballs had bumps on them. It was hideous and frightening.

I probably don't have as severe a reaction today as you do. Just lethargy in late spring and early summer. The Claritan D takes some of the sleepiness away.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

I got a general steroid shot for allergies in Anchorage. No reaction grid tests. That was 30+ years ago. Maybe the shots I rcvd were more of a shotgun approach?

I do remember vividly (1986) the one and only time jogging outside in the late summer there when Fireweed was in full bloom. With sweat, allowing the cooties to stick, every bit of exposed skin had welts and my eyeballs had bumps on them. It was hideous and frightening.

I probably don't have as severe a reaction today as you do. Just lethargy in late spring and early summer. The Claritan D takes some of the sleepiness away.

If I'm not mistaken that's because it's loaded with Pseudoephedrine. My reaction is typically just sinus congestion. Sometimes it feels like someone is trying to poke my eyes our from the inside. But otherwise not all bad.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by livi

That sounds like it may have been a while ago. The method was in many ways rather primitive back then. Even now there are individuals that doesn´t seem to have a real good effect from the treatment but its rather rare. Fortunately with the substance in tablett form its also a walk in the park, basically with almost no allergic side effects.

Look up the Oklahoma Allergy Clinic. I would bet money they still do the shots. They are one of the large allergy clinics. They sure cured my allergies.

[Crowbob]

I pretty much was allergy-free until maybe 1977 or so. That summer began my nasal congestion almost every day since. Severe. I did every OTC drug known just to survive. Brain fog, headaches, sleepless nights, watery eyes, fatigue. You name it. I did shots...nada. I did the flush thing...nada. I could treat the symptoms enough to function but was miserable. Like suicidal miserable. Did the cortisone nasal spray to keep the inflammation almost manageable.

Then maybe four years ago...poof, gone. No meds. No symptoms, no allergies. They vanished as quickly and as suddenly as they appeared.

No changes in my diet or activities, or anything. I have no explanation for it.

[wdfifteen]

We both developed allergies when we move out here into the sticks. Dr prescribed Montelukast and it has been a godsend.

[livi]

Originally Posted by RWebb

livi - I thought the tablets only covered grass allergies

do they now have them for other allergies?

Yes. Grass came first in tablett form, some twenty years ago. Then mite a couple of years now and last winter birch.

[livi]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Look up the Oklahoma Allergy Clinic. I would bet money they still do the shots. They are one of the large allergy clinics. They sure cured my allergies.

We still use shots as an alternative but much less now when we have the major allergens in tabletts. Particularly with children.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

We both developed allergies when we move out here into the sticks. Dr prescribed Montelukast and it has been a godsend.

Allergic to fresh country air!

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by livi

We still use shots as an alternative but much less now when we have the major allergens in tabletts. Particularly with children.

The way they explained it to me was they do the testing and find precisely what a person is allergic to, and how much. The nurse did the small injections of allergens, and then 20 minutes later the doctor came in, and "read" the reactions and rated them from none to severe or extreme. They then concocted a shot just for me. For the first year I had to go to their office and get the injections to make sure I did not have a severe reaction. After that, my wife gave me the shots with a insulin syringe, in the arm. They would mail be a package with 5 weeks worth of shots. We kept them in the fridge.

The testing was really uncomfortable with all the injections to stuff I was allergic to. The good news for me, I was not allergic to any food. I was super allergic to pecan pollen, and I always hated pecans as a kid before I knew I was allergic to them. If I eat some pecans in a cake or cookie it is at best like getting the sniffles for a while, at worst diarrhea. I avoid pecans, but other nuts are fine.