How I Treated My Allergic Rhinitis
I have a predominantly obstructive form of perennial allergic rhinitis with multiple allergen sensitivity.
Negative stress aggravates it - positive stress alleviates it. Jogging and exercise helps to overcome nasal airflow resistance for me and seems to reduce the sensation of blockage - a lot of good consistent exercise definitely improves rhinitis in my case e.g. swimming, jogging, running, cycling.
Irregular sleeping hours and too much sleep can provoke an attack in my case.
As many people will agree, it can have a significant impact on sleep, cause tiredness, lack of concentration, irritability, tension, nausea, post nasal drip, dryness and can have a serious impact on relationships in work and at home.
I found that nasal spray corticosteroids don't work consistently in my case - they don't always prevent my attacks from occurring, even with long term use. This is only my experience though!
I use a prescribed formulation of medicinal herbs prescribed by an approved medical herbalist - I have found them to be more effective and longer lasting than any other treatments I tried - single herbs I found did not work. I use this constantly throughout the winter and intermittently during the summer.
Plaintain and eyebright compound is good for the dryness I experience in the winter and is good for clearing the mucous.
Nasal saline irrigation can be very helpful also to clear mucous in the nasal cavity for me.
Fisherman's friend and airwaves chewing gum is very useful to make me breath through my nose more easily.
I have fewer attacks now (almost a normal life) that I use the herbal medication, compared to when I used only steroid sprays.
But when I do have the odd attack, I immediately begin using betamethasone sodium phosphate drops (betamethasone is a potent corticosteroid). I usually need them for no more than 5 or 6 days because I feel that they lose their benefit if using them long term - the medicinal herbs are my long term treatment.
A useful method recommended by my ENT consultant was to invert my head over the back of the bed when using the drops, and wait a few minutes - this allows deep penetration into the sinuses - (i believe that there is a sinus called the ethmoid sinus deeper in the nasal cavity)
If my nose gets really blocked up, I will use an oral decongestant, phenylephrine hydrochloride (60 mg) (short acting) and take these for a few days (this can also help the betamethasone drops get to the right place as it is a vasoconstrictor). I find that this decongestant, in my case, does not give me the shakes and nervousness that pseudoephedrine does.
Allergic Rhinitis - Sneezing, Dry Cough And Throat Mucus - LPR?
After having a throat scope just over 1 year ago (this was done because following a bad virus my voice was croaky and I thought I might have LPR). The consultant said nothing sinister going on and I was diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. I could tell you a lot about other symptoms including ear pain sinus problems etc but the thing that gets me down is the dry cough and throat mucus (which I still wonder might be lpr). The question I would like to ask is after a sneezing fit I get awful throat mucus which has to be hacked up for around 30mins then it starts to subside. I cannot find reference to anyone with this symptom, nor does my gp know why it happens. I should add that in 2001/2 following a cold I had a sinus scan which was clear but was diagnosed with mild asthma. In 2007 I suffered from some sort of virus which lasted weeks and this left me with the sneezing and mucus but as it was only occasionally I just got on with life. I had a sinus scan around this time but it came back normal. Late in 2104 one night afer eating some chocolate I started with throat mucus worse than ever and tried cutting out foods and improved although not completely. I have had ppis over the months but they just upset my IBS. I eventually had a throat scope as mentioned although most of my symptoms had gone during the wait for the appointment. I notice now after any cold which is always worse affecting sinuses etc I have a flare up of this throat mucus this time round a week after finishing antibiotics for sinus infection I am sneezing a lot coughing etc. I was given dymista for the rhinitis but did not take it have tried other similar from the gp but they just dry me up. I also tend to have bouts of oral thrush from my inhalers even though I rinse out. I think that stress plays a big part in all this. I am quite anxious at the moment due to family things. Anyone have this sneezing and mucus symptom.
View 1 RepliesSinusitis :: FESS Performed How To Avoid Sneezing With Allergic Rhinitis
I had the surgery at 3.30pm yesterday and felt amazingly clear until about 4am when the common runny nose and tickling sensation started to build and at 4.20am I sneezed. I kept my mouth open as advised but my tongue clamped to the back of my teeth so not sure it helped. So much mucus and blood came out and it set off a few seconds of a nose bleed, it's now 8.45 am and I'm concentrating 100% on not sneezing again but it's so hard. My nose is filling up with clear, runny allergic mucus and I don't know what to do.
Anyone else had this?
PS I've wikied how to prevent sneezing and used all go their tips on pinching and pressing, etc!
Dealing With Dust Mite Allergy?
Does anyone have any tips with dealing with dust mite allergies? I have done some research, I was wondering about which products to use. Does anyone use any of them and what are your thoughts? Has this helped with your allergy or simply made no difference? I would also love to buy an air cleaner.
View 7 RepliesRhinitis Or Hay Fever ?
The symptoms first started 9 years ago when I found out I was pregnant and were quite severe throughout my pregnancy (symptoms such as runny itchy eyes that feel dry at the same time, very fast flowing runny nose that drips, sneezing fits, loss of smell, headaches, lack of energy). the symptoms then began to fade away as the years went by but have came back with a vengeance over the past 12 months, it makes working hard and stops me from doing normal day to day things as I feel like going and locking myself away.
I will be visiting my Dr in the next week to tell him that it is not hayfever that it is infact rhinitis and I want something done about it.
Rhinitis :: Back After 3 Years
I suffered with rhinitis for 11 years. Took steroid spray which didn't help. Had allergy test which said I wasn't allergic to anything at all. I then had 3 glorious years free from a blocked nose.
Unfortunately it has now come back. I cannot think of anything that I have done differently to cause it to go nor for it to come back.
I seem to have a cycle; one day feel okay, next day or two so blocked up that I cannot sleep and even if I can blow my nose it immediately blocks up again after. My jaw aches from having to breath through my mouth. The next day my nose isn't blocked but continuously runs and I get through boxes of tissues.
The first 7 years I suffered in both nostrils but after that only one nostril is effected which makes me feel lopsided. Why would an allergy only cause problems on one side?
It really is a very antisocial problem and although sounds trivial I know you fellow sufferers can understand how debilitating it is.
Rhinitis :: 20 Years Of Runny Nose
i've had a constant runny nose since i was about 12. I never really give it much thought until about 3 months ago when my symptoms became unbearable. I can't taste or smell anything, i'm sneezing every day and my nose can just drip clear watery fluid out at any moment. I read somewhere about reducing dairy products but that didn't help. I finally went to the doctors and was prescribed a nasal spray that hasn't helped, but he has reassured me that they can try other things. I have always been able to tell when the timer on the central heating has gone off because my nose will start to run, even when i was a little girl. I can't believe i've put up with it for so long! I've got a new appointment next week so hopefully after reading all your stories i'll be able to influence the doctor.
View 1 RepliesRhinitis :: Excessive Mucus Production
My problem is the excessive production of mucus. It has been going on for about 12 years or so (I am now 58) and it is getting worse. Embarrassingly, it happens mainly when I eat (usually halfway through eating a large main meal, but also when eating hot and spicy food). It's embarrassing because nobody wants to share a meal with somebody who has a perennially runny nose.
It also happens, bizarrely, when I sit on the loo in the morning, when my nose runs non-stop! I have no idea why.
It also happens, albeit less spectacularly, in my sleep. This means that I usually wake up in the middle of the night, wheezing. About three years ago my doctor diagnosed asthma, and a Ventolin inhaler does help ease the wheezing, but the main problem is coughing up phlegm. Once I've cleared that off my chest (with difficulty, sometimes), I usually feel better. But increasingly I am dreading nights, because sleeping (ie lying down) causes that congested feeling and wheezing chest.
When I do strenuous exercise, particularly in cold weather, my chest seems to seize up and breathing gets difficult. This is accompanied by a noticeable increase in my heart rate, which I can feel thumping in my chest. Again, Ventolin seems to help here (which I guess is why my GP diagnosed asthma three years ago -- although I never had asthma as a child.
Other side effects include lack of smell or taste. They really are very poor (practically non-existent) these days. But is this a by-product of getting older? After all, my hearing is much poorer these days and that is obviously not caused by excessive mucus!
I gave up smoking ten years ago. I am about 3 stone overweight (6ft 1in and 16st), two stone of which I pile don after giving up smoking. I work (mainly) in an office environment.
My doctor has prescribed Beconase nasal spray, which is only partially effective. Sometimes it seems to have no effect at all.
To be honest, my GP was pretty disinterested, so I haven't returned in over two years. In fact he retired about a year ago and I have yet to go and meet his replacement, because I expect I'll again be fobbed off. After all, my "illness" must appear rather insignificant to an overworked doctor dealing with patients with life-threatening and nasty diseases.
In other words,if you can give me any pointers, regarding what the problem is likely to be and what I can try, I am very happy to sort this out for myself.
Anybody else recognise any of the above?
Rhinitis :: Terrible Hay Fever With Both Nose And Eye Symptoms
I get terrible hay fever with both nose and eye symptoms. However, I find that if I take a steroid nasal spray it not only clears my nose symptoms, but my eye symptoms are very much eased too without the need to take eye drops!
View 2 RepliesRhinitis :: Facial Sauna And Heated Wheat Bag Helps
i suffer from persistent rhinitis, i find that a heated wheat bag definitely eases the horrid soreness that i get at the top of my nose and headaches, also find that eating cold yogurt temporarily soothes this sinus pain, also going to the steam room really helps so heat is definitely temporarily relieving. my nose also constantly drips which is very annoying, but i find doing facial sauna helps with this or placing a heated wheat bag over my nostrils and inhaling the heat through my nose. regular dusting of the house helps, and if you can change your carpet for wooded floor boards this will help, because sometimes no matter how much you may hoover, dust and mites will still remain. also the doctor prescribed me fexofenadine tablets these are 120mg tablets which i have found the most effective out of any other tablets or sprays that i've tried over the last 8 years.
View 1 RepliesAllergies Rhinitis :: Due To Grass Pollen - Grazax Or Grastek ?
Should I consider Grazax or Grastek (taking first dose in ER)?
How long and effective is the treatment?
Antihistamines have little to no effect. I do not suffer from Asthma. 40yrs.
Allergic To Latex?
everytime ive been in hospital, after being examined I've come up with rashes on my stomach and chest where they have touched me with their gloves could I be allergic to the latex in them?
View 1 RepliesRhinitis :: Hay Fever - Continuous Yellow Snot Pouring From Nose
Looking for some help for the past 3 weeks my little boy of 5 has had continuous yellow snot pouring from his nose he also coughs all the time sometimes till he is sick he also says he is tired.he has seen 4 different doctors 2 said it was a virus and 2 said hay fever he takes antihistamine and now has a ventolin inhaler which ain't helping him his nose is so blocked he can hardly breathe.does this sound like hay fever he looks.
View 4 RepliesAllergy :: Allergic To Lip Products?
I am 18 years old, and I have never been allergic to anything in my life. As part of my nightly routine, I've always put on lip balm before bed. However, late last year, my lips started to get more dry and chapped than usual, even itchy. They felt like sand paper and often developed tiny bumps. If rubbed hard enough, the bumps would produce a clear liquid. The edges of my lips also sometimes felt very raw and red. These symptoms would last around a week.
At the time, I had been using just plain Burt's Bees Lip Balm for many weeks. When I got the symptoms, I used a bit more of the balm than I usually did, thinking it would work for dryness. When nothing seemed to be working, I stopped using it altogether. In time, my lips healed, and I switched to Softlips lipbalm in both vanilla and peppermint flavors. I showed no reaction from their usage for about a month. Then, I started getting the same reaction that I got from the Burt's Bees Lip Balm. That was when I figured I was developing an allergy to lip balm. Over time, I also realized I was getting the same reaction even faster from lipstick and lipgloss. That meant I was allergic to all lip products across the board.
I began researching into the symptoms and the ingredients in lip products, especially ones that commonly produced allergic reactions. With that knowledge in mind, I've tried many other balms these past months, including ones by Blistex and Kiss my Face. I'm even allergic to plain Chapstick. At first, I would not show any symptoms at all, but they would eventually show up within a few weeks, sometimes days. I even tried alternating the balms every night, which worked slightly but I would eventually get the reaction again. Nowadays, I only wear lip balm every few nights because I can't stand having chapped lips, but never multiple nights in a row. Even then, there's always a chance of my reacting to it.
I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact ingredient that I'm allergic to, and I'm hesitant to spend any more money to try more products. I haven't changed anything about my diet, makeup, facewash, mouthwash, or toothpaste, so I am very certain that it's the lip products. After my research I've also found that other people have had the same problem.
Has any product been found that works but doesn't trigger a reaction from people with my allergies?
I've heard that Vaseline is possibly the only solution, but because of my research I've been staying away from products with petroleum and petrolatum in them. Should I try it out anyway?
Vaccinations :: Allergic To Injections
On Thursday I had my meningitis C vaccine in my left arm, and diphtheria, polio and tetanus in the other. I've been feeling a bit off since.
Basically- my arms hurt(which I know was to be expected) but they hurt more than everyone else's seemed to...
Then on Friday I completely lost my appetite, I just didn't want to eat at all, I felt like crying all day(not out of pain though?) I had a really bad headache, my arms still hurt...mainly the meningitis arm, I felt exhausted, all throughout the day, especially in lessons, and I was really irritable and moody towards a few people then today I've been feeling a bit better, although I think the vaccine gave a me a cold? My voice at the moment is husky and I'm worried I'll lose it...
Is it normal for those vaccines to make me feel like this? If so, what can I do about it?
Co-codamol :: Being Allergic To Codeine
I developed neuralgia on the left side of my face and took co-codamol for pain relief. Within 24 hours this side had swollen drastically. I went to hospital and was given a course of steroids to reduce the swelling. I was diagnosed as being allergic to codeine.
View 1 RepliesTrimethoprim :: Allergic Reaction
I was prescribed this drug yesterday for a supposed urine infection. I had suffered with urine infections alot in my teens and into adulthood, however had not had an infection since having my son 8 years ago. I had problems during my pregnancy high blood pressure being one of these problems. As a result I only have one fully functional kidney. I was told that my blood pressure would probably go up again in later life and therefore have had it checked each year since.
On a routine checkup a couple of weeks ago, it appears that the high blood pressure is back and at the checkup I also had my urine dipped. The nurse asked me if I had any problems passing water etc. When I said I hadn't, she said there was something in my water and would send it off to the hospital just in case. I said that I thought I would have noticed if there had been a problem.
Anyway, yesterday I got the results and the surgery informed me that my doctor had left a prescription out for me. I picked it up and took the first tablet at four o'clock. By seven o'clock I had a severe headache, and the most awful chest pain, I thought I was having a heart attack
On reading the side effects we rang the hospital, got an appointment, by which time my back and chest were covered in a rash. My Blood pressure had reached 240/140 extremely high....
The doctor confirmed that it was an allergic reaction to trimethoprim and injected me with an antihistamine. Having checked my urine again, they said I did not have an infection in the first instance and should never have been prescribed this drug and confirmed that it could have been fatal.
I am going to make a formal complaint to my doctor and would like to take this further. Why is this drug being prescribed? I think I am very lucky to be here today and my children could have been left without their mum.
Allergic To Apple Juice?
I've recently started suffering from a series of sore throats and tongue Ulcers. This is strange, as I am healthy mid 20's male - i run 4/5 times a week, i have a very healthy diet, and I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs. It got worse last week when i developed a little under 30 ulcers on my tongue, and had an exceptionally sore throat. It died away almost as soon as it started, some 24 hours later. I went to the doctor, but beyond the usual reasons (stress, stopping smoking, acidic food) he could think of no reason for them.This afternoon, I had a drink of apple juice, and within 10 minutes, my throat was closing and felt really sore. It occurred to me that over the past two weeks, I could link all of my outbreaks/worst days to days when i had drunk fresh fruit juice that may have contained apple juice - I usually drink a fruit juice with two or three fruits in it, and they use apple juice to thin the mix of pulpier fruits (such as mango, banana, papaya etc), or to make juice go further (cranberry, raspberry or pomegranate for example). I think i'm fine with orange based fruit drinks, or at least i don't recall Is it possible to be allergic to apple juice?
View 1 RepliesRhinitis :: Nasonex Nasal Spray Causing Stomach Ulcers, Gastritis?
i have been suffering with headaches and the doc said i have rhinitis, so gave me nasonex nasal spray which i used for several months which eased my symptoms, although then suddenly started getting stomach problems, like gastritis i could not eat felt really unwell for weeks doc said i prob have an ulcer but was unlikely to be the spray that had caused it and put me on omeprazole which eased my symptoms after a few months i stopped the nasal spray, however i started the nasal spray again as i was having headaches and straight away got these bad pains like acid reflux gerd ulcer type pains, im sure its the steroid spray has any one else had any experience like this many thanks
View 1 Replies