Problems With Allergies?

Dealing With My Allergies

My mom has the worst allergies EVER! Growing up and watching her deal with her allergies made me extremely grateful not to have them! Boy was I wrong! Who knew there was such a thing as late onset allergies?!

I started having trouble with allergies in undergrad. They were pesky but they weren't terrible. I would take over-the counter medicines to get me through the Spring then forget all about them until the next Spring. Over the years, things worsened. I'm from Eastern NC, so Spring there is saturated with pollen. When I went back home for grad school, I quickly learned that the outdoor allergens that bothered me the most were pollen and grass. I've had pets all my life, but just like the outdoor allergens, my reaction to indoor allergens worsened as I got older. I quickly learned that my biggest trigger is pet dander, but mold bothers me as well.

Don't get me wrong, my allergies were a problem, but I'm resilient. I don't like to run to the doctor unless it's extremely urgent! 2015 rolled in and I came down with a cold, which hardly ever happens. The cold went away, but the symptoms didn't. I knew it was my allergies because I was taking medicine for a cold and nothing was happening. I was dealing with the usual symptoms but things had just gotten unbearable. I had migraine-like headaches, sinus pressure, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy eyes/nose/throat, coughing, and sneezing. I was dealing with one, if not multiple symptoms, every day for two months straight!! It was quite ridiculous, so I had no choice but to schedule an appointment.

I wanted to see an Allergist but I needed a referral. This meant that I had to see a primary care physician first. I let him know what I wanted, but of course he wanted me to try his recommendations first. I didn't want to do that! I couldn't be picky after what I'd been through this year, so I was willing to give his recommendations a try.

I was diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, but most people know it as hay fever. The doctor prescribed three things: a Neti Pot, Veramyst, and Zyrtec. I was skeptical about this combination of things because I've been dealing with my allergies for years. My symptoms were serious and I thought I needed serious medicine, not some home remedy! I'd heard of people using Neti Pots to successfully get rid of their allergies, but I always thought it was weird.

As he described it, the Neti Pot would rinse the allergens I'd breathed in that day from the hairs in my nasal and sinus cavities known as the cilia. He suggested I use the pot at night after washing my face. Washing my face would remove any indoor and outdoor allergens hanging out on my face and around my nose so as to not contaminate the pot or recontaminate my nose. (Here's a video demonstration of how the Neti Pot works.) I would then follow this up with a squirt of Veramyst into each nostril. The Zyrtec was for mornings, but only if the first two weren't working.

I added the Neti Pot and Veramyst into my nightly routine and within the first week of doing so, my allergy symptoms vanished! I was very surprised. I even tested this by not using the pot and Veramyst one night and sure enough the next day I was congested and sneezing!

On Instagram @ChalkyTheCat

I can't say with 100% certainty that one will work without the other...or that either will work at all...but I know what it's done for me. If you have issues with allergies, I would definitely recommend at least giving the Neti Pot a try. I've recommended it to both my mom and best friend. Veramyst is a prescription nasal spray, but Nasacort Allergy is an over-the-counter steroid nasal spray similar to Veramyst. I'm not telling you to use either medication because I'm not a doctor. I am, however, suggesting that you discuss any medications with your primary care physician before taking them. I bought a store brand version of Zyrtec. It has the same amount of medicine in it as the name brand, it's just cheaper. I haven't had to use it, but I have it in case I need it.

I have a black cat (whose name is Chalky White - a Boardwalk Empire inspired name. He now has a an Instagram @ChalkyTheCat so check him out! :-) so the pot and spray have successfully worked against my main indoor allergy. Spring and softball season are just around the corner and DC, like Eastern NC, gives my allergies a run for their money!! That'll be the true test for my outdoor allergies. Be on the lookout for an update in the heart of pollen season!

What do you do to rid yourself of allergy woes?!

This is not a sponsored post. I've had so much trouble with my allergies that I wanted to share with the hopes of helping others! These are my true and honest opinions!

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