does anyone here have problems with allergies?i take an allergy shot every week but it doesnt seem to help and the otc pills dont seem to help
There are quite a variety of OTC allergy pills available. I would first recommend trying another antihistamine tablet. What are your symptoms? If they are principally upper respiratory (hay fever type), you could try one of the OTC nasal sprays. If you are getting shots, you are, or should be, seeing an allergist. When you go in for your shot, ask their advice. That is what you (or your insurance) is paying them for.
my ent doctor put me on allergy shots---i was taking claritin but it wasnt doing any good so i switched to zytec and they made me nauseated--i still take the shots but the pollen here in georgia is bad right now
You could try Allegra or the nasal spray Flonase. Ask if you want the generics of those. I used to live in Georgia, so I remember the pollen, especially the Pines.
There are a lot of OTC medications available but all allergies are not the same, and few medications are without some possible harmful effect, so I would suggest having a doctor recommend something. No, doctors don't always get things right the first time but that would probably be better than trying one OTC drug after another until you find something that works for you. As for allergies, I have had a usually slight, but sometimes persistent, cough for years, and have had a few doctors suggest that it could be an allergy, recommending one medication or another, but none of them did any good at all, I think because it's not an allergy. But your experiences may differ, particularly if you actually have an allergy, which I don't think I have.
@Betty Jones My own experiences with allergies have been broad, recurrent, and varied. I researched the great variety of antihistamines, learning that all have undesirable side-effects of a similar nature. Drowsiness is one. My histamine seems to be released at different places, little correlation, never really coming back exactly the same. Itchy eyes, sometimes, itchy arms other times, sometimes mucus, sometimes none. I have wondered often whether another problem manifests itself resembling allergy symptoms, but in reality being other-sourced in nature. Would explain the often-experienced failure of antihistamines when taken, to provide any relief at all. Frank
i have had all kinds of allergy test done--i am allergic to grass flowers trees animals--i live in georgia and the only tree i am not allergic to is pine
If antihistamines don't work, then perhaps histamine release is not your problem. The OTC steroid nasal spray addresses more than histamine. My wife also had that problem in Georgia. The pecan trees just about disabled her. She has problems with birches here, but there is not a pecan tree within 2000 miles.
I took allergy shots when I was younger and they did help me....but I also had to take different allergy meds too. My allergy Doctor had to try different meds until we found the right ones that helped me. If the ones you are taking aren't helping then you should let your Doctor know that and see what he suggests. I don't have as much problems with my allergies now that I am older but there are still times when everything is blooming, etc. that I have to take something for relief. Sometimes it is a nose spray...sometimes it's Claritan D. For a while I thought I was going to have to go back on shots, but so far I'm doing okay.
Thankfully that is one problem Ive never had, still don't. I don't think anyone in my family has them except two grandsons...my oldest and my son's middle child.
I just started taking it yesterday for allergies. According to a lot of reviews from different web sites, it is good for allergies. I hope it is because everything else I've tried is like drinking water for my allergies! I'm afraid to say to much but today, I could actually taste what I was eating which I haven't been able to do in so long because of allergies. Also, I'm not as closed up as I've been so maybe there is hope!!!! Are you taking it?
@Betty Jones If it helps, grape seeds must contain an antihistaminic compound.I'll try to find out. For my allergies, which seem as whimsical as the wind, I use Ceterizine (Zyrtec), or Hydroxizine, which has a lower deleterious effect than many others. Also, the body metabolizes Hydroxizine to Ceterizine first, so a sort of double-whammy. Frank
When I lived in the Midwest, my life was miserable due to severe allergies. My face would swell to the point of obstructing my vision. There were not as many OTC options then, so I suffered greatly. Vitamin E (natural form) was suggested to me, and it seemed to ease the symptoms somewhat. Perhaps grape seeds have a set of antioxidants in them that help. I am starting to develop allergies again after being up here for almost 30 years, but it was heaven when I first moved up here and my allergies were completely gone--the first time in my memory that I had no allergic symptoms.
@Don Alaska Growing up in the Chicago area, I thought I was free of allergies, until in my 20s, I began having unusual sore throats, which dragged on for days, and recurred often. The Dr. said I have a chronic "post-nasal drip" which caused the inflammation (!?). After taking numerous meds, consulting with him again, he said if I mov ed to Arizona, the sore throats would likely go away. Instead, when finally we were financially able, when I was 30 we moved to Nevada. Sore throats stayed in Chicago! Frank