Can we talk about allergies?

[chw57]

This has probably been discussed somewhere already.

I am DYING. I use flonase + Zyrtec and I think the Zyrtec is making me drowsy. Does Claritin help? With less drowsiness?

I've tried local honey, it seems to do nothing. Haaaalp

[wambam]

Zyrtec does nothing for me. #teamallegra forever and ever, amen.

[chw57]

Apr 25, 2018 11:34:50 GMT -5 wambam said:

Zyrtec does nothing for me. #teamallegra forever and ever, amen.

Oooh good to know. This is the first time I've tried Zyrtec. Not impressed.

[al320]

Im super sensitive to the antihistamines.

Benadryl puts me into a hibernative state.
Zyrtec turns me into a narcoleptic. As does Xyzal, which is the isomer.
Claritin, which is non drowsy, makes me droswy, but the childrens dose (5mg vs 10mg) is ok.
I take Allegra (well, generic fexafenadine) and im fine. Singulair (which is rx and an antileukatriane) didnt make me drowsy but i had other side effects, but it did work well.

[luckystar2]

Omg Zyrtec makes me SO drowsy. I cannot take it.

Claritin is not drowsy but it really doesn’t do much for me

Allegra works the best but I can’t take it. It gives me the most horrific menstrual cramps. So odd but it’s a potential side effect and it was awful.

I use Flonase, Claritin and aloway for my eyes.

[shauni27]

I suffer with benedryl. It sucks.

[sadlebred]

Allegra works best for me of the non-drowsy allergy meds. Zyrtec is what I use now as Allegra seemed to stop working, which can happen. I'll go back to Allegra once the bottle of Zyrtec is used up.

I take Benadryl at night if I need allergy meds.

[bullygirl979]

Zyrtec used to work great for me but last year it started not working as well. I spoke to a MD I work with and she said that you can develop a sort of immunity to it, which dulls its efficacy. I added in a nasal antihistamine this year...crossing my fingers it works. I feel like I got hit by a bus.

[Brit]

If the Zyrtec works for you, have you tried taking it before bed? Xyzal has instructions to take it at bedtime, I would think that might help with Zyrtec as well.

I have been on Xyzal and then Zyrtec for a long time. I wonder if I have just become accustomed to drowsiness or if it doesn’t happen to me?

[mooselovah]

Has anyone here done the shots for allergies? I am thinking about it.

[Wines Not Whines]

I take Flonase and Claritin. I tried Zyrtec but it did nothing for me.

[bostonmichelle]

I take Zyrtec but take it at night because if not I’m super drowsy. It seems to work still but I’ve cycled through others before.

[vcubergirl]

Apr 25, 2018 23:35:04 GMT -5 mooselovah said:

Has anyone here done the shots for allergies? I am thinking about it.

I did years ago, and it definitely made a difference. I was taking Flonase and Zyrtec (this was about the time they both came out) and now I just take Zyrtec seasonally. And I hardly ever have days when I can't do things because of allergies.

[laurack]

when I went to the allergist last he suggested the shots, but it sounded super intensive.. like I'd have to go every week for months? and of course my insurance is still trying to screw me over and not pay for my allergy/asthma visits so I feel the shots would probably cost me a lot out of pocket

I've had to start using an inhaler during the worst weeks. I was hopeful for this year, but last night I couldn't sleep because I kept waking up gasping for breath. I'll probably have to use the inhaler most nights now for 2-3 weeks until the worst passes.

I am using nasocort. I feel iffy on the pills, I tried them all- zyrtec makes me drowsy, I will use Benadryl at night if it seems like I won't be able to sleep. Claritin does nothing, I think allegra maybe helps a bit ... it's so hard to say though! Because the pollen levels vary day to day, and the medicines sometimes work for a week then you become immune to them or something. and they are so expensive

[bullygirl979]

Am I the only one that feels utterly exhausted during allergy season? I literally feel like I could sleep 12 hours a day. How do you train through this?

[chw57]

Apr 26, 2018 8:21:42 GMT -5 bullygirl979 said:

Am I the only one that feels utterly exhausted during allergy season? I literally feel like I could sleep 12 hours a day. How do you train through this?

YES. That is me this week. My training has been shit.  I switched from Zyrtec to Allegra so hopefully I'll feel less drowsy now, but I always get exhausted when allergy season starts.

[bullygirl979]

Apr 26, 2018 9:23:38 GMT -5 chw57 said:

Apr 26, 2018 8:21:42 GMT -5 bullygirl979 said:

Am I the only one that feels utterly exhausted during allergy season? I literally feel like I could sleep 12 hours a day. How do you train through this?

YES. That is me this week. My training has been shit.  I switched from Zyrtec to Allegra so hopefully I'll feel less drowsy now, but I always get exhausted when allergy season starts.

Glad I'm not the only one! I may switch from taking meds in the morning to taking them at night and see if that helps.

[lilypad1126]

I take zyrtec at night because it makes me drowsy. My doctor initially recommended that I take it at night, though, because it's worse when I lay down and I felt like I was drowning from all the snot (gag. sorry!). I also take allergy meds year round. And on real bad days, I add a Claritin in the morning. Flonase and other nasal sprays don't do much for me, though I've tried every one of them. I also was on Singulair for years, and just recently stopped taking it. Mostly b/c I ran out and was in the midst of changing doctors and didn't want the hassle of trying to get it refilled. My new doc said she'd order it for me again if I thought I needed it but so far I'm doing ok. I also have the added "luxury" of clogged sinuses causing migraines. Sooo, basically I'm a mess in the Spring and Fall.

And training through this sucks. I am tired, lack energy, run slower. Blergh.

[runwny]

Allergies are such a nuisance! I’ve had good luck with Zyrtec before bed but I had to take it regularly for a couple of weeks to notice a difference.

If my allergies are super bad this year I might try the shots - my DH did them when he was younger and had good results.

[sadlebred]

You no longer have to get shots. SLIT-Sublingual Immunotherapy is great. It's done at home. I did it for 2 years, and it has helped tremendously! Not all ENTs & allergy docs offer it. I've found here in ATL that most of the big practices do.


www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/specialty_areas/sinus_center/sublingual_immunotherapy.html
www.mdedge.com/internalmedicinenews/article/132588/pulmonology/fda-approves-sublingual-immunotherapy-dust-mite

[libbygrl109]

Apr 25, 2018 23:35:04 GMT -5 mooselovah said:

Has anyone here done the shots for allergies? I am thinking about it.

I did them from age 10-19. I am basically allergic to everything in the air, and I did see improvement as the years went on. 

Now I get by on Zyrtec (it doesn't bother me, but my brother gets extremely drowsy on it) on an almost daily basis, and Benedryl when things are completely out of control (usually only once or twice a year, and typically when pollen counts are out of control). 

I also will do a saline rinse when things are bad. My ENT has me use the Neilmed bottle. She said it does a better job of getting the rinse into your sinus cavity compared to a neti pot.

I have actually been OK with allergies so far - maybe because we haven't really had spring yet? My sinuses on the other hand - the worst I've been in about 10 years.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Team Allegra here too. I also supplement with benadryl at night, although I'm not entirely sure that's wise - if I don't, I wake up feeling like crap.

Zyrtec makes me feel like I'm in a fog and Claritin does freaking nothing.

I've done shots in the past, but I never re-established with an allergy clinic when we moved to CA because our insurance is high-deductible and it's really not in the budget right now. I'd rather pay $100/month in allergy meds than $5000 a year in shots and tests at the moment. FRICKING AETNA.

[bullygirl979]

chw57, I'm not sure if you tried this but I started using a nasal spray plus my normal Zyrtec. They are both 24 hour but I started staggering them. So I take the Zyrtec at 9pm and the nasal version at 9am. Because I'm never in a place where the drug has pretty much completely worn off, it has helped IMMENSELY. I don't feel 100% but I don't feel like I've been hit by a bus, which is how I had been feeling. Just thought I'd share the tip in case it's helpful for you!

[chw57]

May 3, 2018 13:00:24 GMT -5 bullygirl979 said:

chw57, I'm not sure if you tried this but I started using a nasal spray plus my normal Zyrtec. They are both 24 hour but I started staggering them. So I take the Zyrtec at 9pm and the nasal version at 9am. Because I'm never in a place where the drug has pretty much completely worn off, it has helped IMMENSELY. I don't feel 100% but I don't feel like I've been hit by a bus, which is how I had been feeling. Just thought I'd share the tip in case it's helpful for you!

I’ve started doing this with Allegra and Flonase and it’s been good!