I Hate Ragweed!

[Jabberwonky]

Just a lil' south of ya in Cibolo...Some days you can out and lick it of the truck...

Eeeew! PLEASE DON'T tell us you know this through experimental evidence....

Cedar, ragweed, dog and cat dander, dust, dust mites, grass dust, leaf mold, curry powder, and a couple of prescription blood pressure meds and antibiotics for good measure. And "X" (the next undiscovered allergen).

Well there is this...

[Julie]

Damn, how many Texans do we have on this board?

Apparently a lot. And I promise I won't crash my car into yours in the random ice storms we get.

[PrettyPrincess]

I don't know if I want my allergies cured by a crazy squirrel...

[Mark N]

I don't know if I want my allergies cured by a crazy squirrel...

Well Monica did learn her lesson right after that here...

[txmystic]

You and my wife and son. I am thankfully not affected by the Central Texas variety of ragweed, but it makes us wish and pray for the first freeze every year...sadly, in these days of extreme drought, that happens later and later...

Are they allergic to things other than the ragweed perhaps? Weed pollen problems are normally a late-summer to mid-fall kind of thing, but if they suffer during every season but winter, they may have other issues. I'm allergic to some trees, grasses, and weeds, so I essentially fight pollen problems from March through October/November (or first freeze, like you said).

Boom. We move to France, and the allergies are gone. Which is odd because I read somewhere that Lyon and south were the only regions in France where ragweed could be found (d'oh!). Hopefully this is the end...

[alj_ws]

Boom. We move to France, and the allergies are gone. Which is odd because I read somewhere that Lyon and south were the only regions in France where ragweed could be found (d'oh!). Hopefully this is the end...

Ragweed, "Ambroisie" in french, is not very common even around Lyon. Situation was worse a few years ago. But even if you are allergic to ragweed, the plant is not exactly the same and it is possible you will be immune to at least a few expositions.

[Dave]

Boom. We move to France, and the allergies are gone. Which is odd because I read somewhere that Lyon and south were the only regions in France where ragweed could be found (d'oh!). Hopefully this is the end...

Ragweed, "Ambroisie" in french, is not very common even around Lyon. Situation was worse a few years ago. But even if you are allergic to ragweed, the plant is not exactly the same and it is possible you will be immune to at least a few expositions.

It's common (unfortunately) for allergic sensitivity to local plant varieties to develop after two or three years... moving brings temporary relief, but unless you move again it may not be permanent. Sometimes you're lucky (seems to depend both on the person and the plants) and sometimes not.

[DinkyInky]

Just venting - it's now ragweed season where I live, and I am dealing with the stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and resulting sinus and ear infections. Anyone else want to join me in the hay fever club?

I use a combination of allergy medicine, nasal irrigation, and frustration to battle my allergies. But if anyone knows a secret magic hint that I don't, let me know?

Last night I read a book to my daughter called "Baa-Choo" about a sheep with a sneeze that had no "choo" - sadly, I have plenty o' "choo" right now.

I filk around(pun intended) to deal with frustrations, because as soon as the snows thaw, until the first good hard freeze, my allergies are in full force. I frequently get allergy-induced Bronchitis/Bronchial Pneumonia.
To the tune of "Wild Mountain Thyme":
Oh, the springtime is a-comin',
And the weeds are a-bloomin',
And the wildflowers and weeds
Grow around my stupid garden.

Won't you die, darn you, die?
And I'll get the Round-up now
And pull wildflowers and weeds
Out of my stupid garden,
Won't you die, darn you, die?

I am taking my prescriptions
And avoiding the outdoors,
And all that damned pollen,
Is not being filtered.

If I plant my garden today, and tend to it well,
Maybe those damn weeds will burn in hell.
And I'll pull wildflowers and weeds
Out of my stupid garden

Oh, the springtime is a-comin',
And the weeds are a-bloomin',
And the wildflowers and weeds
Grow around my stupid garden.

To the tune of TMBG "Particle Man":
I'm sick today, sick today
Doing a whole lotta nothing day
Whats the doctor say? Ya gotta pay
I'm sick today

Is it a virus, or an infection?
Will the meds fix the cold in my head?
Or will the cold get me instead?
Go away, I'm sick today

My kidneys ache, kidneys ache
My kidneys ache cause I'm sick today
The meds I take taste horridly
My kidneys ache

My nose ran away, ran away
My nose ran away cause I blew it a million times today
Kleenex made a mint off of me today
My nose ran away

Sniffle and sneezes multiply
While my sinuses drain and never dry
Hope the meds don't put me in lala land
Sanity's leaving for today, My nose ran away

My head hurts, head hurts
Light, sound and smells just makin' it worse
Next verse same as the first
My head hurts

My house looks like hell cause I'm down for the count
My chores increasing in insane amounts
I'm so far behind I'll never die
I'm anti-social cause my head hurts

Is it a virus, or an infection?
Will the meds fix the cold in my head?
Or will the cold get me instead?
Go away, I'm sick today

Ricola drops for the raw throat, Traditional Medicinals Breathe Easy, Throat Coat tea(both tea packets brewed in the same cup, let steep for at least ten. Drink even the dregs). I also use a mixture of Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Spearmint, and Peppermint oil as vapors both in a jar as smelling salts(recipe below), and in the bath. You can also use the oil blend in a tart warmer with blank tarts, just melt the tart first, then add the oil.

Bath salts:
3C fine Epsom Salt
2C fine sea salt
1C baking soda

Essential Oils
40 drops eucalyptus
20 drops Rosemary
20 drops Spearmint
20 drops Peppermint

I get empty essential oil bottles from the nearest apothecary or health food store to mix up my blends.

Mix the salts and essential oils in a one gallon Ziploc bag and shake til blended. Pour into a nice mason jar or apothecary jar. Breathe deeply for a quick fix. When scents are faint, use as bath salts to release the last of the fragrance,then make more.

Feel Better Soon!

[Julie]

Ricola drops for the raw throat, Traditional Medicinals Breathe Easy, Throat Coat tea(both tea packets brewed in the same cup, let steep for at least ten. Drink even the dregs). I also use a mixture of Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Spearmint, and Peppermint oil as vapors both in a jar as smelling salts(recipe below), and in the bath. You can also use the oil blend in a tart warmer with blank tarts, just melt the tart first, then add the oil.

Bath salts:
3C fine Epsom Salt
2C fine sea salt
1C baking soda

Essential Oils
40 drops eucalyptus
20 drops Rosemary
20 drops Spearmint
20 drops Peppermint

I get empty essential oil bottles from the nearest apothecary or health food store to mix up my blends.

Mix the salts and essential oils in a one gallon Ziploc bag and shake til blended. Pour into a nice mason jar or apothecary jar. Breathe deeply for a quick fix. When scents are faint, use as bath salts to release the last of the fragrance,then make more.

Feel Better Soon!

My allergies are in full force about the same "season" as yours, but I've never had any real good home remedies for them (just had to have a cortisone shot in the butt last Friday to keep my allergies from going from zero to bronchitis in three days). I may have to look into this smelling/bath salt stuff though! Thanks!!

[Dave11]

So, I got told a couple of weeks back that I had to get re-tested before my allergy serums could be re-ordered.

Here's the catch: the testing requires that you be off your antihistamines for a full five days, and off of any acid-blockers (omeprazole and its various commercial names) for two days.

I get tested next Thursday. I have to go off my meds on Saturday. By Monday, I'll be a wreck. I need to see about getting this testing moved to the middle of winter...

[DinkyInky]

My allergies are in full force about the same "season" as yours, but I've never had any real good home remedies for them (just had to have a cortisone shot in the butt last Friday to keep my allergies from going from zero to bronchitis in three days). I may have to look into this smelling/bath salt stuff though! Thanks!!

Hydration and proper diet is also vital to prevention. My mother has this rule that she made us stick to when growing up:

"Good healthy food, drink cheaper than doctors. It's worth any price."

I have allergies to fakey smells too, so I often make myself my own perfumes, salves and bath bombs/salts.
Most health food stores carry essential oils(it's can be a pricey start-up, but well worth it).

BTW, seeing you're a Texan, look up Dragon Balm. I got some from my Rennie Friends who practically live at Scarborough Faire, and it's a godsend for everything from toothaches, muscle pain and bruises, to chest congestion. Best part is, it's all natural(hence my jab about using it on toothaches).