I Hate Ragweed!

[PrettyPrincess]

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.

[Julie]

I feel your pain. I've had extensive allergy problems my whole life. I consider it a good year if I only get one sinus infection, and ear infections have just been non-stop for me it seems.

One remedy that I've heard about is eating local honey. It's not a 100% fix for allergies, but if you regularly consume honey that is harvested from bees in your area, then you are having some of those allergens introduced to your system in small enough quantities that you can eventually build better "immunity" to them. It's kind of like how allergy shots work but on a smaller scale (which is why the honey remedy isn't 100% effective...just helpful). I can attest to the fact that I was having fewer irritation days when I was eating a teaspoon of honey from my region daily (I put it in my herbal tea at night).

Honestly though, if you're irrigating and still having problems, I don't know what will work aside from stronger treatments from an allergist. I'm getting close to that again... I've been off shots for about 3 or 4 years, and I'm starting to notice that meds aren't helping anymore.

[Bookworm]

As someone with lifelong strong allergies, I can attest that the sinus and ear infections are NOT directly related to the allergies.

For the ear itching, try a couple of drops (use an eyedropper) of hydrogen peroxide in the ear, let it sizzle a bit, then drain it out to a cotton ball. That helps clear out impacted earwax.

The other thing to do is switch antihistamines. You've probably built up a tolerance for the one you've been taking - or you need to take it -every day- to build up a maintenance level in your system. They don't tend to tell you about that unless you're visiting an allergist.

[Dave]

If you're willing to try an herbal remedy, go to a health-food store and buy a bottle of "Stinging Nettle Leaf" capsules (Urtica dioica leaf, in powder form).

I learned of this remedy a couple of decades ago, and it has worked well for me and for my wife (we're both allergic to quite a few pollens). Two nettle-leaf capsules, every four hours, seems to be about the right amount. It doesn't cause drowsiness (like many antihistamines) nor jumpiness (like pseudoephedrine and the like), and I have not observed any interactions with either antihistamines or decongestants. Years ago, I offered some to a cow-orker who was having really bad allergy symptoms; he was skeptical but agreed to try them. When I saw him the next morning his first words were "Where can I get those??"

I don't know for certain why nettle leaves help relieve allergies. The "stinging" effect of the fresh leaves (not present in the dried product) comes from leaf hairs (trichomes) which inject a variety of irritating chemicals into the skin... and these include histamine and formic acid. It's possible that ingesting small amounts of these chemicals orally has a desensitizing effect on the immune system. Also, nettle leaf extract has been shown to contain chemicals which inhibit certain inflammatory cytokines in the body, and it's been used as part of a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis... possibly these chemicals also inhibit a cytokine inflammatory response to allergens.

For whatever reason, this remedy does work for me, it's entirely safe as far as I've been able to determine, and it's not expensive. If it works for you, the leaf powder is available in bulk, less expensively, and you can stuff your own capsules if you like (a lot of bother, though).

Stinging nettle has a long history of use as a food in Europe, Asia, and the US. The young leaves and tender shoots can be boiled, and used much like spinach. It seems to be quite nutritious and I have not read anything which suggests it contains toxins (unlike some other folk remedies and wild-food plants, such as comfrey and fiddlehead ferns - I won't eat either of these or use them internally!)

[PrettyPrincess]

I'll look into nettle - and I'm sure part of my problem with both local honey and antihistamines is my difficulty in remembering to take them daily.

My ENT says that my eustachian tubes are abnormal, in that they are the size of a six year old's and that their angle is inverted - instead of draining fluids, they retain more than normal(that's the ear infections). I also have extra big sinuses (they x-rayed my noggin), and the doc actually thinks that is part of why I can sing so loudly - so good for singing, bad for drainage.

I'll have to try the peroxide in my ear, I have noticed some extra ickies in my ear, too.

[Dave]

I'll look into nettle - and I'm sure part of my problem with both local honey and antihistamines is my difficulty in remembering to take them daily.

My ENT says that my eustachian tubes are abnormal, in that they are the size of a six year old's and that their angle is inverted - instead of draining fluids, they retain more than normal(that's the ear infections). I also have extra big sinuses (they x-rayed my noggin), and the doc actually thinks that is part of why I can sing so loudly - so good for singing, bad for drainage.

I'll have to try the peroxide in my ear, I have noticed some extra ickies in my ear, too.

Straight hydrogen peroxide might be irritating to an already-inflamed ear canal, I suspect.

There's a "bubbling" ear-drop product, specifically made for dealing with earwax buildup. It's mostly glycerine, with a peroxide of some sort mixed in. Warm to body temperature (my preference), drop in a few drops, listen to it bubble for a while, then turn head and drain it out. It softens the earwax nicely... you can either let nature take care of itself, or gently flush out the softened earwax the next morning with warm water in a rubber squeeze bulb (often sold in a kit with the eardrops).

[Bookworm]

'over the counter' peroxide is already diluted down from what doctors and vets use. That was a prescription given by the ear doctor and pediatrician years ago. The main thing is that this is NOT an every day process,and you don't use more than a few drops.

[Dave11]

I remember that feeling. Six years of allergen immunotherapy (shots) have turned my trees/grasses/cats/dogs/dust mites/mold allergies from something 300mg Allegra barely kept in check into something Zyrtec can control. I even live with two cats who no longer set me off.

Summer's still worse for me, but better than it's been.

[txmystic]

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?

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...

[Jabberwonky]

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?

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 you in the drift patterns for 'cedar fever'? I get a pretty minor reaction to it, but my sister has to get weekly shots to function.

[Julie]

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).

[PrettyPrincess]

Last year I don't think we got snow until 2 days after Christmas. Our water levels in all our lakes are way down, and we're still dealing with 90-100+ temperatures, and now we're heading into wildfire season. We've already had a few doozies, and the lightning storms (minus friendly rain) have started. At least I live far enough from the outskirts to not have to worry about a big fire in my neighborhood, but this drought is definitely nasty.

[Geek_on_call]

The choir, speaking to, you are.
(Apologies to Yoda)

[Bookworm]

Last year I don't think we got snow until 2 days after Christmas. Our water levels in all our lakes are way down, and we're still dealing with 90-100+ temperatures, and now we're heading into wildfire season. We've already had a few doozies, and the lightning storms (minus friendly rain) have started. At least I live far enough from the outskirts to not have to worry about a big fire in my neighborhood, but this drought is definitely nasty.

What is this snow of which you speak? (Houston, 100+ temperatures, etc)

[Julie]

What is this snow of which you speak? (Houston, 100+ temperatures, etc)

I was thinking the same thing. (Dallas...not as uncomfortable in summer as Houston, but still not often that cold)

[Jabberwonky]

What is this snow of which you speak? (Houston, 100+ temperatures, etc)

I was thinking the same thing. (Dallas...not as uncomfortable in summer as Houston, but still not often that cold)

San Antonio for the last 30 years, it has snowed enough to stick to the ground twice.

In the same winter.

[Huehueteotl]

Are you in the drift patterns for 'cedar fever'? I get a pretty minor reaction to it, but my sister has to get weekly shots to function.

"Drift patterns," hell . . . Austin is in the big fat middle of a cedar brake!

[Jabberwonky]

Are you in the drift patterns for 'cedar fever'? I get a pretty minor reaction to it, but my sister has to get weekly shots to function.

"Drift patterns," hell . . . Austin is in the big fat middle of a cedar brake!

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

[shadowinthelight]

Damn, how many Texans do we have on this board? I'm in the DFW area myself. The problem is we don't see much real snow, just ice that makes all the idiots crash their cars. Then again we had a legit White Christmas right across the boarder in Reynosa some years back. This whole state's weather is screwy.

[NOTDilbert]

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).