BlogHer - allergies - Comments

; )

KWest — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:15:48 -0500

I have cotton balls if you need 'em...

Ahem, Kate!

Mir Kamin — Sat, 30 May 2009 06:47:16 -0500

*sticking fingers firmly in my ears*

My 11-year-old daughter isn't changing! I have NO idea what you're talking about!

(Funny, your post reminded me that she's recently developed an allergy to bandage adhesive, too.)

--
Mir Kamin
(BlogHer contributing editor)

Personal: Woulda Coulda Shoulda

Having it all with less: Want Not

Changing Allergies

KWest — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:51:16 -0500

OMG, I've had so many allergies in my lifetime, was on shots as a teen, in fact. Had chronic, cold induced asthma in college (go figure...), dealt with a six year roaming ENT infection - that also besieged my lungs - and then discovered that I was allergic to Penicillin.

Penicillin is only the parent to the antibiotics primarily prescribed to deal with such infections.

So... Off the Penicillin derivatives, chained to an inhaler, armed with the knowledge that I'm severely allergic to molds, and plagued by a father who is convinced that since he is severely allergic to ragweed, so must I be, I forged ahead into my life to find that....all of a sudden...I wasn't allergic to much of anything as soon as I moved. (Except the bees & the Penicillin...not to be messed with, those two...) Haven't used an inhaler since 1994.

15 years later, I was stung by a bee and had virtually no reaction - though I carry that epi pen anyway. I'm no Evil Knieval. I'm fine without the highest death defying jump in history. However, after 9 years without any sinus problems, I just survived a 3 month bout with one that, yes, besieged my lungs.

(Great word, that!)

...And... over the past couple of years I have randomly developed an allergy to bandage adhesive and beer yeast...What the heck???

But if I look back, each bout of allergy shifts has accompanied a hormone shift of some sort: pre-adolescent childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, The Thirties (good God, ladies!), and now, at 39, the beginning of yet a new stage in my life.

So go figure - but maybe that will help. I dunno, Mir, your daughter's 10, right....? Might want to get ready for some other "changes," too....

; )

--Kate

Oh, I know...

Mir Kamin — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:12:56 -0500

... and sadly, our HMO-covered allergist doesn't seem too interested in the intolerance possibilities. If the test comes back negative, well "we'll just manage the eczema." Uhhhh... sure, except wouldn't it make more sense to figure out what's CAUSING it? Sigh.

--
Mir Kamin
(BlogHer contributing editor)

Personal: Woulda Coulda Shoulda

Having it all with less: Want Not

Allergies vs. intolerances

LucindaA — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:07:05 -0500

Which is a whole other can of worms. Does your allergist talk about both? Because you can have an intolerance that is not a histamine reaction so it's not technically an allergy. But intolerances can cause a range of symptoms from gastrointestinal distress to migranes to skin reactions. I hope you are able to get some clear cut answers for Chickadee.

Food allergies

Carmen S — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:57:25 -0500

I have a son who is anaphylactic to tree nuts and coconut, and yesterday we retested peanuts. And he bombed. Failed the test spectacularly.

I wish with all my heart there were no food allergies. I have medication allergies, so I know it runs in the family, but those are much easier to deal with than the food.

--
Carmen

Its totally gross

blindedbyblonde — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:04:46 -0500

but so is my runny nose. After suffering massive allergies, I can say this does actually work well. I am also dying to try the ear cone that supposedly pulls up years of wax to help with allergies.

Gravity feed doesn't work if you're slightly congested

moonfever0 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:50:51 -0500

Alongside the neti pots in the drugstore are less exotic nasal irrigators that are simply a squeeze bottle with a straw and a nozzle for your nose. I found that if I'm suffering from a sinus infection with congestion, I cannot get the neti pot to flow with just the gravity feed. With the nasal irrigator, you can put a slight pressure to get the flow going. Of course, you need to be careful not to put too much pressure, but your ears will tell you right away if it is too much. And it does really work after you get used to the weird feeling that you're drowning, but you're not.

Angela at mommy bytes
BlogHer Contributing Editor in Mommy & Family Cribsheet

I can't do it

allmylooseends — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:45:30 -0500

I tired. My husband swears by it, my Dad swears by it. Everyone swears by it. Even my 9 year old, but I hate it. I'd rather just die from a sinus headache. I'm such a baby.

Wonder yoga

snigdhasen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:07:28 -0500

I was a chronic sinus and dust-allergy patient as a child, when a family doctor (who also happened to be my first music teacher in India!) asked me to stop drugging myself and start flushing out my sinuses. I didn't know it was called "neti" then (so much for being Indian), and no, we had no neti pots either. The cupped palm of my hand serves as the pot for the luke warm saline water.

Worked wonders!! Still does...

ode to the neti pot

Daisy — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:36:41 -0500

Not really. If I start waxing poetic about flushing my nostrils, commit me to a padded room. Or at least visit my poetry blog, because I'm sure I'll be posting some odd pieces.

But seriously, I don't like my pot, but I do appreciate the results. It's worth the "eww" factor. Add the neti to my breathe-right strips, and I can sleep without snoring. Not that I care, but I'd like to allow my husband to sleep well at night, too.

Daisy

Lawd, you're brave, girl.

sandhillsis — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:56:58 -0500

to post something like that.

My family ~~nose~~ knows when I do it, the thrashing, gargling sounds and exclaims of disbelief and relief are unmistakable. Didn't know there was a pot for it, though, I just snort it. Maybe I'll ask for one for Mother's Day. Do they come in pink?

Sis

www.reclaimsimplicity.com

Discover how rich and hilarious life can be when it's simple. Tales and tips on making money mind, riding the recycle, simple food, homegrown music, gardening and more.

I have a love/hate

Houseonahill — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:22:20 -0500

I have a love/hate relationship with my neti pot. I have used it so long I get brain freeze no matter the temperature, but the benefits far outweigh the angony~

My flu lasted only a few days thanks to the thud of muck I poured from my brains daily throughout! ugh, what a topic but that's reality!!!

So nice to be able to pour our guts out to one another here!

Houseonahill

www.Houseonahillorg.blogspot.com

!!!

christinalovesdogs — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:12:14 -0500

what an amazing twist

Welcome!

sassymonkey — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:03:26 -0600

Yes, maintaining multiple blogs can be difficult. Some members link to posts on their personal blogs by posting a teaser. Denise wrote some teaser tips in the forums if you are interested.

And that's a lot of allergies!

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.