Allergies

It Takes A Week-Long Frost To Kill Off All The Pollen Outside!

2013-11-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

You may think since we have had temperatures dipping below freezing a few times already that all of the pollen is gone. It takes a week-long frost to kill off all the pollen outside.

In Virginia, we have not reached a full week of below freezing (32 degrees or lower) in the past two years. It may have teetered around freezing, but it always warmed up within a few days.

That is one of the reasons allergies have seemed so bad in this area for the past couple years. The weather never really killed off all the pollen.

This year, I am hearing that we will have a cold winter. This is great news for those who suffer from outdoor allergies!

If you still have allergy issues after a full week of below freezing weather, than most likely you may also have indoor, or year-round, allergies.

Year-round allergies consist of dust mites, cockroaches, mold and pet dander. If you have indoor allergies, you will most likely need to take allergy medicine year-round.

10 Tips To Reduce Allergens In Your Home

2013-11-06T09:32:00.001-08:00

Avoid apples, bananas, peaches and plums if you are allergic to grass or tree pollen. They can cause the same reaction as if you were near grass or trees.
Use non-toxic cleaners to clean your house. Most cleaners contain heavy scents and toxic fumes that can irritate your nasal passage and lungs.
Throw your pillow out at least every three years. Dust mites are attracted to the stuffing in pillows. You don't want that next to your face all night!
Wash your hands after touching a dog or cat. There are no hypo-allergenic breeds of animals. The allergen does not come from their fur, but it does come from their dead skin (dander). You would have to find a skinless cat or dog for it to be hypo-allergenic and that is just not possible.
Use a nylon shower curtain. Vinyl shower curtains emit toxic odors and mold and mildew is attracted to vinyl.
Look for mold in the refrigerator, garbage, on the air-conditioning system and in your dishwasher. It can be anywhere where there is moisture.
Freeze your stuffed animals. Dust mites are attracted to the stuffing. Either freeze the stuffed animals in a zip-lock bag for 24 hours at least once a month or wash and dry them.
Watch the ingredients in sunscreens, moisturizers and make-up if you have sensitive skin. Look for parabens-free or hypoallergenic formulas.
If you have carpet, consider replacing it with wood or tile flooring. Carpet is a great place for dust mites, mold, pollen and dander to hide. If you decide to keep your carpets and rugs, vacuum regularly with a good HEPA filter.
Take your shoes off when you enter the house and wash your hands. Get all the pollen off of you when you enter your house.

Ragweed is coming into season

2013-08-17T07:46:00.001-07:00

Fall is a dreaded season for people who suffer from ragweed allergies.

If you begin to feel allergy symptoms now, you may be allergic to ragweed (or any type of weed).

The Rain Is Giving Us Some Relief From Outdoor Allergies

2013-05-07T21:14:00.001-07:00

It has been raining in Northern Virginia for the past two days and it looks like it may rain again tomorrow. The rain is giving us a break from the pollen, but the pollen will come back with a vengeance later on this week.

On Sunday, I along with many others in the Northern Virginia area noticed an increase in allergy symptoms. I now have laryngitis because of all the mucous draining down my throat over the weekend. It's also causing mucous to go into my lungs. Not even Mucinex and herbal throat tea are helping to get the wheezing to go away.

I may have to go out and buy another bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar. It clears mucous out, is all natural and doesn't cost much. Everyone who has recommended it to me has also recommended that I get the organic, all-natural apple cider vinegar with 'the Mother' in it. I tried it before and it does work, but I ran out during my last bought with mucous.

I have had one neighbor who has laryngitis, not including myself, one friend who developed a sinus infection and another who had very swollen, itchy eyes.

Has anyone else noticed an increase in allergy symptoms? What were your symptoms?

Tree pollen is high, grass is medium today in Northern Virginia

2013-05-04T10:14:00.001-07:00

Today, in Northern Virginia, tree pollen is high and grass is medium. Grass pollen season is just beginning.

If you have not had allergy symptoms until today, you could be allergic to grass.

Tree Pollen Is Very High Today

2013-05-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

Tree pollen is very high today in Northern Virginia. It's at the highest level it has been since last year. If you are not sure what you are allergic to, but you have sinus issues today, there is a good possibility you are allergic to tree pollen.

If you are allergic to tree pollen, today is a good day to take allergy medicine and stay indoors. Keep those windows closed. If you do go outside today, make sure you leave your shoes at the door and wash your hands as soon as you walk indoors to get that pollen off of you.

Pollen Count Is Low Today!

2013-04-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

For the first time in over a month, the pollen count is low in Northern Virginia. The rain has helped wash the pollen out of the air. It won't last long though. Wednesday, we will see one of the highest pollen levels since last year!

The main offender is tree pollen, but grass and weed pollen is starting to have some activity.

Tree Pollen Is High

2013-04-27T20:56:00.001-07:00

Tree pollen is still high and will be until all the spring flowers fall off the trees. It has been wreaking havoc on allergy and non-allergy sufferers alike. I have been hearing about a lot of people experiencing sinus headaches and sinus infections in Northern Virginia in the past week.

Tree Pollen Is High Today In Northern Virginia!

2013-04-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

Tree pollen counts are at an 11 on a scale from 0 to 12 in Northern Virginia, which is very high! Most pollen today is from trees. Grass pollen is starting to come in to play now.

I have noticed a lot of people with ear and sinus infections and coughs that will not go away. My cough came back last week and has not gone away. It is at its worst at night when I lie down. I have also noticed that I have more congestion in my lungs and I need to use my inhalers more often.

Make sure you take your allergy medicine, take off your shoes before you enter the house and wash your hands once you get in the house to remove pollen and stop it from entering the house.

Pollen count is medium/high for the next couple days

2013-04-04T11:17:00.002-07:00

For the next couple days, the pollen count will be medium-high. The culprit is tree pollen. All other pollens are absent or low.

For the next few weeks, if you have allergy symptoms, you are most likely allergic to tree pollen.

Use a allergy kit like the Dyson Allergy Cleaning kit to remove pollen and other allergens from your house. The parts attach to your Dyson vacuum cleaner to help suck up the allergens. My allergist recommended to Dyson Vacuum cleaner for my house since I have severe allergies.

New, high-value Claritin coupons!

2013-04-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of new, high-value Claritin coupons. Click on the coupon below that you would like to print or print all of them!

High tree pollen alert!

2013-03-21T06:14:00.001-07:00

If you live in Washington DC or Northern Virginia, the tree pollen count will be high today and even higher tomorrow!

All trees, including the Cherry blossoms, are coming into bloom.

If you have tree-related allergies, take an allergy pill today.

If you have allergy-induced asthma, keep your fast-acting inhaler close by.

Today's Allergy and Asthma report

2013-03-18T12:20:00.001-07:00

Today's pollen count will be low. You should have little to no allergy symptoms thanks to the snow and rain.

Asthma symptoms are moderate today. Especially be careful if you have asthmatic reactions when you go from warm to cold environments.

Get Rid Of Your Allergy Symptoms!

2013-03-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

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Today's Pollen for Northern Virginia and Washington DC

2013-03-16T12:11:00.004-07:00

Today's Pollen count for Northern Virginia and Washington DC is low to medium.

The predominant pollen culprits are Elm, Cedar, Juniper, Poplar, Aspen and Cottonwood. If you are allergic to trees, you may feel some congestion and other allergy symptoms, but nothing too bad. The light rain today is keeping the pollen count low which helps calm allergy symptoms.

Allergy levels are low.
Asthma levels are moderate.
Cold and Cough are moderate.

I have allergies and asthma (didn't know I had asthma until I moved here). Today I am not congested or itchy, but I am wheezing.

For those of you who have asthma, make sure you take your long-term inhaler as usual. Keep your rescue inhaler handy in case you have a wheeze that will not go away throughout the day. You could also take 1200 mg of Mucinex (or store brand guaifenesin) every 12 hours with LOTS of water. Mucinex and its generic versions only work to thin chest mucous if you drink lots of water when you take them.

Have a wheeze and sneeze-free day!!!

Allergy Shots

2012-07-11T10:51:00.001-07:00

I am now on my 12th week of allergy shots (immunotherapy) to reduce hives and other allergic reactions. It hasn't been too bad. I got a shot in each arm once a week and then I wait in the office for 20 minutes to make sure I don't have an allergic reaction. The nurse checks the shot area for any swelling and then sends me on my way until the next week. The shots are very quick.

The process at my allergy clinic is to go through 5 vials of vaccinations to get to the maintenance phase. Each vial contains enough serum to give shots for 5 weeks. Once you finish a vial, you move up to the next vial. Each vial that you move up to contains a more concentrated serum. The serum is made specifically for each patient according to what you are allergic to. Little by little, the serum helps your immune system to build defenses against these allergens.

Once you make it to the fifth vial (the most concentrated vial), you begin the maintenance phase. Depending on the clinic and how you are doing, they could have you come anywhere from once a week to once every couple months.

I am already on my 3rd vial and I have not had an allergic reaction to it yet. If I were to have an allergic reaction, they would keep giving me shots from that concentration of serum each week until I did not have a reaction, then they would proceed to the next concentration level of serum.

As for how much it costs, it really isn't that much if it works. I pay around $4-5 dollars per weekly shot session after insurance. It is a long process and they told me that I wouldn't start seeing results until I have been coming for 6 months. You definately have to be able to keep up with it to make it work. I would definitely recommend it!

A trip to the Allergist

2012-04-24T14:42:00.001-07:00

I went to the Allergist in hopes that she could help me. My appointment was about 2 1/2 hours long. She started off with getting a list of my symptoms and medications that I am taking for allergies and my sinus infection. Then she listened to my lungs and suggested a breathing treatment. They put an oxygen mask over my mouth and nose that emitted abluteral steam for 15 minutes. Then I did a breathing test. They had me blow into a tube for a few seconds and then breath in for a second. I had to try to blow all three houses over on the computer screen. I didn't do so well on the test, so they had me do another breathing treatment. We repeated this 3 times. Then they did the prick test. They had about 20 or 30 needles that they dipped into different allergens and then pricked me with each one on my forearms. I had to wait 15 minutes to see which ones had a reaction. When they looked at my arm afterward, they found that I was allergic to trees, mold, mildew, dust mites, dogs and tree nuts. Since I have a food allergen, they gave me a prescription for an epi-pen. They also gave me another abluteral inhaler, a steroid inhaler, a new allergy medicine prescription and a stronger dose of antibiotics. Since I had a food allergy, they sent me to get blood work to see how severe that allergy is and which tree nut I was allergic to. They also sent me for an x-ray of my lungs and sinuses. My lung x-ray came back with good results, but not my sinuses. They referred me to an ENT for my sinuses, which I still have to make an appointment for.

The third round of antibiotics and the inhalers and nasonex (steroid nasal spray) are all helping. The Allergist also recommended allergy shots which I begin this week and have to get every week for the next year until they can lengthen the time between visits. Hopefully the allergy shots will be worth it. They are supposed to build my immunity to the things I am allergic to. Let me know if anybody else has dealt with this and what their experience is and if anything natural has helped them with their allergies.

Severe Allergies

2012-04-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have been living with severe seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember. While in the military, I moved around a lot. The Southern United States was the worst for me. While living in Mississippi, I was taking a nasal steroid and prescription antihistamines. While living in Idaho, I received an allergy test. They had a large stamp with dozens of needles. Each needle had been dipped in a different allergen. They then stamped my forearm and I waited about 30 minutes to find out what I was allergic to. Any dot that bubbled up, was something I was allergic to. I remember, my forearm looked like a mountain range by the time I was done! That was 15 years ago. They didn't really tell me what I was allergic to, but they did give me prescriptions to take daily. While pregnant with my first child, I ate a handful of tree nuts, which I hadn't done since I was a child. I had an allergic reaction and had to take Benadryl. My whole mouth and throat swelled up.

After my son was born, I found out he had severe peanut allergies, so I carry an Epi-Pen around with me everywhere I go. I am afraid to use it, but I will if I have to. I usually just give him Benadryl and watch him to make sure he is not having breathing problems when he does ingest a peanut. Be very careful around Halloween time and check all the candies before they can eat them. We usually trade our candies that contain peanuts with other kids non-peanut candies. That way, everyone is happy!

I recently moved to Northern Virginia and my allergies have been out of control since the beginning of February. I haven't stopped coughing or draining mucuos since then. I went to a Minute Clinic where they prescribed Nasonex and Cherutusin for my allergies. The next week, it was in my lungs also, so I went to a primary care doctor who told me I had bronchitis and told me to keep taking the medicine that I received a week ago and wait it out. A week later, I went to an ENT, who prescribed a steroid pack and antibiotics. It really helped with the itching and swelling, but once I was done, all the symptoms came back and got worse everyday. About a week after I finished my steroids and antibiotics, my throat swelled almost completely shut and was so itchy, my sinuses were constantly full, my voice was completely gone, my ears were completely full and I woke up in the middle of the night unable to catch my breath. My husband brought me to the ER where they ran alot of tests. They said it was not strep, flu or pneumonia. I still had a sinus infection and my allergies were awful. I received a breathing treatment (albuteral), stronger steroids and stronger antibiotics and a take home albuteral inhaler. I am coming to the end of the steroids and I am really worried that it will happen again and my husband will be on a business trip and I will not make it to the hospital. I am in complete misery. People avoid me because they think I am sick. We had to leave Easter Mass early because I couldn't stop coughing. It is completely taking over my life. I don't want to live like this. I want to feel like a human being again, who can take my kids on walks and go to the playground with them. Another thing, I have not been able to sleep well. I have been averaging 2-5 hours of sleep a night and it is getting worse. I feel like a zombie all day.

Tomorrow morning, I am going to an allergist to have allergy tests done. I really hope they will be able to help me. I have heard that allergy shots help. Even though it is a long process with frequent appointments for shots, I will take that over the way I feel now. I really hope they can help me and start giving me the shots.

I will let everyone know how the appointment goes and if they are able to help. If anyone has questions or comments, please respond to this post.