Allergies Are So Hot Right Now. Allergies.

All our sniffling has been vindicated! Huzzah!

According to the Times Sunday Styles (so take this with a grain of salt, obvs.) the crazy amounts of allergens floating around this spring mean that "this season may be ushering in a new era of allergy pride."

Like so many people, apparently, we've spent the fast weeks with a constant nasal drip, a packet of kleenex in every pair of pants and the near constant feeling of a sneeze coming on. We'd thought that this was a particularly bad season for allergies, but we weren't sure if it was just us and we didn't have anything conclusive to point to. Now we do:

Dr. Philip Hemmers, an allergist at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, takes pollen counts every morning for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology with a device mounted on the hospital roof. He said that after a mild winter, the tree pollen count in the city this spring is the highest in at least the last five years — two to three times normal levels for spring. Because of that, and an overall increase over the last decade in the percentage of people in industrialized countries suffering from all sorts of allergies, he is seeing more patients than ever giving what he calls "the allergic salute."

"They have a crease on their nose from constant itching and pushing up on it all day," Dr. Hemmers, 30, said.

So now that this is out in the open, we can talk about it, right? How are you dealing with this heavy allergy season? We take Claritin when things get really bad, but it's still no Seldane (we're still bummed that it got recalled - now that was a kick ass allergy drug!).

Dandellions = Allergies by webchango via Contribute.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in News on May 14, 2006 2:53 PM

Comments [rss]

ABC Girl

I am beyond help. Currently I am taking:

--Allegra 190 mg: desperately doubling the dosage sometimes just to stop sneezing

--Nasacort AQ: desperately doubling the dosage sometimes just to breathe

--Guiatussin (RX) an expectorant to get rid of the accumulating phlegm

--Cough Syrup with codeine: all the post nasal drip affected throat, tickle led to severe honking which led to dry hacking cough.

A walking phramacy, I'm barely keep my eyes open.

jaydawg

Allegra + Flonase = able to get through the day. I don't understand why anyone takes Claritin. Studies have shown it is effective on only 15% of the population. Does nothing for me. Allegra is a good replacement for Seldane, except I notice I'm drowsy the first two days I begin taking it, then I'm fine.

Karen

Astelin, for allegies, and Nasonex, for the swelling inside my sinuses seems to be working for me. Both are nasal sprays, but I have a hard time remembering to use them! You have to use them continually, even on days when the allergies are not bad...so, its hard to remember to use them. Also, just plain saline solution nasal spray, before I use these prescription sprays, helps to sort of loosen things, so I can at least get a little bit blown out.

In WNY, the tree pollen has been bad, so far-maples and birches. So far, the grass doesn't bother too many people, unless its being cut. Can't wait for ragweed to pollinate...ugh. As for AC...don't you hate running it, when it isn't even 75 out? I'm not looking forward to my electric bill...NYSEG must love allergies.

nina

Zyrtec and Nasonex. Both work like magic.

Jenny

I've never had allergies before, but these year it got so bad that my boss, convinced I was sick, requested that I don't go back to work until I get better. Even on Claritin, I was pretty much incapacited for the past three weeks

5 boxes of kleenex later...

I finally broke down and saw an allergist. He said "Claritin is garbage for bad cases" and put me on a battery of Nasonex, Clarinex, and Singular. I feel like I've been granted my life back.

These days, I've bought an AC, which is running 24/7, I'm constantly monitoring pollen.com, taking showers 2x a day, on a cocktail of prescribed allergy meds and finally think I have a handle on this allergy stuff.

Kevin Walsh

I never leave home without a couple of Bounty sheets in my pocket. Great for sneezing into and blowing into. I haven't used Kleenex in years, they're way too small and not heavy duty enough.

www.forgotten-ny.com

abc1

i'm way passed the point where claritin alone is sufficient... i'm finding it necessary to potentiate the effect with healthy doses of flonase.. hopefully the combo isn't dangerous.

i've been so thankful these last two days because the rainy and cloudy weather has meant way less allergens in the air...

Toby

I seem to recall Seldane working for me, too.

My allergies are really bad this year and the past few days my head feels like I am going to re-enact the head exploding scene from Scanners. Nothing seems to help, including eating locally produced honey and taking all sorts of allergy medicines with no improvement. Just because some stupid people didn't follow directions and die, we all suffer.

Karen

Try this site...http://pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp

You plug in your zip code, I think, and it tells you what pollens will be high for the week.

I'm still ticked about Seldane being yanked, too. That was the only thing that really worked for me, without either making me wired, or drowsy. I think it was because you weren't supposed to take it with a particular antibiotic, or you'd end up with heart damage, something like that? So...why not yank all the painkillers and sleeping meds...I bet if you took a lot of them with alcohol, you'd run a good chance, of not waking up!