Asthma :|

[lady_*nix]

The last few years have just been getting progressively worse for me as far as allergies and asthma. It sucks. Used to be 2-3 months out of the year I'd have really bad breathing issues, now it's more like 4-6 months. And this spring it's just kept going and going and going. Between getting out of shape from 2 weeks quarantine and all the tree pollen in the air, today is one of those days when I can't walk a mile on flat terrain without getting winded.

I am on, like, All The Meds for this crap and it's still just barely under control. Dual drug maintenance inhaler, rescue inhaler, two mucolytics twice a day, antihistamine every morning, still just a shadow of my non-asthma-season self. I wish I could take Singulair, but the one time my doc tried that it drove my OCD/CPTSD/depression through the roof, so nope. Just gonna have to keep waiting this out, and hoping it doesn't get worse...

Only it probably will, because climate change.

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/c ... -allergies

Me in 2010: "When the tech finally gets here, I want brain augments for dealing with calculus."

In 2015: "Hmm, actually how about an implanted wifi pentesting platform?"

In 2020: "Just give me an albuterol spray pump built right into my trachea thanks."

[geonuc]

Are you wishing you lived somewhere else, somewhere where there aren't as many of your particular allergic triggers?

[lady_*nix]

Not really. I'd been contemplating Philly or DC area for a while for other reasons, but those don't seem to be much better off WRT pollen and climate change, and further south starts getting politically dangerous for me to live there, plus the summers get much worse.

Anyway none of that will be on the table for a while. Mostly because of the pandemic, but also because I'm kind of tied to the medical and legal systems in MA right now - especially the latter, my name change is still on hold.

[code monkey]

I can't speak to asthma but allergies are another matter and i'm a great fan or desensitization shots. I trust that you have an allergist. if not, get one. now. once you've established the items to which you're allergic, you'll begin the series of shots after the last environmental allergen is gone. (this will most likely be after first frost when ragweed season is over.)

cm

[lady_*nix]

@cm

I don't have an allergist. Gonna be hard to get one during a pandemic I think.

I've actually made progress though! Turns out Allegra works much better for me than Zyrtec, and that makes a huge difference. Quercetin supplements also seem to help a bunch, esp. in combo with Allegra. I still get some exercise-induced asthma (esp. when dehydrated) and still need my maintenance inhaler, but my baseline has improved a lot.

Def going to try and get allergy shots once it's safe for me to do so, though.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Good Luck

[SciFiFisher]

@cm

I don't have an allergist. Gonna be hard to get one during a pandemic I think.

I've actually made progress though! Turns out Allegra works much better for me than Zyrtec, and that makes a huge difference. Quercetin supplements also seem to help a bunch, esp. in combo with Allegra. I still get some exercise-induced asthma (esp. when dehydrated) and still need my maintenance inhaler, but my baseline has improved a lot.

Def going to try and get allergy shots once it's safe for me to do so, though.

I don't know if you have tried it or can benefit from it but you might consider nasal lavage. AKA nettie pot AKA saline rinse of the sinuses. It can be very effective in reducing the allergens you react to because they don't get to interact with you.

Also consider having a humidifier in the main room you sleep in. It can help. And if you can afford one a really good room filter/air purifier. Or the whole house/apartment.

This totally unsolicited nursing advise is free. Mostly because I am not allowed to practice nursing across state lines.

[lady_*nix]

Hey, thanks, Fisher. <3

The nettie pot thing has been recommended by several friends but TBH freaks me out a bit - sinuses being close to the brain and all, needing to make sure everything is sterile lest you get meningitis or something. I know that's not common but yeah. (And TBF I had similar worries when I was learning to give myself injections, and it turns out I can do that fine, so I'll probably get over it.)

Humidifier, yeah, that shouldn't be hard, though IDK if it will help much seeing how humid heat messes me up. Air purifier, probably would help but expensive right now. Free advice, highly appreciated, though it's basically the same stuff I've heard already.

[SciFiFisher]

Humid vs dry air. Some asthma sufferers actually do better in dryer air. If you are one of those then you may want to consider a de-humidifier. yes, it's a thing.

Also, the science around humidifiers these days is based on what they call cold or cool humidity. No more heating the water. Now they aerosolize it without heat. You can still get the ones that heat the water but the majority of the models out there use the non-heat approach.

I can appreciate how pushing saline up your nose might be a little bit disturbing.

[Thumper]

I had sinus surgery a year and a half ago. And they recommended sinus rinses from the get go. No meningitis so far.
Squirt it up one nostril until it runs out the other, then reverse. Only side effect is you're a little drippy for the next hour. Try NeilMed. Comes with a squirt bottle and pre measured salt packs. Just add distilled water.

[lady_*nix]

Aye, I'll pick up a netti pot on my next run to CVS. *crosses fingers*

Added quercetin to my meds + supplements regimen, that definitely seems to help for some reason.

Also tried fexofenadine, but that lowered my pain threshold (!!!) and gave me incapacitating nausea + back pain + muscle cramps, so nope back to cetirizine. TBH I know my body is metabolically and neurochemically pretty weird, but this level of physical side effects from a drug is a new one for me; I've never had an OTC med incapacitate me like that before. Extremely not fun, would not try again.

[SciFiFisher]

If you are truly worried about the quality of the H2O you lavage your nasal passages with just always use distilled water or boil your own water for 5 minutes and then add buffered NACL. It stings less. Nelmed actually makes a pretty good buffered NACL. Other brands exist.

I highly recommend letting the boiled H2O cool down before using it.

[code monkey]

If you are truly worried about the quality of the H2O you lavage your nasal passages with just always use distilled water or boil your own water for 5 minutes and then add buffered NACL. It stings less. Nelmed actually makes a pretty good buffered NACL. Other brands exist.

I highly recommend letting the boiled H2O cool down before using it.

oh heck, just rig up a still and make your own. but do let it cool as fisher advises.

[Thumper]

Sissies...

[SciFiFisher]

Sissies...

Manly men use boiling water to rinse their sinuses!

[Sigma_Orionis]

Sissies...

Manly men use boiling water to rinse their sinuses!

Boiling water spiked with Black Pepper

[lady_*nix]

Well. Glad I dodged that bullet, then.

[Thumper]

Cayenne pepper...

[lady_*nix]

[Edited to improve that image a bit.]

[SciFiFisher]

ROFLMFAO.

Nix my girl I think you are just narrow minded. You need to expand your horizons to learn what real manly agony is all about.