Sorry I haven't posted in so long. School got really busy. On top of that, this last week and a half or so my allergies have been really horrible. This is my first spring in the northeast and at least my allergies didn't start getting bad until about 3 weeks or so later than they usually do but wow it is hitting me hard now. My new girlfriend Allison is being helpful, and even though its really embarrassing for me, the fact that she has allergies too helps a bit with my embarassment.
Now some more Q+A:
Q: Have you ever travelled or been anywhere that made your allergies better or worse?
A: Not much. Many people say that if you move to different places your allergies will be better, but I haven't found that to be true (and my allergies tells me moving won't really help). I have not traveled often, but everywhere I have been, I have had allergy problems. The one place they aren't as bad is if I am out on a boat in the sea or something. I have been on people's boats a few times. No place to make it worse really, unless I am around alot of stuff I am allergic to.
Q: Do you think if people were more understanding generally you'd be less embarrassed about your allergies in front of people?
A: I think so. I have had many people not be understanding at all, especially when I was younger. Even if everyone was real understanding though I think I still would be pretty embarrassed by it all. I would feel less embarrassed though.
Q: Do you think that it would have been easier if you had had your allergies really early on instead of them onsetting later in life when they did?
A: I have no idea. I would guess not though, just cause I think it would have sucked to have such bad allergies the whole time I was growing up. At least I didn't have to deal with all that annoyance until I was about 13. I couldn't imagine having bad allergies when I was like 4 or something, lol.
Q: What situations do you feel your allergies have had the worst negative impact on?
A: There are many situations they have negative impacts on, but if I had to pick the worst, I would say dating. Meeting someone new or on a first date you want to be your best and its hard to do if you are in the middle of bad allergy attacks. Bad allergies seem to be a big turn off for many people. Even when dating my allergies can be too disruptive, and they can get in the way of being intimate.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
More Q+A
I liked writing in the Q+A format, so I am going to do it again. This time I am going to answer a few questions some people have asked me before.
Q: If you could stop being allergic to one thing, what would it be?
A: Cats! I really love cats. It would be great if I wasn't allergic to them anymore so that I could have one or two again. For sheer convenience it would have been pollen, but I just so would love to be able to have a cat again.
Q: If you could wish away one allergy symptom, which one would it be?
A: I have had to think about this one. It is a toss-up between sneezing and congestion. Sneezing is really the most embarrassing part of my allergies. It also really interferes with stuff. If I didn't sneeze, there would be much less disruptions, much less running off, and much easier to keep up conversations. I think it would also be easier to get things done still when my allergies are bad. Not having any congestion would be good in many ways though. I would be able to smell again, I wouldn't really have to deal with sinus problems, and pressure changes wouldn't really bother me. I know this one might sound weird as a big benefit, but without being congested, I'd be able to blow my nose. It gets so annoying to feel like I really need to blow my nose but not be able to. I think it would be so satisfying to be able to blow my nose anytime I needed to. Also, without congestion, allergens might get out of my nose easier so I might even sneeze less. Its close, but I'd probably have to go with getting rid of my congestion.
Q: If you could have one time of each day that you didn't have allergies, when would it be?
A: Bedtime. If I could get to sleep without dealing with allergies, I'd get more sleep, I'd fall asleep much easier, I could get to sleep in any position, and I'd not have to worry about allergies possibly keeping me up most of the night. Always having enough sleep would make life easier and probably make my allergies generally a bit less annoying.
Q: If you could make your allergies better in one situation, and have to balance it with making them worse in another, would you and what situations would they be?
A: I'd want them to be better (or gone) when I am around people, and I'd take them being worse when I am alone to balance it. The worst part of my allergies is having them so bad when I am around others. I'd do alot to have them not be a bother when I'm with other people. Having them being even worse when I am alone would be pretty crazy, but I'd pay that price.
If I get more people asking me enough questions, I would be happy to make more Q+A posts like this. I especially would use ones that more than one person asks me. You could post them in comments or contact me directly if you prefer.
Q: If you could stop being allergic to one thing, what would it be?
A: Cats! I really love cats. It would be great if I wasn't allergic to them anymore so that I could have one or two again. For sheer convenience it would have been pollen, but I just so would love to be able to have a cat again.
Q: If you could wish away one allergy symptom, which one would it be?
A: I have had to think about this one. It is a toss-up between sneezing and congestion. Sneezing is really the most embarrassing part of my allergies. It also really interferes with stuff. If I didn't sneeze, there would be much less disruptions, much less running off, and much easier to keep up conversations. I think it would also be easier to get things done still when my allergies are bad. Not having any congestion would be good in many ways though. I would be able to smell again, I wouldn't really have to deal with sinus problems, and pressure changes wouldn't really bother me. I know this one might sound weird as a big benefit, but without being congested, I'd be able to blow my nose. It gets so annoying to feel like I really need to blow my nose but not be able to. I think it would be so satisfying to be able to blow my nose anytime I needed to. Also, without congestion, allergens might get out of my nose easier so I might even sneeze less. Its close, but I'd probably have to go with getting rid of my congestion.
Q: If you could have one time of each day that you didn't have allergies, when would it be?
A: Bedtime. If I could get to sleep without dealing with allergies, I'd get more sleep, I'd fall asleep much easier, I could get to sleep in any position, and I'd not have to worry about allergies possibly keeping me up most of the night. Always having enough sleep would make life easier and probably make my allergies generally a bit less annoying.
Q: If you could make your allergies better in one situation, and have to balance it with making them worse in another, would you and what situations would they be?
A: I'd want them to be better (or gone) when I am around people, and I'd take them being worse when I am alone to balance it. The worst part of my allergies is having them so bad when I am around others. I'd do alot to have them not be a bother when I'm with other people. Having them being even worse when I am alone would be pretty crazy, but I'd pay that price.
If I get more people asking me enough questions, I would be happy to make more Q+A posts like this. I especially would use ones that more than one person asks me. You could post them in comments or contact me directly if you prefer.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Q+A with my ENT
I have been seeing doctors for a long time. I used to have a regular doc, an ENT, and allergist, a pulmonologist, and a gyn. I never saw the regular doc much. The allergist and ENT I would see often. I also used to see the pulmonologist often for asthma, until we discovered my dairy allergy. After I stopped dairy my asthma got much better and now as long as I avoid dairy my asthma isn't a problem. Now I just get kinda wheezy when my allergies are bad. The gyn I used to see more but nothing helped my cycle without messing me up in other ways so now I only see a gyn rarely for exams.
Now here in NY I am only seeing an ENT and an allergist. I tend not to ask many questions when I have appointments. I usually just want them to be over and I am a bit too shy and embarrassed to ask much. Also, most visits they have students or other docs in to look at me, poke and prod, etc since I seem to be such an interesting case they want to share and that also makes me not be in the mood to ask questions. This week however at my ENT visit this week, there was no other docs or students and I felt really at ease for some reason so i asked him questions and so I wanted to share a bit of how that went in a Q+A type format.
Q: Why is it that sometimes my allergies affect my nose more and other times my sinuses and how come unless my allergies are bad, my eyes aren't as bothered and same with my ears?
A: Your nose and sinuses are affected more because for you, once an allergen gets in there it has a hard time getting out, partly because of your excessive congestion and sneezes that aren't very forceful. Sometimes your sinuses are more sensitive/irritated and sometimes your nose is, and that is what leads to you feeling your allergies more in your nose or your sinuses at any given time. For your eyes, its easier for the allergens to leave, so its often not as much of a problem. Eyes and ears tend to get more affected when allergies are worse because nose, sinuses, ears, eyes, etc are all pretty much connected so when the mucus membranes in one area get very irritated, it tends to spread. One reason why your eyes can tear up so much is that when your allergies are bad the tube leading from your eyes to your nose swells shut and the tears have no where to go.
Q: Why do my allergies last longer than other peoples'?
A: A few reasons. One is that your body creates an allergic response with histamines and other chemicals than other patients I have seen, to even a small amount of allergen, and that's also why your reactions are so intense. Another reason is again the extreme congestion and non-forceful sneezes keeping the allergens in place longer. Also, the simple physical irritation of the mucus membranes makes them more sensitive to repeated allergens and your gets irritated very easily.
Q: How come I don't cough much and my throat doesn't bother me that much?
A: Usually, a runny nose tends to run forward out the nose in kids and out the back of the nose in adults. That's why you see more snotty noses in kids, and in adults its more of a post nasal drip, which also irritates the throat more and causes coughing. Besides the insides of your nasal passages being smaller in diameter than they should be, they are also closer in shape to a child's structure so most of the mucus comes out the front and not the back.
Q: How can my nose sometimes make so much snot?
A: The main way all mucus membranes respond to an allergen is by swelling, leaking fluid, and irritation (and yea I (Kate) understand that...I have had allergic reaction on other mucus membranes too, which is a hassle!). A major reason you nose seems to make so much snot is just the fact that most of it comes out the front of your nose instead of going down the back. When I look in your nose, it is hard to make out much because everything inside is so swollen and when mucus membranes are swollen up against each other it tends to cause more mucus production. Your nose does build up some mucus, which is why when you bend forward it comes out faster. The front areas of your nostrils are often filled up with mucus, which is why we need to clean out that area before we can look into your nose. Your mucus membranes are often creating mucus at a very fast rate.
I also asked him why the front areas of my nostrils were always filled up with mucus and he told me since I am not able to blow my nose and I don't squeeze or pinch my nose (cause that would send me into sneezing fits), the mucus that builds up there tends to stay there more than it otherwise would.
Those were my main questions. I think I might have asked one or 2 more. If I remember then I will post them.
Now here in NY I am only seeing an ENT and an allergist. I tend not to ask many questions when I have appointments. I usually just want them to be over and I am a bit too shy and embarrassed to ask much. Also, most visits they have students or other docs in to look at me, poke and prod, etc since I seem to be such an interesting case they want to share and that also makes me not be in the mood to ask questions. This week however at my ENT visit this week, there was no other docs or students and I felt really at ease for some reason so i asked him questions and so I wanted to share a bit of how that went in a Q+A type format.
Q: Why is it that sometimes my allergies affect my nose more and other times my sinuses and how come unless my allergies are bad, my eyes aren't as bothered and same with my ears?
A: Your nose and sinuses are affected more because for you, once an allergen gets in there it has a hard time getting out, partly because of your excessive congestion and sneezes that aren't very forceful. Sometimes your sinuses are more sensitive/irritated and sometimes your nose is, and that is what leads to you feeling your allergies more in your nose or your sinuses at any given time. For your eyes, its easier for the allergens to leave, so its often not as much of a problem. Eyes and ears tend to get more affected when allergies are worse because nose, sinuses, ears, eyes, etc are all pretty much connected so when the mucus membranes in one area get very irritated, it tends to spread. One reason why your eyes can tear up so much is that when your allergies are bad the tube leading from your eyes to your nose swells shut and the tears have no where to go.
Q: Why do my allergies last longer than other peoples'?
A: A few reasons. One is that your body creates an allergic response with histamines and other chemicals than other patients I have seen, to even a small amount of allergen, and that's also why your reactions are so intense. Another reason is again the extreme congestion and non-forceful sneezes keeping the allergens in place longer. Also, the simple physical irritation of the mucus membranes makes them more sensitive to repeated allergens and your gets irritated very easily.
Q: How come I don't cough much and my throat doesn't bother me that much?
A: Usually, a runny nose tends to run forward out the nose in kids and out the back of the nose in adults. That's why you see more snotty noses in kids, and in adults its more of a post nasal drip, which also irritates the throat more and causes coughing. Besides the insides of your nasal passages being smaller in diameter than they should be, they are also closer in shape to a child's structure so most of the mucus comes out the front and not the back.
Q: How can my nose sometimes make so much snot?
A: The main way all mucus membranes respond to an allergen is by swelling, leaking fluid, and irritation (and yea I (Kate) understand that...I have had allergic reaction on other mucus membranes too, which is a hassle!). A major reason you nose seems to make so much snot is just the fact that most of it comes out the front of your nose instead of going down the back. When I look in your nose, it is hard to make out much because everything inside is so swollen and when mucus membranes are swollen up against each other it tends to cause more mucus production. Your nose does build up some mucus, which is why when you bend forward it comes out faster. The front areas of your nostrils are often filled up with mucus, which is why we need to clean out that area before we can look into your nose. Your mucus membranes are often creating mucus at a very fast rate.
I also asked him why the front areas of my nostrils were always filled up with mucus and he told me since I am not able to blow my nose and I don't squeeze or pinch my nose (cause that would send me into sneezing fits), the mucus that builds up there tends to stay there more than it otherwise would.
Those were my main questions. I think I might have asked one or 2 more. If I remember then I will post them.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Catching up in Jan
I have been settling in to the new semester pretty well. Been busy with school and such. Still being winter, my allergies generally haven't been as much trouble lately as they could be.
Not too much else for me to say right now. I wanted to check in to let everyone know I am still alive :)
Not too much else for me to say right now. I wanted to check in to let everyone know I am still alive :)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Back to school and dreams
I have been back for a few days now, getting ready to go back to classes and stuff. I am pretty much recovered from the flight so that's good.
I had a dream last night where my eyes were itchy from allergies and someone was trying to do something to relive the itchiness. I was sitting in a chair and they were telling me not to rub my eyes and they were putting something around my eyes, or maybe drops in my eyes...I forget exactly. But I remember that they kept getting more and more itchy and I kept saying "aren't they supposed to get less itchy?" and I was told "just give it some time and don't rub them!" each time I asked. That's all I remember.
Dreams are interesting. Sometimes I don't have allergies at all in them, sometimes I do but they are weird or different or only one part is there, like the eye itchiness last night. Weird stuff.
I had a dream last night where my eyes were itchy from allergies and someone was trying to do something to relive the itchiness. I was sitting in a chair and they were telling me not to rub my eyes and they were putting something around my eyes, or maybe drops in my eyes...I forget exactly. But I remember that they kept getting more and more itchy and I kept saying "aren't they supposed to get less itchy?" and I was told "just give it some time and don't rub them!" each time I asked. That's all I remember.
Dreams are interesting. Sometimes I don't have allergies at all in them, sometimes I do but they are weird or different or only one part is there, like the eye itchiness last night. Weird stuff.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Holidays and New Years
Still back with family in the northwest but I will be heading back east in the next few days.
Holiday time was pretty good: x-mas with family, NYE party with friends. I also got to see many old friends while here including Jessie so that is really cool.
Some days here my allergies haven't been too bad but other times they got very bothersome. I discovered this year that its probably x-mas trees contributing to my allergies. The real ones apparently are great hosts for molds and the fake ones collect lots of dust. Then of course all the random scents and scented candles and everything else that is around.
Yesterday I partied pretty well and today I have been recovering and my allergies are bothering me.
I probably won't be posting again til at least next week when I am back at school.
Holiday time was pretty good: x-mas with family, NYE party with friends. I also got to see many old friends while here including Jessie so that is really cool.
Some days here my allergies haven't been too bad but other times they got very bothersome. I discovered this year that its probably x-mas trees contributing to my allergies. The real ones apparently are great hosts for molds and the fake ones collect lots of dust. Then of course all the random scents and scented candles and everything else that is around.
Yesterday I partied pretty well and today I have been recovering and my allergies are bothering me.
I probably won't be posting again til at least next week when I am back at school.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Early Dec update
Allergies been acting a bit weird lately. When I wake up, my eyes are usually kinda goopy from allergies. lately though they have been VERY goopy. So much that some days my eyes are stuck closed because the goop kinda dries on my lashes and glues my eyelashes together I guess. It makes dealing with my allergies when I wake up even more of a hassle.
Another thing is my sneezing has been a bit different. Instead of longer fits with breaks in between, lately alot of times I have been getting only a few sneezes but then maybe 1 min tops before sneezing again, and the whole time in between I feel right on the verge of sneezing. This can go on for a long time. I do get that sometimes but it's been happening alot lately.
Another thing is my sneezing has been a bit different. Instead of longer fits with breaks in between, lately alot of times I have been getting only a few sneezes but then maybe 1 min tops before sneezing again, and the whole time in between I feel right on the verge of sneezing. This can go on for a long time. I do get that sometimes but it's been happening alot lately.
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