I am in WA for the holidays. I had to fly, and that usually is very bad on my sinuses. I have a cold too, so it made it even worse this time. I am also PMSing, so that makes everything just feel worse. I took stuff to make me sleep but I kept waking up in so much pain - like my sinuses were going to make my head explode. I'm still in so much pain its making me cry. I don't know how well I will be able to sleep tonight, and I will probably need all of tomorrow to recover enough to feel normal-ish. I wish I could just drill holes into my sinuses.
Here is a quick question, as I am trying to distract myself from how bad I feel.
Q: Do you track pollen counts? If so do you find consistency in when the number is high you are suffering more? And at what number do you know you are going to have a tough day?
A: I kind of do. I used to pay more attention to it. Higher numbers does mean I will suffer more. Even really low numbers will affect me though. That combined with the fact that I usually can't change what I am doing on a particular day anyway, made me realize paying close attention to pollen counts doesn't help me much.
Sorry this post is so short. Please contact/message me on skype/e-mail if you want - I might be in the need of company if I am not feeling like I am dying so much that I can't get online.
Showing posts with label Colds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colds. Show all posts
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Sorry it has been so long, and a Q+A
It has been a really long time, and I am sorry it took so long. I was kinda busy with school, I was sick a few times, time got away from me, and I kept putting off posting.
Over the winter I have had a few colds, 2 turned into sinus infections, and one was a sinus infection, strep throat, and pneumonia. That then got my asthma a bit bothersome for a while. I'm all recovered now though.
The weather has been fluctuating a lot between cold and warm and I bet that has something to do with it. My allergies have also been more bothersome than usual for winters. Someone said the temp fluctuations might be making mold more of an issue. It hasn't been severe, but just more allergic than usual.
I have a number of questions, so I will get right to them:
Q: When you are talking to someone and you have to start sneezing, do you say anything to them? Like, "I have to sneeze.." or do you just start sneezing without saying anything? And do you just walk to the bathroom or do you tell them you are leaving?
A: I don't say anything when I am going to sneeze. I'll often just walk off, especially if its people I know. Otherwise I'll say something like "I'll be back in a bit" or "I have to go to the bathroom"
Q: Do you have time to get out a tissue or do you just sneeze into your elbow and get a tissue later?
A: Luckily I usually have time to get out tissues before I start sneezing. Its not much time, but I have practice getting tissues quickly. If its bad enough that I don't have time, I am often staying at home/away from people anyway. My sneezes can be pretty snotty, so I put a lot of effort into making sure no one sees that. Its very embarrassing the few times I am not able to get a tissue out in time.
Q: You've mentioned doctor's visits before- do you still go regularly to an allergist? What kind of things specifically do they do to examine you, and you've mentioned they use you as a patients for students to learn from- can you give more detail?
A: Yes I still do. Now its mainly just checking in, seeing how things are going, trying out different meds, etc. I am a pretty unique case I guess, so they sometimes bring in students or other docs to look at me, ask questions, do exams, etc. Its kind of boring and embarrassing at the same time. Its the same questions and the same stuff over and over again - they talk about my case, they ask me a lot of questions, and they observe and examine me. Its embarrassing because I have all these people interested in my allergies and watching them in me, and I can't run off and hide. Exam-wise, its a lot of looking up my nose (which gets problematic) and in my ear and in my throat, etc.
Q: Have you ever spoken to family or friends about how they feel about your allergies and how it affects them? How do they feel?
A: Not really. I don't like talking about my allergies in real life. I'm not really sure how they feel. I guess kind of concerned, but it seems they are used to how I am.
Q: What's your worst nightmare relating to your allergies?
A: Two I guess - that they will keep getting worse and worse and I won't be able to do anything ever. And having really long allergy attacks that won't ever stop in public and be unable to talk/tell people what is going on or get away from lots of people staring at me while it happens.
Q: Is there anything you're concerned or worried about relating to them in the future?
A: Mainly them getting worse, and just more of what is already been happening - being embarrassed by them, them interfering in things, making me miss stuff, etc.
Q: Have you ever tried that herbal, powdery stuff called Chhinkni to help clear your stuffy nose? It's supposed to help clear your sinuses but usually makes you sneeze a little first. Supposed to smell like eucalyptus or Vicks.
A: I have heard of he stuff, but I have no interest. It apparently makes you sneeze a lot, and I already sneeze a lot. Sneezing doesn't help clear my nose. My nose isn't all stuffed up from snot, although I do get very snotty, its stuffed up because the nasal passages are smaller than they should be, and they get swollen shut easily.
A: Oh, this is a repeat of one above, just check out that answer :) I will add that my family and my good friends don't seem bothered by my allergies. Many people have been bothered by them, but not anyone who is a close friend.
Q: Would love to chat when you're homebound and bored! You mentioned yahoo and fb chats- what are your names for each?
A: Absolutely! I always would like that. On skype and yahoo I am sneezykate (in skype you might need to use sneezykate@hotmail.com). I am not on FB too much though.
I am sorry if some answers are short. I like to fully answer the questions, but sometimes I can't think of much to say. Let me know if you have any follow-ups.
As usual, please keep the feedback and questions and ideas coming! And as I mentioned in the last answer, feel free to contact me!
Over the winter I have had a few colds, 2 turned into sinus infections, and one was a sinus infection, strep throat, and pneumonia. That then got my asthma a bit bothersome for a while. I'm all recovered now though.
The weather has been fluctuating a lot between cold and warm and I bet that has something to do with it. My allergies have also been more bothersome than usual for winters. Someone said the temp fluctuations might be making mold more of an issue. It hasn't been severe, but just more allergic than usual.
I have a number of questions, so I will get right to them:
Q: When you are talking to someone and you have to start sneezing, do you say anything to them? Like, "I have to sneeze.." or do you just start sneezing without saying anything? And do you just walk to the bathroom or do you tell them you are leaving?
A: I don't say anything when I am going to sneeze. I'll often just walk off, especially if its people I know. Otherwise I'll say something like "I'll be back in a bit" or "I have to go to the bathroom"
Q: Do you have time to get out a tissue or do you just sneeze into your elbow and get a tissue later?
A: Luckily I usually have time to get out tissues before I start sneezing. Its not much time, but I have practice getting tissues quickly. If its bad enough that I don't have time, I am often staying at home/away from people anyway. My sneezes can be pretty snotty, so I put a lot of effort into making sure no one sees that. Its very embarrassing the few times I am not able to get a tissue out in time.
Q: You've mentioned doctor's visits before- do you still go regularly to an allergist? What kind of things specifically do they do to examine you, and you've mentioned they use you as a patients for students to learn from- can you give more detail?
A: Yes I still do. Now its mainly just checking in, seeing how things are going, trying out different meds, etc. I am a pretty unique case I guess, so they sometimes bring in students or other docs to look at me, ask questions, do exams, etc. Its kind of boring and embarrassing at the same time. Its the same questions and the same stuff over and over again - they talk about my case, they ask me a lot of questions, and they observe and examine me. Its embarrassing because I have all these people interested in my allergies and watching them in me, and I can't run off and hide. Exam-wise, its a lot of looking up my nose (which gets problematic) and in my ear and in my throat, etc.
Q: Have you ever spoken to family or friends about how they feel about your allergies and how it affects them? How do they feel?
A: Not really. I don't like talking about my allergies in real life. I'm not really sure how they feel. I guess kind of concerned, but it seems they are used to how I am.
Q: What's your worst nightmare relating to your allergies?
A: Two I guess - that they will keep getting worse and worse and I won't be able to do anything ever. And having really long allergy attacks that won't ever stop in public and be unable to talk/tell people what is going on or get away from lots of people staring at me while it happens.
Q: Is there anything you're concerned or worried about relating to them in the future?
A: Mainly them getting worse, and just more of what is already been happening - being embarrassed by them, them interfering in things, making me miss stuff, etc.
Q: Have you ever tried that herbal, powdery stuff called Chhinkni to help clear your stuffy nose? It's supposed to help clear your sinuses but usually makes you sneeze a little first. Supposed to smell like eucalyptus or Vicks.
A: I have heard of he stuff, but I have no interest. It apparently makes you sneeze a lot, and I already sneeze a lot. Sneezing doesn't help clear my nose. My nose isn't all stuffed up from snot, although I do get very snotty, its stuffed up because the nasal passages are smaller than they should be, and they get swollen shut easily.
A: Oh, this is a repeat of one above, just check out that answer :) I will add that my family and my good friends don't seem bothered by my allergies. Many people have been bothered by them, but not anyone who is a close friend.
Q: Would love to chat when you're homebound and bored! You mentioned yahoo and fb chats- what are your names for each?
A: Absolutely! I always would like that. On skype and yahoo I am sneezykate (in skype you might need to use sneezykate@hotmail.com). I am not on FB too much though.
I am sorry if some answers are short. I like to fully answer the questions, but sometimes I can't think of much to say. Let me know if you have any follow-ups.
As usual, please keep the feedback and questions and ideas coming! And as I mentioned in the last answer, feel free to contact me!
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Feb 1st Quick Update and Q+A
Hi guys. I do seem to be getting a bit more questions to answer, thanks! Now I wish I could come up with my own ideas of what to write too!
This time of year, my allergies aren't as bad as the rest of the year so I try to get as much work done as possible. Depending on the weather, I'll have from somewhere near the end of this month to somewhere in the middle of march before they start getting worse again. My allergies still bother me, but they are somewhat easier to deal with in the winter, especially Jan and Feb.
Now for our Q+A:
Q: You said that sleeping is a problem for you when your allergies are bad. If you could get rid of one allergy symptom during bedtime, which one would you prefer to get rid of?
A: That's a hard choice between sneezing and congestion. When my allergies are bad, sneezing so often makes it hard to have enough time to get to sleep. Overall I'd have to say congestions though. Even when my allergies aren't that bad, the congestion is still there, making it a bit uncomfortable to sleep.
Q: I learned from your posts that five of your senses are more or less impacted by your allergies: seeing (watery eyes), hearing (stuffed ears), smelling (congested nose), tasting (going along with smelling) and the sense of balance (dizziness from clogged ears or sinus congestion). Which sense would you consider being impacted the most (well, I'd guess it's the smelling), and which one comes second, third, fourth, fifth?
A: Smelling of course is first, as its not often that I am able to smell anything at all. Taste would be second because it is so dependent upon smell to work properly. Seeing would be third. Its a big jump down though, as its only really impacted when my allergies are acting up enough to make my eyes so watery that it makes my vision a bit blurry. Of course sometimes I wake up with my eyelids crusted up together and I can't see, but that's because I can't open my eyelids. I try not to rub my eyes much, but if I rub them a lot, they might swell up too much and make it hard to see. Dizziness would be the next one, as my sinus congestion has to be pretty bad for me to feel it as dizziness(unless I move my head really fast), and my ears only get clogged and make me dizzy when things are really bad. last would be hearing, as my allergies have to be really bad for my ears to feel clogged. Its not like I am deaf, but it is like I have cotton stuffed in my ears.
Q: How do you deal with your sneezing when you have your hair cut at the hairdresser, esp when your allergies are bad? Does the hairdresser have to interrupt his work every time you sneeze?
A: I can't really go to a hairdresser, as some of the chemicals and compounds, and hair products there I am allergic to. I'll try to get friends to cut my hair, or find a place that doesn't use many chemicals, etc. If I am having a sneezing fit, yea there needs to be a break in the work til I am done.
Q: Do you like to dance, in the disco or at parties? If yes, how much do your allergies affect your joy of dancing?
A: I am an ok dancer, but it has never been something that excites me too much. Allergies don't seem to impact my dancing at parties any more than they impact everything else.
Q: I've read that it's possible to improve allergies, esp hay fever, by avoiding certain kinds of food, e.g. those with protein. Did you try things like this, and if yes, was it successful?
A: I have tried all kinds of things, and foods seem to have no impact at all on my allergies. Alcohol sometimes seems to make my allergies worse though.
Q: A woman suffering from hay fever told me that autohemotherapy helped her. Did you try this?
A: I never heard of it. What is it? Does it go by another name?
Q: In 2010 you posted comprehensive lists of what you're allergic to and what symptoms you get. Are these lists still „valid“, or has something changed since then?
A: Without going back to look, I am pretty sure they are the same. If anything I might have discovered one or 2 more things, as I seem to be allergic to almost everything.
Q: You said that if you could get rid of one allergy symptome, it would be the sneezing because it affects your social life and your acitivies most. If you leave aside these aspects and just consider the symptoms as such, the physical pain they bring when you're alone and not doing something specific, which one would you choose then?
A: It would make it a closer choice between sneezing and congestion. With those limitations, I can't really choose between the 2.
Q: A question about the questions: It seems to me that you really like to answer all these questions. Can you explain what it is that makes you enjoy this so much?
A: "enjoy" is too strong a word. Having questions to answer actually gives me something to write about. I want to keep doing this blog, but I have huge blocks on what to write about. Questions gives me things to write about.
Q: What do you do or say when you are meeting people for the first time or over the phone and your allergies act up?
A: Over the phone I just say 'hold on a min' and I mute the phone and get through the allergy fit. In person, if I can, I'll say 'ill be back in a min' or 'I need to use the bathroom' or something. If I am stuck there, I won't say anything, hoping the person also wont say anything.
Q: What do you do for work and have your allergies affected you there, or how people respond to you?
A: I do TAing and assist with research (I am a grad student). Luckily when my allergies get bad, the TAing can be modified so I don't have to do much actual teaching, I'll do prep and all the paperwork and such. For the research, sometimes I have to just not do the work for a while. Most people haven't responded that badly, although it sometimes takes some accommodations, make-up stuff, and a few times I just have to do what I can. There was another research assistant that didn't like me (he was too competitive and jealous of what I was doing I think), and kept making fun of my allergies and tried to use the impact of my allergies as an excuse to get me kicked out.
Q: Do you seem to get them(colds) frequently? I know that for some allergy sufferers, they find they seem to be more susceptible to colds too.
A: I only get a couple a year. Not more often than anyone else I think.
Q: I know you've talked the past a bit about school and how sometimes you have to miss class because of your allergies. But when you do stay in the classroom and have to suffer through an attack, how do the professors and other students react? Are they generally understanding? Do they just ignore it or make comments? I know you've also said you try to escape to the restroom when it gets bad, but that can't be every time you have a bit of sneezing fit??
A: I feel like this needs more of an answer than I can write down real quick here, but in general, the reactions can be all over the place. Usually the professor will ignore it, and a few students might laugh or say something silly.
Thanks for all the questions. let me know if anything wasn't clear or if you need more info. As always, feel free to post more questions, or contact me directly.
And enjoy the superbowl!
This time of year, my allergies aren't as bad as the rest of the year so I try to get as much work done as possible. Depending on the weather, I'll have from somewhere near the end of this month to somewhere in the middle of march before they start getting worse again. My allergies still bother me, but they are somewhat easier to deal with in the winter, especially Jan and Feb.
Now for our Q+A:
Q: You said that sleeping is a problem for you when your allergies are bad. If you could get rid of one allergy symptom during bedtime, which one would you prefer to get rid of?
A: That's a hard choice between sneezing and congestion. When my allergies are bad, sneezing so often makes it hard to have enough time to get to sleep. Overall I'd have to say congestions though. Even when my allergies aren't that bad, the congestion is still there, making it a bit uncomfortable to sleep.
Q: I learned from your posts that five of your senses are more or less impacted by your allergies: seeing (watery eyes), hearing (stuffed ears), smelling (congested nose), tasting (going along with smelling) and the sense of balance (dizziness from clogged ears or sinus congestion). Which sense would you consider being impacted the most (well, I'd guess it's the smelling), and which one comes second, third, fourth, fifth?
A: Smelling of course is first, as its not often that I am able to smell anything at all. Taste would be second because it is so dependent upon smell to work properly. Seeing would be third. Its a big jump down though, as its only really impacted when my allergies are acting up enough to make my eyes so watery that it makes my vision a bit blurry. Of course sometimes I wake up with my eyelids crusted up together and I can't see, but that's because I can't open my eyelids. I try not to rub my eyes much, but if I rub them a lot, they might swell up too much and make it hard to see. Dizziness would be the next one, as my sinus congestion has to be pretty bad for me to feel it as dizziness(unless I move my head really fast), and my ears only get clogged and make me dizzy when things are really bad. last would be hearing, as my allergies have to be really bad for my ears to feel clogged. Its not like I am deaf, but it is like I have cotton stuffed in my ears.
Q: How do you deal with your sneezing when you have your hair cut at the hairdresser, esp when your allergies are bad? Does the hairdresser have to interrupt his work every time you sneeze?
A: I can't really go to a hairdresser, as some of the chemicals and compounds, and hair products there I am allergic to. I'll try to get friends to cut my hair, or find a place that doesn't use many chemicals, etc. If I am having a sneezing fit, yea there needs to be a break in the work til I am done.
Q: Do you like to dance, in the disco or at parties? If yes, how much do your allergies affect your joy of dancing?
A: I am an ok dancer, but it has never been something that excites me too much. Allergies don't seem to impact my dancing at parties any more than they impact everything else.
Q: I've read that it's possible to improve allergies, esp hay fever, by avoiding certain kinds of food, e.g. those with protein. Did you try things like this, and if yes, was it successful?
A: I have tried all kinds of things, and foods seem to have no impact at all on my allergies. Alcohol sometimes seems to make my allergies worse though.
Q: A woman suffering from hay fever told me that autohemotherapy helped her. Did you try this?
A: I never heard of it. What is it? Does it go by another name?
Q: In 2010 you posted comprehensive lists of what you're allergic to and what symptoms you get. Are these lists still „valid“, or has something changed since then?
A: Without going back to look, I am pretty sure they are the same. If anything I might have discovered one or 2 more things, as I seem to be allergic to almost everything.
Q: You said that if you could get rid of one allergy symptome, it would be the sneezing because it affects your social life and your acitivies most. If you leave aside these aspects and just consider the symptoms as such, the physical pain they bring when you're alone and not doing something specific, which one would you choose then?
A: It would make it a closer choice between sneezing and congestion. With those limitations, I can't really choose between the 2.
Q: A question about the questions: It seems to me that you really like to answer all these questions. Can you explain what it is that makes you enjoy this so much?
A: "enjoy" is too strong a word. Having questions to answer actually gives me something to write about. I want to keep doing this blog, but I have huge blocks on what to write about. Questions gives me things to write about.
Q: What do you do or say when you are meeting people for the first time or over the phone and your allergies act up?
A: Over the phone I just say 'hold on a min' and I mute the phone and get through the allergy fit. In person, if I can, I'll say 'ill be back in a min' or 'I need to use the bathroom' or something. If I am stuck there, I won't say anything, hoping the person also wont say anything.
Q: What do you do for work and have your allergies affected you there, or how people respond to you?
A: I do TAing and assist with research (I am a grad student). Luckily when my allergies get bad, the TAing can be modified so I don't have to do much actual teaching, I'll do prep and all the paperwork and such. For the research, sometimes I have to just not do the work for a while. Most people haven't responded that badly, although it sometimes takes some accommodations, make-up stuff, and a few times I just have to do what I can. There was another research assistant that didn't like me (he was too competitive and jealous of what I was doing I think), and kept making fun of my allergies and tried to use the impact of my allergies as an excuse to get me kicked out.
Q: Do you seem to get them(colds) frequently? I know that for some allergy sufferers, they find they seem to be more susceptible to colds too.
A: I only get a couple a year. Not more often than anyone else I think.
Q: I know you've talked the past a bit about school and how sometimes you have to miss class because of your allergies. But when you do stay in the classroom and have to suffer through an attack, how do the professors and other students react? Are they generally understanding? Do they just ignore it or make comments? I know you've also said you try to escape to the restroom when it gets bad, but that can't be every time you have a bit of sneezing fit??
A: I feel like this needs more of an answer than I can write down real quick here, but in general, the reactions can be all over the place. Usually the professor will ignore it, and a few students might laugh or say something silly.
Thanks for all the questions. let me know if anything wasn't clear or if you need more info. As always, feel free to post more questions, or contact me directly.
And enjoy the superbowl!
Thursday, January 15, 2015
A New Year and a New Q+A
Hi everyone. I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays.
As I mentioned in my quick note, I was planning on making a post, but I was sick with a bad cold all last week, so that really sucked. This week I have been busy with the start of the semester. Of course once I post that I probably won't have time to post, I find some time to post!
I did have a dream involving my allergies a few weeks ago, but I can't remember it now. Something about my allergies being bad but people were all wanting to look closely at my nose.
I do have many questions now to answer. Its only about 5 or 6 people, but one person had many questions.
Q: Have you ever considered moving to live somewhere where the winters are longer/the pollen season is shorter, or to somewhere with less allergenic plant life? Living by the sea is also supposed to be better for people with hayfever, I believe. I realize that moving isn't something that's easily done, but if it was a possibility for you, do you think it would be worth trying?
A: I have thought about it and looked into it years ago, but it doesn't help. It might help for a short time, but the allergies come back. Also, moving from the northwest to the northeast didn't make any difference for me.
Q: How does your family do in terms of your allergies? Are they accommodating or do they inadvertently do things that set them off sometimes?
A: They are good about it. back when I first got allergies, they were better about it than I was. Back then I never avoided anything because I hoped I would get over them or fight through them. They are also pretty good now at ignoring my sneezing fits and other allergy stuff, which is good.
Q: At this time are you still seeing an allergist? If so how are they trying to treat or help you and is it working?
A: Yes. Been seeing allergists since I got allergies. They are always amazed at how bad my allergies are. I am on a number of different things, but they don't help much. We occasionally switch things to see if something will help more.
Q: So, how many sneezing fits did you have on the plane?
A: I didn't keep count, but certainly more than one. They are very annoying on the plane too. All the pressure in my sinuses and ears makes the sneezes a bit painful at times. It also makes it feel like I can't sneeze but will sneeze at the same time.
Q: You mentioned in some earlier posts that you can't blow your nose, and it got me to thinking (and this is merely a suggestion): I work at a preschool, and since babies/toddlers often can't blow their nose, we use a bulb syringe or some other suction device to literally suck the snot out. I was wondering, would suction work for you?
A: There are versions of those thing adults can use and I have tried them. I find them a bit of a hassle to use, and they don't seem to work that well. I am not sure if its just me, or them in general.
Q: You said that generally you cannot blow your nose because it's so congested. When there are days on which you can blow your nose, how often do you blow it? And are you sniffling then?
A: Days when I can blow my nose are pretty rare, but the days I can, my allergies aren't bad enough for me to need to blow constantly. Maybe a few times a day, as I do find it kind of annoying to my nose even then. If it didn't annoy my nose, I'd probably do it a lot more often. I do try to sniffle a lot on those days, but I'd need to sniffle really hard to have much of an effect, and I don't want to be that loud so I will sniffle softly for a while, it won't do much, so I'll give up.
Q: When your allergies are bad, how much tissues do you spend a day for wiping your nose? You wrote that sometimes you carry a whole box with you, how many tissues are contained in such a box?
A: I never kept track, but I can easily go through a big box on those days. A bit over 200 in the big boxes that I get.
Q: You wrote that you sang in a choir before your allergies got worse. Do or did you play a musical instrument? Is it / would it be possible for you to play a musical instrument in a useful way concerning all your allergy hassles, especially the constant szeening and nose wiping?
A: I never had much of an interest in musical instruments. I haven't tried any other. If I did try, I'd think something that I didn't have to blow into would be easier for me to play.
Q: You wrote that sometimes you don't drive because of your allergies. What about riding a bicycle? Are there days on which biking is impossible for you too?
A: Its the same kind of thing, although in some ways biking is better cause its easier to start and stop and its at much lower speeds. It can be worse though in that I am more directly exposed to pollen and stuff on a bike.
Q: Do you do some sports, i.e. jogging or running? If yes, how easy or difficult is this concerning your allergies?
A: The ones I like the best are soccer, volleyball, and swimming. I had to give up competing in them because my allergies got too bad, especially with soccer. I still play volleyball for fun when I can, and I swim a bit, but at pools the chlorine bothers me, and when I am underwater I feel the pressure in my head.
Sorry if the answers are kinda short. I guess with so many I might have made my answers quick. Let me know if you want expansion or clarification on anything.
I do have a request: If you make replies to my blog posts, can you log-in (if you have an account)? Almost everything is from 'anonymous', so I have no idea how many people are communicating.
As usual, please make comments and feel free to contact me and say hi. I always need ideas!
As I mentioned in my quick note, I was planning on making a post, but I was sick with a bad cold all last week, so that really sucked. This week I have been busy with the start of the semester. Of course once I post that I probably won't have time to post, I find some time to post!
I did have a dream involving my allergies a few weeks ago, but I can't remember it now. Something about my allergies being bad but people were all wanting to look closely at my nose.
I do have many questions now to answer. Its only about 5 or 6 people, but one person had many questions.
Q: Have you ever considered moving to live somewhere where the winters are longer/the pollen season is shorter, or to somewhere with less allergenic plant life? Living by the sea is also supposed to be better for people with hayfever, I believe. I realize that moving isn't something that's easily done, but if it was a possibility for you, do you think it would be worth trying?
A: I have thought about it and looked into it years ago, but it doesn't help. It might help for a short time, but the allergies come back. Also, moving from the northwest to the northeast didn't make any difference for me.
Q: How does your family do in terms of your allergies? Are they accommodating or do they inadvertently do things that set them off sometimes?
A: They are good about it. back when I first got allergies, they were better about it than I was. Back then I never avoided anything because I hoped I would get over them or fight through them. They are also pretty good now at ignoring my sneezing fits and other allergy stuff, which is good.
Q: At this time are you still seeing an allergist? If so how are they trying to treat or help you and is it working?
A: Yes. Been seeing allergists since I got allergies. They are always amazed at how bad my allergies are. I am on a number of different things, but they don't help much. We occasionally switch things to see if something will help more.
Q: So, how many sneezing fits did you have on the plane?
A: I didn't keep count, but certainly more than one. They are very annoying on the plane too. All the pressure in my sinuses and ears makes the sneezes a bit painful at times. It also makes it feel like I can't sneeze but will sneeze at the same time.
Q: You mentioned in some earlier posts that you can't blow your nose, and it got me to thinking (and this is merely a suggestion): I work at a preschool, and since babies/toddlers often can't blow their nose, we use a bulb syringe or some other suction device to literally suck the snot out. I was wondering, would suction work for you?
A: There are versions of those thing adults can use and I have tried them. I find them a bit of a hassle to use, and they don't seem to work that well. I am not sure if its just me, or them in general.
Q: You said that generally you cannot blow your nose because it's so congested. When there are days on which you can blow your nose, how often do you blow it? And are you sniffling then?
A: Days when I can blow my nose are pretty rare, but the days I can, my allergies aren't bad enough for me to need to blow constantly. Maybe a few times a day, as I do find it kind of annoying to my nose even then. If it didn't annoy my nose, I'd probably do it a lot more often. I do try to sniffle a lot on those days, but I'd need to sniffle really hard to have much of an effect, and I don't want to be that loud so I will sniffle softly for a while, it won't do much, so I'll give up.
Q: When your allergies are bad, how much tissues do you spend a day for wiping your nose? You wrote that sometimes you carry a whole box with you, how many tissues are contained in such a box?
A: I never kept track, but I can easily go through a big box on those days. A bit over 200 in the big boxes that I get.
Q: You wrote that you sang in a choir before your allergies got worse. Do or did you play a musical instrument? Is it / would it be possible for you to play a musical instrument in a useful way concerning all your allergy hassles, especially the constant szeening and nose wiping?
A: I never had much of an interest in musical instruments. I haven't tried any other. If I did try, I'd think something that I didn't have to blow into would be easier for me to play.
Q: You wrote that sometimes you don't drive because of your allergies. What about riding a bicycle? Are there days on which biking is impossible for you too?
A: Its the same kind of thing, although in some ways biking is better cause its easier to start and stop and its at much lower speeds. It can be worse though in that I am more directly exposed to pollen and stuff on a bike.
Q: Do you do some sports, i.e. jogging or running? If yes, how easy or difficult is this concerning your allergies?
A: The ones I like the best are soccer, volleyball, and swimming. I had to give up competing in them because my allergies got too bad, especially with soccer. I still play volleyball for fun when I can, and I swim a bit, but at pools the chlorine bothers me, and when I am underwater I feel the pressure in my head.
Sorry if the answers are kinda short. I guess with so many I might have made my answers quick. Let me know if you want expansion or clarification on anything.
I do have a request: If you make replies to my blog posts, can you log-in (if you have an account)? Almost everything is from 'anonymous', so I have no idea how many people are communicating.
As usual, please make comments and feel free to contact me and say hi. I always need ideas!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Gonna try posting again
Its been a long time since I posted, and I wanted to try again. I might be a bit different with it. It will be sporadic, probably not very long posts and a bit more general in the topics I post about. I met a few new people online who seem really cool, so hopefully they start reading this too :)
School is going well. I am enjoying the research I am helping out with. There is one other assistant who is a jerk to me and tries to get me in trouble, but the professor in charge is a really cool guy and there is really nothing to get me in trouble over so its just an annoyance.
This fall was probably the worst season ever for my allergies! I knew I was very allergic to ragweed, but there isn't much of it around Seattle, but OMG there are tons of it out here on the east coast! If I didn't know any better I would have thought I had ragweed plants stuck up my nose! Ugh. I hope next fall isn't as bad.
This weekend I have had a cold/flu/something so I have been feeling really icky and had to miss parties :( I was hoping I would be better by tomorrow but I think its going into my chest so I'll be sick for at least a few more days. bleah!
Please post comments, questions, discussions, etc!
School is going well. I am enjoying the research I am helping out with. There is one other assistant who is a jerk to me and tries to get me in trouble, but the professor in charge is a really cool guy and there is really nothing to get me in trouble over so its just an annoyance.
This fall was probably the worst season ever for my allergies! I knew I was very allergic to ragweed, but there isn't much of it around Seattle, but OMG there are tons of it out here on the east coast! If I didn't know any better I would have thought I had ragweed plants stuck up my nose! Ugh. I hope next fall isn't as bad.
This weekend I have had a cold/flu/something so I have been feeling really icky and had to miss parties :( I was hoping I would be better by tomorrow but I think its going into my chest so I'll be sick for at least a few more days. bleah!
Please post comments, questions, discussions, etc!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Cold and allergies
I just got over having a cold. People often ask me things like "how can you tell when you have a cold?" or "Maybe its not allergies, maybe its a cold." I guess these are people who don't have allergies! Yea, some symptoms are similar, but they are different, so it is easy to tell. I will say that is IT a pain to have a cold on top of allergies.
These are the things that happen when I get a cold on top of my allergies:
With allergies, I can get worn-out, but when I have a cold its more like having a feeling of physical weakness, different from feeling worn out from doing alot of activity.
My sneezing feels harsher and it feels like something could spray from my mouth. I also notice that my snot is thicker and more yellowish instead of clear or white.
My sinuses hurt differently when I have a cold. Sometimes when my allergies are bad my sinuses will hurt, but with a cold they hurt differently. I can't really explain better than that.
When I have a cold, my throat hurts and I cough. I don't cough from allergies and at the worst my throat will tickle/itch but not hurt.
When I have a cold, my teeth hurt. Yea it sounds weird, but it happens.
When I have a cold, inside my nose burns. With allergies it is tickles or itches or tingles or has a throbbing feeling, but when I have a cold it feels more like a burning.
I am curious if other people with allergies have a similar experience. I don't think many people read my blog, but if you do, and have allergies, can you share what it is like for you having a cold with allergies?
These are the things that happen when I get a cold on top of my allergies:
With allergies, I can get worn-out, but when I have a cold its more like having a feeling of physical weakness, different from feeling worn out from doing alot of activity.
My sneezing feels harsher and it feels like something could spray from my mouth. I also notice that my snot is thicker and more yellowish instead of clear or white.
My sinuses hurt differently when I have a cold. Sometimes when my allergies are bad my sinuses will hurt, but with a cold they hurt differently. I can't really explain better than that.
When I have a cold, my throat hurts and I cough. I don't cough from allergies and at the worst my throat will tickle/itch but not hurt.
When I have a cold, my teeth hurt. Yea it sounds weird, but it happens.
When I have a cold, inside my nose burns. With allergies it is tickles or itches or tingles or has a throbbing feeling, but when I have a cold it feels more like a burning.
I am curious if other people with allergies have a similar experience. I don't think many people read my blog, but if you do, and have allergies, can you share what it is like for you having a cold with allergies?
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