I don’t know if it’s the muggy terrible weather, the allergies, or what, but I have a distinct urge to just topple forward and flop my head onto the desk. For some reason, it feels like it would make me feel better. I am all groggy and not quite dizzy but slightly off. And I’m pretty sure there is sinus pressure. Took Zyrtec. Drank a cup of hot tea. Helped a tiny bit but still want to faceplant. This happens too often now. I think Texas allergies might have finally gotten me. I meant to mention it to our doctor during a recent physical, but I was excited because my blood pressure was 100/60 and my Hemoglobin a1c is one decimal from normal range.
I just want to unfog. We have a dynamic fun scene to write, all dramatic with snarling dogs and I am all wet noodle. Yesterday I just gave up and didn’t work in the evening.
I broke down and ordered a new set of knitting needles from KnitPicks for Mother’s Day. I haven’t found anything better than their interchangeable needles. They do, eventually break, but they’re very light and I like knitting with them. Chloe Neil and I might be working on the same pattern. We should do a knit and bitch tour, where we just sit around, knit, and complain about our publisher.
It appears that the house guest we are babysitting may be staying with us. Not sure exactly how all of this will work out, but as of now we are not sure her owner wants her back. We’ll see where it all ends up.
Right now you could probably drop a meteorite in the front yard and I’d look at it, yawn, and say, “That’s a hell of a thing.” And then I’ll just lay on my desk. Mmmm, desk, comfy.
Okay, I am going to go and get more tea and force the brain to work. Snarling dogs, harrowing escapes, decisive orders… All that. But first, more tea.
“Chloe Neil and I might be working on the same pattern. We should do a knit and bitch tour, where we just sit around, knit, and complain about our publisher.”
I thought that was called a knitting circle.
Using interchangable needles – definitely a knitting circle!
Or a miniature sword fight waiting to break out.
If you want to knit and bitch (and game, game, game), come to GenCon50 in Indianapolis this August. There’s always people crafting in the SPA corridor Open Craft Room. Plus SPA sessions are filled with gloriously geeky crafts! Or game, try out games, LARP, board game, RPG 24/7 for four days
hmm. I’m heading from Chicago to Nashville that weekend – we’re camping to see the solar eclipse. maybe we’ll stop by gencon on the way…
Tink, that is if you use straight knitting needles (aka needles without the plastic between the points). Circular needles look like you want to strangle someone.
I have my mom’s old straight knitting needles that are so sharp you could hurt someone with them. Hmmm….I can see it now in one of the series….heroine trapped somewhere with a pair of knitting needles and needs to get out. Uses needles to break a lock or uses needles to threaten someone to get her out (of course the villain would laugh until she loops the cord around his neck and squeezes).
Rather like Kate’s hairpins in Magic Strikes…
Hahaha!
OMG! That’s awesome. I would totally read that.
Sorry to hear you are not feeling will. Have you ever tried a Neti Pot? They are really weird but it always helps clean out my sinus, be it allergies or a cold. It takes a bit of getting over the weirdness but it does help.
I second the Neti pot for sinus pressure.
I strongly recommend a Neti pot – it simply permits you to cleanse your sinus and nose with saline solution – and works remarkably well. I was completely against trying it, but when desperately blocked up, my spouse coaxed me through it. Now I can’t imagine allergies, colds or sinus infection treatments without it. Give it a try.
I guess I fourth this suggestion. Mr, Wife has severe allergies, and found daily use of the neti pot with saline was almost as life changing as allergy shots. The water washes out allergens, the salt kills bacteria and shrinks swollen tissues. A box containing the pot and thirty saline packets should cost $10-12 in your local drugstore or the OTC section of a chain grocery store. It’ll probably be on the bottom shelf near the allergy and cold supplies.
I don’t have allergies, but I use it when I feel a cold coming on; it makes a difference.
Fifth-ing this, with the caveat that while neti pots are great for clearing out blocked sinuses, they water used to make the saline solution shouldn’t be anything but distilled water. At the very least bottled. There have been some deaths due using tap water in neti pots that’s resulted in infection by N. fowleri. Nasty stuff.
***well
I am sorry, but one paragraph of your blog post made me laugh. Don’t misunderstand me: I have neither sympathy nor understanding for someone who gives away his cat, having three cats at home myself. But knowing you from your blog, tweets and books, I I rather suspect that your feline houseguest will not want to go back anyway! 😉
I’ll keep my fingers crossed this will somehow work out.
That caught my attention too. I hate to see people treat pets as disposable. I hope they have a damn good reason for doing it.
I second that. She looks like a lovely creature just looking for the right home. I hate to say this but this may be a lucky day for her. Anyone who could just give her away in a sneak attack probably isn’t treating her well to begin with.
The allergies this year have been a killer!! Zyrtec just isn’t doing it for me either. And i guess there is also a nasty spring cold going around – at least in my neck of the woods in NE.
I know I shouldn’t say this, but definitely keep the kitty!! What a cutie! I’m a sucker for felines – we have 3 and I’ve got 4 tiny little foster kittens – no I wont be keeping any of them, but its definitely hard to give them back! I know its also tough when you have a kitty who doesn’t want to be bothered with other animals (one of our 3 is a nasty b*tch but we love her!) Good luck whatever your decision is!
Much sympathy for your allergy suffering, its the worst. Hope you feel better soon!
We have 5 kitties and I can’t go near animal shelters, pet stores, and such because I have no control.
One of my brother’s used to live in Oregon and had allergies, but moving to San Antonio has elevated the allergies to the nth degree. He’s way worse off now than he was in Oregon. So either there are more things in SA that he’s allergic to than there were in Oregon, or there’s a greater quantity of the same allergens in SA, but he’s definitely way worse off than he was in Oregon.
Whatever happened to the planned move to Florida? I wonder if that would be better or worse than Austin. I guess it would depend on if you know what you’re allergic to and can research the typical allergen levels of where you want to move. Did you ever take the allergy tests to determine what exactly you’re allergic to?
Still moving. Deciding where. Right now Jacksonville area is a heavy favorite. We tried Clearwater, but it’s kind of like that town in Lost Boys, and we’re a bit old for that.
Lost Boys was filmed in Santa Cruz. Where I work and lived. Haven’t seen the movie though.
Clearwater is Scientology central, you don’t want to move there!
*brothers not brother’s. Don’t you hate it when you see a mistype right after you click “Post Comment” and it’s too late to do anything? And then our Internet connection at work is really slow today, so that mistype was sitting there mocking me while it waited to write to the website. Grrrr.
Wish that I could take your house guest off your hands. I have always wanted one like her. However both of my daughters handed me their “American Domestics” (read tamed ally cats) when they finally left home to pursue life, education and career. These cats are great at shedding and shredding furniture, but not so adept with cuddle sessions. They are both, unfortunately, neutered males so they fight like, well, stray cats. Bringing another cat into this house before these two pass on to their place in heaven just might cause a divorce in the family.
Ilona, Do you have a high efficiency filter system on your house? It might help with the allergies. And if you need to install one, it can be tax deductible as a medical expense.
I use 3M Filtrete air filters. They come in different colors to match how much they will filter. I use the black color ones since they filter out everything I want out of my air (dust, pollen, smoke, mold, air pollution, etc.). If you use one, be prepared to be amazed on how much was filtered out (the filter turns a charcoal gray/black to denote it’s time to replace). They are not cheap to buy, and the kind I get are not at Wal-Mart. I have to go to Lowes.
We use 3M filters also…work great! Also, you can tell the color of your cat by what the filter looks like when changed….Tornado cat = gray filter, Felix cat = brown/gray filter…?
Oh, so after the original post about the guest, I Googled Maine Coon cat and there was mention of a “lilac” color, which apparently isn’t an “approved” color for the breed, or whatever, but I kept looking and looking for a picture of a “lilac” Maine Coon cat. Does anyone have a picture of one? Do they really have a purple tint?
It’s a fancy word used for grey. There are lots of pcitures of Lilac siamese available.
Aw, man. A purple cat would’ve been awesome.
Right? I’m always disappointed when they just turn out to be grey! The same with blue merles.
And Russian Blues.
False advertising!
I had a purple cat once, more like fuchsia. However it wasn’t natural or long term, it was the result of the experiences of my youngest little sister and a makeup-kit. It’s been decades but I can still see that cat in my mind. Poor kitty.
my brother had a Russian blue cat – Hammy – for years. He was gray, but when the sun hit just right, he had a bluish sheen. Purple would be awesome though.
I have also been fostering a cat recently. Very convoluted family issues in my daughter’s girlfriend’s family had us “rescuing’ the cat. It was supposed to be short term but… The girlfriend is moving away from home and should have taken Mickey then but the family member she is moving in with is allergic. So on top of our 2 fixed females we now have what could be a new resident that we think is an unfixed male. At least after a month and half most of hissing has stopped. He is actually a sweetheart with the apt moniker of Mickey Mouse. He is white with black areas, not really spots. First both ears and the area between are black (MM ears). Then on one side is a spot that looks a heart cut in half and on the other side the black area looks like MM’s head. Only other black areas are the tale and toucas opening (politest way I think of too describe).
As for sinus pressure which I am also suffering from I find eating potato chips helps even better than gum. Doesn’t help the fogginess though. Hope you find something that works!
To fellow Canucks of the Book Devouring Horde – Happy Victoria Day weekend (also know as May 2 – 4 regardless of actual date since a lot of people break out the cases of beer for the unofficial start to Canadian summer) !!
Happy May 2-4 to you!!
Modified advice from previous post: Crawl to couch or recliner, NAP, tea; crawl to couch or recliner, NAP, tea; repeat.
Have you tried adding a second OTC allergy pill? Normally, my daily Zyrtec handles dog, chickens, pollen etc., but during leaf-budding and spring plowing, I need more for a couple of weeks.
I hope you’re able to give yourself a break. Tea, a nap in the most comfortable place you can find. It may help with your energy level.
I hope the cat isn’t the cause for your sort-of-new allergy problems. If he’s able to stay, he is one lucky cat.
Have you tried the nasal sprays. I had to upgrade to that in addition to allegra this year. PA allergies are miserable. Doesn’t totally get rid of the fog, but at least I can breath.
Hope the kitty situation works out for all.
PS. Counting the days til White Hot comes out. Just wish it was before Memorial Day so I could devour over the long weekend.
As someone who’s been feeling like crap (for a wide variety of reasons) the past few days/weeks, I get were you’re coming from. I just want to lie around and vegetate. Especially since my vitals and lab results in my checkup today looked great, so my doctors solution is ‘Let’s just wait and see what happens’. Honestly, it would be great to feel healthy and happy for an entire week for a change.
Okay, enough whining in the comments section for me.
I hope you are feeling better soon. Take care. The cat looks absolutely lovely, bye the way. And super fluffy. Maybe hugging him/her would help? Just throwing wild suggestions out there (well, cat fur was considered medicinal at some point in Switzerland’s history, soo… 😉 )
We ended up having a temp houseguest that stayed with us for the rest of his life. He was a red cat named Tiger and his owners had to go to Hong Kong for a few years. When they came back, they realized that he had bonded with us and their new rental didn’t allow pets, so we ended up keeping him.
Allergy season is fierce this year for sure. Sometimes I also get vertigo during this time of the year and docs would give me generic dramamine. It helps with the dizzyness and a tendency to list to one side when walking that sometimes hits me.
I don’t use a neti pot, seems like too much trouble (and dangerous unless you use distilled water) but I do get those squeeze bottles with a saline solution and that works the same way. It helps with the pressure, clears out the pollen and helps me avoid infections.
I hope you get some relief soon!
Just a quick 2d plug for a Neti pot – yes, use distilled water & add the appropriate type & amount of salt. No, not dangerous. No, not too much trouble. Yes, very effective.
Has your doc checked thyroid function? Mine made me want to nap twice a day and go to bed early!!!
Allergy shots changed my life. If allergies are a consistentproblem, I highly recommend looking into them.
Sorry you are in a haze. Be kind to yourself. Allergies have been brutal this year. I have resorted to a Hepa filter https://www.rabbitair.com/ and flonase. Not a perfect solution but it is definitely helping.
Aaaah that bleh feeling is the worst! Hope you feel better!
At least if the guest cat ends up as resident cat you’ll finally have one with some sass & personality!! (insert eye roll here) I think you have the most entertaining cats, they’ve got more attitude than every cat I’ve ever had anyways!!
Don’t have a solution, but heaps of sympathy; I live just north of Austin and have been fighting the desire to nap all day. Something about the pressure change today + whatever else is in the air now…and I think not dizzy but slightly off is a perfect description. Hope you feel better soon!
FYI: 13 % of people get drowsy on Zyrtec. Allegra doesn’t pass the blood-brain barrier, so shouldn’t cause sleepiness / drowsiness. Also, sometimes people may be allergic to dander of specific animals: new pet, new exposure. Nasal sprays may be helpful, as someone above noted. Nasal steroids may take 7 days to become effective, but Astelin works same day, but only that day. Sorry, my 2 cents as MD: I give out advice all day, and cant break the habit! Hope this may help you feel better. Your Doc can prescribe Astelin if deems appropriate.
That is a very useful comment, Dr. Mary. Carry on, please!
I took Claritin (loratadine) for most of a year, and it sort of helped. Never made me drowsy. I find Bi Yan Pian, which is a Chinese patent, to be very effective for sinuses, without any side effects or contra-indications with my anxiolytic (lexapro). You can find it online along with info on it. I pay around $7.00 for 90 -120. I also use Flonase (cheap at Costco). Those seem to help a lot. That and an hepa air filter. There are “allergy” air filters as well.
If the cat is being abandoned, I would say it is finding an even better home. Lucky beast!
Hope you feel better soon. I empathize with your plight.
Empathizing from Houston on the allergies–they’re brutal this year. Zyrtec does nothing for me but I’ve had good luck with Claritin D (non-drowsy formula). You may have to ask the pharmacist for it–it’s not a prescription med but they watch sales carefully–evidently it’s used to make something else that’s illegal.
I’m sorry you’re having such trouble with allergies and hope you find relief soon. Sinus headaches combined with meds that don’t seem to be working can make life miserable.
Many years ago when we moved to a new home, our new neighbors had a beautiful outdoor cat. It felt as if AD took one look at us and moved in. We took her next door daily for weeks. She came back daily for weeks. She actually moved into our house, slowly but surely. She made peace with our 2 cats. We took her to the vet because the neighbors never did and she lived with us for 13 years. Her only concession to her old family was to go there for a meal every once in a while.
Ilona, I just want to say how much I love your blog–always fun, always real. I’m finally posting to add to the suggestions for allergy relief–massage. Not that it helps with the allergies per se, but helps with the pressure, headaches and overall drainage. You need to make sure the therapist does the sinuses at the back of the skull; I’m able to give my allergy clients a lot of relief that way. It has been a tough sinus year–best of luck!
Might I recommend fluticasone nasal spray (RX) and saline nasal spray do help keep passages open. A lot of my family members, living in Tx, have horrible allergies. This seemed to help. I’m sure u’ve tried everything under the sun. Zyrtec never worked for any of my family members.
I recommend Knitters Pride needles, they’re the same as you Knit Picks Options, but more selection. I like the square extra short wood ones best, they’re called Cubix or something like that.
How do square needles compare?
I recently took a class with Gwen Bortner, where square needles were discussed in depth.
Because the yarn doesn’t conform to the flat edges of the square needles, you are able to achieve a tighter gauge without increasing your tension. Also, that tiny gap between the flat face of the needle and the yarn should make it easier for you to insert the tip into the stitch (again, especially if you are trying to knit tighter). That’s why the square needles are supposed to be easier on your hands.
Or so they say. I pretty much only knit with Signatures. Their stiletto tips are unmatched.
“I pretty much only knit with Signatures. Their stiletto tips are unmatched.” <-This. The unmatched part. I still also use other needles.
I knit very tight and I find that with square needles, the yarn doesn’t get as stuck as it sometimes does on regular round needles. I’ve heard that they can reduce hand fatigue, probably for the same reason. As Leigh Ann said, you can knit tighter and still get your right tip under the next stitch.
I find that the shorter tips are more useful for reducing fatigue, at least for me. It has to do with a combination of weight distribution (what’s on your cables is more supported by your lap while your hands support more what is on the needles) and the tight gauge (not fighting to move so many stitches up and down a long needle).
Also, I find the square ones aesthetically pleasing.
Since Knitters Pride uses the exact same cables and connection as KPOs, if you want to try out a pair of their tips it’s a pretty minimal investment.
Been to a lot of different countries all over this planet and has never been allergic to anything until I arrived in San Antonio Texas.
Love the city and the people, but they can burn the cedar forest down to the ground and I won’t wave the save the planet flag.
I am now on allergy pills for most of the year especially around cedar season Sept to Feb
It is one of the highlights they don’t tell you about
my poor dog had 24 allergies when we moved here from Florida (Texas brought her up to 64)
I won’t move because it is the closest I have come to the good old Australia I left behind many years ago
Bottom line Texas and allergies go together
Go Spurs!
I was going to suggest this wonderful generic my doc gave me for pollen season here in FLA. I mostly take it in Mar./Apr. So I looked it up and it’s Zyrtec! Cetirizine hydrochloride. ?. Hope you feel better.
Sounds like someone has a book coming out. Have you considered Savanna? I used to love to go through that area between Atlanta and the Savanna Coast as a truck driver.
Traditional Medicinals herbal tea, Breathe Easy variety, helps me and tastes ok too…the groggies strike me with every extreme pressure change…. hope you feel better
Is that a picture of the house guest? She’s so beautiful. I hope that whatever ends up happening, it is in her best interest.
I’m having the same thing. Allergies worse and worse and they make me soooo tiiired. That and forgetting to supplement iron (been using a http://www.luckyironfish.com lately)
Saline nose spray, http://www.woodyknows.com nose filters and for me the only antihistamine that seems to work is acrivastine. Seems it is in Semprex over there.. I confused everything by using the brand name on ravelry before now – Benadryl is a whole nother thing in the states!
Hey, sorry to hear about your face plant feelings. I live in what is probably the hay fever capital of the world aka Melbourne Australia, and I agree Zyrtec is of limited use. Here are three alternatives:
– Best yet remedy is taking the daily limit of Aspro Clear and drinking large quantities of fluids. It is such a simple old fashioned recipe.
– Even though you don’t seem to have a cold a mug of hot lemon and honey (I also like to splash in the whiskey) will make those sinuses clear fast.
– And of course the great Australian recipe of last resort is the breath in eucalyptus method. IE bowl, boiling water, eucalyptus oil, Bend over bowl and cover your entire head and bowl and shoulders with a towel. Breath deeply and perspire gently. It is amazing how loose and clear you feel after.
And if in dire straits, do all three, and triple the dose of whiskey.
Mom gave me hot tea with honey and lemon but I gotta second Shelley on the whiskey. I dont like the taste but it does seem to help.
– The aspro clear method basically flushes your sinuses … the aspro addresses any headaches and sinus discomfort, and you may end up with a runny noise from all the fluids but it is much better that that heavy headed draining gradually congealing facial concrete sensation.
– The fumes from the mug of deliciousness (if you make it strong) seems to go up the back of the throat and gives some decidedly delicious relief, even if only as a distraction. Also very good before bed. Drink as much as you want, but after three do NOT operate ANY machinery.
NB use “Manuka” honey if you can get it, it makes a real difference. It is a type of honey not a brand. Check your health food store.
– And the home made steam room solution is also very effective short term and gives enough relief to at least let you do other things for a fair while. (I come out of those towel huddles actually feeling more intelligent .. weird.)
I never take those “drying” antihisterminey thingys these days since in the past they have led to bouts of sinusitis. When you trap the pollens etc in your sinuses by taking those tablets, and don’t flush them from your sinuses via normal nose blowing etc, then they can just sit there and fester (so to speak), and lead to very painful infections.
Feel better. Going through a similar experience while trying to move my daughter out of her college apartment in NJ. Been using steroid spray as well as otc allergy pill and allergy eye drops to function. We shall all prevail.
Have you ever tried nettle leaf tea? It’s not the most delicious and you have to drink it every day during allergy season–but combined with flonase it gets me through without resorting to any of the allergy pills and I am basically allergic to everything outside. You can google “nettle tea for allergies” for more info. I use traditional medicinals nettle leaf tea, which is in most supermarkets. It’s made a huge difference in my quality of life from spring to winter.
I understand the faceplant syndrome. I’ve been feeling that way, too, lately. I have a mold allergy, and that’s all year. Mixed in with other stuff in the air…..it’s horrible. I take dye-free Benedryl. When it gets really bad (as it’s been this past week), I take Allegra. I have to take anything for my allergies at night since it makes me sleepy.
When Allegra first came out, and everyone was happy that it was “non-drowsy”, my doctor at the time wrote me a prescription for the lowest dose of Allegra and said it shouldn’t make me sleep. I took one during the day on Saturday (this was a long time ago). and sure enough two hours later I was asleep. The next time I saw my doctor, I told him what happened. He gave the strangest look and told me to take it at night. 🙂 One thing I can’t take is Claritin. It gives me migraines.
Just a thought. Zyrtec is known for making you sleepy, while Claritin and Allegra are much less likely to do so. 🙂
I just posted that!! Maybe I needed to read more comments 🙂
Hi Ilona. Allergies are terrible. I am not afflicted, but in case you didn’t know, Zyrtec will make you drowsy. It’s advised to take it at bedtime. Maybe that’s why you’re feeling extra foggy???? Hope this helps.
I have really bad allergies too. Two natural antihistamines (you can take in addition to the Zyrtec) are Vitamin C (2 g) and Echinacea. I can take either in addition to other meds I’m on. Sorry to hear you’re so miserable
My son has been hit really hard this spring with allergies. The first time in 16 years he has needed to take Claritin. It helps just enough to get him through 11th grade. Good luck getting through this allergy season.
I am sorry that your house guest’s owner does not to her kitty back, but hopefully everything will work out for the best.
I have addi click lace interchangelable set and have had them for 4? years or so now, and really like them, but they are pricier than the knitpicks ones.
I also really love Signature Needle Arts double pointed and circular needles, but they are SO NOT AFFORDABLE/CHEAP/FRUGAL/WORDFORLOWERAMOUNTSOFMONEYHERE. I get one pair every other year or so. But I love them. They make my hands happy.
Try something like Clariton D if you have sinus pressure (if you can medically). It’s more rigidly controlled than opiates but the only thing that works for me when I’m feeling like what you describe. Drink plenty of fluids also to make sure you’re hydrated. That garbage about caffeine in drinks dehydrating you is an old husbands tale (which means it’s completely wrong) so enjoy your tea.
Have you had your thyroid checked recently? Symptoms typically are feeling in a fog, lack of energy, and a host of others!
I’m in Austin and feel exactly the same about doing a face plant on my desk. I’m on three allergy meds and was fine until Tuesday and now have to go to doc this afternoon to see if I have bronchitis cause I’m lightheaded from not breathing that great. Haven’t tried Neti pot but might finally do it. The only thing that’s been on the plus side is that I reread Burn For Me while trying to rest the past few days and now can’t wait for next book! Hope you feel better soon!
Hi Ilona,
Thank you for the Weds snippet, it is fascinating to see Kate’s world and it’s creatures evolve.
Sorry to hear you’re suffering from sinus lead head . Our family remedy is to rinse our eyes with preservative free lubricant eye drops because even the most subtle eye discomfort is exhausting. Then we go to 7/11for an 89cent Icy/slushy. The Icy/Slushy works as an ice pack for the hard palate, the soft palate, and the throat. Decreasing sinus pressure or swelling feels like a miracle! Nothing else seems to work as well as the Icy, except for an Icy that you put in the freeze to get a little thicker.
We pray you well and hope our cheap & tasty home remedy helps.
Regina
Ooh. Allergies. 🙁 I second those recommending Fluonase (over the counter nose spray that is a steroid and won’t rebound if used more than a few times, low/no side effect re: blood pressure rise either). I combine it with Tavist or with Zyrtec for those really bad days. I also use peppermint oil on a q tip and dab it on my nasal area (under nostril). Helps keep the airways open, smells great and uplifts spirit. Win win as far as I can tell. And steam. Lots of steam. Use a pot of hot water, add essential oil put towel over head and inhale steam. Very pleasant and opens up the nose great, And yeah, so many people seem to have allergies now days. I live in DC and the story goes that you move here and live here you WILL develop allergies. Seems like every other person has them, and has them badly. 🙁 Jax might be a good place if you like cooler weather in winter and maybe better for pollens. Only down side is industrial mills and the rail ways (one of them is HQ’d there I think..)
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-oct-5-reasons-for-jacksonvilles-smell
I know how you feel even in the Boston area have you added pseudopod to you allergy meds –
I like added lemon water with a splash of vanilla to help me replace the liquids that come from my allergies
Hope you feel better
I can’t wait for the books coming out
I am sorry to hear that one of my favorite authors is under the water.
I use a ‘neti pot’ daily. actually it is the squeeze bottle form (i bought at my local pharmacy because I could not breathe but Walmart has at a much cheaper price) and I either make my own saline packets or I buy from walmart. I also use distilled water even though my well water tests ‘good’. [I got into habit of using distilled water when I lived in mega- metropolis/ Charlotte, NC ]. During my allergy seasons I use 1 capful of hydrogen peroxide in saline mixture to combat sinus infections. I have to be very careful because hydrogen peroxide made for oral use so lead levels are minimal used this way dries out sinus cavities. Also I drink more hot tea [black or green or something without chamomile in it (because I am allergic to chamomile) ] with lemon juice and 1 tsp of local ‘organic’ honey. The honey I get from local beekeeper and it does help with the incessant throat tickle/ cough etc….
I have been tested so I know what my inhalation allergies are. [Dad’s (great) Aunt Pearl and Mother’s (great) Aunt Pearl were the same person but they did not know until after they were married and doing the going around to visit all the ‘older’ generations which made for some interesting genetics.] I have found that few antihistamines work for me and my sibs.
Regarding house guest– if you are not already using hepa filter or 3m microfilter in your central ac then you might need to. I did not have problem with cat dander allergy until my third inside feline who happened to be a maine coon. My first feline was DSH and my second was psychotic (evil as in he would ask to be petted and then he bit hard to draw blood, maintenance people could never resist petting him [he would also open cage doors and he would get maine coon, whom no one ever saw as he was extremely shy, to open bedroom door] and then I would get a call at work about bitten maintenance person… but he never bit me so he lived with me from around 9 years until he crossed the rainbow bridge at 17 because I could not successfully medicate him) Siamese mix. My maine coon had no problem getting wet because he was always crawling in shower with me (although he hated bubble baths he would jump in tub to make sure I was okay and he loved to flush toilet so he could watch water swirl– yes I learned to keep bathroom door closed as he would spend hours and hours flushing toilet while I was at work— and toilet papering house with the puppy’s help at age 17 until he crossed the rainbow bridge at 18.5). I can not tell you their kitten hoods as they were all good sam rescues as is the dog who loves cats because she was raised with cats. Allergy wise I can handle one DSH cat and one smooth coated dog inside but more overwhelms my system.
Personally I have found “auricular acupuncture” helps me. [my chiropractor does auricular therapy in addition to regular acupuncture]. I tease her that she sets my ear lobes on fire every month after she ease/ removes the knots in my neck and upper back muscles where I store all my negative emotions with regular chiropractor stuff. When I ask she includes sinus/ allergy points in my monthly auricular therapy. On those days I know to go straight home because within 15 minutes my nose is dripping like a faucet and in 30 minutes my inner ears itch from sinus drainage. Monthly auricular therapy experiment for weight loss was unsuccessful for me. But I personally need monthly maintenance or I become quite witchy but spelled with a B according to my coworkers and I suspect they are correct from reading my journal entries.
I hope you are better soon as the pup who is presently sacked out under the cold air vent is looking forward to hearing more stories from you two. According to amazon we are still preordered for White Hot and Wildfire and counting the days down. *sigh sigh* Thank you for all the snippets and I love the POVs from Gordon.
For the past two days, I haven’t been able to get warm,,, and then I realized it’s four in the afternoon and I’ve not had a single cuppa,,, I’m sick, it sneaked up on me when I wasn’t looking.
I hate being sick.
Knitting needles make it all better. I have 3 of their sets…. 🙂
We’re with you in the sinus pain/allergy poo. I keep thinking if I drill a hole in my cheekbone that will release the pressure. But when I say this out loud people look at me funny.
Doctors actually used to drill holes into the sinus cavities (either through the nose or in very severe cases through the mouth) to relieve pressure in chronic sinusitis cases. Not a pretty sight and as I understand it nowadays they manage to achieve the same effect with lasers.
I used to be sniffling all year round with one thing or another – since I started using a Neti pot (not that brand, but the same function), it’s almost completely gone! I can’t recommend nose douches enough – please try one! (yes, you look kinda stupid while doing it, yes it feels weird the first few times, yes you get kinda addicted to the feeling of empty sinuses and being able to breathe freely)
My best friend’s daughter just finished Chiropractic school.. There is a manipulation that can be done to ease pressure in the sinuses by via the Eustachian tube. The problem is finding one that will actually do it. And hope you don’t have a strong gag reflex…
I think neti pots do a wonderful job rinsing out the nose & sinuses. I do like a shot of whiskey/bourbon/rum in tea/coffee, then inhale the steam ASAP. I feel like it really fries all those nasty bugs in there, but after reading the scene where Kate fights off her well-meaning pack while “visiting” Hugh when they try to dose her wounds in whiskey, maybe it’s not such a good idea…..
How long have you been taking zyrtec? Because that is exactly how I felt on it! Maybe try allegra or go old school and try chlorpheniramine maleate (which I and my pulmonologist swear by). Hope something helps.
Dear Ilona-
I’m in the military and I have to move all the time. Allergies finally hit me here in D.C.– heat wave/pollen bloom after an unusually cold/wet Spring– and I started taking Zyrtec in addition to Flonase (nasal steroid). Wow it did a number on me– couldn’t figure out why I was falling asleep and so groggy during the day in spite of extra coffee, normally I am pretty energetic. Finally it dawned on me that the change to my routine was taking Zyrtec– I stopped– and my energy levels have returned to normal.
Please consider (if you haven’t already) trying another “non-drowsy” allergy medicine, Clartin or Allegra might work better for you.
Please consider (if not taking already) Flonase, it’s great for sinus congestion AND helps with watery eyes as well, but it takes about 2 weeks to take full effect so be patient.
I have heard great things about taking nettles as a more naturopathic solution: advocated actually by Dr. Andrew Weil.
Good luck. Take care. Sorry you’re struggling. Nap?
Flonase is great for sinus allergies. Living n the DC area is a definite indicator that you willm suffer for allergies. The weather is so moody that it makes dealing with pollen a nightmare.
Look! Kitty!
When the sinus pressure starts, my remedy is clove tea: I heat up water (usually in microwave) with a couple shakes of ground clove, then use any flavor of tea. I found I have to heat the clove with the water for best results. It works so well that I have a small container of ground clove to take on trips. If the sinus problems are more part of a cold, I put oil of oregano on a cotton swab and swab inside my nostrils before getting in a hot steamy shower. It burns a bit, but makes a difference. Oil of oregano is my drug store — works on sores, sinus, etc.
Hope you find something that helps. I sure know how you are feeling. Feel better!
Feeling you with the Austin allergies! I just re-read Gordon’s most recent Rogan POV and that made my day a little less painful, though 🙂 Feel better soon.
Suggestion: Try different tips of allergy pills and you may want to check out some sinnex. We are your North Okie cousins ( transplant from CA 6yrs ago). I had almost no allergies in CA, but moving here I have unfortunately found a bunch! I find many work and others do not. In addition, also have come to realize my sinuses are sensitive to air pressure changes.
Which makes you feel …well terrible.
Also make sure you don’t get drozy med. I.e. Bendril. I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired being sleepy for a week until I didn’t feel the need to take the Bendril. That made me realize…’Oh, that’s why I was sleepy’
Sorry you feel so blah, I’m have mixed feelings. I love the warm weather but the allergies are kicking my butt.
I would suggest Claritin D, the decongestant works better and the D is Sudafed, a stimulate that should keep you up. A cold rice bag is refreshing too. I like my humidifier better than nose spray. (I don’t have time for that 2-3 times a day) Feel better soon Ilona. Thanks, Gordon for the 2nd Mad POV.
Congrats on your A1C achievement. That’s hard to do. Does that mean you’re at 5.7 or 5.8? I’m still trying for 6.0.
You’re amazing, as well as gifted.
5.7. 🙂 It was 5.9 two years ago.
That’s really great. Great on ya!
I feel like a walrus getting out of bed every morning, so I guess it’s time for me to take advantage of fruits and vegee season to lose this poundage. Le sigh…
P.S. 10 more days!!
Kudos! I am joyous when I hit 5.9 – may I ask what your regime is? I had bariatric surgery eighteen months ago and have been med-free for twenty (pre-surgery weight loss result).
I hate it when I’m like that. Usually it means I need to drink more water. I will pray both our brains decide to work bc I’m feeling blah this morning and I’ve got all the crap to do today before my kids birthday party tomorrow.
Your mileage may vary, but if I take (at adult dosing) the children’s 12 hour zyrtec, allegra, or claritin in the morning to cover the day, then either take a 2nd 12 hour ‘non-sedating’ antihistimine at noon or take a benedryl about 6pm, that pretty well covers my allergies without knocking me out as much as does taking the 24 hour versions. The key seems to be the 6 to 8 hour period in the night with no antihistamine in me. Getting outside in the sunlight for walking, etc for about twenty minutes exercise within the first two hours after taking the antihistamine helps too. For some reason, doing the exercise inside doesn’t work as well. One pseudophed or other ‘upper’ decongestant per day, taken at the same time as the first antihistamine, can also help counteract the antihistamine without setting you up for sinus infection. (Somebody else noticed this, too.) I’m still getting used to the nasal inhaled steroids but they don’t hurt. Good luck. That off, bleah, feeling is horrible even when it doesn’t turn into full time sleepiness. Staring at the wall and realizing you’ve gotten nothing done is horrible, too. ugh.
And, yeah, don’t forget about chlor trimeton.
Hello, I hope your feeling better we have allergy suffers here too. If you have chronic allergies I would talk to your doctor about allergy shots it made a big difference in my son, even if you don’t do them finding out what your allergic too can be a big help. Also if you are taking an over the counter med ask your Dr. if you can take extra on bad days, my kids can boost their 24 hour med with a four med. Another thing if you take 24 hour medicine And it makes you sleepy, take it before going to bed and take it at the same time each night.
Good Luck
I had allergies for the first time this year and it was bad. I took non drowsy claritin but I took it before bed, because even non drowsy medication of that kind knocks me out. A friend of mine had great luck with taking grape seed extract and after 3 days allergies got better. I was also recommended flonase, it apparently takes 3 days to kick in. Allergies blow! Take care of yourself!
I have run into a lot of people with sinus problems, including me. Mine has been going on too long and includes nose bleeds. Oh well, time for the doctor….
I hope you get better soon. Tea sounds like a wonderful remedy to me and I believe it cures many ills.
Your house guest is a beautiful and loving-looking cat. I don’t know why the owner would not come back for her. I would take her and I am a “dog person.”
Feel better!
I take an herb to help with mucus production and sinus pressure and eye drops to get that grit out. All the allergy mess don’t really do much for me. The herb is pe min kan wan and has been a lifesaver since moving to the pnw. Eye drops are over the counter allergy itch drops. I have used the neti pot but you hav to get angles just right.
Get a prescription get levocetirizine dihydrochloride (3rd gen cetirizine)
or Neoclarityn which is the new gen of clarityn.
Both work. I prefer Levocetirizine. please do try them for hay fever.
If you are gonna take drugs take the best out there. 😀
they are both a one a day tablet, but as with all antihistamine you have to take it for a few days and you will feel the effect.
It could be due to environmental causes.
When the weather gets warmer, things in your surroundings off-gas more (release chemicals in gas form into the air) particularly petroleum based products such as plastics). Indoor environments are considered unhealthy for this reason (plus germs). If you use scented products (room fresheners, candles, perfume, in your laundry, cleaners, etc), they too add to toxic environment.
I personally have experienced anxiety, irritability, migraines, sinus headaches, eye, ear & throat issues, and digestive issues from fragrance chemicals.
Consider a good air purifier – ones that can handle VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). They can be very expensive. On a budget, you can try the following:
Get a 20X20 box fan, about $15 – $35.
Put a $20 Honeywell FPR-10 20x20x1 inch air filter on the intake side, so when you have the fan turned on, the air pressure sucks the pointy side of the “air flow” filter indicator into the back of the fan.
If you want to add a super-duper HEPA charcoal filter, you can buy those in the big box hardware stores too, about $10-$15.
Stick that between the air filter and the fan. You now have something almost as good as a $800 HEPA air purifier for less than $100.00″
Thank you for this idea. I will have to try it. (And rinse out nasal passages every hour or so– thank you all for the reminder.)
Tincture of spring nettles is what worked for me. You can harvest your own, or buy them from naturopathic practitioners. Seems like something Kate would know about…
Might be the Zyrtec is part of the problem; Hubby & I tried it years ago and, that being the only thing different, left us both seriously drowsy, unable to be coherent in thoughts & actions, and if it hadn’t been the weekend, neither of us would have been able to leave the house for work. Yet my youngest sister loves this allergy med, morns that it wasn’t released at prescription strength. Husband doesn’t find relief with the Claritin (I use the generic), but occasionally has an off reaction to his Benadryl (which again, takes me to nap-land). .I use 1/2 doses of 2 different nasal sprays as well as the Claritin pill and Essential Fatty Acids, i.e. fish & krill type oil supplements, for the ear wax and itching.
May need to check out other allergy meds, like Regional or homeopathics, that won’t leave you wrecked.
Hopefully you’re feeling better. In a positive bit of news, Audible has actually managed to post the pre-orders for BOTH of the upcoming Hidden Legacy novels!
Oh, and like Debbie B., Zyrtec makes me a zombie. I have to take it at night before bed because if I take it during the day I can’t function. I’ve been doing prescription Flonase to stave off the worst of the allergies so far this year in a no doubt fruitless attempt to avoid the dreaded Zyrtec fug.
I got nuthin’. It has all been said above! I just felt the need to chime in and wish you wellness. Enjoy your tea.
But there is some good news: I just pre-ordered both White Hot and Wildfire on Audible. I can hardly wait.
Hope you feel more chipper (chippier?) soon.
Sorry you are feeling so bad. My allergies are driving me crazy, but not to the extent of yours. I hope you keep the kitty. I hope you give the kitty a good home. It doesn’t sound too good for the cat if the owner is giving off vibes they don’t want their pet back. Poor kitty.
in other news, “river of teeth” is out today. I preordered it after you posted about it (here: https://ilona-andrews.com/deadly-hippos/ ). so, yay, new book!
Are you sure you are not allergic to your house guest?
Nose some of these remanes you my heard of, if is mugy out you may need divice to take the water out of the air, air conditioner regulates the polen in the air, also eating honey that is made in your area should help your amune sittome with your allergies
Xyzal (pronounced zy-zal) is the second-generation of allergy medications that are over the counter now. My brother-in-law was given one by my mom and his allergies (which is to every animal with fur and the great outdoors) were non-existent for several days. They come in single 5 mg packs sold over the counter now. I haven’t tried one personally because I don’t have allergies, but from seeing them work on him I am now a believer.