Frustrated - Allergies Message Board

okwdvc · 08-22-2006, 08:33 AM

Sorry this is going to be long.

DS is 9. He has had allergies since he was 1. He used to have severe food allergies. He tested allergic to 28 different things. Anaphylactic shock once after eating cashews (before he had been tested). Hives every day of his life. Nose bleeds, sneezing, stuffy/runny nose, etc. Eventually, the food allergies seemed to improve. He still does not ever consume any type of nut, dairy, eggs or soy. His hives are infrequent (maybe once every two weeks). He does not consume any dyes or preservatives and all of our household products are natural.

He has always tested allergic to dust, mold, tree and grass pollen, dogs and cats. He had allergy shots two different times when he was younger and reacted so badly that the allergists wouldn't give him anymore. He was given shots again about a year ago and did great for the first three shots and then had a severe reaction. They were giving him minuscule doses. No shots since.

You name the medication and he has tried it, honestly. The thing that works best is Atarax. In addition, he gets Benadryl often. Every nose spray ever prescribed has caused severe nose bleeds. We have also tried herbs and homeopathic, without much success. He netty pots regularly.

We do not have a single bit of carpet in our house. All beds are completely covered. I vacuum all the time with an allergy vacuum. No smoking or animals. We have air purifiers and the best filters we could get for our furnace. We have moved three times in his nine years and his symptoms are the same. Two of the moves took place in Michigan. Two years ago we moved to FL. DS was great for a good 8 to 9 months. We were so certain it was the climate up north. Nope! He is just as bad now, if not worse.

DS just finished 10 days of Prednisone. He was flaring so bad that he needed it for relief. It worked great and continued to work for two weeks after. He is now right back to "normal" which means he sneezes at least 50 times a day. His nose is stuffed beyond stuffed. His eyes itch like crazy. He always sounds and looks like he has a horrible cold. That said, he is rarely sick. He has only been on antibiotics twice in his life for illness. He did have tonsils and adenoids out when he was four because of sleep apnea.

What the heck are we missing? How can I get this poor kid to feel better. There has to be something that will help him that some doctor hasn't thought of. His allergist is great and always trying to help but nothing works. She says he is truly a mystery. Great! Any advice, ideas? Thanks!

Lisa

lovemybabyboys · 08-22-2006, 09:36 AM

we are just starting with the allergies. i have a 13 month old who has them pretty bad, although we are unsure as to what, because they won't test him yet. we didn't have to deal with this with our oldest son, and neither myself or my husband has bad allergies. so who knows.
i know you said you have tried everything medicine wise, but have you tried singular. that is what my son has been on since 10 months, and we notice a huge difference. everyonce in a while he will still have breakouts (he has allergy induced eczema) but not like before. he is also on zyrtec, which i'm sure you've tried. but maybe it's a combination of the two.
i don't know, just a suggestion
good luck and take care.
brandi

Titchou · 08-22-2006, 09:50 AM

has he been retested since you moved to Florida? That might be a start. And also, when he had the immunotherapy before did he take an antihistamine the morning of his shots? If not, that could help the reaction.

Good luck!

okwdvc · 08-22-2006, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titchou

has he been retested since you moved to Florida? That might be a start. And also, when he had the immunotherapy before did he take an antihistamine the morning of his shots? If not, that could help the reaction.

Good luck!

Yes, he was retested in FL after living here a year when his allergies started to act up again. We brought his records from up north and the allergist was convinced that shots would work since his symptoms weren't as bad as they were in the past. He took BOTH Benadryl and Atarax before each shot. By the third shot, he was covered in hives from head to toe within 10 minutes of the shot! They say he is "overly sensative." Ya think? lol

He has been on Singular, Clarinex, all the "newer" medications, many of the older meds. He is heading back to allergy today at 3pm but I just think she is going to shake her head and say he is a mystery. Not helping!

Lisa

Sonflower1116 · 08-22-2006, 10:18 AM

I truly sympathize with your dilemma. Our son had severe allergies when young and was hospitalized twice with asthma. We had him tested for dairy, trees, grasses, weeds, cats and numerous other things for which he tested positive. He went through several rounds of gammaglobulin shots, which while they helped, did not cure him. While he has since outgrown many allergins, things like dust and pollen still set him off. We did buy him a purebred Chihuahua puppy when he was about 10 and he has never had asthma again. The dog stayed in the house and slept in his bed. This breed of dog is known for helping with asthma. We, too, couldn't have pets but gave this breed a try. I think it's the oil on the dog's skin that acts as a remedy.

Anyways, that's not my primary suggestion for you at this time.

I know you said you've tried herbal remedies without any relief but would you consider doing a search on Essiac Herbal Formula? Type in "Rene Caisse". She was a Canadian nurse who was given the formula, which originated from an Indian Medicine man. Basically this herbal formula works on building up the immune system which is the basis for fighting off diseases and intolerances. The Essiac Herb Tea consists of Sheep Sorrel (Rumex Acetosella), Indian Rhubarb Root (Rhuem Officinate), Slippery Elm Inner Bark (Ulmus Fulva), and Burdock Root (Arctium Lappa). I list these in case they are ones that you have not looked in to researching.

You have done and are doing more for your dear son than I could imagine possible and it has to be so frustrating to still not see complete healing results. I, too have some food/chenical intolerances that took me over 10 years to figure out. The first few years I didn't have a clue on how to go about finding what were the offending foods and environmental offenders. Eventually I found out what I was intolerant to by trial and error, Mine were citric acid, yeast, soy, nightshade veggies, any petrolium products, or anything with a strong smell, such as perfume. I'm drinking this herbal tea to build up my immune system and I am already seeing some results after taking it for 3 months. These things take time, as you only too well know.

I do hope some of this information will be of help to you.
God Bless