Hi everyone! I am new to the allergy board, however a veteran to the fibromyalgia, obviously the name fits ;)

I am writing actually for my daughter. She is 17 and has suffered with "tree oak allergies" since she was very young. Her doctor says that he has never seen a patient with more severe reactions than she. I would love to hear from anyone with similiar allergies to tree oak. Her reaction is, extreme bloodshot swollen eyes...to the point of most days sealed shut. Ichy throat, headache, the usual other allergy symtoms and also including ashma brought on as a very bad reaction as well. She is taking Flonase nose spray (sp?), Zyrtec pill and Pantonal eye drops(sp?)... Curious what works for those with oak ree allergies. Thanks in advance! :wave:

Hi, I have suffered pretty much the same symptoms as your daughter my whole life. When I am on immunotherapy, I can tolerate the pollen season much better, but when the pollen count hits 1000-6000 I just stay indoors except to go to and from my car.

I have had a really bad season this time, so I am on more meds than usual. Clarinex is currently the antihistimine that is working best, though we have tried zyrtec, allegra and claritin. I take a decongestant, guaifen/pse daily also. The allergist is really picky about how I use my flonase, I have to cleanse my nose with ENT/sol spray first, then tilt my head slightly forward and put one spray in away from the nose per nostril and wait 5 minutes and repeat. During oak season I do this twice a day. You would be suprised the difference using the flonase "correctly" makes.

I also use a waterpik with a grossan attachment and ENT/sol solution with distilled water once a day just to clean the sinus and try not to get an infection from the congestion. 1 minute in the microwave warms it up (you have to try it on your finger to make sure the temp is ok). I would check with my ENT or allergist before trying this one though.

I also have allergy induced reactive airway problems (like asthma, but technically not asthma), so I am on advair and singulair to keep me from having to use my emergency inhaler on a daily basis (as I was at the beginning of the season).

My eyes don't swell quite so badly, so I get away with just visine tears or something for dry eyes.

We just put a complete air cleaning system in our house. The allergist recommended it. I can breath so much easier at home now than in the car or at work. I was surprised at the difference it made.

A wonderful allergist who listens and cares is key to surviving this craziness (but isn't that true for anything?). I haven't missed any work because of it, although my doctors have wondered how I could go to work sometimes.

Sorry for the long post, hope some of it helped. Dana

Don't dear apologize ...we are here to help each other. Thank you kindly with your thoughts. Some I will use for my daughter. It' getting sooooooooooo late and I am falling asleep.. Will respond again later with some thoughts.

Have a wonderful day tomorrow :bouncing:

Beach tiglet,
:) I am interested in your allergy inducted reactive airways. I have never heard of that , my allegist just said "asthma". But I don't really have typical asthma symptoms. Could you please tell me your asthma history, symtoms, etc. so I could compare? Thanks a bunch.
Cindy

I mostly just have trouble breathing when I encounter something I'm allergic to. It feels like my throat is closing up. Usually wheezing accompanies it. Sometimes exertion in cool air will set it off but not very often. I have been reacting to my allergy shots lately, so much so that we have had to discontinue them for a while. My doctor just doesn't like me having anaphylactic symptoms in his office for some strange reason. :) Sounds a lot like asthma, but with an allergic trigger. However, my lung capacity is above normal when they do whatever that pulmonary function test is called. For 30 something years they have made very sure they don't label it as asthma even thought I have had to use asthma meds such as theodur, a nebulizer, advair and singulair. I think the big difference is the lung capacity.

I was diagnosed after having frequent bronchitis, and they were afraid it might be cystic fibrosis because they had to hand me over the bed to get my lungs clear. Fortunately it is just severe allergies and reactive airway. Does that help at all?

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, my lung function test isn't normal. So I guess I am stuck with the asthma diagnosis. But the frequent bronchitis was my first symptom. My cough just lingered for sometimes over a month. I have a high peak flow, but my small airways are constricted. But thanks for the info! :angel:

I'm sorry, that is a drag. Are they managing to help you with it? I am so used to the cough I forgot to mention that. I think I should buy stock in mucinex.