Hello everyone....I have been lurking around these boards for awhile trying to figure out what my problem is. I went to the Dr. yesterday and was diagnosed with seasonal allergies, but I am unsure....I have never had a problem with allergies before, so I sort of feel like this is a "catch-all" diagnosis, infact, I knew thats what the Dr. would say before I even went in! :rolleyes: Here are my symptoms...

-The feeling of something foreign in the left side of my throat/neck, a kind of tightness, cant feel it when I swallow, just when I move my neck the wrong way, I was thinking maybe a lymph node? But when Dr. felt my neck she didn't say anything about swelling.
-Slight fever-didn't know I had one until the Dr. said so yesterday, it was 100.2, can you have a fever with allergies???
-Pretty bad post nasal drip-down the back of my throat, clearing it constantly
-tonsils red and swollen-Dr. did a swab test...no strep.


Dr. put me on Flonase. She said this is the worst time of yr. for ragweed.She looked up my nose and said it looked "angry" although I haven't had the first problem with my nose. She picked up on the fact that I didn't like her diagnosis, she said "I can tell by your body language that you dont agree with me" I guess b/c I have never had a problem with allergies b-4 that it all seems starnge to me. I dont have many of the signs that alot of people here on this board have, so I am asking for some insight. She "promised" me I would feel better in a few days after taking the flonase, and if I didn't, she would send me to an ENT. I am terrified of Drs and tend not to go until the last min. Does my symptoms sound like anyones here? Is it possible to just "get" allergies out of nowhere? Am I being too hard on the Dr.? She says she has allergies too, and takes flonase, which made me feel a little better. Any help here would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! :angel:

I have had allergies since I was young, and most of the time, its no big deal. There are plenty of things you can take to handle them, even natural if you don't want the "drugs" You could have food allergies if you feel like they have come up suddenly. When you are having problems keep a diary and list where you were, what you were doing and eating at the time. This should help you. Most people get relief with nasal sprays. If yours are seasonal, count your blessings, some are year around like mine and numerous!! Take lots of vitamin c and antioxidants. Allergies mean your immune system is not working properly. Get lots of rest and just in general "treat your body well" and you will be just fine! :wave:

I did not have a real problems with allergies until after my first pregnancy. Of course, we lived in central NJ and I worked in north Jersey so that did not help my problems either. We thought moving to PA might help...get away from the smog and air pollution. We moved to an area now that is number one in people suffering with allergies and asthma. Evidently, we live in a valley so the air tends to just hang around and make everybody sick.

You can develop allergies at any time. No one really knows what triggers them. I suspect that I had them all my life, but not much was known about them until recently. I ws always sick with some form of upper respiratory infection. Of course, I lived with smokers which did not help either, I am certain. My ENT told me not to go to the allergist (20 years ago) now they tell me if do not go I will develop asthma.

I get three shots a month and they tell me it will be lifelong, not five years. I am allergic to everything, including bee stings. Allergies are no big deal, take your medication and make certain you do not let your nose problem develop into sinus problems because then the real fun begins! If the medication does not help then look for something else. A doctor can usually just look up your nose and determine if you have allergic rhinitis.

Hope this helps!

Yes, it does sound as if you have developed allergies. Some women develop them when they go through menopause due to hormone shifts. In addition, with the fever, you may have developed a sinus infection.

Thanks everyone. I know I sound like a freak, but when I am told I have allergies, yet no real allergy symptoms...I mean, she looked up my nose and said it looked angry, yet I have'nt had any problems with sinuses. Do any of you allergy sufferers get that weird sensation in your neck? Feels almost like....what it would feel like if you had a piece of tape stuck on the side of your neck, I know that sounds silly, but its hard to explain, also, very rarely.. my ear on that side feels a little tingly. If you all say these symptoms sound much like yours, then I think I can accept it coming from real patients who have the same problems! And if you say the Dr. can look up my nose and be able to diagnose that I have allergies, then I feel better about the whole ordeal. Thank you so much!

In addition, she can look up your nose and see what is going on. I have had this done quite a few times. If there is an allergy present, the inside of the nose will look blue ( instead of pink) and be swollen. It is very easy to see.

-The feeling of something foreign in the left side of my throat/neck, a kind of tightness, cant feel it when I swallow, just when I move my neck the wrong way, I was thinking maybe a lymph node? But when Dr. felt my neck she didn't say anything about swelling.
-Slight fever-didn't know I had one until the Dr. said so yesterday, it was 100.2, can you have a fever with allergies???
-Pretty bad post nasal drip-down the back of my throat, clearing it constantly
-tonsils red and swollen-Dr. did a swab test...no strep.

I had to laugh about the body language part :D I've had the same thing and yes you can get a low grade fever with allergies depending how bad they get. I use to sleep on my stomach all the time with my head turned to the left leaving me to lie on the left side of my neck...I can't do that anymore cuz I wake up feeling like my throat is sticking together until I swallow. I have really bad post nasal drip and even though I'm on claritan I will still sometimes wake up swallowing like crazy.

I think your doc is correct for trying all medications and treatments first. I had an ENT that was on a "take your tonsils" out trip. I'm just not ready for that yet. You do sound like you have allergies though. I never had them until I lived in Germany...they had pollen so thick it looked like cotton on the ground. I'd never seen that before but I think my problem stemmed from mold in my apartment. I've never been tested to see what I'm allergic too (although a doc asked if I had dogs and I said yes) but I think it's mold, dust, outside dirts (sprayed my outside windows and from the back splash my eyes swelled up) and possibly my dogs.

Give your doc a chance. It sounds like she is trying to help and being very reasonable :)

You have all been so helpful....I really WANT to relax and believe the Dr., and usually I do, but I cant seem to get to that point. I am hoping the Flonase works, although it doesn't seem to be just yet, :rolleyes: I simply want this neck thing to go...NOW!!! I am not having many other symptoms, just a bit of post nasal (clearing of the throat) which is prob. why I am such an unbeliever, besides the fact that I have never had an allergy problem before. Like I said, I sort of feel like an allergy diagnosis is a "catch all-cover their butt" diagnosis.Im glad to know that you can run a low grade fever with allergies though, that does make me feel better, its one of the reasons I was so doubtful! :angel: :angel: :angel:

For years my only allergy symptoms were constant post nasal drip that would everntually cause bronchitis. Only in my adult years did I develop really bad sinus problems. As others have said, the doctor can easily tell by looking in your nose. In fact, once with a new primary doctor, I was having a hard time convincing her I had allergies, b/c I tend to look pretty healthy on the outside. Then she looked in my nose, and said" Oh wow, you DO have allergies!" LOL

Thank you all for the replies...I have been on Flonase now for around a week, and it doesn't seem to be helping any. I am still very skeptical. Today I have decided not to eat or drink anything but water in hopes that maybe it is a food allergy? Last night The left side of my throat felt slightly swollen, and I felt a bit foggy, I still have the PND sometimes its worst than other times. I am at my wits end. Of course I am always thinking the worst...I have a horrible cancer phobia. Just tell me...Is it pretty safe to say that because I DO have post nasal drip that it is more than likely an allergy like the Dr. says? She seemed so sure of herself last week just by looking up my nose and into my throat, no tests...nothing. And if it was something more sinister like throat cancer or something wouldn't it hurt pretty bad? I dont know what the symptoms are, I'm afraid to search it out. But my throat doesnt't hurt, its more of an irritation on the left side only. In the past few days my left ear has been stinging a bit. I wish I could just calm down and accept the Dr's diagnosis. I am thinking about an ENT visit, but as stupid as it sounds...I am terrified. Has anyone else gone through same doubt after a diagnosis of allergies?? And being new to this, when Can I expect this to ease up if it is seasonal?? My throat seems a bit better today, but definately still there. Thanks all!

Yes, this will clear up if it is seasonal. I know where you are coming from because I go through this every fall. Last year it started around the same time and did not clear up until the first of December. I am going through it now. I have PND and bronchitis with shortness of breath. I keep thinking that it is my heart.

However, I have been doing this for about 30 years off and on. I have had my nose looked at so many times that I have lost count and yes, a doctor can tell by the way the inside of your nose looks. It gets a blue tinge and looks swollen and inflamed.

One time, I didn't feel anything except a bad tooth ache. I ran from dentist to dentist because no one could find anything wrong with the tooth. It felt like an absess to me. I finally went to an ENT doctor and he said it was a very bad allergy. When we got that cleared, my tooth ache went away.

Two years ago, I had dizzy spells that I thought was a brain tumor. When the allergies cleared up so did the dizziness. It appears that the ears were blocked.

Allergies can cause all kinds of problems and we have a tendency to wonder if that is possible and doubt the diagnosis. You have to trust this one.

I can't beleive you guys are saying having allergies are "no big deal".
I am allergic to everything that grows where I live and about 4 years ago I was so sick I could hardly sleep at night, I kept my husband awake all night coughing, until he forced me to go to the allergist. I have been taking shots "immunothearpy" for 4 years and I still have problems.
I could not believe allergies could make you so sick, but they can.

Get a cat scan to rule out infection first
Take antibiotics and see if it helps before you mess with steriods

Be your own docter, you seem intelligent.

:angel: Hi everyone....well, I got up this morning and immediately drank a HUGE glass of water, took 2 tylenol, and a decongestant and felt WONDERFUL for about 4 hours, then I started feeling anxious and the throat thing was back, :yawn: so I took the tylenol and decongestant again, and once again I feel fine. I think I am onto something here! I also bought some Cepacol lozenges made especially for PND, and they seem to be working really good. I just hate to have to take tylenol and the decongestant every single day to feel decent.Because of everyone here, I have been able to relax a bit, thank you all so much. Getting allergies at my age... in what seems like over-night, has been scary, :eek: I am just hoping things will ease off soon, I am not miserable by no means, I just know my body, and I know something is different. I will wait this thing out, and see where it takes me. :rolleyes: Thanks much!

I know how you feel!! I take decongestine and tylenol almost everyday in order for me to feel kind of normal. I'm with you!!

The problem with Flonase is if you are really congested it doesn't get where it needs to be to start working. I would continue to take the Sudaphed to help clear your sinuses. Also, here is what I do to get the most out of the Flonase. Take a shower, this will help clear your sinuses. Then use a saliene nosespray,( I use ENTsol) and blow your nose. This will help get some of the gunk out. When you use your flonase keep your chin down on your chest and look down at your feet. Think of aiming the flonase towards your ear when you squirt it in. Do your first squirts, then wait 1-2 minutes then do the second squirt. This will allow the first squirt to work and help get the second one further into your nose.

All of these steps were recommended by my allergist. Before he told me this, I never felt flonase worked that great. Now I think of it as a minor miracle. If you have congestion, my doc says using Flonase is like putting water on oil, it doesn't get to where it needs to be. These steps will help!

The problem with Flonase is if you are really congested it doesn't get where it needs to be to start working. I would continue to take the Sudaphed to help clear your sinuses. Also, here is what I do to get the most out of the Flonase. Take a shower, this will help clear your sinuses. Then use a saliene nosespray,( I use ENTsol) and blow your nose. This will help get some of the gunk out. When you use your flonase keep your chin down on your chest and look down at your feet. Think of aiming the flonase towards your ear when you squirt it in. Do your first squirts, then wait 1-2 minutes then do the second squirt. This will allow the first squirt to work and help get the second one further into your nose.

All of these steps were recommended by my allergist. Before he told me this, I never felt flonase worked that great. Now I think of it as a minor miracle. If you have congestion, my doc says using Flonase is like putting water on oil, it doesn't get to where it needs to be. These steps will help!

Thank you so much for this infor. Henestly Flonase is dloing nothing for me and maybe it's because I don't know how to use it. I will you do your method today!!!! thanks agaian :)