I'm currently on a dose of Zyrtec daily and after I mow our lawn I just suffer - usually only for a day or so and so far not too bad. I mowed yesterday (after mowing 2 days prior) and boy am I paying! :( I usually take the Zyrtec around 12-2pm and about 11pm last night I popped a couple of Benydril. At 4:30am this morning I woke up SO stuffy. Nose was going and I was miserable. I've basically beeen that way all day today. Took my normal dose of Zyrtec today but no relief. For the past few days I've had that lovely post nasal drip that is making my throat a little sore too.

My question - is it a bad think to double up on meds? The last few times I've mowed the lawn, I haven't suffered this much or as long. So I'm wondering if I made things worse. I'm not very allergy savvy.

Thanks!

You won't make your allergies worse by taking more meds, but you really shouldn't do that often. Are you on zyrtec, or zyrtec D? If you are on zyrtec D, you should definitely not take benadryl, because they contain the same ingredients. Even if you are regular zyrtec, you should not take benadryl with it. However, my pharmacist and allergist have both said (although rather reluctantly) that, in certain cases, I could take a benadryl maybe 12 hours after taking the zyrtec. But generally, that is something that should be avoided.

There are a few other things that you can try. First, you could get somebody else to mow the lawn for you. You could try wearing one of those masks while you mow the lawn. You could also see your doctor and get a prescription for a nasal spray. That can be combined with the zyrtec and a lot of times they really help, especially if you symptoms are mostly nasal.

I hope that you get some relief soon!

Well, getting someone else to mow the lawn probably isn't going to happen. I'm pretty particular about it and even tho the hubby is more than willing, his availablity isn't that great. I've just never had it continue for 2-1/2 days! Last night was bad too. :(

Dummy me did buy a couple of those painter type masks and guess what - I forgot them both times I mowed this past week. Smack me on the head! LOL

Nasal huh? Hmmmm............ I hate nasal stuff. :( But I'd be willing to try it. Any other things I could try besides benadryl when I could use a little extra relief?

thanks!

The last few times I've mowed the lawn, I haven't suffered this much or as long. So I'm wondering if I made things worse. I'm not very allergy savvy.

Thanks!

While some people have severe allergic reactions to only one allergen, such as peanuts, most people are allergic to combinations of allergens.

You can get an allergic reaction to things that you breathe, such as odors or pollens or other irritants in the air. Or..... things that you eat or drink. Or..... things that touch your skin.

It might not be, only, your allergy to grass, that is making you miserable. It might have been a higher pollen or pollutant day, on the day that you just mowed your grass. Or, you might have eaten something that contained somethings that you were allergic to. Did you use any chemical cleaners a day or two before you mowed the lawn? Did you try a new food? Did you just spray for bugs?

Allergies, being combinational, and subject to many variations, are very complex and difficult to get under control.

I just know that after I mow the lawn my nose goes NUTS! :) I just doesn't usually last for a 2-3 days. Usually by the night after I'm doing ok. Not so this time. Granted, this is just the beginning of the season too! No chemicals or sprays or new foods, but that isn't to say that foods I've been eating couldn't do it.

I'm just curious at this point about meds you can use to double up on bad days.

Thanks!

I would wear a mask. It really does make a difference. We finally had to get a lawn service, but I noticed he wears a mask while mowing too!

I'm just curious at this point about meds you can use to double up on bad days.

Thanks!

It is much harder to treat an allergic reaction, either asthma or sinus related, AFTER the swelling starts.

One standard approach to stop swelling of the sinuses, or within the lungs, BEFORE it happens, is to take synthetic steroid sinus sprays FOR LIFE. These, fairly safe, synthetic steroid sinus sprays, when first invented, were a huge breakthrough for allergy sufferers. They are currently "prescription only" meds, like Vancenase, Beconase, Flonase, Nasacort, Rhinocort.

One sinus spray, Nasalcrom, is not a steroid spray, and is now available over the counter.

If you were on one of these sprays, and you expected a bad day, you might consider doubling up on that sinus spray.

So since I'm taking Zyrtec daily already, I'm getting the impression that once the allergy flairs worse than 'normal' it really isn't going to help to take some Benydril or something of the same? I would have had to have been taking it before it got bad?

Darn, I was hoping that I could just add an extra boost on the days that were bad. :(

Two years ago when I was having a bad allergy time, my doc said t double up on the Zyrtec (and I was and still am on the shots!)..one AM and one PM...you might ask about that. And even now, I'll sometimes take one benedryl at bedtime if I am getting stuffy during the night...even though I may have had a Zyrtec that AM...

It is better to prevent like Beerzoids says, but you can treat it after also. I keep some children's benedryl around for this purpose. If I accidently get overexposed, I take just 1 or 2 tablets, which is the equilant of 1/2 or 1 adult capsule. That way I get relief without putting myself to sleep. But this shouldn't be done all the time, and I would still wear a mask when mowing, regardless.

Sneezy, have you ever tried Acupuncture for sinus stuffiness?

Sneezy, have you ever tried Acupuncture for sinus stuffiness?
No. I would love to but the nearset accupuncturist is 3 hours away :(

Have you ever tried it?

No. I would love to but the nearset accupuncturist is 3 hours away :(

Have you ever tried it?

Three hours away? Do you ever go there for something else? Perhaps you could try ONE treatment.

I had Acupuncture treatments about 25 years ago. I was having allergy shots and they didn't seem to be helping fast enough, so I had a few Acupuncture treatments for my sinus misery.

After a few Acupuncture treatments, where they stuck needles in my face and head (didn't hurt), and used a heat lamp to heat the needles, I stopped because I didn't think that they were doing any good.

But, thereafter, my sinuses improved to the point where they weren't causing me constant sinus misery. I was still getting sinus infections, but in between sinus infections, I wasn't in misery.

I didn't keep good records so I don't know how much the allergy shots, or how much the Acupuncture, or how much changes to my diet had to do with freeing me from sinus misery.

I asked about taking the Clariton I have and the pharmist said no because it was also a long acting med like Zyrtec. I asked if the 10mg of the Zyrtec was a dose that could be doubled and she also said no - it is the most you should take.

I was just really worried that by taking the Benydril the other night I messed things up even more. But she also said that it is possible that it just wore off after 5 hours and that is why I woke up miserable. It only has a 1/2 life of 4-6 hours she said.

I'm not as miserable right now - taking a shower helped a little. I just don't want to start off our vacation tomorrow feeling like this. :( I think I'll be taking along my Benydril to take a night. :)

Hmmmmm - my post was still sitting here when I got home. Guess it didn't go thru.

Well, found out why I'm suffering so much. Stopped in at my docs today while running errands thinking I'll just check for a sinus infection. Sure enough! A 'nice raging one' according to the doc! I wouldn't have gone normally but we are leaving for HI tomorrow morning to visit with my inlaws. Last think I want is to be sick there!!! I'm SO glad I checked!

Sneezy - I have the masks and felt like an idiot after I remembered them still sittinig on the counter and the lawn mowed! LOL

Children's Benydril huh? I may have to try that. I do get a little loopy on adult strength, but I've been taking 2 capsules.

Oh, the doc also gave me a nasal spray - Nasalrel or something like that. Just a sample to see if I like it.

Ah yes.. the shower... Definitely take a shower as soon as you finish mowing the lawn! When you mow, the pollens and stuff gets onto your clothes and hair. Then you are exposed to them even after you finish. So definitely shower and change your clothes to cut down on the allergies.