As a child, I never had a single allergy. I only suffered from sinus infections. I never went through the sneezing, itchy-water eyes, etc that I saw so many of my classmates afflicted with. I never broke out in the hives from being outside when the cedar trees were pollinating. I could smell the flowers, and ENJOY them. My mom was allergic to everything it seemed. All types of evergreen trees, periwinkle flowers, dog dander, erythromycin, tetracyclin, penicillin, etc. I was very PROUD of not being allergic to anything, well except to carrots, but it was a very mild reaction. Then one day, my life changed.
When spring rolled around, my eyes would either water or dry up. My skin would get all dry and itchy, no matter HOW much lotion I applied. And then, after having a cut on my arm and playing among the trees, I actually got a poison oak/ivy outbreak. It spread like wild fire. Now, I can bring in firewood, and if there is residue on the wood, I break out from it. If someone is burning poison ivy/oak, I break out on all sorts of areas of my body. As I have aged, it seems like now I am allergic to EVERYTHING. I have become.. dum, dum dummmm….my mother ARGHHHH!!! 
People come through work wearing certain perfumes, and it sets my allergies on crazy alert. Freesia especially sends me into orbit. Also, I seem to be allergic to medications that my mother is not..such as cephalexin (keflex), augmentin (but not amoxicillin which means I must be allergic to augmentin’s other half or a filler of it), to zoloft, and any sulfa antibiotic. That being said, not all medications containing sulfa will cause an allergic reaction, it just depends on the specific type of sulfa medication because of its chemical make-up. I am also allergic to sulfur itself. You want to see an itchfest, then just put me in a non-ventilated room, and strike up a bunch of matches. I can’t breathe and my skin just breaks out in rashes everywhere. And not all doctors know exactly which medications contain certain things.
I was on zoloft for many years, but as time went on, I started having itchiness all the time, plus, it got to the point where it felt like bugs were crawling in my skin. Do you know how scary that is? I called up my pharmacist, he asked if I had any allergies, and I said sulfa..and was told to immediately stop the medication because of the MAJOR allergic reaction I was having to it. My doctor was upset that I stopped my medication suddenly when it should be tapered off, but after explaining my reaction, apologized to me for not knowing that it contained sulfa.
I also enjoy eating Mexican and Tex-Mex food. Unfortunately, it seems that many restaurants want to place cilantro in all of their dishes. WHY? I scream! Parsley is one thing, but cilantro?!? It is not a necessary herb to the dish. I have asked my Hispanic friends and been told that traditional Mexican food doesn’t use cilantro. You want to see anaphylactic shock, then put cilantro in my food. It turns out cilantro AND carrots are both part of the parsley family..DOH!
And you can forget me walking into Hallmark or Bath and Body Works. I LOVE the lotions from Bath and Body Works, but all the fragrances from both places not only give me a sick headache, but they start up an allergy attack, and when it gets to that point, my asthma usually flares up. Plus, lots of companies kept putting fragrances in their products now, which is almost just as bad, especially detergents. I jokingly tell my friends that I really need to trade in for a new body, but they like to point out, I could end up with much worse. I know some kids outgrow their allergies, but I’d like to de-evolve mine
HAHAHAHAHA sorry I have to laugh. You are like WTH why are you laughing at me right? Well because I feel your pain, maybe more than yours actually.
Growing up (until I was about 1
I had NO allergies (I did have borderline asthma though) and did not know anyone with any except for my mom and she only had/has a few.. Iodine, seasonal allergies, and she also has asthma that’s ALL.
My family ALWAYS had pets. Most of the time I had 2-3 dogs and 2-3 cats at a time. I never had less than 1 dog or cat my whole life (until I was about 18 also).
So as a turned into an adult (around 18 lol) I developed seasonal allergies, an allergy to dogs, strong fragrances, dust, an allergy to codeine (and all derivatives), percocet, Aspirin, and cayenne pepper… I was like CRAP what is all of this and why do I have it now.
That same year I got with my now husband. He was not like me. His family had a ton of allergies… him being the WORST one. He was born allergic to eggs, dairy, wheat, tree nuts, dogs, seasonal allergies, and with eczema and asthma. He outgrew all of the food allergies except tree nuts, though if he is really sick and eats too much dairy he gets a reaction.
Next we had children………………………… sigh……….
Well my daughter is allergic to eggs, dairy, apples, dust, dogs, cats, seasonal allergies and has eczema. My son is allergic to eggs, dairy, peas, dogs, cats, has seasonal allergies, and has asthma.
DOH.
Sometimes I think it is only a matter of time before allergens eliminate us from the planet!
My advice for you Ara… don’t get married and if you do don’t have kids lol
Hang in there.. Oh and speaking of places you cannot walk into, how about Yankee Candle Comp FORGET that!
LOL, All of the Hallmark stores here sell the Yankee Candles LOL. I love to smell a few of them..but oh how I pay for it LOL. I didn’t develop asthma until about 18/19..so go figure..it went right along with the rest of the stuff haha. Well, you husband and kids fit right along in with my sister-n-law and nieces. My SIL is allergic to soy, beef protein, pork protein, dairy, plus a bunch of other stuff. So she fits right along with that one LOL.
I’ve never had any allergies as a kid, but I do have a thing against mobile perfume cans, hehe. I feel people smell good, as long as they aren’t too dirty.
I feel repulsed just by looking at shrimp and another andhra dish called upma ; http://static.flickr.com/41/113868131_b982f77ddf.jpg, but its purely physiological.
My skin has been really prone to the elements, even using a public toilet is a nightmare for me, for fear of getting a bump. I put my hand on a dusty surface and I used to get rashes on my skin. I totally know what you mean when you talk about bugs on my skin.
I have really oily skin, so I try to keep it as dry as possible. In winter during the cold it gets really dry and cracks, during the day it gets really oily and I cant really wash it off.
I know I’m allergic to some American food but I don’t know what, My ears swell really big and its painful to sleep some days.
aww 6mile I understand the whole elements and public toilets thing. My husband has really oily skin too. I have really dry skin.
“I know I’m allergic to some American food but I don’t know what, My ears swell really big” dang lol you should go to an allergist! I totally just thought of the movie Hitch when he had an allergic reaction eeps!
That’s what I was thinking too..of the movie Hitch! Yeah, I would definitely have an allergy test done so you don’t make that mistake again 6mile! My skin is very sensitive and oily too. I have been using Proactive for about 10 years now. It has really helped out my complexion with the oiliness. Yikes about the elements, I don’t that thank goodness, but oh geaz I am afraid of public restrooms… EWWWWWWW
I forgot to list my latex allergy LOL. It’s more like a latex/elastic allergy. Clothes that contain an elastic lining having to be enclosed completely in cloth or it’s welt city. The gloves cause open sores to appear..it’s quite gross hehehe.
Speaking of public restrooms. When I was taking one of my biology lab courses, we had to take a sample to see where bacteria was growing. I tested the bathroom faucet handles and doors. The faucet handles turned out to be pretty clean..it was the doors that were horrible. Also the sink faucet where the water comes out turned out to carry a LOT of bacteria..turns out, most people don’t think to clean the part where the water comes out of …just some germs for thought hehhe
WmWb my skin gets extremely dry if I keep washing it off, and If I leave it for a few hours it too oily again, hehe.
Thats pretty okay, I’ve seen gross looking bathrooms with potty smeared all over the walls, lol. Now Imagine That !!!!
I never thought of hitch, both my ears have swollen pretty big, I think it has something to do with salsa, lol.
I’ve used clearasil on and off to clean my skin,I had more of a oil problem that leads to blocked pores. I used to use a Neem Soap back home, its a Herbal Soap, but I’ve been using the Axe Shower gel here. However, I’m not totally happy with it. It does not break the oil on most of my skin. Any soapy ideas ????
My husband uses sensitive skin dove. Give that a try! UGH speaking of potty walls…my friend is the manager of a clothing store and she said someone went # 2 in the dressing room and smeared it all over the walls…That is just foul. Only a disgusting low life would even think of such a thing. lol
We were at a superchain superstore, and dad went into the dressing room to try on a shirt…and he discovered the same as yours WmWB. The managers apologized profusely, but it really wasn’t their fault either. People are just rude sometimes. It makes you wonder if they have a mental disease when people do that, but I have known many mentally ill or mentally challenged people that would NEVER act like that..so that is no excuse either.
6mile, I don’t know if it is still out there somewhere, but I used to use an aloe vera face scrub. It was grainy, but the aloe vera kept it from irritating the skin. Mom said she got it from something called Lady Venus..which is kind of like Avon I think. It really unblocked the pores well and cut down on the oil. That’s why I like the proactive stuff. The 1st step in it is a cleanser that is just like that aloe vera stuff I used to use. Good luck though!
I used Proactive when I was 18 for an acne problem I was experiencing.
Hehe, I cant believe people would do potty walls that just for TimePass (simply, just for fun).
Maybe I should try Dove WmWb! I’m sure it will be nice. I’ve never had an bad acne problem, but my pores get blocked and I get a whole set of issues with oily skin, hehe.
You need to carry around an epi pen playa!!!
we have an epi jr for our kids
WmWB, did you have to go to an allergists to get an epipen? I was told, at least here, that I had to have been seen in the ER at least once before my doctor will write me a prescription for one. The last episode with the cilantro nearly put me in the hospital..and a local mexican food restaurant offered to pay my medical if I ended up there since I had already warned them not once, but twice, and they still put it in my food. I barely made it to my apt to get my inhaler, which was just down the road. I called my mom, choked out what happened, but couldn’t get past that to even get to the hospital due to lack of air. I took liquid benadryl and kept it in my mouth to let it absorb under the tongue until I could get some of it swallowed. My ENT told me next time not to try and leave, even to get my rescue inhaler, just get management to call an ambulance immediately.
Speaking of allergies, this stupid weather has got mine all messed up. It started as allergies and has progressed into a horrible sinus infection with the beginnings of tonsilitis. I went to my GP yesterday. She goes…man, I can’t put you on anything that will cure this..you’re allergic to all of the ones we need to put you on. I was like uh oh. She decided to put me on amoxicillin anyway. She’s very worried I’ll react since I’m allergic to augmentin (a mix of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid), but is making me take zyrtec with it to counteract anything allergic I may have to it. *knock on wood* I’ve been okay so far *fingers crossed*
I never had any problems with allergies at all until after I turned 40. Then everything started falling apart. I developed such severe eye allergies that sometimes they were nearly swollen shut and itched all the time; I lost all my eyelashes for about a year. I finally gave up on the allergist and when to a naturopath. We removed all the carpeting in our home, and I ended up having to find a new home for our kitty. Sad, but I am much better now.
Green tea really helps with the itching for some weird reason.
In April, Whole Foods Market, share advice and tips to help educate you about natural options to alleviate allergy symptoms. Alternatives to traditional over-the-counter medicines for relieving allergy symptoms including effective ways to use homeopathic remedies, herbs, probiotics, nutrition and diet, will be covered in this month’s “Be Good to Your Whole Body” podcast series.
“Natural allergy remedies encourage natural defenses to adapt to their environment rather than just covering up the symptoms and help the body adapt to allergens over time,” said Jody Villecco, quality standards coordinator, Whole Foods Market. “Alternative options encourage relief without creating dependence on a product and help side step the ‘rebound effect’ – when allergy symptoms are masked for a few days and they often come back even worse then before. Conventional methods often have side effects like insomnia or increased blood pressure while natural approaches help the body rest, recover and adapt to seasonal changes.”
http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholebody/
April Podcast Topics
April 1st
Homeopathy for Allergy Relief
Learn why homeopathic remedies are a great choice for all ages during allergy season. Get the short answer to how homeopathics work, as well as some specific formulas to look for and how to use them. Dr. Tori Hudson is a naturopathic physician of 23 years and medical director of her clinic in Portland, OR. She is also director of product research and education for Vitanica and author of Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.
April 7th
Natural Approaches to Allergies
Wondering what’s causing all those troublesome allergy symptoms and why natural formulas can be effective? Tune in for the answers and take the first step toward alternative relief. You’ll also hear about preventing allergies and long-term solutions. Dr. Sarah Bedell Cook is a naturopathic doctor in private practice in Westminster, CO and teacher at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver.
April 14th
Lifestyle and Seasonal Allergies
Here’s your chance to discover the top easy-to-adopt lifestyle recommendations for dealing with and finding relief from allergies. Includes research-based natural approaches that work,
Thanks Brent, I think I might have to look more into that. My mom is very much about natural herbs/foods versus the chemically induced medicines. She has Graves disease and therefore lost her immune system about 10 years back. Those with Graves disease are not supposed to take very many over-the-counter medications. Per her doctor, she can use herbs and minerals though. To be honest, she catches a lot less colds and bugs than I do. She is a firm believer in using echinacea to treat sinus congestion, a zinc tablet daily to recover from sore throats, and takes vitamin c regularly. I will definitely look into the allergy remedies though!
Saintseester welcome to my little patch of the blogworld. My dad has come across the same problem you have. He didn’t have any allergies with the exception to poison ivy/oak until he hit about 55, and usually only along the mid-East coast (he’s a long-haul truck driver). I consider him to be one of the fortunates! As for the green tea, I might just try that one myself. I like the orange pekoe (sp?) and black tea that most ice tea drinkers drink, but am having to acquire the taste for the green tea. One of our pharmacist recommends to drink hot tea with lemon and a dollop of honey to help with stuffy head colds though, especially since the “real” teas are high in antioxidants. By real tea, I mean not the herbal teas which are made from ground up leaves and petals of other natural herbal plants/flowers.
Ara no you do not need to be seen in the E.R. to get one. Go see another allergist!
Doh, I will not be able to take this antibiotic again LOL. I am sooo tired. I keep having bad asthma attacks shortly after taking it..and now my tongue is swelling up. One of my bosses, pharmacist, got onto me for it yesterday telling me not to EVER take it again..that it is too serious. Sorry for the delay in posts too… just when I have asthma issues, it wears me out literally.. but I will have a post coming to a page near you soon guys hehe
yea lets not die lady!
take your time ara , no need to rush…….i may not be on the next two days anyway
Ara, you gotta come over and play at GoriGirl!!
Yeah, I’ve been slowly getting through the older post over there hehe
I too have been over there reading but I am sure you all know that by now. lol.