Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I really think I need to see a doctor or allergist or something.

The OTC stuff is just not cutting it lately. My seasonal allergies have been getting worse every year and this time of year- late summer into late fall- is the worst for me. I'm fine in the spring, but whatever is in the air now, kills me

I feel like utter shit, I barely slept, my throat is killing me, my nose is itching so much I look like a coke head, constantly rubbing it.


I take a Claritin each morning and it just barely takes the edge of a bit. Then it wears off in like 10 hours and you can't take another for 24 hours
I take Benadryl at night and it doesn't do crap either.

Anyone see a doctor for a script? If so what is it and is it any better than the OTC stuff?

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I don't, but my DS does. He tried everything over the counter and NOTHING worked. Finally went to an allergist and he was awesome. Prescribed Levocetirizine for him. One teaspoon a day along with the OTC nasal spray Nasacort. Before allergy meds or even OTC he would be terrible! Red, itchy eyes, coughing, etc. One time his face was so swollen he couldn't even open his eyes much.

Since being on both meds he's been fine.

Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Zyrtec (over the counter) is stronger than Claritin. Even Allegra is stronger then Claritin. Claritin --> Allegra --> Zyrtec

My allergist has me take Zyrtec in the morning and Singulair at night, 2 nasal sprays (Flonase and astelin) and I also get allergy shots.

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Xyzal and Flonase are only things that help me
I take Zyrtec when it's not allergy season and xyzal when it is (spring and fal) bc it's expensive even "covered"

Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Singular is a combination asthma and allergy medication. Basically asthma is just your lungs getting irritated by allergens, so it's sort of along the same line.

I get relief from my allergies, yes. I used to sit around with a box of tissues sneezing all day and running nose and eyes but I don't have that anymore.

I got tested and I'm allergic to cat (and have a cat of course) grass, trees, weeds, mold, dust. So basically everything on the planet. I need to move to another planet or get a bubble.

Also, a lot of people don't like nosesprays because they are annoying, but they help. The Flonase is good. That's OTC now, but if you get a script from your dr the generic Flonase is cheaper thru the pharmacy than the OTC brand (on my plan, at least.) It's like 20 dollars for 3 months worth while I think OTC Flonase is 20 bucks a month or close...

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I take singular (prescription) and OTC Allegra every morning.

Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I take xyzal, which is now available generic. It is the only thing that has ever helped me. I take it night though because it makes me drowsy.

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I started suffering from allergies, seasonal, around eighteen or nineteen years of age. For me, when everyone else was struggling in the Spring, my really bad time was now - September/October/November, just like you. I would end up getting an awful sinus infection - one after another, sometimes.

I went to an allergy specialist, Dr. Mayer, in Smithtown who was wonderful but sadly told me that there are no real treatments for my allergies because my skin test came back negative for reactions to all the common treatable triggers. Great. So he said, your immune system is reacting to SOMETHING in the atmosphere. The best thing to do is a steroid. I was like hellls no. So, he suggested some OTC medications: Zyrtec, Singulair, Nasonex, among others.

Well, I started taking them - three, sometimes four a day, just to get by. I was a zombie - one or a combo made me very drowsy. I was miserable. Sure, I didn't have a sinus infection, sore throat, runny nose, mucus in my throat, coughing, etc. but I was like a strung out meth head - a zombie.

That is when I found Bert

Bert is my brother's acupuncturist. When my brother was hurt, he worked like a dog to get better and reached a certain point where his doc referred him to an acupuncturist -- that doing acupuncture would help elevate all the strides he had made on his own that much more. For about two months I went with Kenneth, once a week, to Bert and saw all the unbelievable results he was getting with acupuncture. Now, he was being treated for physical injuries. So, I didn't think to ask all of the other things that acupuncture could benefit.

Once, I came in sick as a dog -- on all that OTC medicine and STILL sick. Bert was like, wow what is the matter? I explained the above and my allergy odyssey and how I have accepted my reality to live a life of misery. He was like, one of the biggest things I treat with acupuncture is allergies - all sorts of allergies and people suffering from a variety of causes/triggers.

I was like, but the skin test showed I don't react to the normal triggers. Bert said, it doesn't matter! I said, OMG can you do it now????

He did a treatment right then and there. It has been since around 2010 that I started seeing him. Prior to that, every year since 2002 I would get around 2-3 sinus infections a year. I HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE SINUS INFECTION SINCE.

My regular doc, who I would go to when I had a sinus infection -- I saw her recently and she was like I used to see you so much! I don't see you except for your annual anymore. I was like, it's acupuncture. She started referring patients to him because she saw first-hand how I was in there constantly and then poof, no more. And she could see how much better I looked and felt.

Oh and after that initial treatment -- I went again the following week, I went four appointments in a row, once a week, for four weeks. I tossed my OTC medication after about three treatments and have NOT USED A SINGLE OTC medication since.

Once I felt better and it was under control, Bert suggested I come in once a month for "maintenance". That's all I do.

If you want his info, just let me know. He's in Bay Shore. Pretty easy to get to.

When I had trouble getting pregnant I turned to acupuncture for help with that and was able to conceive after not being able to for almost two years.

My dad saw what results Kenneth and I were having -- his neck has been bothering him for years. Could barely swing the golf club anymore. Went to Bert and said he hasn't been able to turn his head like that in YEARS.

Before we knew it the whole family was going for different reasons.

I do not go through insurance because insurance only covers issues pertaining to "pain and suffering" -- so, my dad's issue was covered but allergies don't translate to that. Bert was so reasonable OOP - it was $50 for the session, which is about 45 minutes -- 60 minutes, depending. And that ended up being my specialist copay anyway so it worked out well.

I really hope this helps you, I know in my heart it will. I just feel bad you are suffering like this because I know personally how bad it is.

GL!

Message edited 9/16/2015 11:41:38 AM.

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Wow I think I need to find an acupuncturist, I too come back negative for allergies, but there is something wrong, my throat has been killing me since Sunday I literally just sneezed about 20 times I can't take it. I take Claritin and acid reflux pill every day as per my allergist but it's not helping
Unfortunately I am in queens (rockaway park) so I have to find a different acupuncturist

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

Interesting about the accupuncture.
So I have to ask- I am a bit freaked out by needles- does it hurt?
Where does he put the needles?

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I just couldn't see taking daily medications every single day -- and MAYBE I could wrap my mind around it if it was HELPING. But since I just felt in a fog in stead of feeling like shit, it was like this is so not worth it!

Anyway, no, people don't believe me until they do it but the needles don't hurt AT ALL. Sometimes I can't feel them go in - and if I wasn't watching him, I would have no clue. Other times, if I do feel SOMETHING it is a feeling of -- ok, you know when the doc gently taps your knee cap in that reflex area and you feel a funny "boing" feeling and it kicks out?? It feels like THAT when it is an area that is directly linked to my sinuses. Like BOING. I know that might not make sense, I hope it does. But no, no pain.

He puts the needles in places you'd never think... on my arm, in my hand... down to my leg in my lower leg and one in my foot. And the foot one is usually when I feel BOING. And one time I asked, where does that pathway lead to?? He's like, your NOSE! I'm like oh no wonder -- because it's all stuffed up. And bam, within a minute, I can breathe clear.

Then, he will put one in another random spot on my leg or my hand and I'm like, oh where does that go?? He's like, your throat. I'm like, well there you have it - my throat is getting a little scratchy because it's my worst time of year so thank God I came in when I did. And by that afternoon, my session is at 12pm on a Saturday -- by 3pm I feel fantastic. I go once monthly. Sometimes if it is a really bad time of year, like now, I will go twice a month but it depends. I gauge how I feel and you'll be able to do that as well.

Then, he puts one needle in my forehead -- kind of right above my hairline so more like my head.

And he puts one on each side of my nose. And sometimes he'll put one in my earlobe.

Again, doesn't hurt. It is so thin and flexible, like hair thin.

ETA -- then you lay there, on your back, on a comfortable like, massage type table and you listen to zen music and he puts a heat lamp over you -- With the needles in, you just lay there, you don't feel them and you don't feel them so much so that 80% of the time I FALL ASLEEP.

Message edited 9/16/2015 12:21:07 PM.

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?

I also did acupuncture but in the city, when trying to get pregnant it didn't hurt at all and I also would fall asleep, once you get over the initial omg I have needles sticking out of me! You close your eyes and relax

Re: Does anyone take a prescription allergy med?