Alien or
Allergic to Earth
I'm
reaching into cyber space to hear from fellow earth dwellers. I'm begging for information, in the form of
your experience, about an issue that's bothered my health since I can remember,
and until now I could handle.
Blowing
my nose and squinting through swollen eyes, I've grinned and bared it. I functioned as a working mother of four
while running through life whipping tissues from my pocket or handbag. I've sneezed my way through most of the year,
most of my life. But allergies have sunk
deeper roots into my body over the last few years. Today, I long for those drippy days.
Still
in my forties, I thought I was aging on the inside earlier than most
people. I need a nap to get through the
day. As I move, my body is weighted by
an unseen force. Medical tests came up
negative. Continued fatigue and extreme
thirst almost convinced me I was a hypochondriac.
Recently
my gums and jaw hurt so bad I rocked in pain.
I couldn't chew without hurting.
Drinking hot or cold beverages made me scream in agony. A lump formed under the flesh of my lower
lip. The dentist gave me a clean bill of
health and suggested seeing an ENT specialist.
These
new symptoms caused my imagination to conjure up a health issue yet unknown to
medicine. I could understand if my
throat swelled shut or I had trouble breathing, but these weren't the case. Oral and nasal medications have no effect or
make me feel worse. I considered
depression at one point. The ENT
specialist mentioned that cronically feeling lousy could sink a person into
depression. He suggested allergy
testing. But I needed relief righ away.
For
years I owned a neti pot, but couldn't believe something so simple could help
me. It grossed me out just reading the
instructions. I hate when ocean water
goes up my nose. The sensation bothered
me so much as a kid that I had avoided salt water near my face.
Two
week ago, in painful desperation, I used the strange little pot that reminds me
of Aladin's magical lamp. The pressure
in my mouth and face subsided. The neti
pot had mystical powers too. The
temporary relief was euphoric. For good
measure, I chased this sinus experience with an over-the-counter pain
reliever.
I
posted my neti pot results on Facebook.
The response comforted me to know I'm not an alien having trouble
surviving Earth's atmosphere, or a hypochondriac. Renee Ericson, author of "Forgetting
Yesterday" "After Tuesday" and her latest book coming out this
summer, "Deciding Tomorrow," is a fellow sufferer and confirmed my
situation as similar to hers. Pete
Curran who works at New York Life Insurance also uses saline solution to
alleviate symptoms. So I'm in good
company and not crazy or on the wrong planet.
After
allergy testing, the results floored me.
Shall I list what I'm allergic to?
Just skim the following to save time:
MOLDS:
Alternaria
Aspergillus
Fumigatus
Helm
Solani
Aureobasidum
Fusarium
Mucor
Racemosus
Rhizopus
Nigricans
Botrytis
Cinerea
Phoma
Betae
INSECTS:
American
Cockroach
EPIDERMALS:
Dog
Dander
Cat Hair
Goose
Feathers
DUST
MITES:
D.
Farinae
D.
Pteronyssinus
GRASS:
Timothy
WEEDS:
Ragweed
English
Plantain
Lambs
Quarter
Cockelbur
Mugwort
TREES:
Ash Mix
Oak Mix
Maple
Mix
Sycamore
Willow
(black)
Elm
Mulberry
(red)
Pine Mix
And
I have yet to be tested for food allergies.
Allergic
to everything under the sun and in the house, my only hope is allergy shots
that take three years to build immunities in my body. I never realized
environmental allergies could be so difficult to control.
A
nurse friend I used to work with told me she never had allergies before she
moved to New Jersey. This and her lovely
New England accent made me want to move to that area.
This
is where you come in. I'm hoping for
information about environmental allergies and how those suffering with them
cope. I feel my quality of life could be
better. My fear is that three years of
allergy shots may prove unsuccessful.
I've heard this is possible from other sufferers.
I
want to feel my age before I reach that age where it's more natural to often
feel sluggish. Heaven help me if I need
dentures.
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