(no subject)

[realexplodingcat]

FYI, I'm not dead yet. I don't want to go on the cart.

I like to tie up loose ends. I realized it has been about a year since jericho_the_dog joined our family and around this time last year I was probably still publicly freaking out about my allergies. I am no longer freaking out about allergies, although I continue to be irritated.

My asthma seems to be well under control, considering I have used less than one Albuterol inhaler this year. The asthma calmed down last winter, awoke with a start in the spring for a couple weeks, then settled down again to continue hibernating throughout most of the summer. I still take Singular everyday.

My lone chronic affliction is the sensation of various amounts of cement filling my nose at any given time, although that seems to have improved after realizing I should not be sleeping on a down pillow. However, it continues to be annoying enough that my allergist recommended I snort two shots of rhinocort a day, which I have not been doing due to the cost of that medication. Although I do intend to fill that prescription for the month of September, because our 3 week vacation will be spent almost entirely in the great outdoors and will begin with a stop to visit the doggy-in-laws.

I'm pretty sure I'm still allergic to dogs, but I seem to have acquired a tolerance for Jericho. At least, just enough of a tolerance that he doesn't bother me everyday, but not quite enough so that my allergy bucket is not already filled with some dog. Consequently, I still react to other allergens quicker than I would have prior to the dog.

I'm still considering allergy shots, but I keep putting it off due to the cost. I figure if I can develop the tolerance to Jericho, I ought to be able to do it for other allergens, hopefully enough to get off Singular. I prefer to get off all three (I take Claritin, too), but Singular is the #1 on my hit list. If I can get off medication, the shots will be cheaper in the long run.

Comments

[eilonwy.livejournal.com]

I can't tell you how much the shots helped me. If I recall correctly, and this was a long time ago, they were covered under my insurance. Mind you, that was my dad's insurance and it was soopermarvy. Alas, my new insurance is not so soopermarvy and I think I may have to stop taking my meds for financial reasons. Wheee!

Anyway, I'm glad that you're doing okay, but yeah, I know how irritating allergies are. ::hugs:: Good luck.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

My insurance is only sorta-marvy. Shots are covered, but only at 80% after my deductible. So, the first few months where they have to mix up a double batch of serum is going to be pricey, even after 80% (and assuming my deductible is met, which I'm not certain it is this year). So, I really don't want to pay for that now, my budget is already hurting. But on the other hand, looking ahead, if all goes according to plan, this might be the last chance I have to convince myself to pay for it.

Good luck with your meds, or lack thereof. I firmly believe that we should never be in a position where we have to sacrifice our health to make ends meet. Society is terribly broken sometimes.

[briskpepper.livejournal.com]

AND I WILL LICK YOUR SNOUT!

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Sometimes my dog does that. You are in esteemed company.

[mme-moonpie.livejournal.com]

Disclaimer: I am self-aware that I am evangelizing about a sinus-related remedy to a complete stranger (although I did feel bonded after that pot likker treatise of yours).

In a similar boat regarding nasal blockage, feather-pillow addiction, healthcare cost reamage -- plus the burning agony that rhinocort caused me -- I resorted to a neti pot.

It's a yoga-sort of thing, so I was willing to have a go. The premise is that you take a tea-pot-like contraption, mix up some membrane-friendly salt water, and flush things out. Regularly. The first few times are sort of uncomfortable, and I admit to being more than trepidatious.

And now? I'm addicted. Seriously. At the mere hint of a sniffle, I'm off to the W.C. to see what green goo I can get gone.

Since taking up the neti, I have abandoned the Rhinocort, kept the feather pillow, and come upon three "olde tyme" recipies for a similar treatmentin family recipie books and notebooks and whatnot from the early 20th century. In with mustard plasters and onion poultices and whatnot are directions for mixing up a cup of water and a half teaspoon salt into a saucer and "sniffing it" for a cold. I'm not up for trying that, but I tell you in all anonymous honesty that I love my neti pot.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

He's done neti for years, sometimes twice a day. I've caught him caressing his pot and calling it precious.

I've done nasal irrigation for over a decade. It keeps me off antibiotics, but it doesn't keep me off of antihistamines and asthma meds.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

You're preaching to the choir :)

I have been using one for years, but I'm very systematic about it. Kinda like taking a pill, I'll only do it once a day at a certain time (before bed) and I'll do that religiously. Sometimes, if I'm feeling particularly spiritual, I'll do it twice a day at some ritualized time.

You seem to use whenever the whim strikes you. How often would you say you use it? Maybe I should get more flexible with when and how often I use it.

I'll still use rhinocort next month, since I'll be outside a lot on a long camping trip without ready access to a sink. I don't seem to have any issues with the burning.

[mme-moonpie.livejournal.com]

During my prime allergy time (like, right NOW) I do it twice a day. If I feel stuffy, oh so stuffy, oh so stuffy and puffy and hey (-feverish), I do it much more (four times a day, or more if I have a cold or a sinus infection or am otherwise so snuffley that I am home from work).

If I feel fine, I may go a couple of weeks without flushing the face.

A stuffy nose is one of my main migraine triggers (along with hormonal fluctuations [read PMS]) so I'm pretty regular about it for at least one week out of the month.

I would say my use is flexible, as determined by percieved need and whim.

My neti pot is heavy white ceramic, and cylindrical in shape. I have a light grey speckled plastic one for travel (that looks sort of like a stylized elephant head -- in fact I've considered taking a sharpie to it to add features). Please introduce your neti styling.

Now, you know as much about my sinuses as I do, barring size, color and consistency. Or do you want to know that, too?

Shall we start our own group: "Precious Neti"
(Yes, I do have a very low entertainment threshold, why do you ask?)

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you actually get stuff out of your nose. I don't actually have anything up there. I suffer from what I call asthma of the nose. It just swells inside when irritated, causing blockage, rather than there being any sort of removable junk up there. The rhinocort helps that, because it's the kind of steroid that keeps the tissue behaving nicely. The Neti helps reduce irritation, but doesn't seem to help reduce the inflammation once it's already there. Perhaps a Yeti could help with that.

[mme-moonpie.livejournal.com]

Ya gotta keep rinsing it -- if you keep the irritants flushed out, the swelling WILL go down. I know this from personal (albeit anecdotal) experience. And yes, I get the satisfaction of nasal de-impaction: green chunks actually go flying.

As for the Yeti, I think he'd be more helpful for relieving blockage of the bowels -- would just scare it right out of ya.

Good grief. I can't believe I'm discussing this -- I mean in this forum, with someone I'm not related to by blood or time. I have no boundaries regarding the discussion of bodily functions, it would seem. I'm not a doctor, and I don't even aspire to play one on TV.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

No doubt there is an LJ community somewhere that celebrates the discussion of green chunks and blocked bowels.

[mme-moonpie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I don't know that I want to be *there* with *them*. I mean they might be a bunch of superliterate, amusing, hypochondriacs, or something.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I think I may have just been flattered and insulted at the same time. You're good. :)