Over the counter allergy meds?

[Stickerbunny]

Boyfriend is _slightly_ allergic to the rabbits (of course, he insisted he wasn’t when we were talking about getting them). So I am looking at over the counter allergy meds – so far benadryl seems the best, but makes people drowsy, what is a good non-drowsy one? All it does is make him a little congested if he’s around their fur and he doesn’t want to go to an allergist. I know a lot of you guys have allergies, so what would you suggest? Claritin? 

We have an air purifier running, I vacuum all the time, I have the hay as far away as I can from him and I clean the boxes 3-4 times a day. So I have it as contained as possible, but Powder sheds, a lot.  

[Sarita]

I use Claritin daily. You can buy it in big sizes at Costco.

[Stickerbunny]

Would you suggest Claritin, or Claritin-D ?

[Sarita]

I usually just use the regular claritin – I think the Claritin-D is the one you have to get from the pharmacist isn’t it? I admit I’ve never tried the Claritin-D so I cannot speak to that one. Just plain old Claritin :~)

[peppypoo]

Depends on his particular symptoms, -D means that it has a decongestant as well.

[Stickerbunny]

They are both available online, the D is only available in 10 packs though for 24 hour because it’s used to make illegal drugs :s His symptoms are congestion and runny nose, so I guess he should be on the D… expensive though, $45 for a month. Hrm. Thanks guys.

[Elrohwen]

I would suggest not-Claritin. The dosage is dramatically reduce from what it was as a prescription med and many people find it ineffective. I would recommend Allegra or Zyrtec over Claritin.

I agree that the D depends on the symptoms. In my years of sinus and allergy problems, I’ve found that true allergies respond to the regular meds. Extra congestion that requires the D can be the sign of an impending sinus infection. Once I’m to the point of needing an allergy medicine with decongestant, I just move on to Mucinex (usually with the D) as it’s much more effective in actually getting the mucus out. Allergy meds often work by drying up your sinuses – good for a runny nose, not good for congestion you really need to get out. Of course, I’m not a medical professional or anything 😛 that’s just what I’ve picked up over the years and what works for me, but my allergies tend to be less seasonal and more sinus infection causing than most people’s.

[Stickerbunny]

Ah, hrm. I’ve never had an allergy in my life (except that perfume gives me headaches, but that is easy enough – just don’t wear it lol) so this is kind of confusing trying to figure out what would be best. 😮

His family has a long history of sinus issues, even some of them having to have surgery to correct something in their sinuses so they could breath through their nose. He’s been at least a little congested since I have known him, which is 6 years now, which makes him snore something awful at night. But he’s one of those people who never goes to see a doctor unless it’s lethal – he won’t even go to see a chiropractor even though he has chronic back pain … so i’m trying to find at least small relief for him but finding what works is tough since I have zero experience. lol The rabbit fur does irritate his condition though, whatever it is.

I think… I will just buy a sample pack of a few of the different medicines and over a month let him see what works best for him. They come in 5 tablet packages for like $5 on the site I was looking at. Mucinex does sound like it would be helpful to him, since he’s always saying his nose is clogged and he can’t breath out of it or smell anything.

It doesn’t help that he works in a factory that has metal dust in the air and doesn’t provide proper ventilation, so every one working there is breathing in dust-sized metal particles 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. I’m sure that has caused most of the increase in problems for him lately, but only job he could find after his company down sized and cut 1/3 of their work force.

Thanks all for the advice.

[Sarita]

I do think it just depends on the person – Zyrtec knocks me out. So getting sample packs is probably the wise way to go and see how it reacts for your boyfriend.

[Elrohwen]

Wow, that job definitely doesn’t sound good for anyone’s health!

I agree with Sarita that it really is different by person. I would try the Mucinex though – I’ve been told by multiple doctors that taking allergy meds to clear up congestion can just make things stick in there worse. When I’m really congested they don’t work anyway, but when I have classic allergy symptoms (runny, itchy nose, itchy eyes) they help a lot. Since you said his family members have had lots of sinus issues, I wonder if his problem isn’t more sinus related and less allergy related. I have similar problems and the only thing that helps me is allergy shots – when I’m on them I just don’t get the congestion and sinus infections I used to get.

Too bad he won’t see a doctor. With a decent prescription plan it would probably be cheaper to get prescription allergy meds – the over the counter stuff can get so expensive if you take it every day. And allergy shots could be super helpful for him, but of course he’d have to see the doc first.

[Stickerbunny]

Yeah, the job is bad – he’s gotten nerve damage in his hands, breathing in metal dust, very little time off, took out a chunk of muscle out of his finger, has to work in 130F temps in summer cause they have no A/C and it’s full of welding, so heats up really fast! Once we save up the money for me to get a car, I’m going back to work and he can try to find something else, just can’t take the loss of income at the moment. Big change from working on a computer all day for sure (his last job was in photoshop editing). His company made books for schools though, so when education budgets started getting slashed, they only kept a skeleton crew and decided on who stayed by date of hire alone.

We don’t have a medical plan, so everything would be out of pocket, probably not very cheap. If he wanted to, we could afford to see an allergist for him, but he’s stubborn. lol I really think he needs something done to his sinuses though, but I have given up arguing. He says doctors are “one step from leeching” and will only trust them if he 100% has to.

[Elrohwen]

Yeah, without a medical plan it won’t be any cheaper to get prescription stuff. Allergy shots are also expensive – I think I pay $30 per visit and that’s after my coverage.

I hope he finds a better job! I know I would be a huge mess if I worked somewhere like that, so I’m sure it’s only making his issues worse. It’s a shame that companies still force employees to work in such bad conditions sometimes.

[LBJ10]

Claritin worked for me, but it also gave me sinus infections (listed side effect). Allegra doesn’t work, Zyrtec doesn’t work, and Singular doesn’t work. I take Benedryl, it doesn’t really make me drowsy.

[Elrohwen]

LBJ, you’re lucky benedryl doesn’t make you drowsy! I think it works better than anything else, but man does it knock me out.

[LBJ10]

It’s funny because I remember people saying they were tired after taking Benedryl and I had no clue what they were talking about.

[Elrohwen]

I’ve actually used benedryl as a sleep aid on airplanes. lol With just one I might be ok, but after two I’m out like a light.

[Stickerbunny]

Yeah I read benadryl made people sleepy, which is why I don’t think I will try it … he works in a factory so sleepiness and big machines that can take off an arm or leg is not a good mix! lol I heard it was the best though.

[Elrohwen]

In my experience, nothing beats benedryl for an accute reaction. For example, I suddenly developed an allergic reaction to another med I was taking. My lips and cheeks felt puffy and sort of numb and I kind of freaked out. One benedryl later I was perfectly fine (and never took that med again).

[Pandorachik]

I take Claritin. 🙂

[Huckleberry]

My boyfriend takes Zyrtec and says it helps him a lot. I have noticed less sneezing.

I always feel twitchy or sleepy when I take allergy meds so I use various solutions that dont require that. First, I vacuum more often, especially the hay and with a vacuum that has a filter. I try to not shake the hay up too much. I think some people have said something about hays that have a lesser effect on people with allergies, though I do not know which those are.
I buy a vick’s vap-o-inhaler. It works wonders for me. I get a lot of congestion and sinus infections. That seems to help. Sometimes I use a nasal wash system but that is only if it gets really bad.

[Elrohwen]

Huckles, you just reminded me, and I can’t believe I didn’t think of this earlier – Sticker, you should suggest he get a nasal wash thing. It really works! I generally don’t feel any relief immediately after using it, but it helps immensely to keep my colds and allergies from turning into sinus infections. The neti pot never did much for me, but the kind that is like a squirt bottle has really helped. You can get it cheaply (plus the saline packets) at any pharmacy, and it’s not a drug, so he might like it.

I use the one by this company: http://www.neilmed.com/usa/index.php

[Huckleberry]

Elrohwen, that’s the one I have! It really does help. It feels kind of weird having water rush around in your sinuses. The first time you do it, you kind of feel like you might drown, but it goes away, you just lean over (I do it in the shower) and try to exhale gently while you squirt it. Don’t do several in a row, as I once learned the hard way hahaha

[Stickerbunny]

Hmm. I read about neti pots the other month when some girl died from an amoeba in the water she used (yikes, bad tap water) but didn’t think about that kind of thing. It just pushes water through your sinuses, clearing away the mucus that causes congestion? Does it ever get down into your lungs and hurt? I dunno how he would be with putting water into his nose… though, his mother is Wiccan so he tends to be into alternatives, so he might go for it if it helps. I’ll ask him about it.

[Huckleberry]

No, it doesn’t go down if you lean over and kind of blow out just a bit, like you would if you were swimming under water. I don’t know about the pot, I use the little squirt bottle. It washes saline up into the sinus cavity and I guess that dries it out and washes allergens that are in there (I guess?). If you are worried about amoebas in the water (first off, don’t drink it!) but you can probably boil and cool the water.

[Stickerbunny]

Oh the amoeba is one that is only in certain areas and it is only dangerous if it goes up your nose, into your brain. Would be safe to drink. Don’t think it’s even an issue in this state, just where I first heard about neti pots. People get it every so often from swimming in natural water in Florida and other states that have it and I guess sometimes tap water can carry it. Don’t think the bottled saline would have that problem.

[LBJ10]

I use the saline wash that comes in a canister. It just shoots a stream up there and you just let it run back out your nose. It would only hurt if you inhaled it, which obviously you wouldn’t want to do.

[Elrohwen]

You can always buy water by the gallon if he’s nervous, instead of using tap water. I’ve never had a problem with it though. The saline stuff I use is a packet you add to regular water, so if you have a particular water issue I’d boil it first, then add the saline (or just buy water). The saline doesn’t come in a pre-mixed solution (at least not the stuff I use). I like LBJ’s suggestion too, since buying the premixed stuff would be sterile. Don’t use regular tap water – for some reason it kind of burns in your nose, like pool water up the nose, while the saline stuff is totally fine.

My issue with the neti pot was that I get really congested and if I was stuffed up, the water wouldn’t get through at all. The neti pot is like a little watering can and you stick the end in your nose – there’s no pressure on the water or anything. With the squirt bottle type thing I can break through the congestion better and actually get stuff out of my sinuses. I occasionally swallow a little of the water, but it never gets in my lungs. For the most part it just comes back out the other nostril, or sometimes out of my mouth if I’m super stuffed up.

[Stickerbunny]

Hmm. I looked up that thing and it’s only $5 😮 so I ordered it for him, maybe it’ll help… we keep bottled water around because I hate the taste of tap water (tastes of chemicals, ew and brita does not get the taste out enough for me) so I will probably have him use that, fewer chemicals so probably less chance of it burning.

[Elrohwen]

Make sure you still use the saline packets – even bottled water burns for some reason. Plus, the saline really helps get rid of the bacteria that live up there. Back in the day my doctor had me use regular salt mixed with water (I don’t remember the amounts) but I find it easier to just buy the premeasured packets.

[LBJ10]

You can also make your own solution. You just fill a bowl with water and add 1 tablespoon of pickling salt and two tablespoons of baking soda. If you want force when getting it up your nose, you can use one of those rubber bulbs you can get at drugstores. I used to do that, but I found the canned saline to be more convenient and less messy.

[Stickerbunny]

I’ll forward all the info to him – the thing comes with 6? of the packets, so if it works I can order more of them… if I can talk him into doing it thanks guys

[Elrohwen]

LBJ, I forgot about those bulbs meant for babies – I used to use one of those too. Not sure why I didn’t find that effective at the time, but I like my squirt bottle thing that I use now.

You can buy the packets in bulk at any drugstore – I just get the generic CVS brand and the box comes with maybe 100 or so packets?

[Stickerbunny]

The nearest drug store that isn’t owned and run by a rabbit abuser (which I REFUSE to use the local one because he left his babies out to die in 100F weather and LAUGHED about it) is over 40 miles away. Easier to buy online.

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