Environmental Allergies?

[pricklypear1971]

Ok, during the holidays I was tired and achey. Assumed it was the holiday craziness.

When I couldn't shake it I assumed I got glutened, or had multiple small cc exposures that built (I may have had one big exposure but will never be sure).

My hands hurt, muscles ache sometimes, I'm sensitive to scents again (grocery store cleaning items aisle is hell), and my eyes hurt, etc. all typical " allergy season" symptoms except the achey hands.

I took Claritin and it helps, my hands hurt less and my head isn't as achey.

But I'm wondering, am I developing a new food issue? And how long should I let this go on before I test foods?

My usual allergy season is 3 months or more! gluten-free made my allergies disappear for 6 months - now they're back???

[missy'smom]

Is there anything you were exposed to more during the holidays?

Last Xmas my fingers started getting numb so I thought, "what have I been touching/handling more lately?" I already knew I had a latex allergy so I thought, tape, envelopes, pens etc. as I had been preparing Xmas cards around that time. I started calling companies and asking about latex and sure enough, most of the pens(mostly the same kind that traveled home from the office) in our home had latex grips on them!

[pricklypear1971]

I ate out alot. I think I got cc'd more than once.

I know there's something in the air around here. Hub's allergies are bad, too.

I've always had bad allergies in the winter, especially when it's dry (and since I'm in the desert dry is really dry)...and it is finally dry.

I was just surprised the Claritin worked so well. I can't believe an allergy makes ache like that!

[pricklypear1971]

Ok, ended up with a migraine last night.

So now I'm taking Tylenol and Claritin.

And my eyes are super-sensitive and look like veiny red throbbing Halloween decorations. Used Naphcon this morning.

Seriously??? Is this something in the air or is it food???

Checked pollen info and Juniper is high right now in my area. Would make sense. Fall was miserable for me in TX with Cedar.... Ugh.

[missy'smom]

Have you looked up food cross-reactors to your environmental allergies or what's currently on the environmental radar in your area? Oral allergy syndrome? although I am not sure that you are displaying symptoms of that.

You might want to consider nasal rinsing in addition to the meds. Helps clear out those allergy particles and might help with the headache. Achy hands are puzzling.

[pricklypear1971]

Have you looked up food cross-reactors to your environmental allergies or what's currently on the environmental radar in your area? Oral allergy syndrome? although I am not sure that you are displaying symptoms of that.

You might want to consider nasal rinsing in addition to the meds. Helps clear out those allergy particles and might help with the headache. Achy hands are puzzling.

Juniper is the only thing I could find on pollen.com. If its cross reactivity (wow, never heard of that before. Jeez) it would be obscure stuff like olives - and I know I didn't use olive oil yesterday (migraine).

If its grasses it could be lots of stuff I eat regularly, which really sucks.

I always notice my allergies are worse when it's dry. And now it's dry.

I do use a Neti pot daily and it helps tremendously which is why I think it's something in the air. It also helps to keep my sinus moist.

I wonder if its so bad because I probably got into gluten. Ugh.

[missy'smom]

juniper- been eating alot of pine nuts or drinking Gin?

like you said, could be gluten leaving your body less able to deal and adding to your symptoms

Hope you are relieved of these symptoms soon.

[pricklypear1971]

Nope. No pine nuts and no gin (ugh!).

Juniper/Cedar are in the same family. We do live closer to Juniper now (mountains) and I have had horrible reactions to it before...so that may be it. Plants do odd things in the mountains/desert and it's unseasonably warm right now, so who knows.

I swear its dust, too.