3.14.2010

clogged

I don't know how much longer I can stand this. I'm going to complain about something that is very trivial and is not even an illness or anything. It's my fucking allergies. I think it's been about 7 or 8 consecutive days now that I have spent at least half a day completely congested, or congested with a runny nose as well. This means I can't taste my food, I breathe through my mouth, and I am in danger of inhaling my food when I eat. Also I am really fucking uncomfortable and tired. Feeling like shit makes you tired. Now I know there are so many other ailments and issues that are worse - Lupus, fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc. but it doesn't change the fact that my present experience is one of misery and discomfort.

I have allergies in some form pretty much all the time - a runny nose, itchy throat, itchy mouth, itchy tongue, a little asthma, sneezing, hives once in a while on my face or body or both, itchy eyes, sometimes my eyeball swells up such that I can't close my eyelids all the way because I look like those fucked up goldfish in the Chinese restaurants with the bubbly eyes. So most of the time I have at least one of those symptoms going on and I've had this pretty much all my life so usually I take a Benadryl and/or go to bed and life goes on. Usually I don't even notice it, especially the runny/stuffy nose and itching part. That's kind of constant. Anyways, when I get a combo of these symptoms or one of them really extra bad, that's when I just want to be sedated or something. Right now I am just really sick of that cat-in-my-sinus-cavity feeling. I'm over it, please make it stop. Neti pot helps but the snot all comes back and I can't be pouring water into my nostril while it drains out the other continuously because there are other things I need to do but stand over the fucking sink with a plastic blue pot shoved up my nostril.

Sometimes walking briskly outdoors helps clear it but I haven't figured out how I'm going to do that and write a dissertation at the same time.

6 comments:

Andre said...

Just happened to land on your blog and noticed your allergy probs.

There is this spray that my wife uses and this has helped her tremendously, especially when sleeping at night...

It's called Rhinocort Aqua, and the best thing is that it is not addictive! It's especially effective for someone with oversensitive nasal membranes.

Watch out, I am NOT a doctor...but you definitely should talk to one about this or try it once for yourself... it won't kill you for trying and seeing if it helps.

Personally I have hay fever, so i know what those runny noses can be like, so I hope it will help you too!

Can never hurt to try...

Robyn said...

ugh... this sounds awful. if you feel better outside, does that mean you have indoor allergies? i think i have those too; i read that vitamin C may help so i've been trying those. i don't think my allergies are as bad as yours though. or maybe it's cuz seattle is so wet?

i currently have sinus irritation and it is driving me insane too. i feel like congestion medication doesn't really help; i just tried aleve this time and i think it does help.

and thanks for reminding me that i need to try the neti pot.

Fumbling said...

yknow the really bad hell lasted about a week and a half. now I'm okay again as long as i take my Singulair at night and Zyrtec in day and use the neti pot. Also some eucalyptus oil rubbed under the nose helps a bit too.

Karen Tran said...

I have been feeling the same way the last several MONTHS! I completely understand your pain. It got so bad that I broke down in tears because I couldn't sleep for so many days - my boyfriend thought I was losing it big time. IT got so bad I was willing to wear a MASK over my moth and nose to block out allergens. I finally broke down and took some antibiotics an lo' and behold it was actually a sinus infection. Maybe you should go to the doctor's to see if your allergies have progressed into an infection? Hang in there.

Anonymous said...

I really feel your frustration, I've been suffering from allergies for as long as I can remember. It was a lot worse when I was a kid. I'm 25 now and I should tell you that it's been getting better within the past few years. When I used to suffer for the most part of the summer, now I only have runny nose and itchy eyes only for a few weeks. So i hope you will feel less and less of those symptoms as you get older. As for the medicine, I found that only "Allegra" helps...

Cowboy Dave Dickerson said...

I also have allergies, and when the nasal steroid doesn't work, I've been tempted to do the really dramatic thing and get myself infected with a hookworm. Strange but true. RadioLab did a piece about it: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2009/09/25 (Second section, "Sculptors of Monumental Narrative.")