Need BBB medical advice! Months long congestion from new dust allegry?

[almostmom]

Update:

I did flonase and zyrtec for 4 weeks, and symptoms didn't change at all. Possibly the slightest bit better, but still a nasally voice, occasional dizzy/head fog spells that felt like the first day of a bad cold, occasional dry tongue, sinus headaches... I called my doc (it's the NP that I see, who has only been doing this work for a year, which makes me question her expertise, but she seems smart and confident...), and she said I could stop doing the flonase (I can breathe fine, the congestion really seems to be deeper, in my cheeks, and obvious when I talk), but keep taking the zyrtec since my test showed I was allergic to dust. She then suggested I try amoxicillan for 2 weeks, to see if it is a sinus infection. 6 days later, no relief, and I actually felt worse (some naseau to add to the dizziness), so I stopped taking it, which was a good decision as i was feeling terrible on it, and no relief from the symptoms. Now 2 weeks later, still taking daily zyrtek, still sound like I have a cold, occassional dizzy/brain fog feeling, some face pressure (again, like when you have a cold) a little nasal nose-blowing congestion (like 5 times a day?) but easy smooth breathing. I got an air purifier for my bedroom. But really, the symptoms have barely changed, so I think there must be something else going on!

NP says next step is a CTscan. Is that really necessary? I definitely want to figure out what this is, but feel like I'm flailing, as is my NP.

Thoughts?

Thanks--



I would love the opinion of all of you with allergy experience, or other medical insight:

I have been congested for a couple months now. Not too bad, but I hear it when I talk or sing in the car, have nasal back drip, and have a fatigue and headaches that set in maybe once a day that feels like a cold is coming on. But I haven't developed a cold, and the symptoms have stayed mostly consistent, starting to now get slightly worse, but barely. I have the congestion when home/working, and when I was on the beach in Maine for a week, mostly outside, lots of fresh air. I went to my primary since I'm headed into a minor surgery soon, and didn't want to have that be an issue when they put me under. They suggested trying Zyrtec. So I did try it for a few days, but then was headed to the mountains of Utah, so thought I'd see if that changed my symptoms without any meds. I was much worse there, really congestesd, especially at night, blowing my nose more, feeling like I might just actually have a cold (but I don't think I did). When I got back home, the intense symptoms of Utah subsided, but still, congested, blowing my nose once or twice a day, headaches, occasional fatigue that I could push through and get over, or nap through. It's annoying to always sound congested, and the slight headaches and fatigue are getting to me.

So I decided to go to an ENT. They did an allergy test, and looked up my nose (fun). Didn't see signs of a sinus infection (though I still think that might be the culprit), just lots of mucus (sorry, kind of gross i know). The allergy test came back saying that I am allergic to 2 common types of dust mites. And so she said I should do Flonase and zyrtec and that the dust allergy is probably what's going on.

But I'm not convinced. I've been doing flonase for 5 days now (I know, it takes time) and am waiting to go back to the zyrtek - I'd rather take one med than 2 if I can help it. But no relief. Still having headaches that feel like they are coming from a cold or my sinuses, still congested, still feeling a bit run down sometimes. I'll stick with it for another couple weeks.

I just have a hard time believing that I all of the sudden developed a dust allergy (I know allergies can develop suddenly) and that it triggered these symptoms in 3 very distinct places - MA, ME, and UT with no relief when I am outside hiking or in different locations. The doc says dust is everywhere, which I get. And I do have carpeting in my bedroom. But nowhere else in my house (though we do have area rugs). And my mattress is a couple years old and latex.

Anyway, for any of you with allergies, or any with medical insight, I'd love to know if you have an opinion on what's going on!

Thanks SO much--

[MSWR0319]

Sounds like allergies to me!! I'm currently feeling the same way and I know I'm in the middle of an allergy flare. The fatigue and heaviness in the head drive me nuts! I have no idea if your problem is dust or other allergies (did they test for pollen allergies?), but I can tell you that just a nasal spray more than likely isn't going to cut it. The nasal sprays and the meds treat different symptoms. You really need both to at least get it cleared up at the very least. I prefer Allegra over Zyrtec, as Zyrtec tends to make me drowsy and doesn't work as well. Another option is Xyzal which is similar to Zyrtec but does not cause as much drowsiness. I have to rotate between the two every few years because my body gets used to it. I hate taking meds, so I understand your hesitation, but you aren't going to clear up with just a nasal spray more than likely.

[NCGrandma]

Lots of personal and family experience with allergies of all sorts, unfortunately. What you describe certainly sounds like my experience with dust mite allergies. As your ENT said, dust mites are everywhere. If you were allergic to certain pollens, you would expect that you wouldn’t encounter them at the same time in ME, MA and UT, but dust, sure!

Re: the meds: I assume that your ENT told you to take both Zyrtec and Flonase, not just one. They act in very different ways, so the combination is usually more effective. Also, Zyrtec is one of 3 popular OTC antihistamines (others are Claritin and Allegra). Many people find that one of these is much more effective than the others, but there’s no good way to predict in advance which will work. (In my allergy-prone family, different people take different ones.)

Re: the stuffy nose problem: in addition to meds, we all use saline nasal spray regularly, which helps a lot. We prefer the Simply Saline brand that comes in an aerosol-type can — unlike the small plastic bottles of saline spray, the Simply Saline products contain no preservatives so they can be used as often as needed. Be sure to read the ingredients—almost all the SS products have only water, salt and baking soda but they made one that contains eucalyptus! (For some of us, that would be awful!) The first time you use these aerosols, they seem weird because the spray is stronger than the little plastic bottles, but it’s well worth getting used to!! (But do use it over the sink at first [emoji6])

Re: carpet in the bedroom: probably nothing you can do about that in the short run except vacuum really often, but when I moved from a carpeted place to one with hard surface floors, my dust allergies improved a lot!

Sorry to go on at such length, but you sounded like you’re new to the wonderful wacky world of allergies... and unfortunately, all my family are experts...


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[lizzywednesday]

As a fellow allergy sufferer, take both meds. I know you don't want to, but do it. You'll feel better faster.

I find I need to take Zyrtec at night so I sleep off the fogginess. While I despise nasal sprays, I did take a nasal spray for allergies once for the short-term and the symptoms cleared with the long-acting pill. (I especially hated the one I took because it stank of flowers, so that meant everything I ate or drank also tasted like flowers. *shudder*)

When I'm having a bad flare, it's because I wasn't taking anything before allergy season, and if I don't take anything, I end up with a sinus infection. (I treat it with nasal saline, either the spray-can kind or a neti pot, and I drink a lot of water and tea.)

[twowhat?]

For your own home, you might try applying food grade diatomaceous earth and working it into your bedroom carpet (wear a dust mask and gloves, sprinkle it on the carpet, rub it in to distribute, let it sit undisturbed for a day and then vacuum up what you can with a good vacuum with HEPA filter.) It will kill the dust mites. You may have to re-treat every so often.

I hate carpet....we have carpet in the bedrooms and even though we vacuum frequently, I KNOW there's all sorts of crap in the carpets.

[boilermakermom]

You need to take both the Flonase and Zyrtec. They work differently but combined they provide great relief.

You can develop allergies at any time in your life; they do not have to originate in childhood.

Also, make sure your diet is not heavy with mucous causing foods. If it is, that won't help at all.

When I start to get nasal symptoms, I drink a lemon/ginger/honey tea a few times a day for a week or so and avoid the foods I know trigger mucous for me, and I see quite a few symptoms subside.

Also, make sure you have a good vacuum and use it daily. Change your bedding, mattress pad and pillowcases to linens approved for dust mite allergies.

[almostmom]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences! This is what I needed to hear as this is my first experience with any allergies and I know nothing about them. And good to know about using both the spray and the pills. The NP did recommend that, but I thought I'd try one first (she's pretty new to the office and the field, so I didn't totally trust her advice. But now I see that it was correct). Do you do flonase twice a day? That is what she recommended, but I don't like it and would love to do it just once...

I will pick up the simply saline. I did get some spray at CVS, but haven't used it yet as I didn't want it to conflict with the flonase. And I know I should do the wash that goes in one nostril and out the other, but I'd like to avoid that as well if I can!

But glad to know, I guess, that these symptoms are consistent with regular allergies so I don't need to look further. It was a blood allergy test, but it tested for things like pollen and I was not allergic to that or anything else.

I can't imagine vacuuming daily. But I'll keep it in the back of my mind. And I will look into my mattress pad and other linens and pillows. Ugh.

[almostmom]

But I did just read that latex mattresses are naturally resistant to dust mites, so that's good!

[ellies mom]

When I first start Flonase each season, I take it in the morning and evening for maybe a week and then I drop back to once a day (mainly because it takes me a bit to remember that I have fall allergies now). I had a lot of the same symptoms you do. I always felt like I was coming down with a cold or something. Adding Flonase to my daily Zyrtec was absolutely life altering.


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[bisous]

So...I actually had something that sounds like what you had. I had it for a long time. It was pretty low grade. I noticed it mostly on Sundays when I led the childrens music group and otherwise during the week it was only mildly annoying. I thought it was either mild allergies or a perma-cold or some kind.

When I was diagnosed with pneumonia that winter I took a zPac and low and behold, my “allergies” completely went away. I felt better than I had in several years.

Now I was never examined to rule out a sinus infection but I think that’s what I had. Now nearly 2 years later I still feel amazing. No need for allergy meds of any kind. I can breathe, talk and even sing!

[NCGrandma]

When I first start Flonase each season, I take it in the morning and evening for maybe a week and then I drop back to once a day (mainly because it takes me a bit to remember that I have fall allergies now). I had a lot of the same symptoms you do. I always felt like I was coming down with a cold or something. Adding Flonase to my daily Zyrtec was absolutely life altering.


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That Flonase dosing sounds very reasonable to get a head start. For a long time, I was using 2 sprays/day (which I thought would be a good idea because my allergies are often pretty bad). However, I started getting nosebleeds so I cut back to one spray/day. Not only did the nosebleeds stop, but the lower dose was just as effective in treating the allergies!


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[DualvansMommy]

A lot of ppl already gave good suggestions. I’m a life long allergy patient ever since I moved to the U.S, and gotten progressively worse each year. From April through early November, I suffer a variety of symptoms. Fun(!)

so what I’ve found that helped me is take Allegra in the morning with my Flonase, asthma spray, and eye drops. In the evenings before bed time I take Zyrtec and Flonase again, keep humidifier in my room and DS2’s rooms. I take Neti during a particularly bad flare up, seem to be once a week for me. We don’t keep carpets at all, change our bedsheets weekly and our pillowcases every 2 days.


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[MSWR0319]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences! This is what I needed to hear as this is my first experience with any allergies and I know nothing about them. And good to know about using both the spray and the pills. The NP did recommend that, but I thought I'd try one first (she's pretty new to the office and the field, so I didn't totally trust her advice. But now I see that it was correct). Do you do flonase twice a day? That is what she recommended, but I don't like it and would love to do it just once...

I will pick up the simply saline. I did get some spray at CVS, but haven't used it yet as I didn't want it to conflict with the flonase. And I know I should do the wash that goes in one nostril and out the other, but I'd like to avoid that as well if I can!

But glad to know, I guess, that these symptoms are consistent with regular allergies so I don't need to look further. It was a blood allergy test, but it tested for things like pollen and I was not allergic to that or anything else.

I can't imagine vacuuming daily. But I'll keep it in the back of my mind. And I will look into my mattress pad and other linens and pillows. Ugh.

We were told to use nose spray twice a day if we're having a flare, so until you get it under control do it twice a day. My kids just had their yearly allergy visit and the dr switched them to Rhinocort because they didn't like the flowery scent of the Flonase and she said it was very important they take one, so she's hoping to find one they can tolerate better. She told me they all do the same thing, people just prefer one or the other (or Nasacort) and what's most important is that you're taking it.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Yes to the cocktail of allergy meds. Flonase, loratadine (I prefer alavert from amazon because it melts in your mouth and tastes good), singulair, and pazeo eye drops, plus the sinus rinse bottle (so much more comfortable than the neti pot) are what keeps mine at bay.

[KpbS]

Also in addition to all the fore mentioned advice, toss your pillow and get a new one. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just put an allergy case (dust mite preventing) on it and don’t go to bed with your hair wet as that increases dust mite activity. Eek

[jawilli4]

Just wanted to offer up the fact that I have found Costco's generic Flonase to be just as effective and a lot cheaper. If you have a membership, it is $22.99 for 5 bottles and is called Kirkland Signature Aller-Flo including s/h online. I don't remember if it is any less expensive in the warehouse.

https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-Aller-Flo,-5-Bottles.product.100295245.html

[NCGrandma]

Just wanted to offer up the fact that I have found Costco's generic Flonase to be just as effective and a lot cheaper. If you have a membership, it is $22.99 for 5 bottles and is called Kirkland Signature Aller-Flo including s/h online. I don't remember if it is any less expensive in the warehouse.

https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-Aller-Flo,-5-Bottles.product.100295245.html

If you’re not a Costco member, at least look at the generic fluticasone at whatever pharmacy you prefer. Also, my health insurance still covers it, with a prescription, even though what I get is identical to the OTC generic version. My copay isn’t as cheap as the Costco member price, but it’s still cheaper than CVS OTC. (Don’t be surprised if your insurance doesn’t cover it — usually when something has been OTC for a while, insurance no longer covers it.)


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[lizzywednesday]

... they didn't like the flowery scent of the Flonase ...

Thank you for this - I couldn't figure out whether I'd been given Rhinocort or Flonase ages ago and now I know.

[lizzywednesday]

double post

[almostmom]

Update in original post. Still looking for answers!

[dogmom]

Sorry, it sounds like you have a case of sinusitis that is verging on chronic, so it can last up to 3 months. It doesn’t necessarily mean there is a bacterial infection, it still could have all been triggered by a nasty virus, like a simple cold virus that just really struck you wrong and got all the sinus just passages inflamed. There isn’t much to “do” about it that keep doing what your are doing. A CT scan can show a bad case of it, but it’s not going to change the treatment unless they are going to go in surgically and open some stuff up. I had a case I got when I was 3 months pregnant with my daughter that didn’t clear until after I gave birth. You can try saline nasal rinses if you haven’t already. They is evidence showing they can help.

If it does seem to be a case of sinusitis you might want to try some mindfulness/mediation work. Unfortunately having dealt with chronic conditions myself there are periods of maximizing therapy and turning to these methods help one handle the symptoms better. It’s not a treatment for the underlying condition, just improves quality of life. I’m not saying it’s all in your head or ignore it. I’m just saying upon further exploration it may turn out you have something that it’s just going to have to take your body time to heal from and you need to maximize your healing the best you can.

[Smillow]

Look into tapping/lymphatic massage. It has helped me stay sinus infection free for a couple of years (including zyrtec/flonase regimen)... I had a completely blocked ear canal (the next step would have been tubes! At 50!) and it helped so much!

[almostmom]

Just looked it up online and did some, and I think it might have really helped! Thanks for the suggestion! Looking forward to doing more tonight.

[MSWR0319]

For sure do a CT scan! I went to the dr numerous times with symptoms similar to yours over a 6 months period. I was diagnosed with TMJ and all sorts of other randomness. Finally took myself to an ENT who did a CT scan and my entire left sinus was closed everywhere! It took 3 months worth of strong antibiotics and a round of steroids to clear me up. We found that my sinus passages are so small that the slightest irritant causes them to close and there's no going back. Right now I'm pretty sure my left sinus has been closed for months, but no one will give me a steroid to open it up. The only nose spray that works for me is not OTC and my insurance won't cover it. I need to go back to the ENT and see if they can help again.

[Globetrotter]

I have allergies and find the neti pot also makes a big difference with congestion and can prevent sinus issues for me. However, I get lazy so I tend to only do it when things get worse.

Keep your head elevated at night.

[#2ontheway]

Talk to your ENT about starting a regimen of irrigation with a Neil-Med, adding a tube of budesonide each time. You can also put a few tubes of mupirocin ointment in your distilled water gallon (and gently shake it so it dissolves) if you might have some infection. It's super goofy but after about a month of twice a day irrigation, I noticed a huge difference. Also consider singulair. You may only need to do these things for a relatively short time to get your inflammation under control, then manage with whatever OTC allergy med you like best plus flonase or similar. CTs are expensive. I'd hold off until you tried to kick it medically. Agree that a CT really makes sense if you are considering pursuing surgical treatment.

[Mommy_Mea]

When I had sinus issues, I did a sinus rinse with saline water and budesonide. It worked really well, but I wasn't great at keeping up with it. Eventually my sinus issues just went away, but it took quite a while! Once a year the ENT would use a dinner optic camera to look at my sinuses, I had polyps that were either causing the issue or were exacerbated by the issue.
Talk to your ENT about starting a regimen of irrigation with a Neil-Med, adding a tube of budesonide each time. You can also put a few tubes of mupirocin ointment in your distilled water gallon (and gently shake it so it dissolves) if you might have some infection. It's super goofy but after about a month of twice a day irrigation, I noticed a huge difference. Also consider singulair. You may only need to do these things for a relatively short time to get your inflammation under control, then manage with whatever OTC allergy med you like best plus flonase or similar. CTs are expensive. I'd hold off until you tried to kick it medically. Agree that a CT really makes sense if you are considering pursuing surgical treatment.