For as long as I can remember I’ve had hay fever:

Allergic rhinitis triggered by the pollens of specific seasonal plants is commonly known as “hay fever”, because it is most prevalent during haying season.

I’ve suffered a lot over the years — some worse, some not so bad.  But the advent of Spring was a combination of longing for warmer days and dreading all of the pollen in the air.

I don’t ever recall having taken any allergy tests or receiving allergy shots as a kid, so I never knew what specifically I was allergic to… all I knew was when Spring came, my eyes watered and itched, and my nose became a leaky spigot for… well… you know…. snot.

Maybe about 3 or 4 years ago, I took a sample allergy test from a local allergy doctor during a community expo, and it turns out that I am highly allergic to oak pollen and only have mild allergies to everything else pollen (and cats).  It is an unfortunate fact that oak trees are quite prevalent in my neck of the woods.

I’ve always treated my allergy symptoms with most every major kind of over the counter anti-histamine — sudafed, actifed, benedryl, claritin, zyrtec, allegra, etc.  Keeping a stock of allergy pills gets expensive!

Three years ago, I got fed up with my allergies and decided to see what my doc might know about any medicines that would help deal with hay fever, and if it came to it, I would ask for a referral to see an allergy specialist and take more serious measures. I went JUST BEFORE Spring was about to burst with pollen…

The doc prescribed 3 items: Patanol eye-drops, generic Flonase nasal spray, and Allegra-D anti-histamine pills.

I went home and reluctantly shot my nose with the fluticasone propitionate, and wet my eyes with the Patanol — once in the morning and once at night. I opted NOT to take any of the Allegra-D.

I’ve gotta tell ya… this works for me!

I now begin my “treatment” as soon as I feel my allergies coming on, and I do the dealy-o daily for about 6 weeks or so. Then I’m pretty much free and clear of allergies symptoms until Spring rolls around again!

I’m on my third Spring and I don’t come anywhere close to “suffering” as I once had. Granted, my eyes do get a little itchy every now and again, but otherwise, I am lovin’ the fact that I don’t need to carry Kleenex with me everywhere I go and go to bed rubbing my eyes to no end!

What do you do to cope with your allergies?