The Diagnoses - Seasonal ALlergies

[MidnightCafe]

So, I posted in health & healing a bit ago wondering if I had mumps because of severely swollen salivary glands. It wasn't mumps. It was clogged glands from calcified bacteria, which was leaving white spots in the back of my throat. The bacteria was going nuts because of my sinuses draining like crazy. My sinuses have been going nuts a lot lately. And the final diagnoses is allergies. I've been fairly certain that allergies were my problem for a while now. I get itchy eyes & throat whenever I'm outside. My eyes water. My sinuses get clogged. Itchy throat makes me cough. My throat hurts all the time.

Up until now I've never really had allergy problems. I'm almost 29, and this is a totally new experience for me. I feel like I'm going crazy. I cut some lilacs & brought them into my house today, and now every time I walk past them my eyes & throat go crazy. I LOVE lilacs. I don't see how this can happen to me.

WHAT CAN I DO?!! : I don't want allergies. I resent having allergies. I've a pretty good guess that I'm allergic to grass or dust as I can't stand to be in the yard with freshly cut grass. I can't isolate myself from whatever I'm allergic to. Is there something I can do to convince my immune system that the outdoors is not a problem? I've always camped in the summer & spent lots of time outside.

I'm not excited about medications. The dr. tried to prescribe allergy meds for me to take for the next month & I turned her down. But I *do* seem to be stuck taking over-the-counter decongestants to keep from getting horrible sinus headaches & infection.

Thoughts? Advice? Sympathy?

[Caden's Mom]

Try honey therapy. It isn't a quick fix, but may work if used consistently over time. Eat a tablespoon of raw local honey each day and by next year you should notice an improvement. Raw honey is much better tasting then whatever honey it is they sell in the bear bottles.

[MidnightCafe]

Thanks. I will absolutely look into this. I wonder if I could get raw honey at the local farmer's market? Or at my co-op?

I did dig out my netti pot & use it today. I bought it a few summers ago when I was having sinus problems & it helped a lot. I wasn't overly fond of using it, though. So, I put it away. I gave it another try tonight & I'm certainly breathing better than I was.

[MidnightCafe]

I talked with my dad yesterday because my parents used to keep honey bees. It didn't occur to me until I started reading all this stuff about using local honey for allergies that I may have been prevented from having allergies as a child because I was always eating honey from the bees in the back yard! Now my parents are talking about getting a hive again...but they're over 50 miles from where I live. My dad suggested visiting all the local farmer's markets to find a source of honey.

[Om Girl]

I've been wondering the same thing about my allergies, guess I'll try and find someone with honey around here!

[WC_hapamama]

If the honey therapy doesn't work, try allergy shots... they work pretty well for people who have seasonal allergies.