[Pam_and_Abigail]

I have seasonal pollen (tree and grass) allergies and mostly I treat them with vitamin C, but this year, I'm feeling like taking a bit of something else every now and then. Before I had kids I took Reactine. When I was pg with dd1 and when I was nursing her, I was advised by my doc at the time to take something else (I forget what the drug was but it made me so drowsy I conked out). Dd2 only nurses a couple times a day, so supply isn't a big issue. What can/should I take?

 

[Panserbjorne]

I was going to recommend vitamin C but I see you already figured that out-are you taking it with cofactors?

The other thing I keep up my sleeve is nettles. They are highly nutritious, great for nursing and WONDERFUL for allergies/inflammatory reactions. You can get them in tincture form (urtica) or dried and then you just make an infusion and drink as needed.

They are pleasant tasting and inexpensive. Best of luck-the allergies are brutal this year!

 

[LauraLoo]

You might want to look into Quercetin, which is a bioflavonoid and is another natural anti-inflamatory. Taken with Vit. C (and many supplements combine vit. C and Quercetin) it's supposed to be extra helpful for allergies.

Since taking my ds off his rx allergy medicine a couple of weeks ago, he's been taking a Quercetin and vit. C supplement and is doing great with controlling his allergies. DH and I started to take it, too, to help ours. So far, so good.

 

[Panserbjorne]

Quercetin is precisely what I was thinking of when I asked about cofactors. I find that it is most helpful taken in proportion with others, though in a pinch we have had luck with straight quercetin and vitamin C. In fact, when dd started having an anaphylactic reaction to shellfish we used quercetin straight to stop the swelling and continued high dosing along with vitamin C until we were past the danger point.

 

[LauraLoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefaery In fact, when dd started having an anaphylactic reaction to shellfish we used quercetin straight to stop the swelling and continued high dosing along with vitamin C until we were past the danger point.

Wow! That's good to know -- just in case!

 

[Pam_and_Abigail]

I don't even know what cofactors are or what they do, and I've never heard of quercetin. I just take vitamin c that I can buy locally, it's ascorbic acid. I'm actually thinking of going back to something like reactine. Is there a reason these otc allergy meds are not good?

 

[LauraLoo]

I can only speak from my experience, but OTC and rx allegy medicines have undesirable side effects in my family. I've been on and off allergy meds since I was 7 years old to control allegies and asthma. I've recently pulled ds off of his rx allergy med when I discovered that his behavioral issues were directly tied to it.

I know many people that take OTC and rx allergy meds and have no problems with them, but we do, and we've found a really good alternative treatment that's working for us.

Google for Quercetin and see what you find.

 

[Pam_and_Abigail]

I took them growing up, from about the same age as you, Laura, until I got pregnant. I can't recall ever noticing any side effects, except the time I took special Claritin that was supposed to stop runny noses. It dried my nose so much I had dailt nosebleeds.

Looking at the wiki site, I eat quite a few foods with quercetin in them:

apples,, red grapes, citrus fruits, broccoli & other leafy green vegetables, cherries, cranberry, honey

but I'm guessing the pp's are talking about a refinerd form?

 

[miss_sonja]

Claritin is safe for nursing moms according to Hale's. I use it for seasonal allergies, no problems with supply.

 

[Panserbjorne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pam_and_Abigail I don't even know what cofactors are or what they do, and I've never heard of quercetin. I just take vitamin c that I can buy locally, it's ascorbic acid. I'm actually thinking of going back to something like reactine. Is there a reason these otc allergy meds are not good?

Basically there's a million things in fruits and veggies that we still haven't identified. Nature packages things in a way to make them very bioavailable and usable by the body. For instance: an orange is a great source of vitamin C, the cofactors are found in the pith. That way when you eat it you are getting everything that the vitamin C needs to be properly assimilated by the body. We have names for many of these substances-quercetin is one. I am always leery of taking anything in isolation (just one of the B vitamins, just one of the carotenoids ie: beta carotene etc.) because it causes an inherent imbalance.

If you were to a carrot for instance there is a specific proportion of all the carotenoids so that they are being used together. IF you take a multi that has vitamin A from beta carotene you are getting too much beta carotene without the benefit of alpha carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein and whatever else is in there.

In cases of deficiency it's appropriate to consciously take things this way. If you were to use it sparingly (not daily year round) then isolating quercetin isn't a huge deal. I have used it in extreme circumstances like I said but I orefer to take vitamin C with bioflavanoids (also known as cofactors.) You can buy them right alongside the vitamin C in any health store. Some brands even combine them.

 

[Pam_and_Abigail]

Ok, bioflavinoids I have heard of. My vit C doesn't list it, but it does list rosehips, which may be a source?
I decided on reactine. My dd2 doesn't nurse very often, so I am not overly worried about supply.