non-antihistimine allergy cures?

Factual Questions
1

I never had any allergies in all my long life, until that past several months. I’m constantly sniffing, sneezing, head-achy. Unfortunatley AZ has become loaded with nasty pollens that cause these problems.

I’m already taking an Rx pain medicadtion that makes me quite dizzy and drowsy. Looking at the over-the-counter meds, all seem to be antihistamine allergy cures, and each warns against drowsiness and dizziness (it seems to me all medications seem to warn about this).

Anybody know of anything that helps without these side effects? it is not so bad that I want to go to my family doc (yet), so just wonder if anything is available that might help.

Other than acupuncture. :smiley:

2

I have great results from Zyrtec. It’s not cheap, but it’s no longer a prescription med. For me, at least, it causes no drowsiness at all. I’ve been taking it for years.

3

Loratadine (claritin) is a relatively non-sedating antihistamine that is available over the counter. Have you given it a try? It may make a few folks a little sleepy, but most people don’t notice any drowsiness when using it. Cetirizine (zyrtec) is similar, but causes a a few more people to report drowsiness on it.

Also, more folks are using prescription leukotriene inhibitors for allergy symptoms, like Singulair or Accolate. They don’t cause much drowsiness either, but are expensive and require your doctor to prescribe it.

Otherwise, consider a neti pot to flush your nasal passages out regularly. This reduces allergy symptoms quite a bit. Here’s a recent thread on neti pots: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?

They can be found in most retail drug stores.

4

As mentioned, there are a number of antihistamines that have good track records in most people for not causing drowsiness.

There is limited evidence for the herb butterbur as being effective against allergic symptoms. You may want to look into this option assuming there is a reliable supplier out there (I haven’t seen it in drugstores).

5

whoops, bad link. Try again: Mr. brown caves and uses neti pot - and he loves it - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board

6

Nasal irrigation can help with nasal allergies, but that’s hardly a certainly. From what I’ve read, it’s wonderful for people with chronically dry sinuses. For me, it didn’t do a damned bit of good.

I second loratadine, though. It’s not only OTC, but its patent has also expired so you can get it generic. Never made me drowsy.

7

As I said, it won’t work for everybody.

Oh, wait. I didn’t say that, did I? :smack:

Well, it won’t work for everybody.

8

I can’t take antihistamines at all. They simply don’t agree with me.

I have had great luck with various mild steroid sprays such as Nasacort and Becanase. They take a week or two to work but once they do, no more drip and cough.

9

I would like to also suggest Loratadine, it doesn’t have the side effects that first generation antihistamines do. However, it could take up to a week to receive full therapeutic effect with Loratadine. So, if it doesn’t work right away, give it a week.

10

Hookworms

11

Allergy shots may reduce your symptoms long term. I’m not sure if these things are standard anymore.

12

I think you want to work on your terminology a bit.

First, there is no cure for allergies. The available medications are treatments for the symptoms, nothing more. It does nothing to alter the underlying causes.

Second, the drowsiness issue has nothing to do with antihistamines specifically. It’s typically a side effect of diphenhydramine hydrochloride (Benedryl) a common ingredient in older allergy medications. What you want is a newer antihistamine, not a non-antihistamine.

Allergies are largely characterized by a histamine response, avoiding antihistamines would miss the point.

To the point, Claratin has been extremely effective in my experience against a fairly severe pet allergy. However it’s best used on a daily ongoing basis and it’s effectiveness in an on-demand basis is much less.

13

Interesting read!

14

Get the generic Costco brand. It’s about $16 for a year’s supply (seriously).

I get a lot of mileage out of nasal irrigation, thanks to our friend QtM who convinced me to finally try it, but it doesn’t completely ameliorate the condition. Momentasone (Nasonex) is like the Second Coming for me, but it’s expensive. However, regular use will completely keep my rhinitis at bay. Fortunately, I’ve found that after an initial attack dose, I can get by with three uses a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, greatly reducing the cost. There’s also a $15 off coupon on the web page.

15

If it’s mostly sniffles, you could try a decongestant, like pseudoephedrine. That tends to work for me.

16

Long time allergy sufferer checking in. I am not your doctor, I am not offering medical advice, or telling you want to do. The following is solely my opinion:

Allergy shots are a pain (literally, but just a tiny one) and the treatment takes years to achieve the full effect, but for most people they really do work to either reduce or eliminate the reaction. The downsides are that you need to go to an allergist, there is a time and money factor involved, they don’t work for everyone (just most people), and there is a small but real chance of a very serious reaction.

Neti pot - I am yet another convert. Messy at first, it has really helped make a difference. I am taking fewer medications, breathing easier, and giving my husband a good laugh whenever he sees me using one. Humor is always good.

Zyrtec - I don’t take it because the FAA doesn’t like it, and it makes me feel zoned-out. Not drowsy, just zoned-out. But a lot of people swear by it, and it’s long-acting.

Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) - great decongestant. Downsides are that in most places you have to ask at the counter, show your driver’s license, and sign for it, and you’re limited in how much you can buy at once and per month. Can also raise your blood pressure, cause anxiety/nervousness, disrupted sleep, dizziness, and not good for people with heart problems.

Ephedra - the herbal form of pseudoephedrine. Hard to find in many places, banned in others, dosage is much less consistent, same side effects apply and I recommend the commercially produced pills just because it’s easier to predict the effects and what you’re getting.

Loratidine (Claritin) - Non-sedating anti-histamine. I find it most useful to take it BEFORE I have a reaction, and daily use makes it more effective as other posters havenoted.

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) - The old stand-by. If you wind up in the emergency room with a life-threatening allergic reaction one of the things they do is give you 50 mg of this stuff right at the start. It’s good at knocking back those reactions. It’s also good at knocking people out. In fact, it’s so good at it, it’s also sold as an over the counter sleep aid. Don’t drive under the influence, please. If you have a BAD reaction this is still the best, in my opinion, but I’d prefer to avoid needing it in the first place.

**Fexofenadine (Allegra) **- I have never taken this that I recall, so I have no opinion.

17

Allergy shots have been a godsend to me. I went from a box of Claritin a week from late February through early June and then again from mid-September to mid-October to a box getting me through a whole year, taking them only as needed for especially bad days.

18

I tried Zyrtec once for some hives I had and I was a zombie for the entire 24 hours. I had to really fight to stay awake all day!!

I’d advise against trying it unless you do it on a weekend or some such time where you can see what it will do to you.

I don’t have histamine-based allergies, so that might be why it hit me so hard.

19

I was coming in to say the same thing. Here’s a link to the WNYC Radiolab podcasts. The episode Parasites has the same information regarding hookworms and allergies.

Re: Zyrtec. If you can power through 72 hours of drowsiness, it should go away after that.

What works best for me is two squirts of Nasonex in each nostril AM and PM (that’s a lotta Nasonex!) and Clarinex. Every day starting in April until a few frosts have passed.

But it’s expensive and I am seriously considering hookworms…

20

Drowsiness may occur as a side effect even with newer antihistamines like Claritin and Allegra - but considerably less often than with Benadryl.