Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with allergies

at least it's not TB....

sio42 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:24:53 -0800

MiseryFilter: I have had a dry cough for about 6 weeks that has gotten increasingly worse. I am seeing an allergy specialist as I already know I have allergies. For the last two weeks, I have been on Nasonex, Singulair, and Allegra. Most nights I cannot lie down due to coughing and have to sleep propped up on the couch. I have been doing the neti pot for the last few days, but it's not like tons of stuff is getting washed out of my sinuses when I do it. It just seems to go in one side and out the other. Then I resume coughing a little whlie later. Also, they started me on Flovent as of Monday. I think it's maybe starting to help, but not sure. Oct 26 I started Adderall XR. About two weeks after that I started getting a dry cough, but it wasn't bothersome. I drink plenty of water, don't smoke, etc.

We moved into our house on Oct 31. There are nice hardwood floors in the entire house and it was already pretty clean. There are no cats, we already take dust mite precautions. (We did pull up wall-to-wall carpet in the entire house before we moved in and then had professionals come in and redo the hw floors. I wore a mask for most of the carpet crap. The previous owner did not have any pets that I know of.)

Other than those two things, nothing has changed for me that I can see causing this awful coughing. Both my GP and allergist do not think that Adderall caused it. They said it's not something they ever heard of. They just want to keep trying different meds for allergies.

My chest X-ray did not show anything. My breath test did not show I was asthmatic. Normally, I just suffer through allergies without meds. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever put up with.

I have no other signs of reflux and already do all the things that are supposed to be what relieves it as part of normal life (with the exception of the raised bed obviously).

I am just fricking miserable and my boyfriend is really starting to get concerned. I just cough all night and can't get more than 5-6 hours sleep at a time. It doesn't matter where I am or what I am eating/drinking/wearing. I can count on having a horrible incapactitating coughing fit about 6pm everynight, which is when I assume the meds ran out. I take the Adderall in the AM along with the nasonex. the other meds at night with more nasonex since trying to sleep is the most important thing right now.

I am at my wit's end. Sometimes I cough so hard, I feel like I might puke or pass out, but so far I have done neither. It's also really bad usually in the morning when I get up. Steam doesn't help, neither does the cold. Other things that do nothing: cough suppresents and/or expectorants, cough drops menthol or otherwise, nettle tea, hot water with lemon and honey, spicy foods, bland foods, wishing.

I have recently, over the past 3 days, starting actually coughing stuff up, but it's only a very little bit of mucous and not yellow, mostly white or clear. I've had my share of sinus infections and colds and my "production" is nothing like those.

Any ideas on what I can ask my dr about next? I really don't want to stop the Adderall because it has been a godsend, but if this is the price, then it's too much.

Flooring solution for a slab floor and an owner with allergies.

odragul — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:23:20 -0800

Very humid house on a slab -- what's the best kind of flooring to help alleviate my allergies? I live in central Illinois. I am allergic to everything. We currently have carpeting in our entire house that traps all of the dust and allergens and funnels them directly up my nose. I can't sit on the floor for more than 10 minutes without a sneezing fit.

We would like to replace the carpet, but our house sits on a slab and we're worried about both the cold air and moisture (basically our town was once a swamp). What would be a good flooring option for us?

(I saw this product on a previous question -- but since I'm an ignoramus when it comes to taking care of a house (good thing I own one!) I'm not sure if it will work for my situation.)

Need hypoallergenic bedding advice

wenestvedt — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:29:49 -0800

Does anyone have good (or bad) experience with hypoallergenic bedding? One of the kids is allergic to dust, and since he spends almost half each day in bed, it seems like a good place to start fixing his environment. So we'd like to find some hypoallergenic bedding: a pillow case and mattress wrap seem to be the way to go.

Does anyone have any good or bad experiences with specific brands or non-specific types (I read something about buckwheat?)? Have you tried it and found it useful, or a waste? Does it make a lot of noise?

He has hardwood floors in his room, we dust weekly, and we're open to other suggestions (e.g., air filters), too. Thanks for any advice: he sounds like Young Darth Vader. :7(

help me slay my allergies!

dfriedman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:26:44 -0800

Where in Manhattan can I find nasalcrom and ketotifen eye drops? Do they sell them at Duane Reade? Bad allergies + Mom's dog + Thanksgiving = misery. My friend (who is an allergist) recommended that I take the above two things with Zyrtec to relieve the itchy eyes/running nose, etc.

So, has anyone seen these anywhere in a drug store in Manhattan? Duane Reade? Rite Aid? Walgreens?

Achoo!

sickinthehead — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:07:31 -0800

How can I reduce the allergens in my home? Extended explanation inside. One of my dearest friends is allergic to many things, including dogs and cats. I have a German Shepherd, plus 3 cats. It does get hairy in here, and vacuuming once a week just keeps it clean - by the end of the week it is looking pretty hairy again.

Anyway, whenever my friend comes to visit (often multiple times per week) she has terrible allergy attacks: sneezing fits, runny eyes, the whole nine. I personally have no allergies so it's hard to understand, but I feel very bad for her. It sucks that whenever we hang out here she has to suffer, and I don't want to start serving Claritin to my guests.

So, what can I do to reduce the allergens in my home to make my friend's life better? I already try to do a quick vacuum whenever she's coming over (only minorly helps), but I'm willing to invest in routine changes/habits/appliances for a long term and effective solution to the problem.

Do I have food allergies possibly?

k8t — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:03:44 -0800

Food allergies. Is this a possibility? I think that I have food allergies. Please help me sort this out. I may be creating this idea in my head.

- Was "allergic to milk" as a child. Not sure what brought about this diagnosis. Liked cheese and ice cream too much to ignore dairy as an adult.
- Have reactions (rash, itching) to any perfume/dyes in any lotion, detergent, soap. Can't wear makeup.
- Lips turn red and throat dry from wine and berries.
- Feel "hyperactive" after eating wheat products.
- When I live in Armenia (many times, for months at a time, for 10 years on-and-off) and eat a completely different diet from my American one, I feel a lot healthier and happier and less hyperactive than I normally do.

- As my 11-month-old tries new foods, I see rashes appearing after eating certain things. I try to keep a diary, but he's in full-time daycare now, so it is harder. But seeing his reactions (ex. acidic food = welts all over his butt after a BM), made me reconsider both of our potential food allergies. (Ped said not to worry about butt welts, but daycare workers comment on it all the time as being abnormal. They see a lot of butts, so I take their opinions seriously.)

I am beginning to think that there may be relationships between all these things. Does this sound like food allergies to you?

What are my next steps? I have terrible grad student health insurance, so I need to know what to ask for in terms of testing in order to get what I want/need. Should I start keeping a food diary for myself?

And, of course, YANMD.

do i need a medic alert bracelet?

nadawi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:26:58 -0800

When is a medic alert bracelet necessary? how useful are they actually? i'm a 28 year old female that's allergic to penicillin, erythromycin, and i'm asthmatic. it seems like all three of those could come up in a situation where i wasn't able to speak for myself. lower on the list of "things that are wrong with me" - i have a severe allergy to poison ivy that doesn't look like poison ivy, but could potentially kill me (my eyes, lips, and most alarmingly-throat swells up. the only medication that works is a steroid shot). i only say lower on the list because it takes 24 hours or so before i'm in such bad shape that i have to be in the hospital and i've always made it before my throat as actually swelled to the point of not breathing (but the doctors are all agreed that 12 hours or so more and that's exactly where i would be), so it doesn't seem like an emergency responder sort of situation.

so! do you have a bracelet? what has you wearing one? are you in the medical profession, and if so, do you take notice of them? would you take notice if someone had the symbol tattooed on the top of their wrist, with the allergies/conditions tattooed under the wrist? am i foolish to not wear one?

Preventing mold from house plants

Coventry — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:26:43 -0800

Is there an easy way to keep mold spores from potted plants at bay? It's getting cold, here in Ithaca, and we've brought our recently acquired house plants in from the porch. Shortly after that, I started coughing a lot. I think it's mold from the plants' soil. The coughing is worse if I hold one of the pots up to my face, so I'm pretty convinced that's the cause. I'm wondering what solutions there are, short of getting rid of the plants.

I've heard of sterilizing the soil, but that seems like a short-term solution: there's still a nice, moist environment for the mold to grow back into. I would trust it more if you could mix the soil with some kind of anti-fungal, like the one in krud kutter. Is that possible?

I've also heard of covering the soil with aquarium gravel. Does that really work? It seems like there would be plenty of interstices for the spores to escape through...

I've also thought about wrapping the pots in some kind of filter fabric, with holes for the plant stalks. Anyone ever tried something like that?

Should I be taking vitamins to make up for my fruit allergies?

stleric — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:15:15 -0800

I'm allergic to most fruits. Should I be taking some sort of multivitamin? I am allergic to varying degrees to a variety of delicious and nutritious foodstuffs. I'm most allergic to bananas, kiwis, mangoes, and avocados (not to a hospitalization/EpiPen extent, but I usually would stop eating only a few bites into any of the above), and am somewhat more mildly allergic to apples, oranges, berries, grapes, as well as carrots and a few varieties of nuts. I can eat probably about half of an apple or orange before the throat swelling/tingling/itchiness really starts to get to me, but I usually just don't eat said fruits so that I can avoid the allergic reactions altogether.

I don't think that it's due to pesticides, since I usually wash fruits fairly thoroughly. It seems like cooked fruits either don't give me allergic reactions or diminish the reactions, but it's not always convenient for me to be cooking everything.

If eating raw fruit is usually out of the picture, is there some sort of vitamin or multi-vitamin that I should be taking to pick up the slack in getting the right vitamins and minerals in my diet? If so, is there anything in specific or any vitamins and minerals that I should be looking for to replace what I would have been getting from fruit (especially the bananas, mangoes, etc.)? Should I just be eating a lot of processed pre-cooked fruit products and crossing my fingers that I don't get a reaction?

Thanks, everyone!

I'm not allergic to my cat. I'm allergic to bugs, but only in my makeup. Apparently.

Medieval Maven — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:48:51 -0800

Not sure what sort of doctor to go to about an allergy in my eyes that is not due to dust, pollen, mites, my cat, or any of the usual suspects. I have an allergy to some eye makeup that I've narrowed down to four pots of shadow that I own, and within that pool, one ingredient that I'm fairly sure is the culprit. However, I don't get contact dermatitis - my skin is basically fine - it's when the powder sloughs off into my eyes that the fun begins. (To be clear, I wear a normal amount of this stuff, it's just that there will, inevitably, be some small amount that does get into one's eyes.)

I don't think that my eye doctor deals with allergies (it's not one of the many eye-ailments he lists on his website) and I'm not sure one goes to the dermatologist for one's eyes in this case. Suggestions?

Help me give relief to a friend's dog.

Pseudology — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:28:32 -0800

I have met some new friends recently and they have a 10 year old golden retriever who is suffering from a list of allergies so long it could fill a book. Removing the exposure to allergens is impossible. I want to help them reduce the strength of the symptoms. So from what I've been told the dog is allergic to pretty much any and all food as well as grass and cedar (which is *very* common here). It would probably be shorter to provide a list of what the dog isn't allergic to.

They tried an anti-allergy medication for dogs and the side effects were so serious the dog had to be taken off of it.

Right now they're trying to feed the dog raw food. This provided noticeable relief initially but the symptoms have returned.

I recommended keeping up the raw food because the latest hypothesis on allergies is that they're the result of an underused immune system. I also recommended mixing their own food to see if they could actually feed their dog with stuff that it's not allergic to. Even if removing all allergenic exposure is totally unrealistic then at least taking it out of its food would help.

Google has also recommended vitamin C and E to reduce allergic reactions but I'm a little out of my depth with this.

As I awoke one morning from a troubled dream, I found myself with winged feet.

Lieber Frau — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:20:43 -0800

Runningfilter: A minor miracle of transformation. I could barely run at all, but last night I ran 2 miles. Why might this have happened, and have you ever had a similar experience? In late April or early May, I started a run/walk couch to 5K program. As I progressed, I was repeatedly disappointed with my results and frustrated by setbacks. For some reason, I could not run for more than 6 minutes, tops, even after being on the program for several months. After 6 minutes, and more often, 4 minutes, my chest would feel like it was going to explode, and I would run out of breath. This continued happening no matter how many times I ran a week. In addition to that, I kept getting shin splints and the pain would keep me out of the program for days at a time. Finally, I said fuck it, gave up running, and joined Crunch.

That was in late July. Yesterday night, I wanted to work out but didn't want to go to the gym, so I decided to try running again. I stepped out the door and started jogging at a medium pace. Five minutes in, I realized I had been running for five minutes. "Hmm," I thought. "This is interesting. Last time I ran, I couldn't make it four minutes without a problem, but I just passed five, and I'm feeling fine." Ten minutes in, I thought the same thing. Fifteen minutes in, I was amazed. I thought "let's try and see if I can make it to 20". Twenty-five minutes later, I stopped running. Not because I felt bad, but because I didn't want to push my luck. I was not heaving and gasping for breath. In fact, I felt great. I checked when I got home, and I ran around two miles. And my shins felt fine.

I have never run a mile in my life. Not even in gym class. In high school, I weaseled my way out of the dreaded Mile. Knowing I was allergic to dandelions, I rubbed a big bouquet of them on my face and purposely suffered an asthma attack. (true story!) The last time I tried running, in July, I couldn't make it four minutes. I couldn't make it around the track at the park. And I would have gotten shin splints almost immediately.

What gives? It was like waking up and discovering I could fly. Two miles! I wasn't exhilarated til much later, after I stopped being confused. What could have possibly happened in those two months?

Here is my list of possible factors in this miraculous transformation:

1) I quit smoking (i was a light smoker, a pack every 2 weeks or so) in March of 2009. However, ten years ago when I did not smoke, I had similar shortness of breath when running, so I do not think smoking is the only issue. But, perhaps my lungs have repaired themselves more since July.

2) I suffer from allergies and I live with a cat who exacerbates them. In August, discovering that my lungs were working at a much diminished capacity, my allergist put me on Allegra and a nasal inhaler and I banished the cat from my bedroom. This has greatly improved my sleep (I used to wake up coughing every night). Perhaps this has helped my breathing.

3) I make it to the gym at least twice a week, sometimes three times, and when I'm really good, four. I have been for the last couple weeks training on an elliptical machine on a pretty grueling setting. Perhaps this was the conditioning that got me in good enough shape to run for over 20 minutes.

4) I have radically altered my diet to be pretty low cal. This started in late June if I remember correctly. For the most part, I only eat vegetables, yogurt, and low cal grains during the day, then a sensible dinner.

5) When I was running the Couch to 5K program, I obsessively checked my stopwatch and flicked from mp3 to mp3 on my iPhone. This time, I put on a nice long mixtape and didn't worry about time or changing tracks. I just settled into the rhythm of the run, and was startled when I happened to notice how long it had been. Perhaps I reduced the stress factor, and was able to relax and just run.

I can't wait to try and repeat this experiment. But I'm still baffled as to how I did it. Has anything like this ever happened to any of you before? Do you have any ideas how it might have happened to me?

Need snack help, and have a list of allergens which limits me...

JoannaC — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:47:04 -0800

Trying to lose those last few pounds, and snacks are my downfall. I am getting tired of Ye Olde Afternoon Trail Mix. I need some new ideas for carby/protein snacks (to accompany a piece of fruit) which are portable, will keep in my bag all day, and which are compatible with my daunting list of food allergies. I've lost almost 20 pounds in the last year, and kept it off, for the most part. But it's creeping on again because I am so sick of my snacks that I am tempted by treats when I'm out. I need something a little more substantial in the afternoon, so for as long as I have been tracking, I have been eating a satisfying, filling snack of a piece of fruit and a 1/2 cup of trail mix consisting of rice puffs, craisins or raisins, and soy nuts or sunflower seeds. I am sick of it! I want something else of a similar feel and of a similar satiety. BUT...I have some food allergies, and it's tricky to find things. My restrictions right now (all of these have been verified by medical testing...)

NO wheat products
NO corn products (incl. corn starch)
NO flax
NO tree nuts or peanuts (soy nuts are fine but I am sick of them)
Limited dairy (it's fine in small doses as an ingredient, but no milk or cheese)

Please do not suggest fruits; the snack I am trying to find substitutions for is IN ADDITION to a piece of fruit :)

So far, my list of ideas is pretty minimal. Hummus with carrot sticks or rice crackers with turkey pepperoni. I need stuff I can pack in a tupperware and take with me when out. Something carby/proteiny which can be enjoyed with a piece of fruit.

What's the deal with my throat?

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:25:23 -0800

I have been drinking coffee regularly, and red wine occasionally, for 10 years. But over the past 2 months, my throat seems to have developed an intolerance for both. When I drink a cup of coffee, my throat feels uncomfortable, as if it's partially closed or has swelled. This lasts about 6 hours.

When I drink red wine, my throat immediately stings when I swallow, and if I drink more than 1 glass, I end up with a horrible sore throat in the morning; it often causes me to be sick. (White wine is the same but less severe).

I don't seem to have this reaction to any other kind of drink or food, which is strange because coffee and red wine are probably my two favorite things on earth to consume.

Could it be an allergy? I have never been allergic to anything in my life before, though.

I am going to see a doctor, but unfortunately I won't be able to do so for several months (in the meantime, I'll just cut out the coffee/wine). I was wondering if anyone had a similar situation or might know what is happening to me.

Help for cat-induced asthma?

SampleSize — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:33:36 -0800

The cat allergy question has been asked before, and I do have the standard itchy eyes, stuffed nose, sneezing, etc. However, I'd specifically like suggestions regarding cat-induced asthma. Mine is severe enough that, although I haven't done it for years, spending 24 hours in a house with cats has put me in the emergency room and on a nebulizer. One person in that previous thread mentioned that Claritin helped. Has anyone else had experience with something that helped not just their cat allergies but the cat-induced asthma as well?

stuffy ear is driving me bananas.

sucre — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:40:34 -0800

My left ear is stuffy almost every day. Allergies + Qtip use + Earplugs = ? YANAD, but you might be able to help. for a few years now, my left ear has been stuffy on and off. it is similar to the sensation of having water in your ear (without the actual water sensation, just the stuffiness). i have allergies (cats, dogs, possibly mold, dust) although i have never had allergy testing or allergy shots.

other details: the stuffiness seems more apparent in the summertime. i notice the stuffiness about 30-60 minutes after waking up, and is lasts for a stretch of the day and seems to disappear around the evening-time. i wear an earplug each night (just one, in the ear that doesn’t touch the pillow) and often switch the earplug back and forth when i switch sides while i sleep (i know, i should probably just use two earplugs). also, and this may be pretty important, i use qtips almost every day (once per day), similar to this person. i would characterize it as a qtip addition, (although i don’t hear my pulse like this person did). that said, i don’t think i have any wax build-up. i’ve tried wax-removing techniques (a storebought kit, including some oil and a squirty bulb) as well as warmed olive oil and hydrogen peroxide. i’ve taken a few different kinds of allergy pills, none of which helped. i’ve used a Neti Pot on and off, and have just recently started using it twice a day. i also have a lot of gunk in my throat, and am constantly clearing it and sometimes coughing. this may be related. i also have asthma, which i have under control (i use 100/50 Advair twice per day).

i visited the doctor about two years ago to discuss this problem, assuming it was allergy-related. she checked for wax, didn’t find any, and said that because the stuffiness was only in one ear, it couldn’t be allergies. so she gave me an antibiotic and let me go. i don’t remember this helping at all, and here i am years later with the same problem.

it's really annoying! and i know that i shouldn't be using qtips (maybe my first step will be to cut the qtip use). any suggestions, hive mind?

Baby's First No-Hives Cupcakes, from the Hive Mind

Viola — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:31:55 -0800

I'm baking cupcakes for a toddler's first birthday, and I'd like to find an allergen-free recipe (no eggs, buttermilk, chocolate, nuts, etc) that is still tasty enough for adults to eat. I was considering baking two separate batches of cupcakes--one safe for the toddlers (of organic-minded, allergy-phobic parents) who might eat a couple bites and smear the rest on their faces, and another batch for adults who would enjoy baked goods beyond the inevitable sugar high. But I feel pressed for time and don't want to spend that much energy on a dozen baby-safe-but-egglessly-gross cupcakes if 90% of the finished product winds up on the picnic tables.

So what are my options for a hybrid of baby-safe and interesting, tasty cupcakes? I'm willing to compromise on the eggs if anyone can produce decent evidence that eggs in baked goods won't pose a threat to kids over one year, as my Google searching has been inconclusive.

If this sounds overly paranoid, it's because many folks at the party--including the birthday girl's parents--err on the side of extreme caution when it comes to their kid's diet: I had to rigorously persuade the mother to let her 1 year-old have processed sugar at her birthday party. This means any ingredients that pose even the slightest threat to little kids (chocolate, peanut butter flavoring, whole milk, strawberries, raspberries, real almond extract, honey) are strictly verboten.

And yes, it would also be cool if the adults won't have to suppress the urge to spit out the baby-safe cupcakes as well!

Thanks in advance!

Sensible Caution or Fear Mongering?

esereth — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:39:04 -0800

Did you (your wife) eat peanuts while pregnant? Did you child develop an allergy as a result? As we consider the conception of our second child, my husband and I are having disagreements.

My husband put me off many foods when pregnant with our first. Peanuts, sea-food, even single glasses of ice tea. Our daughter was born healthy with no allergies. Husband says I couldn't live with myself if ate peanuts with this pregnancy and the child was damaged. (Neither of us have any food allergies).

I have come to believe there is a lot of fear-mongering when it comes to pregnancy and children, and I'm so sick of participating in it. I suspect most babies are tougher than the people who sell books and magazines would have me believe. Even my ob/gyn looked quizzical when I said I wasn't eating peanuts.

So I'm down to requesting anecdotal evidence. I want to know more about what DOES happen, not what we fear COULD happen. Peanuts, reasonable caffeine, sea food, mild alcohol...did you (she) imbibe in any of them and what were the effects on your child? (Especially peanuts!!)

Professional de-cat-dandering

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:17:28 -0800

Professional services to help de-cat-dander a house? I am very allergic to cats and have bought a house previously occupied by one. I plan to quickly replace the carpets and scrub every surface. The thought occurs to me that companies specialize in cleaning the air in moldy houses (I think sealing rooms, and using big fans with good filters to dilute the evil humors), and might be useful to me.

Oh hive mind: have you ever hired a firm that specializes in removing mold to help de-cat a house? What did they do? Do you have suggestions regarding other professionals that could help me rapidly de-cat a house?

Can Cats and Allergies Co-exist?

Effigy2000 — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:50:28 -0800

My partner and I would like to get a kitten, but I'm very allergic to them and not keen on living on a daily diet of Telfast to cope. Is there anything we can do? I have seen this previous question but we don't really want to limit ourselves to one particular breed of cat. I guess we're looking for practical, medical or alternative solutions that might allow us to have a cat in our lives whilst ensuring that I don't degenerate into a sneezing, red-eyed wreck every day thereafter.

Allergy relief methods?

greatalleycat — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:58:13 -0800

What can I do for relief until I get to my allergy doctor? It's been a bad spring allergy season for me, I've been constantly tired and I have had a low-grade headache constantly for the last few weeks. Nothing seems to make it go away. I take Claritin D daily, along with an RX nasal spray (Astelin) and I use the neti pot at night several times a week.
Does anyone have any other possible relief methods? I can barely get up in the morning and I must use caffeine to get me through the day.
I was forced to cancel my allergy doctor appointment scheduled for today due to work issues and couldn't get one for two weeks.
I am trying to avoid grass and other things, but I had to go outdoors yesterday for a commencement and will have to mow lawn in next couple days (yay)

Indian food allergies?

zeek321 — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:33:56 -0800

Which Indian restaurant dishes never have wheat or dairy (or corn or eggs)? I have seriously annoying but not dangerous food allergies to wheat, dairy, eggs, and corn. I know cream is in a bunch of Indian dishes, but I've also had some amazing Indian food that hasn't given me any problem at all. (Trace amounts of allergens don't seem to cause a reaction for me, i.e. as long as it's not an official ingredient.)

Can you help me compile a list of the "types" of dishes that I can eat? (e.g., if the dish has X in the name or it's cooked in way Y, then it's definitely safe. If it has Z in the name, then it's cooked with cream, etc...)

What's wrong with my eyelid?

Girl Scout of Death — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:12:03 -0800

I woke up with my eyelid half-swollen shut. Given the circumstances, how should I treat it? I lost a contact lens last night. Figuring it was stuck under my upper eyelid, I panicked and spent a good deal of time trying to get it out, mostly by lifting my eyelid and trying to see what was underneath. Didn't find the contact lens, so I'm pretty sure it must have fallen out at some point.

I went to bed with my eye a little red and watery, which isn't too different from any other night, since I have really bad seasonal eye allergies. When I woke up this morning and got in the shower, I rubbed my eyes, and the eyelid in question felt... puffy and squishy, but not painful at all. If anything, it's a little numb. I can see just fine, I don't have a fever, and it hasn't gotten any worse or better since I got up 4 hours ago. The eye itself is still quite red, and leaking a lot, but again, that's usually the case for me in May. It's not bothering me too much, although it looks pretty gruesome. Here's a picture.

I'm pretty sure it's not a stye or a chalazion, since there's no bump anywhere.

Is my eye just irritated from the rubbing/prodding/allergies, or is this something more urgent? I don't have health insurance, so I'd rather not go to the doctor unless there's cause for alarm. How long should I wait for it to get better, and what can I do to reduce the swelling in the meantime?

(I did read this question.)

I can't stop coughing!

prunes — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:41:43 -0800

Chronic cough has bothered me for two years. Five doctors have been unable to help me. I am at my wit's end. Help! As I write this I am suffering from a coughing bout that has kept me up two hours past my bed time.

I developed chronic cough sometime around when I started working in the summer of 2007. I am a healthy white male in his twenties. I feel like I have always tended to cough a little, but it was around that time that things got really bad. Over the course of these two years I have been to five doctors: my childhood pediatrician, two internists, an asthma/allergy specialist, and a pulmonary specialist.

I saw the pediatrician around a year and a half ago. She did not know what I had. She gave me antibiotics (clarithromycin perhaps), nasonex, and advair. These did not seem to help.

My allergist did two lung tests which he thought confirmed I did not have asthma. I was also subjected to a battery of 20+ allergens. I was allergic to 75% or so. But this was during the winter and during that time I was still suffering from my cough, and because of this the doctor did not think it was allergy induced. As a diagnosis by exclusion he thought perhaps I had acid reflux and recommended nexium. This I took on and off but got the flu during that time and so was very bad about taking my meds. I was highly skeptical of his diagnosis, although I admit that after very spicy foods I do cough (but to be fair I also notice my sinuses running heavily). But I also notice that I cough after eating especially bland foods sometimes. It's really hit or miss though.

Things started getting REALLY bad about four months ago. This motivated me to get a physical. I passed this physical with flying colors. I was tested for TB at that time. My doctor also did blood work to test for walking pneumonia, which I had in high school. The test came back negative and noted that I had the antigens. No surprise there. The doctor suggested I take a CAT scan and reiterated it might be possible that I could have acid reflux. The CAT scan came back negative. A "cookie swallow" was suggested for in the future. He noted that when he listened to my lungs as I sang AAAAAA, one chamber sounded as though I was saying EEEEEE, which he thought could be indicative.

The pulmonary specialist agreed that he did not think I had acid reflux. He observed that my throat was highly irritated and that I seemed to have nasal trip, most likely due to allergies. He thought that because I have been coughing for so long that my cough reflex was worn to the point where anything and everything made me cough. He recommended a full assault. He prescribed me prednisolone, clarinex, singulair, and codeine cough syrup, and recommended nasal irrigation.

This regimen brought my cough to a more manageable level but I still experience bad symptoms. Things will especially flair up when I am trying to go to bed and when I am working out. For the latter the pulmonary doctor prescribed an albuterol inhaler; it flat out does not work. And I can be sitting in my chair beside my bed not coughing but after I do my routine and get into bed I will start feeling like my lungs are wheezing and begin coughing. Anxiety plays a role I think.

I am getting to my wit's end. I feel like my doctor's are blowing me off, but I know of course that they have other patients with life threatening illnesses and that a case of chronic cough, which is so difficult to diagnose, ranks low on their list of priorities. Suggestions?

What's up with my reaction to alcohol?

Quizicalcoatl — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:04:47 -0800

I have a really wierd reaction to alcohol. What is it and can I prevent it without giving up drinking forever? (Details inside!) Whenever I drink I get a vicious edema (swelling) in my eyelids that lasts for 24-48 hours and my nose runs like a faucet for a several hours. The symptoms begin within a few hours of drinking. I don't have any other symptoms - no vision or breathing problems, other swelling, pain, vomiting, or itching except for my eyes.
It started when I was about 28 (2 years ago) with a wheat beer. At that point it was just one eyelid. I tried another beer and it happened again so I assumed it was an allergy to hops or barley or something. I tried several different brands and types of beers but the reaction always occurred with varying levels of severity, so I gave it up. About a year ago I had a glass of red wine and nothing happened! Then, a couple of weeks later I had another glass of wine and the eyelid swelling was worse than ever. I did a little research and decided it might be a sulfite allergy and about a month ago I decided to try liquor. I even called the good folks at Bacardi to make sure their rum was sulfite free. So I tried one whiskey drink and nothing happened. A few days later I had a rum drink and, again, nothing happened. I waited a few more days and then had 1 whiskey drink and 2 rum drinks and the swelling came back as badly as ever.
I don't have any significant allergies other than mild hay fever.
So what in the world could this be? Could it possibly be prevented?