When is this allergy madness going to end?!?!

[Anonymous]

I've got both of my kids on Zyrtec and it doesn't seem to be cutting it this year. Both kids have developed dry coughs over the past week. I've tried honey, vicks on the feet, a humidifier, we wash sheets and blankets weekly,'etc but they are still coughing both during the day and at night. It doesn't wake them but it's keeping me up and concerning me. DS #1 has an inhaler because he had a wheezing episode a few years ago. Tried the inhaler to see if his cough was asthma related and it didn't make a difference.

Do you think that an allergist can do something or do we just need to suffer through it for the next month?

[Anonymous]

Yes, you should go to an allergist!!! Not to be snarky but why wouldn't you have gone already?

[Anonymous]

We saw our allergist, guess what-we have our kids on Zyrtec and an inhaler and still our kids are coughing and puffy itchy eyes, go figure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you should go to an allergist!!! Not to be snarky but why wouldn't you have gone already?

I am following the advice of our pediatrician. I just didn't know if there was anything else a specialist could do. It's a little dry cough- neither child is hacking out of control. It's just every few minutes I hear one of them cough on the monitor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We saw our allergist, guess what-we have our kids on Zyrtec and an inhaler and still our kids are coughing and puffy itchy eyes, go figure

Thanks for your post. DS #1 has puffy eyes too. He looks fine in the morning but by the end of the day, his eyes are really puffy. Did the allergist want you to use the inhaler even if it wasn't helping? I've tried it a few times and it hasn't made any difference so I'm not apt to use it (Xopenex). Did your dr also suggest benadryl at night?

[Anonymous]

Pp here, yes I have been using Benadryl at night but only when the coughing is so bad it keeps them up. I have used the inhaler but it didn't seem to help so I don't want to use it too much-really only if needed.
My ped (not our allergist) prescribed patanol for the itchy eyes, it is helping but we need it before it says we can use it again so I have been doing cold compresses.
Luckily the coughing only lasted a few night and seems better.
Be sure to use some saline spray for the nose morning and night since I feel like it helps with post nasal drip-which might be making the cough worse
The only thing the allergist did for us was to make us aware of the bedroom for the kids. Allergy covers for the mattresses, never open the windows, baths as soon as the kids come in for the day from outside-we don't do this like we should, and never let them wear their outdoor clothes to bed

[Anonymous]

Hang in there; this bad period for tree pollen only lasts about 3 more weeks.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how old your kids are but the spray nasal wash with baking soda helps me. You have to roll your head around and blow your nose like crazy but it helps and i am a big time sufferer. My allergist also said to take claritin in the am and a zyrtec at night. It dries you out a lot but i feel so much better. Thankfully my kids dont suffer with this like i do. Its been bad this year!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hang in there; this bad period for tree pollen only lasts about 3 more weeks.

Ugh- three more weeks of this! We are seeing the allergist tomorrow. I'm hoping that she'll prescribe a nasal steroid and perhaps Singulair, though I've read some scary stories of kids' bad reactions. Keep you all posted.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We're on Singulair now. Wish us luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're on Singulair now. Wish us luck!

just curious,
why singular? isn't that more for asthma?

[Anonymous]

If it doesn't end I may shoot myself (kidding)! I can't take it. I've only had sneezing from allergies before. On Tuesday my eyes were burning and then they got crusty on Wednesday and now I have a constant headache. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

My 2.5 year old had a scary episode yesterday where he had trouble breathing because of his allergies. No inhalers at his age, so fun nebulizer treatments with me holding the mask over his mouth and nose while he screams trying to push it away. I feel like I'm getting as much medication as he is, which is unfortunate as the albuterol gives me a splitting headache! Can't wait for the pollen count to go down. I heard it was over 1200 today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you should go to an allergist!!! Not to be snarky but why wouldn't you have gone already?

yes please drive up the cost of medicine even more with a problem that a primary care physician can manage!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're on Singulair now. Wish us luck!

just curious,
why singular? isn't that more for asthma?

I'm an adult long-time allergy sufferer and Singulair is MAGIC for me. Between that, Flonase, and Patanol, I don't even dread spring anymore. You do have to do the meds every day consistently, ideally starting before it gets bad. I was caught off guard a bit this year because it was so warm so early, but overall I'm feeling pretty good. Before Singulair I did Claritin, Zyrtec, etc. and I still do on occasion, but really Singulair has made the difference. I swear I don't work for the Singulair people.