Flu or allergies? This is lasting over a month!?

Question

I have allergies year round...pretty bad, but worse in the winter. I've gone to the doctor twice and she thinks I have a cold. This "cold" is lasting for a month and I was only "well" for two weeks before it when i had it again for a month.

Stuffy, runny nose. Swollen glands. Headache. Congestion with phlem (lots) Sneezing. Itching. Watery eyes. Tired. Sometimes running a fever

If they are allergies why would they be worse in winter? I feel just awful! I'm taking cold medicine AND allergy medicine along with my asthma inhaler almost daily......this is absolutely ridiculous. Please help

Answer 1

Bad allergies cause some of the symptoms that you mention: stuffy runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes. If you have your allergies long enough, the chronic inflammation in your nose can actually become an infection.

The cycle becomes chronic and you seem to be having these symptoms all the time.

If you have not already, get yourself check for allergens. If you are allergic to dust mites, you WILL feel your allergies greater in the winter. You are inside and the dust is just circulating each time the heat goes on. I have a terrible allergy to dust which worsens in the winter months.

Colds are viral infections that last 7-10 days--not over a month.

Sometimes you have to get the right combination of drugs to deal with the symptoms. You may need a prescription nasal spray with cortisone to eliminate the inflammation.

Answer 2

It sounds like a cold or a series of colds, but it definitely shouldn't be lasting a month. Your doctor needs to look into any underlying causes that may impact your immune system. Are your blood counts normal? Are you on the right asthma medications (you really need more than one inhaler to manage asthma well... you should probably be on Advair and an emergency inhaler)? How is your lung function; are your lungs inflamed? So go see her again, or a smarter doctor! Also, be careful because over the counter allergy medications and cold medications often have the same things included.... just take one. You don't want to be taking a double dose of antihistamines or Tylenol!

Answer 3

Long ...BUT well worth the reading.

Make the connection.
http://www.mcs-america.org/

I am a nurse with over 25 years experience in this area and I have seen a lot of people with various illnesses caused from chemicals and fragranced products as well as VOC’s in their homes, schools and workplace. This problem is growing as more and more chemicals are being introduced and used on a daily basis.

We are now seeing more and more children with Asthma, Allergies, Hives, Eczema and many respiratory illnesses. I can not emphasize how important it is to educate yourself about MCS and the harm you may be doing to your health by using chemicals and fragranced products.

If you or a loved one suffers from Asthma, Allergies, Autism, chronic headaches, reproductive problems, Migraines, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia, you need to read further and learn about the signs and symptoms of MCS - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Most doctors will not inform you about this because patients as a whole like to walk out of a doctors office with a prescription for some magical medicine and they do not want to be told that their expensive new perfume or newly installed carpet may be the culprit. So, the doctor will give you medications and many of these meds either do not work or cause other health problems.

Chemicals and fragranced products are often the root of all evil when it comes to your health. Many of the below mentioned items are common triggers to sinus, asthma, itching, headaches, Migraines and allergy problems amongst other health issues. Get rid of them and your lungs will thank you and you will breathe easier.

And, it is not only personal body or cleaning products causing havoc on your health….many people become ill after wearing brand new clothing, dry-cleaned clothes, installing new carpet, painting, buying a new mattress or after home renovations because of the Flame Retardants, Benzenes, Formaldehydes, etc. used in these products. So the answer is NO, you are not imagining that 2 weeks after your home, office or classroom got renovated you started to become ill, get dizzy or have headaches. This is happening more and more these days and adults as well as children are becoming sicker and sicker.

Unfortunately, too many doctors compound the problem by prescribing chemical medications to try to alleviate the symptoms of an already chemical overloaded body and they rarely tell the patient to eliminate the chemical offenders. How many times have I seen people in the grocery store with Bounce, Glade Plug-Ins and Febreeze in their shopping cart along with a bottle of Benadryl , Migraine Excedrin and a box of Allergy Tablets ? Why don’t they make the connection?

Here is a Brain Spect Scan Before and after a whiff of perfume:
http://www.ourlittleplace.com/spect.html

BIG NO-NO’s
No Bounce or dryer sheets
No Febreeze
No Glade Plug-ins
No scented candles
No Fragranced Products on Body, Hair or Clothing
No Smoke
No Dander
No Sprays

And remember, it is NOT the smell it is the Chemicals that make up the smell. So, even if something is "Fragrance Free" these products often mask the smell with another chemical !

More and more offices and schools are creating “Fragrance Free Zones”… why do you think this is?

Feel free to contact me on this subject.

http://www.ourlittleplace.com/mcs.

Answer 4

That is definitely a cold.

Try Hot wet towels on your face to help loosen up the "Ick" and relieve the pain. Wet a hand towel and wring it out, 40 seconds on high in the microwave. Lay on your face to heat the sinus canals.

Try a nasal wash. They are supposed to be really beneficial for allergies and the sinuses.

A couple of Doctor Friends has said that colds are lasting much longer this year. The cough (in my Husband ) lasted two months after the cold. and my cold lasted into the third week.