Allergies - anyone have tips for dealing with throat swelling and sudden tight chest?

[yaf_user681_60253]

Hi all, I'm hoping somebody is able to give some advice...

So, having finally got over the coughs and colds the allergies are making an appearance! My throat has swelled up now to the point I'm finding it hard to talk. I can swollow but painful. One of my eyes is puffy and red too but the main reason I'm posting is because I'm wondering what else I can do without taking the dreaded steriods. My chest keeps feeling like someone's sitting on me thankfully my fostair inhaler is, fingers crossed, keeping any potential attacks at bay. I've taken the antihistamine telfast which has helped a little but now doesn't seem to be giving much relief. In the past I've usually had an attack this time of year and been on steriods. I'd really like to get through the Spring/summer pollen without needing them this time!

Anyone else have this problem this time of year?

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Ah my nose and throat have been really itchy this week. Have you tried other antihistamines? I find that some work much better than others for me but apparently this is individual. When my hayfever was horrendous last year (resulting in admissions for asthma) my gp also gave me hydroxine which is apparently an old fashioned antihistamine and makes you sleepy but is better than pred. I also have Piriton for severe reactions to nuts (which I have an epipen for) but have used this for hayfever too. However check the interactions with other antihistamines with doctor or pharmacist. Do you have nasal sprays or eye drops you can use to help relieve symptoms? I have found diet pepsi helps my throat but I don't know why. It may need pred to settle this down but maybe looking for different ways to preventive meds might help you in the future. I am really helping they will help me this summer as don't think I could do another four months of constant admissions.

Hope this helps.

[yaf_user681_60253]

HI, thanks for the reply.

I've ended up taking telfast in the morning and Puriton at night. The problem I seem to have is that the antihistamines work well for hayfever but don't seem to be doing much to stop my chest going tight as soon as I go outside! I feel my preventer inhaler does just enough to keep things from being too serious but doesn't take away the feeling of constant tightness. I'm not sure if that's just a symptom I'm going to have to put up with for the Spring/summer. May ask the doctor if there's an antihistamine more tailored to asthma that isn't montekulast? (that made me slightly crazy!)

x

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zariflukast - not dissimilar to montelukast.

Throat swelling that makes talking and swallowing difficult would usually be classed as a medical emergency to be treated with adrenaline. If you dont already maybe you should see an allergy specialist?

What other preventative medications are you on?

[yaf_user681_60253]

Thanks for the tip. I'll ask my doctor about it.

I take fostair for asthma and usually take fexafenadine and sometimes Puriton for hayfever in the summer, and now spring, if I'm not already on steriods!

My throat hadn't swollen up like it did on Sunday for ages. I know a few things that can trigger it but have always just taken Puriton or steriods to try and calm it down. If I'm finding my asthma's not calming down I use my nebuliser.

I think I had allergy testing done last time I was referred to an asthma consultant but he really wasn't helpful so has put me off till now of asking to see someone else. I've just asked my doctor to be referred again so fingers crossed this time is more helpful!

If you have any other tips I'm listening

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Interesting to read some of these posts, because I also had problems with itchy eyes and and the snuffles last week. I get non seasonal rhinitus and have never had allergy screening (I asked about having it done nearly thirty years ago and the consultant I was seeing at the time for my asthma said there was no point as he suspected that I had so many that it would be of little value). I'm on rinatec nasal inhaler, and otrivine antistin eye drops, which sorted it out.I used to be on flixonase, taking it on a need to use basis only (so more like a reliever, and it was very effective) but came off it last year when fluticasone in general came under suspicion for causing a fungal infection in my oesophagus. On Sunday the snuffles returned, so I used more rinaatec and went outside to get on with some gardening, during which time the snuffles got worse, Came in at lunchtime and decided to stay indoors in the afternoon. The snuffles eased a bit, but I started to develop a really sore throat, a slight cough and began to feel feverish. Turned out it the snuffles on Sunday were nothing to do with allergic reactions, it was a viral infection, and I had a bad time of it on Sunday night and most of Monday. Thankfully, I managed to keep the asthma under control.

This raises a problem that I suspect a number of people on this list will be familiar with: telling the difference between the two in the early stages. It's fine if you get early warning symptoms (a sore throat, cough, or feeling achy and feverish usually means a viral infection is brewing, itchy eyes usually equate with rhinitus). But on this occasion (and it's happened many times throughout my life), the snuffles and sneezing started without either, and working in the garden was probably not the cleverest thing to do (hindsight is a wonderful thing). Thus far there is no sign of secondary infection, but there's time yet, so I'm taking it easy at the moment (my husband, bless him, is very insistent that I do).

My sympathies Bex, I hope you feel better soon. The only tips I can give, which have worked for me in the past, is to wear sunglasses when you go outside if the sun is shining, and to breath through your nose ( the nose being a far better filter of allergens such as pollen than the mouth). I've also found that Vaseline applied around the edge of the nasal openings and on the edge of the inside can help sometimes.