Allergies

[Bollybarb]

I too take Fexofenadine, as i had a bad do last spring when the regular anti histamines did not work for me. I still have sneezes in morning sun! (just the one!)

A couple of questions did you have your allergy tests done when you were still taking your anti histamines? were they blood tests or skin pricks?

When did you last change your pillow? i change mine every couple of years, or when i start getting itchy in the mornings and i take my pillow with me when ever i go away.

[LisaB]

I can't remember but I think I was told not to take them for a few days/a week before, I thinkkkk I got proper blood tests done.

I got my first hypo allergenic ones about 5 years ago, but I'm getting a double bed soon so I got two more just about 2 months ago which I use now

[Steve the Gas]

I reckon you need skin tests, check dog if they do.....

[LisaB]

Yeahh, I'll ask for some.
I don't think I'm allergic to dogs, if I don't take an allergy tablet my eyes do tend to stream and get itchy around the cats - but if i don't take my tablet the same thing can happen at someone elses house with no pets, sometimes it's completely random.
Something just doesn't match up. I think I just needed someone else to tell me I needed to sort it out, I just hate going to the doctors for nothing.

[LisaB]

Got an appointment for Monday!

[Benny&Co]

Fab

[rhubarb93]

Lisa, I think I've mentioned this before, but I really do think homoepathy would be worth a try. It is particularly good for allergies, but looks holistically and may help you with all your health issues. It is safe with all your other medicines, and needn't cost a fortune if you are willing to be a "live case" for students at your nearest school of homoeopathy. You'd get treatment from an experienced tutor. Do please consider giving it a go.
I come from a scientific background and have no idea why it works but have personal experience that it does.

[LisaB]

I've just done a quick search on it and it's got me confused, so what exactly is it and what would they do?
I wouldn't be willing to be a "live case" for students, I've never even heard of schools doing it

[rhubarb93]

They start by taking a very full case history (first appointment can take 1 1/2 hours) which involves talking about everything in your life. Your history, personality type, likes and dislikes, food preferances, parent's health etc etc. From this they build up as complete as possible a picture of you.
They will give you a "remedy". It's usually a little sugar pill (or maybe a liquid) and they'll ask you to come for a follow-up, probably after 2-4 weeks.

I was a live case for my sister's college in Bucks while she was studying there. I found it fixed not only the problem I went to them for, but also a lifelong history of pneumonia, pleurisy and bad chest infections - haven't had a cough since! That's the way homoeopathy works - you treat the person, not the condition. Because of my experience, complementary therapy is now my first port of call, rather than the Doc's.

If you Google I'm sure you'll find a School of Homoeopathy, or College nearby, just e-mail them to ask if they take live cases for the students. The fee should be nominal, especially if you tell them your financial situation.

Do let us know how you get on if you give it a go, and don't be put off by the folk who poo-poo it without trying it first.

[rhubarb93]

Sorry Lisa - just noticed I misread your post and you WOULDN't want to be a case for students. You can see a homoeopath privately, but it is quite expensive and it's best to have a recommendation as the quality of training does vary.
As for what it is and how it works, it's rather hard to explain. It's based on the concept "Like cures like" , ie the remedy when given to a healthy person causes symptoms similar to those the patient is experiencing. It sort of stimulates the body's natural systems to deal with the problem. I don't think anyone can really explain why it works, but there is lots of evidence that it does.
I just gave it a go as my GP had nothing to offer for the problem I had (a post-viral fatigue that lasted for months), was quite sceptical at first, and was surprised by the results.

[sazchops]

I am also on Fexofenadine, can't cope without it and sometimes I feel it doesn't last 12 hours never mind 16.
When I was a teanager I suffered badly with my asthma and excema, spent a lot of time in hospital, I saw a homoepath and after just 3 visits my excema cleared up and didn't come back for 3 years when I got pregnant. I would highly recomend it.

[LisaB]

Well, I waited 40 minutes for a 2 minute appointment that just wrote me a prescription for a nasal spray and told me to search on goggle to sort my own sleeping problems out.
Well, fair to say I'm pretty annoyed.

[Benny&Co]

Golly-gee Lisa, that's pants!!

Is there another doc in the practice you could see?

[LisaB]

Yeah, but they're pretty full up at the moment, I wanted to see my GP but he had no appointments that for the next three weeks, but I just got the earliest appointment I could as i have these new tablets that are covering my legs and stomach in these horrible eczema like blotches, another thing she couldn't help me with...

[Benny&Co]

Blooming-nora!!!

Is it like dry skin? You might find plain old olive oil may help soothe it, or vaseline, or e45.

Have you changed your soap, shampoo, products, powders or anything?