obSpringtime mention of Cromolyn spray, a wonderful histamine preventor

[kathryn_ironic]

It is springtime and allergens are thickening the air, so I should do my obligatory mention of:
Cromolyn sodium spray. Brand name: Nasalcrom.

Bane of the gods of pollen:
It stops the nose's mast cells from releasing histamines in the first place . No (or far fewer) histamines= no need for antihistamines = an efficient and focused medicine.

Comments

[fidelioscabinet]

I'm adding it to my list. Apparently recent recearch shows that with higher carbon dioxide levels, plants like ragweed produce more pollen, in amounts way out of proportion to the increase in carbon dioxide--and the pollen appears to be more potent as well.

[kathryn_ironic]

ah, right, that would explain it. Silly and annoying, given that it's over the counter up in Canada.

Alas

[dragonet2]

it only makes me sneeze and sneeze and sneeze. And then get a nosebleed.

(came over here with a great deal of hope from Making Light.)

Benedryl works excellently for the most part and doesn't f-k with my blood pressure or bp meds (doc recommended it) and if my nose or eyes get to itchy I have saline solution bottles for both.

Re: Alas

[kathryn_ironic]

Oh dear, sorry to hear it (I did footnote the name in the ML post, so hope it wasn't a complete sad surprise).

Have you tried nasal rinses? While they can't be a standalone solution, there is good evidence that they reduce the severity of sinus-related illnesses, allergies or infections. They keep tissues hydrated, and rinse away particles that could sit and irritate. I get the ?name? packages- 1 per 8 oz water- from Kaiser.

Re: Alas

[dragonet2]

I do keep sterile normal saline both in a nose spray bottle and an eye drop bottle. they work really well when I'm' being totally miserable because too much pollen/shit in the air can be irritating beyond the antihistamine effects.

It's probably the same kind of thing you get from Kaiser, just self-mixed and distributed.

Re: Alas

[kathryn_ironic]

I'll sometimes make it myself, but the little packages are useful for travel.

However, by spray bottle do you mean something that mists? While I've used mist-sprays to deal with bone-dry climates, I find that for allergies a rinse is best, so a full 8oz of water per session, etc.

(if readers aren't familiar with rinses--while the idea seems strange, it works. At the right concentration it doesn't at all sting. see:
http://allergies.about.com/od/noseandsinusallergies/a/nasalsalineirr.htm)

May I

[dragonet2]

Friend you? I mostly post about cats and stuff, with an occasional rare political comment (which I suspect you would be okay with as we appear to be on the same side).

Re: May I

[kathryn_ironic]

sure!