Posted on April 23, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 28 Comments
Minus the feathered hair, mind you.
This realization after I opened the front door to a beautiful spring day, and then sneezed for five minutes straight. Which is not as much fun as it sounds like, trust me.
Taunting the tauntable since 1998
John Scalzi, proprietor – JS
Athena Scalzi, editor – AMS
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What would they say if we up and ran away…
I have had good success with a relatively new antihistamine, called Aerius in Canada, which is the brand name for desloratadine. I don’t know what it is down there, but it has been working well for me.
Nasaline. It is the way.
My antihistamine of voice varies from year to year. The same thign rarely works for more than a couple of years in a row. I suspect that has something to do with being on them from mid-April until frost, though.
I’ve taken Aerius and it worked quite well. Last year, I was able to switch back to a generic version of Reactine and it seems to be OK this year as well. It’s cheap, too: 72 day’s worth for $20. :-)
You sure this time it was allergies and not photic sneeze reflex?
It’s that Nintendo/Windows evolution effect — it’s working.
Dr. Phil
Two words – Nasal Irrigation.
If you can keep it up for a bit longer, that’s when the fun really starts.
I hope your allergy season is short.
Interesting movie.
When it was first on TV my wife (who was in labor) insisted on waiting until the movie was over before going to the hospital. We almost didn’t make it.
On a different note, all of my allergies disappeared about age 43 to 45. I wish you the same. (perhaps sooner)
When I saw the poster, I thought you’d contracted to do the tie-in novel. [shudder]
Generic brand Flonase is the only way I survive the modern world anymore.
Antihistamines make me too woozy. They work, but then I’m basically incapable of actually doing anything productive, so they’re not very helpful. I go with Singulair instead.
I would see if there were some way to win an old NASA space suit. Write jingles or something. Then – fix up said suit and go around outside in it. No allergies – and all kinds of exciting adventure possibilities.
I recently wrote my annual please consider Cromolyn for allergies if you haven’t tried it post.
It’s an otc spray (used to be a prescription) that prevents the nose’s mast cells from releasing histamines in the first place. It’s not a steroid, doesn’t have a rebound, and has given me 15 years of “wow, I can go outdoors in the springtime!” It takes a day or two to build up (but also to fade away- so no instant hurt if you forget a day), and then for almost all days it’s sufficient against the pollens. On the very worse days I’ll also take an antihistamine.
It is, unfortunately, not well known.
That’s been happening to me for weeks already.
Outside sucks.
What? Nobody’s photoshopped Scalzi’s face into Travolta’s hair yet?
Oy. No one wants that, Jill Smith.
No one.
I’m not sure exactly where I saw it, but a couple of days ago I was looking at an article about people with sneezing fetishes. Maybe you can find the positive side of your malady.
Ew. No.
Ever read Pollen by Jeff Noon??
BEWARE!
I was almost a parking lot baby because my mom wanted to watch this movie.
All in all a decent film, But I prefer children to be born in the presence of a trained medical professional. Not a 17 year old Valet Parking kid(especially when I’m the child).
You sure this time it was allergies and not photic sneeze reflex?
Which I call, “being allergic to the sun”!
The Evil Disc provides free light, heat and energy to all and sundry, and also makes me sneeze…
I can sympathize. I got out for some exercise, dusted off my bike, had a beautiful ride- enjoying the cool breeze, the warm sun, the waves of pollen from all the Bradford pear trees in my neighborhood- hack hack gasp gasp. Jeez, I was just trying to be healthy!
Fast forward four weeks and I’m still trying to shake off the bronchitis that little bike ride cost me. I feel better today, I can actually walk across the parking lot at work without collapsing in a coughing fit.
Yay, healthy living.
Two pronged attack, John: Zyrtec or other 24-hour non-drowsy antihistamine, combined with a steroid nasal spray (I use Nasacort). Changed my life — I used to be an sniveling wretch from August through October, now I’m just a wretch.
How come you get a beautiful, sneeze-filled spring day, and I get april snow that doesn’t stick and cold, cloudy days?
*Everything* is blooming right now – especially trees. I think because it was so cold for so long, trees got a late start. Have you tried Zicam? I love the stuff – it really works for me. They have ‘Intense Sinus Relief’ which has menthol and eucalyptus. Give it a try…
I used to live on a beach, and never had allergies. I moved inland, and it was Sneeze City. I’m back on the beach now.
It sucks, because I planned to retire in New Hampshire. I own a cozy house in a town with a covered bridge. It rents well, which is rare for that deep in the sticks.
I need a suit or bubble to go outside, I would love it and am trying to get into clinical trials to try and make it possible. The thing is I have rare allergies, the not so common to control and the wonder of how I am still living. I have had 15 life-threatening anapylactic/asthma attacks all caused by allergic reactions. Specialists have actually sent me to other specialists after running out of meds that I can take and even rebuilding my immune system. Allergies are taking on form now and theories are actually forming some truths. The allergies I have are all year, house, cats, latex, fish, latex foods-bananas, lemons, strawberries, potatoes, corn, peas, avocados, kiwi, papayas, paprika. Dyes and artificial flavors. The smell of the foods or just handling can make me have a reaction. After researching myself, I take 12-24 benedryl a day, Ibuprofen and have an inhaler on standby, usually caffeine keeps me pretty clear. The beast has caused reactions on every part of my body inside and out. All I would like is a suit, so I can go outside or work, because they do not classify this illness as a disability.