Health status report

[pegkerr]

I'm sure that you are all waiting with bated breath for today's allergy report [/sarcasm].

The good news is that I finally got my inhaler and have started using it.

The bad news is that the package insert says it can take up to a week to start working.

I have a scrap of a voice left this morning. No fever. Still coughing and weak. I haven't exercised in a week, which outrages me, but I haven't the energy to muster up for a walk, much less a session on the elliptical trainer.

Apparently it's not just me; I've heard from a number of friends who had heard from their health professionals that this seems to be a particularly nasty allergy season.

Two other weird symptoms: I have unexpectedly lost my taste for coffee. I mean, I haven't had a cup of coffee for three days, which means that OMG the universe is becoming unmoored!!! I think my sense of taste has been affected. I don't seem to have as much of an appetite as usual. Usually, I'd hope that this might lead to some weight loss, but the universe doesn't seem to be accommodating me there, either.

Other weird symptom: I have become hyper-sensitive to touch. Is this related to the allergies somehow? Delia was stroking my back this morning, trying to comfort me as I was coughing, but it wasn't comforting; it felt awful. Ordinarily I love touch like that. I can barely stand the feeling of my own clothes today, and we're talking spandex here, people, not a hair shirt.

[Mom: I'm sorry I missed your call this morning, but I stopped at the post office on the way to work this morning and so was running late. I tried calling you back but you didn't pick up. Try me now again at work.]

Comments

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

My allergies frequently make my skin hurt. Usually, it's just a horrible ache where I'm being touched or where my clothes are particularly pressing against me. Occasionally, it becomes agonizing to wear clothing (taking it off doesn't help much, though, because then there's the fabric of whatever I'm touching). I'm sure it's all part of the inflammatory reaction.

I'm sure histamine has it's purposes. In fact, I know it does. I just get cranky about its existence several times a year.

[slrose.livejournal.com]

Yes, hypersensitivity can be allergy related.

I have occasional hypersensitivity reactions (about a dozen times over the last 30 years) in which it seems that the universe has turned up the volume and brightness controls. In my case, at least, sleep makes it go away. But falling asleep when I can HEAR the blood rushing through my veins isn't easy.

I recommend extra vitamin C -- that and the benadryl is what is keeping me functional. I'm taking 2 500mg chewable C tablets two or three times a day. It lessens the symptoms, slightly.

{{{hugs}}}

I hope your pollen gets washed away soon.

[naomikritzer]

Fever always makes my skin hurt. For a long time this also always happened on the first day of my period, along with the more usual sorts of cramps.

Two other weird symptoms: I have unexpectedly lost my taste for coffee. I mean, I haven't had a cup of coffee for three days, which means that OMG the universe is becoming unmoored!!!

That happened to me with one of the stomach bugs I had this year. I couldn't handle coffee for DAYS. That plus some other symptoms, er, I wound up peeing on a stick just to be SURE, if you follow my meaning. (It was negative.) There are certain symptoms that I strongly associate with morning sickness and coffee sounding gross in the morning is definitely one.

[aome.livejournal.com]

Fever always makes my skin hurt.

Same here. It could be you have some last vestige of fever, even a tiny bit, that is resulting in the corresponding hypersensitivity. Ick.

[ame-chan.livejournal.com]

What kind of inhaler are you on? It should help sooner than a week! I sympathize, I was on one recently (also lost my sense of taste due to the misery) and I do hope you feel better soon. Once you can turn this thing around and get some sleep/start healing, you'll be so much happier.

It is shaping up to be a bad year, respitorily speaking, where I live too. Not fun.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Advair.

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Er ... I mght be jumping in where its unwarranted, and Advair is a *miracle* for many people with allergies. But, for some people? The inhaled steroid can also be a trigger for depression. I only ever made the connection on that for myself after a friend told me that Advair had had negative effects on her, thought back to a less than pleasant period in my own life, went back on the Advair regularly later because of a nasty bout of asthma and then found myself weeping for no reason while describing a perfectly lovely day. Since then, whenever I've used it (university health services is being ... recalcitrant ... about switching me), I've noticed similar effects. It could be psychosomatic for me, or something which simply doesn't affect you or your body chemistry at all, but it might be something to keep an eye out for.

I *really* hope I'm not butting in, or coming off as an alarmist - may the Advair cure the nastiness!

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

No, I appreciate your pointing this out; I wasn't aware of it. I am not alarmed, however, since I use it only short term, for about a month, and I used it last year with no ill effects.

Thanks for saying something. This is just another example of my posse looking out for me.

[aerden.livejournal.com]

Peg--You put up with my kidney stone yammering; I can certainly listen to your allergy rant. (g)

Loratidine is my God.

Chantal

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

Other weird symptom: I have become hyper-sensitive to touch

Well, I guess the cheesecake massage is out then, eh?