pollen allergies

[Chip Down]

I'm having my worst allergy season ever. I'm curious how you're doing. Any different from previous years? Because I've had a few sequential trips to the same general region, it's been interesting to watch the change in flowers, and how that corresponds to symptoms.

Yesterday was the first time I've had a problem on a hike. Previously, I've experienced mild discomfort around my neighborhood in June, if I'm outdoors for an extended period. Worse than normal this year, but I've had windows open more than usual. At the end of my day yesterday, at the TH, my nose was dripping so much I didn't even bother wiping it, just had to let it go.

[Aimless]

My pollen allergy has improved as I've aged. Part of that has been the availability of better antihistamines than existed when I was a child or young adult, but some of it has been a reduction in my sensitivity. I take loratadine (generic Claratin) daily and when things get bad I add benadryl, which is better taken at night because of the drowsiness it can cause.

I understand the particular kind of low grade misery you described, but I should also mention that the worst offenders aren't the sorts of flowers anyone notices. Those kinds of flowers are produced by insect-attracting plants with large pollen grains that can't get airborne. The worst offenders (by far) are the wind-pollinating plants, like grasses (motto: We put the 'hay' in hay fever!) and trees. These rely on producing millions of tiny pollen grains they scatter to the slightest breeze, which can travel long distances to get up your nose and in your eyes. The rule of thumb is that if a flower looks attractive & colorful, it's probably not to blame.

Good luck.

[Don Nelsen]

I'm having my worst allergy season ever. I'm curious how you're doing. Any different from previous years? Because I've had a few sequential trips to the same general region, it's been interesting to watch the change in flowers, and how that corresponds to symptoms.

Yesterday was the first time I've had a problem on a hike. Previously, I've experienced mild discomfort around my neighborhood in June, if I'm outdoors for an extended period. Worse than normal this year, but I've had windows open more than usual. At the end of my day yesterday, at the TH, my nose was dripping so much I didn't even bother wiping it, just had to let it go.

It's probably the covid and you got it when we met and shook hands on the 23rd.

Then again....

As I've aged - and now am genuinely ancient - I've become a little more subject to pollen, but only slightly. I was never bothered in the past by allergies. This year, early on, I noticed a slight uptick in sneezing and an occasional runny nose. I thought it might be the very dry spring. The minor discomfort ended a month ago, or more, though. Good luck, Chip. I hope it gets better.

dn

[Webfoot]

It's probably the covid and you got it when we met and shook hands on the 23rd.

You finally caught the elusive Chip Down eh? Does he have the head of a snake and the body of a leopard?

[Chip Down]

It's probably the covid and you got it when we met and shook hands on the 23rd.

You finally caught the elusive Chip Down eh? Does he have the head of a snake and the body of a leopard?

Funny story. Saw a vehicle that looked consistent with what he would be driving, and knew he had an interest in this trail, so figured it was him. I had nothing to write with, or I might have just left a note. After thinking about it for a while, I headed up the trail and hunted him down. I'd never done the trail, and was curious about it. If it was Dog Mtn or Eagle Creek or something, I wouldn't have gone to the trouble.

[Don Nelsen]

It's probably the covid and you got it when we met and shook hands on the 23rd.

You finally caught the elusive Chip Down eh? Does he have the head of a snake and the body of a leopard?

Truth be told, he caught me and off guard too. He got to within ten feet before I saw him as I was sawing out a small log over the trail. Chip definitely has the stealth of a leopard and we all know he's in very good shape to do what he does.