Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Roid Rage....arrrrg! Ok, not really.

I went to one of the best Allergists in Austin, according to the Austin Monthly 2009 Best Doctors Report. Dr. Lieberman was recommended to me by someone I work with and this doctor was amazing. He told me that it was unreal how severe my allergies were because the day I saw him was the lowest pollen count in forever. He said that he didn't expect to see my nostril openings (sorry for the technical terms) pushed all the way to my nose lining. NO WONDER I COULDN'T BREATH.

It is also why the nasonex and other nostril sprays were not working...cuz they couldn't get up in my nose! He also was suprised that I got them my first season in Austin. He says it usually takes transplant about 2 years to start becoming allergic to cedar. The fact that I have gotten it on my birthday both years also points to hypersensitivity to cedar because the bad season doesn't really start until mid January!!!

So he put me on steriod pills. Yes...I am 'ROIDING! GRRRRR! No, its more like cortisone. He explained to me that the shot that most family physicians love to give are VERY VERY BAD! They are a full dose of steroids and that can mess some people up. You see, you can go one of two ways when getting steroids...you can be fine and dandy or you can go through severe mood swings and depression. So in order to control the situation when going the bad way, you just stop taking the steroid pills...nothing you can do after you get the shot except cry.

Thankfully, I was not affected negatively by the roids...phew! Anyway, that has opened up my nose so I can use steroid nose spray and I am continuing to use zyrtec. There is nothing really stronger that I can take he said. The first day, I was getting so much air through my nose that the lining was burning from all the cold air going through my nose! Wow...amazing!!!

Anyway, he said I can't come back next year and just ask for another dose of steriods. Apparently it is very bad for you and very bad for your body in the long term. So those of you that get this steriod shot every year...watch out! You are really hurting your bone density (osteoporosis) among other bad things!

So I am going to get that skin test where they prick you a thousand times and test each one to see what you are allergic to. I will go on a therapy where I take a shot every month and then during allergy season I go ever week. He said this should help me and I should be good after 3-5 years.

4 Comments:

Blogger Vivian said...

Nice! Yeah - I remember that allergy test... so fun. =P hahah :) It's really interesting finding out what you're allergic to tho!

Man! Steroids huh? Sounds pretty hardcore! Make you feel any different?

Sounds like those cedar allergies are pretty insane for you! Who knew?!

2:03 AM

 
Blogger Kimberley said...

Awwww... I know how you feel! I have year round allergies, including being allergic to my office, literally!!! At least your shots are once a month. Mine started at twice a week!

8:43 AM

 
Blogger marii said...

I remember when I was a kid, I had to get two each week too. One in each arm...that sucked!

Well, an update on my allergies...I have been off the roids for one day and I feel fa-aaaaaa-bulous! I love these things. I wish everything could be a magical potion like these fast acting steriods.

Oh that would be awesome if they had...like a fat sucking pill that worked as instantaneously as these wonderful steroids.

10:52 PM

 
Blogger Aaron Abitia said...

I got a cortisone shot once...talk about relief, and quick. No side effects. I highly recommend it. I had allergies so bad, I think it got in my blood or something, so my whole body itched from the inside out.

11:05 PM

 

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