The People's Perspective on MedicineArticles categorized as Allergies
The Perils of Cold Weather Shipping of Medicines!
Is your medicines delivered? Many insurance companies require people to get their drugs through the mail. What about cold weather shipping?
Nighttime Nasal Congestion | Is There a Non-Addictive Treatment?
When you cannot breathe through your nose it can be hard to get a good night's sleep. Nighttime nasal congestion is tricky to treat. Here are some ideas.
Show 1398: Protecting Children from the Perils of Plastic
in our discussion, Dr. Alan Greene offers parents advice on protecting children from minute plastic particles.
Should You Use NasalCrom for Your Allergies?
Decongestant nose sprays can be used for only a few days before you risk dependence. Using NasalCrom for your allergies is an alternative.
Zyrtec Withdrawal Is a Nightmare
Even doctors report that getting off of Zyrtec (Cetirizine) poses a real itching challenge. Is there such a thing as Zyrtec withdrawal?
Can You Trust Canadian Online Pharmacies?
Some generic meds have different "inactive" ingredients. Can you safely save BIG money using Canadian online pharmacies to buy brand names?
Allergic Reactions May Require Extra Epinephrine
An anaphylactic reaction could be life threatening. Effective treatment may include an extra epinephrine dose by injection or nasal spray.
Can You Ease Sinus Woes by Avoiding Dairy?
One reader found that dropping dairy products eliminated sinus woes. Could this be a symptom of a food allergy?
Stopping Antihistamine Leads to Unbelievable Itching
Abruptly stopping the antihistamine cetirizine (Zyrtec) led to unbelievable itching. The doctor who reported this had not seen it in the medical literature.
NasalCrom Is a Forgotten Allergy Treatment That Works!
If you are sneezing and sniffling you want an effective allergy treatment WITHOUT serious side effects. Cromolyn might be worth considering.
Is Phenylephrine a Worthless Decongestant? FDA’s Dilemma!
Why did it take FDA SO LONG to realize the decongestant phenylephrine is ineffective? Have Americans wasted billions on worthless products?
Reader Spanks Us Over Phenylephrine Decongestant!
Phenylephrine is in cold, cough and allergy pills. The FDA says it doesn't work! How about the phenylephrine decongestant in nose sprays?
Show 1360: The Pros & Perils of OTC Drugs
In this live radio show, get answers to your questions about the safety and effectiveness of OTC drugs. Can you trust them?
Stinging Nettles Soothe Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
People take stinging nettles to ease allergy symptoms such as sneezing and stuffiness. The root extract is reputed to ease prostate problems.
Does It Make Sense to Order Your Own Laboratory Tests?
When you order laboratory tests online, make sure you know what the company does with your data as well as how reliable it is.
Should You Take NasalCrom for Your Seasonal Allergies?
Some readers found it best to take NasalCrom nose spray for allergies year-round, including house dust mites and cat dander.
Should Pharmacists Be Able to Prescribe Behind the Counter Drugs?
Many countries permit pharmacists to prescribe behind the counter drugs such as antivirals, antibiotics, and asthma meds. Why not in the US?
Bee Product Propolis Can Cause Uncomfortable Allergy Symptoms
Despite the buzz over bee-derived propolis, some people have allergic reactions to products containing this ingredient.
Can You Overcome Allergies with Xlear?
Xlear nasal spray can help clear pollen from nasal passage to ease allergy symptoms. Saline solution may also be useful against allergies.
Show 1329: Dealing with Dangerous Food Allergies
Pediatrician Dr. Edwin Kim is ready to answer your questions about preventing dangerous food allergies for children and adults.
Prednisone Side Effects: Deal With The Devil?
Prednisone is a valuable medication for many serious conditions, but prednisone side effects can be serious, including sepsis and psychological reactions.
Can Quercetin Control Your Allergy Symptoms?
The plant compound quercetin may be as effective as NasalCrom at preventing allergy symptoms. Some readers like it even better.
Prednisone Withdrawal: Can You Ever Stop Corticosteroids?
Corticosteroids are prescribed to millions of people. Many may not be informed about side effects or strategies for prednisone withdrawal.
NasalCrom (Cromolyn Sodium) Is Surprisingly Helpful for Allergies
Are you sneezing, sniffling and congested? Are allergies making you miserable? Antihistamines and corticosteroids are popular. NasalCrom is another option!
The Itch That Won’t Quit | Itching After Stopping Xyzal (Levocetirazine)
The FDA finally responded to our questions about itching after stoping Xyzal or Zyrtec. Why aren't people warned about this on OTC labels?
Stopping Zyrtec (Cetirizine) Led to Itchy Nightmare
When people take cetirizine for allergy symptoms they do not think about side effects when they stop the drug. But reports of withdrawal itching continue!
Can You Take Quercetin for Your Allergies?
Plants make some compounds to defend themselves that can be helpful for people, too. Should you be taking the flavonol quercetin for your allergies?
Mystery Allergen Nutmeg Is Tough to Avoid
With a lot of work and some luck, a reader identified nutmeg as the mystery allergen that had been causing misery. Pea protein is another.
Does Watermelon or Pineapple Make Your Throat Itch?
If you have pollen allergies, eating certain fruits with related proteins might also make your throat itch.
Do Flonase and Nasacort Harm the Sense of Smell?
Steroid nasal sprays may reduce or damage the sense of smell or taste; in some cases, they do not recover.
Solve Spring Allergy Symptoms Safely!
Should you use antihistamines, steroid sprays or more natural approaches for spring allergy symptoms?
Should You Report Drug Side Effects to the FDA?
Have you ever taken the time to report drug side effects to the FDA? You should! Most doctors are too busy and drug companies hate bad news.
Will an Allergen-Free Diet Help Your Joint Pain?
One reader found that following an allergen-free diet without dairy, eggs or gluten eliminated joint pain. Will it work for you?
Is Your Pillow the Source of Your Allergy Symptoms?
Your pillow, much as you love it, could be harboring dust mites that can cause allergy and asthma. Do you need to replace it?
Show 1229: The End of Food Allergies
Strict avoidance is one way to manage food allergies, but it can be very difficult. Oral immunotherapy now offers an alternative approach.
Reader Regains Sense of Smell Lost to Flonase
Some anti-inflammatory nasal sprays have been linked to the loss of the sense of smell. One lucky reader celebrated its mysterious return.
Quercetin Is a Natural Way to Relieve Spring Allergies
The flavonoids quercetin and luteolin can dampen mast cell response to allergic triggers and ease symptoms from spring allergies.
Show 1208: Keeping Kids Healthy in the Age of Coronavirus
How are parents and grandparents keeping kids healthy when they can't go to school or the playground? Dr. Alan Greene has suggestions for families, 4/18/20.
Singulair – Montelukast Warning About Psych Side Effects
Singulair is sold as a generic allergy and asthma drug under the name montelukast. The FDA has just issued a montelukast warning about serious side effects.
Are Household Cleaners Harmful to Babies?
Babies exposed to the fumes from common household cleaners during their first few months are more likely to develop asthma as youngsters.
Do Doctors Know About Zyrtec Antihistamine Withdrawal ?
Why doesn't the FDA require a warning about cetirizine - Zyrtec antihistamine withdrawal on the OTC drug label? Ditto for levocetirizine (Xyzal). Help FDA!
Will You Breathe Better by Cutting Out Dairy?
One reader found a way to greatly improve hay fever symptoms: cutting out dairy. Would this work against your sniffles and sneezes?
Why Sterile Water Is Best to Flush Sinuses
You can use a saline solution made with salt and sterile water to wash out your nasal passages and clear your sinuses during allergy season.
Show 1166: How Can You Manage the Misery of Seasonal Allergies?
Seasonal allergies can make you miserable, but a combination of medication and common-sense measures can help you manage the symptoms.
Will Tick Bites Make You Allergic to Red Meat?
Scientists have found that tick bites from two species, not just one, can trigger alpha-gal allergy to mammalian meat.
What’s Your Personal Invisible Cloud Made of?
Each of us is surrounded by an exposome–an invisible cloud of bacteria, viruses, fungi and volatile compounds that can have an effect on our health.
Is It Safe to Use NasalCrom for Years?
Some people control their allergies with the preventative nasal spray NasalCrom for years. No red flags have been raised about long-term safety.
Allergy Symptoms? | NasalCrom to the Rescue!
What do you take for your allergy symptoms? Antihistamines? Steroid nasal sprays? Decongestants? Have you ever heard of NasalCrom (cromolyn sodium)? It might be a good choice.
A Walk Down the Aisle of Allergy Meds
There are a lot of different allergy meds available without prescription. Here's help in choosing the right one for you.
Are You Highly Allergic? What To Do About EpiPen Shortage?
The FDA has just warned about an EpiPen shortage. What took the agency so long? Read a tale of woe and intrigue about a life-saving drug.
You Don’t Have to Be a Farmer to Benefit from the Farm
A Dutch study shows that you don't have to be a farmer to have immune system benefits from exposure to animals and their microbes. People who live near farms have fewer allergies.
How to Treat Seasonal Allergies: Drugs or Natural Approaches?
Are you sniffling and sneezing. Congestion? Pollen is in the air even if you can't see it. If you are starting to suffer there are many ways to treat seasonal allergies.
How Can You Allergy-Proof Your Bedroom to Control Congestion?
Health professionals often prescribe drugs to control allergy symptoms. What if you could allergy-proof your home to eliminate the source of the problem.
Should You Take NasalCrom to Overcome Your Allergies?
If you are often troubled with sneezes and congestion due to dust, pollen or dander, consider using NasalCrom to overcome your allergies.
A Dog in the Home: Less Asthma and Eczema for Kids?
Babies living in a home with a dog are less likely to develop asthma and eczema than others without furry friends at home.
Allergy Sprays and Cataracts?
Allergy sprays seem so simple. How could a medicine you spray in your nose be absorbed into the body and cause cataracts? An eye doctor shares his story.
What Are the Downsides to Your Nasal Spray?
A steroid nasal spray like Flonase can combat congestion and other allergy symptoms, but it may also lead to cataracts or changes in the sense of smell.
Is There a Sugar from Mammals Hiding in Your Medicines?
An alpha-gal allergic reaction to a sugar from mammals could make certain medicines risky. How can you learn which to avoid?
Can You Overcome Dry Mouth with Sugar-Free Sweetener?
Certain products containing xylitol may help you overcome dry mouth. Treating allergies to get rid of nighttime congestion could also help.
Should You Worry About Scary Corticosteroid Side Effects?
Most people think that corticosteroid side effects occur only after long-term treatment. New research suggests that short-term therapy also poses a problem.
How to Soothe Allergy Symptoms Without Serious Side Effects
Are you looking for safer treatments for allergy symptoms? Tired of steroid sprays or antihistamines? Readers share different approaches for symptom relief.
Stopping Xyzal Triggers Horrible Itching
Many readers have found that stopping Xyzal leads to horrible itching. It may take several weeks for this withdrawal symptom to subside.
How Probiotics Could Ease Your Seasonal Allergies
A placebo-controlled study suggests that taking a particular probiotic could make seasonal allergies easier to tolerate.
Can You Prevent Allergies and Eczema?
When youngsters get multiple antibiotic prescriptions as babies, their risk of developing allergies such as eczema or hay fever increases.
EpiPen Price Increase Outrages Americans
The EpiPen price increase has triggered a media firestorm. The CEO defends the $600 price because the system is broken and a $300 coupon solves the problem.
Are Kids Who Sucked Their Thumbs Less Prone to Allergies?
People who sucked their thumbs as little children were somewhat less likely to have allergies once they grew up. The hygiene hypothesis at work?
How to Ease Nasal Congestion with Saline
A simple saline solution in a spray or a neti pot can help rinse out nasal passages and ease nasal congestion due to allergies or sinusitis.
How to Relieve Allergies with Saline Spray
Should you try saline spray to relive nasal congestion due to allergies? Many people find it helpful.
Are There Any Allergy Remedies That Won’t Harm Your Brain?
If you are experiencing allergic symptoms you may be caught in a double bind. The most effective allergy remedies may scramble the brain and cause harm.
Can Popular Antihistamine (Benadryl) Cause Brain Fog?
Diphenhydramine (DPH) is found in lots of OTC medications. Many people are unaware they are taking a powerful anticholinergic drug that can cause brain fog.
Could Nasacort Hurt the Senses of Smell and Taste?
Nasal steroid sprays for allergies alleviate symptoms, but they may harm the senses of smell and taste. This can interfere with sensing a gas leak.
Feeling Better on a Gluten-Free Diet
Why do some people feel much better when they avoid eating foods containing gluten, even though they don't have celiac disease?
How Old Is Your Pillow? If You Can’t Remember, Throw It Out.
People rarely considerthat their pillow could be a breeding ground for fungi, dust mites & other allergens. Could your pillow be affecting your breathing?
Melon Reaction Could Signal Deadly Latex Allergy
A bothersome reaction to eating melons could presage a potentially lethal latex allergy that might develop with little or no warning.
Kiddy Meals of Fish Reduce Risk of Rhinitis Later
Youngsters who ate herring, mackerel and salmon at age 8 had half the risk of rhinitis in their teens as kids who rarely ate fish.
Watch Out for Nasty Neosporin Reaction
Choose the ointment for cuts and scrapes carefully to avoid suffering a Neosporin reaction.
Calming Allergic Reactions with Natural Approaches
A number of natural products can be very helpful in calming allergic reactions and reducing sniffling and sneezing.
Reducing the Risk of Peanut Allergy
Giving high-risk babies peanut protein reduced their chance of developing a severe peanut allergy as they grew older.
Washing Dishes by Hand Lowers Likelihood of Childhood Allergies
Families that washed dishes by hand had a lower incidence of eczema, asthma and other allergies.
Do You Know How to Use Your Inhaler?
Many asthma patients don't know how to use a metered dose inhaler for optimum effect.
Turmeric Triggered Allergic Reaction
Despite an exciting range of health benefits, turmeric can cause bad reactions for some people.
When Allergy Treatment Aggravates the Symptoms
Allergy medicines that trigger allergic reactions can make symptoms worse and be difficult to detect.
New OTC Nasacort Is the Same as Rx Nasacort
In switching Nasacort from prescription to over-the-counter status, the manufacturers and FDA did not change the dose.
Apple Juice and Allergy Medicine Don’t Mix
Taking fexofenadine (Allegra) with apple juice could interfere with its effectiveness. Other drugs are also affected by apple and orange juice.
Linden Blossom Tea for Congestion
Linden blossom tea is a traditional folk remedy for cold season. The tasty beverage has immune-modulating properties.
Immune System Overdrive Equals Allergy Misery
The immune system protects you from pathogens, but immune system overdrive may make you miserable with reactions to allergens.
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