How to deal with allergy misery

Spring, for millions of you, is not your friend.

Your waking hours are consumed with sneezing, coughing and wheezing. You either can't breathe through your nose, or you can't stop it from running. Your body itches -- your ears, throat, the back of your knees. And, for some, your relationship with your cat or dog is in peril.

Ah, allergies.

You could move to a country where pollen, grass, mold, dust mites and pet dander don't exist. Or more practically, you can take steps to make the time between now and the first frost more bearable.

Medicate

There are both prescription and over-the-counter options. Antihistamines come with or without a decongestant. First-generation drugs, such as Benadryl, carry more side effects, including drowsiness.

Claritin and Zyrtec, second-generation non-sedating antihistamines, also are available over the counter. This is the first allergy season since the Food and Drug Administration approved Zyrtec as an over-the-counter drug. Claritin has been available for several years.

People with other underlying medical conditions should check with their family doctors before using a decongestant. Nasal sprays can lessen symptoms. Nasonex and Flonase are among the prescription offerings.

And there are options from A to Z for itchy eyes, as in Alaway and Zaditor, both over-the-counter eyedrops.

People with severe allergies are good candidates for allergy shots, which are designed to increase your tolerance to the allergens that cause the problems in the first place. Allergy shots are given regularly, gradually decreasing in frequency over the course of several months or years.

With the wide array of over-the-counter drugs available these days, it's tempting to skip a visit to the doctor and try to treat yourself. But finding the right approach may not be simple.

"We're all individuals," said Dr. Samuel Friedlander, an allergist with Cleveland's University Hospitals. "What might work for one might not work for the next person."

So don't expect that the remedy your neighbor or co-worker swears by will do the trick for you.

"Self-treatment can be fraught with complications," he said. For example, taking a nasal decongestant more than five days in a row could put you at risk for "rebound" congestion, which could take much longer to clear up.

Holistic options

For those seeking a more holistic approach, there are always natural remedies for mild allergy symptoms.

A member-driven website, mamaherb.com, suggests various natural remedies for a multitude of ailments including allergies. One remedy for hay fever is to drink a glass of warm water with juice from half of a lemon every day for a week.

Acupuncture also has been shown to be successful in treating hay fever symptoms, said Dr. Ofer Wellisch, a researcher in immunology at New York University and the medical consultant for mamaherb.com.

"Today, modern medicine has seen some natural remedies work just as well as traditional drugs," Wellisch said.

Environmental controls

This is one of the most important steps and one of the hardest to do, especially if you've waited impatiently all winter to enjoy the warmer weather.

Keep your windows closed and let the air conditioner run. Don't hang clothes out to dry; you'll just bring pollen inside. Wear a mask when you're mowing the lawn, raking leaves or gardening.

"The best way to treat allergies is environmentally," said Dr. Theodore Sher, an immunologist with Allergy Immunology Associates Inc. in South Euclid, Ohio.

Wash your pet often to reduce dander, for example.

"If you do have animals, keep them out of the bedroom," Sher said.

Cost consciousness

When drugs like Zyrtec become available over the counter, they become more expensive for consumers whose health insurance no longer covers the cost. But for those with no insurance or with high co-pays, it's a welcome relief.

It may be worth the time to shop around.

Depending on the drug, and whether a generic equivalent is available, you might be able to find it much cheaper at a wholesale store in bulk than at a drugstore.

There's "no reason on Earth" to use more expensive brand-name drugs if a generic equivalent exists, said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of the Public Citizen's Health Research Group and a lead author of "Worst Pills, Best Pills: A Consumer's Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness."

"Doctors have the responsibility to educate their patients that generics are just as good as name drugs."