Allergie's getting worse? Chest problems.

I'm 19 and i've had allergy symptom's for the past 2 year's, i had hay fever when i was younger but it's not so bad now. My doctor has never sent me to get tested cos apparently the allergy specialist at my hospital here in the U.K wouldn't see me unless it's bad (Grrrr!). So i don't actually know what i'm allergic to which is not helping. Everyday i wake full of phelm in my mouth and within 30 mins i'm having sneezing fits, runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat and ear problems, which can last all day.
My room is a dust trap! It gathers so much dust constantly, it's so hard to keep up with, no matter how hard i try, it's just everywhere, so me and my Mum assume i have a dust allergy, since whenever i'm in my room all the symptom's come and when the heating come's on it also trigger's it. I also have 2 cats and i have noticed when i'm around them my symptom's also come. But in the last week or so when my allergie's are really bad it's affected my chest, i get a horrible chesty cough, itchy chest and back, weazing and shortness of breath. I'm also so tired from it all, exhausted, i don't know what to do i've had enough, i'm not sure if it's just my allergie's getting worse, allergic reaction's to whatever i'm allergic to or Asthma which i've never had which i could be getting.
I'm so stressed and i'm suffering, my Mum doesn't seem to care and doesn't help me at all to try and sort it, i keep asking for her help, but nopeeee, she's just not interested.
I've tried 2 Antihistamine's one drousy the other non drousy and both give me side effects. I also take a nasal spray which help's for a while but not long enough, and my Dad use's it!
What can i do?
What's the chest problem's about?
Should i go back and see my Doctor and push to get tested?
Xo.

[Dr J Singh]

Hello,

It seems that you are having hay fever or allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms, predominantly in the nose and eyes, caused by airborne particles of dust, dander, or plant pollens in people who are allergic to these substances.
Pls contact an allergic specialist and get skin tests like skin ***** test done. In this a small amount of allergen is introduced into the skin of the forearm and the reaction of the skin is noted. If there is any redness then that person is allergic to the allergen introduced.You can also get blood tests like RAST done.

The mainstay of treatment consist of antihistainics like Benadryl or Claritin or steroid nasal sprays like nasocort or flonase. Decongestants may also be helpful but they should not be used for long periods.Cromolyn sodium is also used.If the symptoms are intense then you can go in for immunotherapy.

Pls consult an allergist and get diagnosed for the allergens to which you are allergic.Then prevention of that allergen along with the specified treatment will help.
Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted.

[Tammy2009]

You are very similar to me, except I never correlated the allergy symptoms in the morning to dust until I was tested and came up positive for both types of dust mites.  The one thing that has helped me the most (also with cat allergies and living with 2) is using a nasal rinse twice a day.  Mine is a squirt bottle that you basicly squirt 4oz of water into your sinuses (comes out the other side) and gets out all the dander and junk out of your nose.  

Also look into getting  a dust mite matress and pillow cover, it is a plastic cover that doesn't allow dust mites through and that helps to keep them down.

[laydeechaz]

Thanks for the replies :)
I'm just going to have to try and find an Antihistamine that doesn't give me side effects.
I'm using some kind of nasal spray, it's called ' Beconase Aqueous Nasal Spray' but it only help's half my symptoms.
It's going to be hard to get tested i know that, our Health Care system in England isn't like America's and we don't have allergy specialist's that we can go see just like that, you have to be referred there by your GP.
And yeah i'm going to have to sort something will my bed linen, cos i do sneeze alot and get a runny nose when i'm in bed, which give's me sleepless nights.
Not sure what to do with the chest problems, i'm worried about it.
x

[Tammy2009]

I would get pulmonary function tests done, I pushed for them because I believed my symptoms were more than just allergies. I had a basic peak flow testing when I got allergy tested but it showed everything normal, but I still couldn't breathe very well and was coughing all night, keeping me awake.  I was right, it showed I did have air trapping which turned out to be some sort of reactive airway disorder (asthma is a particular type).  Now being on inhaled steriods to help with the inflammation has helped greatly, even with the fatigue I thought was just do to me being in university and stressed out.

I had to be referred through my GP as well, but since I was kind of thinking of allergy shots as a treatment since antihistamines don't work very well, I had to talk to an allergist specalist since you have to know the particular item you are allergic too.  

[laydeechaz]

I've never heard of a pulmonary function test :S But yeah it sound's like an option,and i really don't want to develop Asthma.
My chest problem's come suddenly after all the sneezing like some kind of allergic reaction to whatever i'm allergic too.
So i wouldn't be surprised if it's all now irritating my airway's, feel's like it is half the time, i'm so queazy.
So i will mention all this to my GP when i can actually get an appoitment!
How do they do the pulmonary function tests?
Xo.

[Tammy2009]

all of my tests were "normal" at 80% of average except the lung volume (body plethysmography) showed I had air trapping and thus wasn't able to exhale all the air in my lungs.  The peak flow readings were around 330 I believe during the test (was having a good day unforunately), but at home I have been able to get them up to 435, mostly 410-420, after being on medication.  The problem was that 80%, unless it is under that value it is considered normal, but I have somewhat larger lungs than average for being so tiny (90lbs and 5'2").  


If your allergies trigger it, you may be like me and have normal values on the first time, there is a test called a methacholine challenge test that they make you inhale different concentrations of methacholine (or histamine in some cases) that will make your lungs react if they are senstitive to allergens.  You could ask about this test as well.  I didn't do it because we decided to start some asthma medications because I was waking up 3-4 times a night coughing my brains out.  Since the medication worked very well, we have left it at that.

Hope it works .... allergic asthma is basically an allergic response in your lower airways instead of upper airways (nose, sinuses, throat) so at least to me it makes sense to go from hay fever like response to asthmatic like responses.