Do allergies cause colds?

I have probably had allergies all my life. I was tested for airborne allergies about 15 years ago, and it showed I was allergic to dust mites. The symptoms I had at the time went away, so I figured I outgrew them.

I started having shortness of breath about 8 months ago, and was diagnosed with asthma and put on meds for that. For about the past 6 months, I've been getting sick with cold symptoms (fever, aches, runny nose, cough, congestion, sore throat) about once per month. My doctor put me on Zyrtec and referred me to an allergist, which I will see in 2 weeks. In the meantime, I can't stop getting colds. The doctor's office told me it's because my asthma and allergies are not properly controlled. They want me to take Advair and Singulair, two meds which I am uncomfortable taking due to the warnings. They basically said I will not get better until I go on those meds. I am looking for a new doctor because I don't think I should be pressured into taking meds I am not comfortable with. I am on Asmanex for the asthma now.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Do your allergies cause you to get sick all of the time?

I also suspect the asthma meds I'm on are themselves causing my immune system to weaken.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

The symptoms of cold that you are having are due to sinusitis which may be caused by allergic rhinitis.As you are allergic to dust mites,so you can get allergic rhinitis ,sinusitis and asthma ;all at the same time.All three of them are triggered by air borne allergens.

Singulair and advair are excellent medicines in the treatment and prevention of asthamatic attacks. Advair contains fluticasone and salmeterol. Fluticasone is a steroid. It prevents the release of substances that cause inflammation. Salmeterol is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing muscles in the airways to improve breathing.

Singulair is a leukotriene inhibitor. Leukotrienes are chemicals your body releases when you breathe in an allergen (such as pollen), thus triggering astma by causing swelling in the lungs.

I feel that doctors are right in prescribing both of these medicines.However,if you are feeling uncomfortable taking them,pls talk to your doctors about the option of changing these medicines.

I feel that along with these medicines, the prevention of dust mites by thorough cleaning of the house by HEPA filtered vacuum cleaners and removing of drapes and carpets may also help.

Asthma is the result of an immune response(humoral immunity) in the bronchial airways. The humoral immune system produces antibodies against the inhaled allergen. Later, when an asthmatic inhales the same allergen, these antibodies "recognize" it and activate a humoral response.Thus in asthamatics,airborne allergens can trigger allergic rhinitis and sinusitis also.So in fact the immune system has not weakened but frequent allergies are causing the symptoms.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted in case of additional queries.