Horizontal allergies

[WTL]

My allergies worsen considerably when I lie down - if I'm vertical, they don't bother me so much, especially if I'm physically active. But trying to sleep is a miserable experience. The difference is striking. Why would this be happening? Is this something that surgery can fix?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Why dont you try non-sedating antihistamine medications like loratadine and levocetrizine?

When is your surgery scheduled for?

Keep us posted.

Regards.

[WTL]

Hi back - I think I'm allergic to dust/pollen/mold. Tried antihistamines and they work but screw up urination - having prostate cancer surgery soon so that may fix the antihistamine problem, but they also kind of sedate me, which I don't like, and make my private parts shrivel up. Decongestants rattle me and raise my BP.

The allergy problem has existed since I moved to Hawaii many years ago - pollen and mold galore - and now that I'm in LA it's gotten worse; I think Hawaii sensitized me. It's very intense when lying down - cannot breathe through my nose at all most of the time, and it happens quickly, within minutes of lying down. I feel like I'm going to suffocate if I try to breathe though my nose, and it's actually very stressful trying to sleep because of the breathing problem. (I'm 6-2 190 lbs mostly muscle and very little fat.)

Haven't had a CT scan - no insurance. It's not like my nose gets full of mucus - blowing it helps very little - so I doubt it's post-nasal drip. It's more like it gets all swollen inside, exacerbated by a horizontal position, and becoming vertical lets gravity make the swelling subside. I've even tried sleeping with my head propped up vertically, and that helps somewhat, but I can't sleep that way for long.

I've tried sleeping next to a steam humidifier - it had no effect. I've tried saline drops, but that's mostly to keep my nose moist in this arid climate, so dry it causes nose bleeds. I have prescription Nasacort, I use Nasalcrom when Nasacort doesn't work - which is often, but Nasalcrom also often doesn't work - and I use a eucalyptus/menthol spray, which feels good and seems to work. My doctor prescribed Nasonex (he uses it himself, and I've read it's stronger), but I'm leery because it's expensive like Nasacort and may not work any better. Nasacort is so costly in the US (I think about $80) that I've ordered it from Canada for one-third the price. I'm wondering if the steroidals like Nasacort take time to work and I should use it at at least a couple hours before bed.

So far everything I've used has only temporary benefit, and I spend most of the night tossing and turning as one side clogs up and then the other and often both, so I'm breathing through my mouth more or less all night, which makes my mouth feel awful in the morning - I keep water next to the bed, but again it's only temporary. Often during the night things seem to clear up somewhat intermittently for some reason, then the stuffiness returns.

This is an extremely dusty area - LA - it falls from the sky, a powdery dirt, coats your car in a day, blows in through the window screens all year long (we can't have heat or AC going all the time), coats everything in the house with a layer of dust. I think this is the major problem, but don't know. My wife is unaffected at all and sleeps like a baby. I'm thinking of spending $300 on a good air filter to have in the bedroom, since that is where I'm by far the most affected. When I'm upright the congestion clears up quickly.

Thanks for your response and help.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

What kind of allergy do you have?

Did you notice this development recently?

How intense does your allergy get when lying down?

Allergies do worsen when one lies down. This is usually explained due to the congestion which builds in the nasal passages over some time.

Its not too clear if there is something that can be done as far as surgery is concerned. But you may ask your doctor about this further.

Let us know if you may have any other queries.

Best regards

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Has a CT scan of the sinuses been done? This could be due to the post nasal drip that occcurs due to post nasal drip associated with sinusitis.

You should try some steam inhalation and saline nasal drops alongwith oral antihistamine medications and see if it helps with your symptoms.

You should consult your symptoms if your symptoms still persist. Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Hope this helps.

Regards.