can perennial rhinitis cause this?

[lauren_a]

I'd been getting sick for about the last 2 years, and was finally diagnosed in Dec with Perennial Allergic Rhinitis.  I've been getting immunization shots for about 6 months, and I'm worse than ever (I realize it is also pollen season), or at least close to the same.  I have the classic symptoms all year round including stuffy/blocked/runny nose, chest congestion, headaches, insomnia, etc, and have become very rundown from a poor quality of life.  What worries me the most is, I have always had excessive amounts of mucous in my throat which feels thick and unpenetrable.  I cough constantly, which I could handle but it also induces vomiting.  I constantly have the sensation of needing to vomit, but although it's coming from my throat and chest rather than my stomach, people just tell me to take anti-nauseants to help it.  My allergist continues to tell me all this mucous is coming from the trees and such, but no one else seems to have ended up vomiting all the time from allergies.  Recently I even ended up in the local ER after ejecting EVERYTHING from my body, causing dehydration as I was unable to swallow water without it coming back up.

I have little faith in the allergy shots as I was told I should feel somewhat better by now.  However, I also have an unfortunate situation in that my roommates insist on having the windows in our apartment open all the time, as they don't believe it could be enough to cause all this despite everything I've explained to them.

Is this really all possible from having rhinitis?  If so, will anything allow me to function more normally??

[National Jewish]

Allergies can certainly cause seasonal and year-round rhinitis.  Immunotherapy or allergy shots generally help after 6 to 12 months.  Since you are allergic to pollen it would certainly be more helpful to use air conditioning with the windows and doors closed.  Please read our Allergic and Non-Allergic Rhinitis MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/allergic_rhinitis.html for more information.

It is possible that this is simply due to postnasal drip, but if so it is certainly severe considering that you ended up in the local ER after ejecting EVERYTHING from your body and even water kept coming back up.  Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat.  There could be several reasons for this drainage.  One is an allergic reaction to inhaling something.  A second reason is a non-allergic, noninfectious inflammation that could be lingering after a cold.  A third reason is chronic sinusitis.  Postnasal drip can cause coughing to the point of vomiting as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs.  You may experience the postnasal drip as excessive amounts of mucus in your throat, which may feel thick and impenetrable.  As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily.  This will thin the mucus so that it moves more easily.  A nasal wash helps remove mucus from the nose and sinuses.  This can temporarily reduce the postnasal drip and lessen coughing and vomiting.  A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases nasal swelling and mucus production.  This may prevent the postnasal drip, coughing and vomiting.  To get the most out of a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash.  A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms.  It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective.  Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique.  Share this information with your doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.

[benise27]

A related discussion, rhinitis was started.