Developed allergies 6 months ago for the first time in my life...

[NameTaken]

Hey, so of course a lot of the people on the forum have allergies or at least enjoy allergy sneezing. I've never really cared about them, and no one in my immediate family has ever had them, so I didn't really think about them either.

Since about 2015 my younger sister developed allergies - like, gross sneezing allergies - and it's actually been a massive source of conflict for us. She knows all about the fetish and it's super uncomfortable, which makes her angry because she can't help it, and makes me angry and disgusted and like just.....ugh. I can't be around her when she's like that. Anyway, maybe it's fucking karma but this summer I noticed that I also had started sneezing more than usual, and now I'm convinced I have full blown allergies.

I used to go like...days without sneezing, or like most people sneeze maybe once or twice, but - and I kept count, and the day is still not over - today I have sneezed 35 times. Like. Give me a break! I'd be so happy if this was an SO and not myself. Maybe this is some kind of divine punishment for being such a sadistic fetishist 

I'm super open with my sister and don't mind talking about this development with her (as long as she doesn't go into detail about herself), and we think it's either of these three things, or a combination: our dog, dust, and all the fucking potpourri our dad's partner brought into the family home once she moved in a few years ago.

So, no one in our family, like I said, has a history of allergies - we grew up with a dog, both my parents grew up with a ton of dogs and their families were fine. So I don't know. My sneezing started when I was living in a flat separate from the family home, and I hadn't been around any dogs for months, so dust was waaaay more likely, particularly given that I was lazy with cleaning. In my sister's case though, things started when she was living at home, and around the time the potpourri shit starting being introduced into the house....I'm totally at a loss! She still has daily allergic problems now even though there are no dogs or potpourri around her in her flat.

We keep meaning to go to the doctors and get allergy tests or something - no idea how that works - but neither of us can find the time. Allergy pills definitely make the reaction less intense. It's the biggest problem really when my sister is having a reaction around me because it legitimately strains our relationship. And just in general because it's an everyday occurrence - obviously the intensity varies and some days it isn't noticeable. And allergy meds are expensive!! Grrrr

I'm not really sure what the point of this post was, maybe just to vent some frustrations. If anyone else experienced developing allergies in their early twenties/has similar experiences, I'd appreciate hearing how you dealt with everything!

[Hygge]

I didn’t have allergies until like after I graduated high school. But mine are pretty obvious to me and ppl around me (cats and seasonal). You could possibly try visiting a friend or the local animal shelter to see if you guys have a reaction to animals. Allergy tests are kind of cool, IMO. They just prick your skin a tiny bit with a ton of possible allergens, and if you have an allergy to one of them, your skin has a reaction at the site where they tested for the allergy. Like redness / a little swelling. It’s not like they rally scratch your skin or anything painful. I think it’s interesting and worth trying just to learn! 

 

Also, off brand allergy meds with the same active ingredient are waaaay cheaper lol. I used to load up on Claritin, but now I use alavert (not sure how it’s spelt). Way cheaper. 

Edited January 27, 2018 by Boba

[SneezyKateM]

Yup, what Boba said.  Going to get allergy tested isn't that hard to do, you should do it.  And you might get meds via prescription, which you won't have to pay for?

I started having allergies around 13, and then they ended up becoming pretty bad - probably like the 'gross sneezing allergies' you mentioned.

[NameTaken]

Thanks for the input guys!! I will for sure go to the doctors and get tested. For some reason it totally didn't occur to me that you could get allergy meds via prescription LOL

 

[SneezySal]

Can't you save a little time, money, effort -- whatever -- by having a good sniff of the possible triggers? Have you spent few days away from home and found your allergies ameliorated?

[ilikesneezes2000]

Allergy tests are nothing at all.. nothing to worry about 👍🏻 And it shouldn’t take too long either.