Hello,
I'm new to this section. I quit smoking 5 months ago and my allergies are worse than they've ever been. My allergist started me on shots after testing. I know that it takes many months before they actually work. The doctor gave me pretnasone for a week because my nasal passages were so swollen. It helped a little. I'm on flonase and astelin once a day. I feel so stuffed up all the time. I constantly wonder is this allergies or my lungs. I walk 3 miles every morning and I'm not winded excessively and I do this continuously without stopping. I constantly focus on my breathing. I wanted to know if anyone with allergy problems feel this way. Some days are better than others. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote from patcher:

Hello,
I'm new to this section. I quit smoking 5 months ago and my allergies are worse than they've ever been. My allergist started me on shots after testing. I know that it takes many months before they actually work. The doctor gave me pretnasone for a week because my nasal passages were so swollen. It helped a little. I'm on flonase and astelin once a day. I feel so stuffed up all the time. I constantly wonder is this allergies or my lungs. I walk 3 miles every morning and I'm not winded excessively and I do this continuously without stopping. I constantly focus on my breathing. I wanted to know if anyone with allergy problems feel this way. Some days are better than others. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Patcher!:wave: I have been trying to quit smoking for years and everytime I do, my allergies go haywire--the whole body thing. Hives, asthma, eczema, you name it. It must be that inflammatory response thing that I've seen on the internet many times regarding the immune system. I quit again on October 24th and I'm not right yet. My skin is so sore, and I have acid reflux like crazy. If I ever had episodes of diseases, I've got them all at once because evidently nicotine suppresses the immune system. My breathing is terrible--hardly expectorating because I think everything is inflamed in that area and the reflux is kicking up the asthma like crazy. I'm going to be food tested on the 21st, patch tested on the 27th, and evetuallly retested for the pollens. If I'm under more stress, I feel like a one-man band because everything kicks up at once and sometimes it doesn't feel like the meds help(Flovent 110, Flonase, Protonix or Tagamet, Zyrtec or Claritin). I'm lactose intolerant, too, so that's a pain in the neck. I've found you almost have to change ALL of your habits or rotate everything you put into your mouth so that you won't get more allergic reactions. What has become worse is the dye allergy--internally and externally. Food coloring is out and all soaps and hair products. I'm only 50 but I look like I'm 65 because I really can't wear makeup anymore. I would love to walk to help tackle the weight, but I'm so allergic I keep having reactions and feel it's best to wait for the allergist. Keep your chin up, Patch--I know just how you feel. Take care--Hopeto:wave: