How can pet allergy with sneezing be alternatively treated?
Patient: I'm going to a friend's house tonight and spending the night. I love going there because she's one of my best friends, and we always have a great time, but her house triggers my allergies even when I've taken my medicine. She has 2 cats, 2 dogs, and a guinea pig in her house. I thought taking my medicine (Allegra of some sort) an hour or so before I go would make it fine, but it's always really bad; I'm sneezing like crazy and my nose is runny, and I cough a lot. I'm not allergic to cats or dogs or guinea pigs per se, but they do bother me a little but not as much as they do at her house. I'm only supposed to take it once every 12 hours, but my mom is a nurse and she said it wouldn't kill me to take it again when I was at this girl's house before. So I took it a few hours after I had the first time, and my allergies were fine after that, but I was SOOO sleepy, I was the only one to sleep that night because a few other friends were there too. I want to stay up and have fun, but I don't want to be miserable. What should I do about it? Doctor: Hello.Thank you for asking at HCM.I went through your history and would like to make following suggestions for you:1. Yes, antihistamines (commonly used for allergies) can cause sedation. Were I treating you, I would suggest you to take combination of fexofenadine and montelukast which will be more effective than fexofenadine (Allegra) alone. You can take a single dose approx 1-2 hours before going to your friend's house.2. If this does not help you, I would suggest you to keep a intranasal spray like azelastine with you, you could use it when you develop symptoms. As it is a local spray, it causes least sedation.Hope above suggestions will be helpful to you.Should you have any further query, please feel free to ask at HCM.Wish you the best of the health ahead.Thank you & Regards.