Rethinking Allergens

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I have always been something of a doubter when it comes to the subject of Autism-related allergies - not so much that they exist, but I never believed that cutting gluten and starch and anything food out of my diet would have a significant effect.

Part of the my reasoning, at least personally, was that I didn't have many allergies. Or so I thought. I always had moderate seasonal allergies, but that seemed normal to me. One day, after I had come back from my OA ordeal (camp), I went out to mow the lawn. As soon as I started to sweat, I also started to itch - all over my torso, and painfully. I currently take Claritin (loratadine) daily to prevent this.

One procedure I had mentioned a slightly high allergen count, but was not elaborated upon. Over the years, I have discovered that I have my father's cat allergies, and I am slightly sensitive to fish; my uncle is allergic.

For the last five years or so, I have suffered from an unstoppable post-nasal drip. It feels like being drowned over the course of a decade. The last few months saw me pushing to find a treatable explanation for this chronic aggravation. My quest led me to a certain lung doctor, who prescribed new medications and ordered blood work. Earlier today, I had my follow-up visit with her.

I hold in my hand the only positive results from the blood work: an allergen panel. Of the 25 allergies that were tested, 16 were positive. The positive allergens are: bermuda grass, birch trees, cats, ragweed, cottonwood, elm, maple, mugwort, oak, rough pigweed, sheep sorrel, sycamore, timothy grass, walnut, white ash, and white mulberry. The doctor thinks that this is why no medications had a lasting effect - I am exposed to many of these on a daily basis.

I will now proceed to an allergy specialist, where I expect to learn even more about my allergies, and find a lasting cure for my inner strangle-hold.