I think I’ve mentioned before that I live in Florida? Where the state tree is (or should be) the pine tree. I’m not allergic, thankfully, but I’ve been thinking about how horrible it would be if I were. Let me illustrate with a few examples. During pine tree pollen season, my screened porch gets coated yellow. Not just the screen but the bench inside of it as well. By green truck turns yellow. Do you know how much pollen you have to put on green to turn it green? A lot. Finally, we are thinking about building a screened in pool and the pool builders have told us that during ‘pine season’ we’ll have to skim the top of the pool daily if we don’t want to swim in pollen even with the screening. One last example; a friend of mine left her windows open on a nice day. There were window screens and she figured everything would be fine. Oh no. The rooms with the windows open had to be completely cleaned because of the coating of pine pollen. All of these examples make me wonder, how does anyone with a pine pollen allergy live anywhere in Florida and maintain any kind of good health?(or any other state with lots of pine trees). Someone clue me in?

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As a mother of a small child, I am understandably concerned about the news about Swine Flu. However, I was also a teacher for many years, and I know that sometimes it can be very difficult to tell if a child is sick with something like the flu or if they simply have allergies.

Some of the Swine Flu symptoms and common allergy symptoms are very much alike. The ones that are in considered possible for both are italicized in the following list.

Allergy Symptoms

• Cough
• Fatigue
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose

Swine Flu Symptoms

• Coughing
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Nausea
• Runny noose
• Sore throat
• Vomiting

What does this mean for parents of children in the school districts that have been affected by Swine Flu? Well, as a teacher and a mother I’d say it is better to be safe than sorry. If your child starts exhibiting symptoms that are unusual for him or her, call your doctor. If, on the other hand, your child usually has allergy symptoms and he or she doesn’t have a fever or digestive problems you are probably ok.

Because so many people have allergies, and those allergies are not contagious, they may have become lax in washing their hands after each sneeze or cough. The runny nose and coughing that are hallmarks of Swine Flu are also what helps the disease spread so rapidly. Remember that with any of these symptoms it is important to wash, or sterilize, your hands frequently to prevent spreading germs. This is a good habit to get into even if you think you are only suffering from seasonal allergies.

Do you have allergy symptoms that are often suspected by others to be cold or flu symptoms? How has the reaction of others to your allergy symptoms changed since the outbreak of Swine Flu?

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While allergies and Swine Flu are two completely different kettles of fish, they do have some symptoms that are similar. The ones that are especially worrisome to me, as an acute allergy sufferer, are the cough, fatigue, runny nose, and occasional sore throat. My problem is that most of these symptoms apply to me at some point during the peak of allergy season.

This possibility of my allergies masking Swine Flu symptoms really had me worried. I mean, how am I supposed to know if my nose is runny because I’ve contracted the evil piggy virus or because my neighbor mowed his lawn? So being me, teacher training about to kick in here, I decided to do some research. I flitted over to the CDC website and a few other government sites and realized that I probably don’t have a lot to worry about.

The fatigue associated with Swine Flu is more like the fatigue you’d have with any other flu strain. This is very different from the rundown feeling you get with an allergy flare-up, at least in my experience. Also, there is usually a fever with Swine Flu which allergies don’t cause. For those who are especially worried (you can join my club, because I really do worry about germs) you can always check the outbreak map at the CDC. They show what states have reported cases. I’m lucky enough to live in a state with no reported cases (yet) so that makes me feel a bit more secure.

Which leads to the next question of what will I do when my state does have reported cases of Swine Flu. Well, if my symptoms are the exact same as every other time my allergies have acted up I probably won’t do anything differently at all. But, if my symptoms are worse or at all different I’ll call my doctor.

Do you worry that you won’t be able to tell if you contract Swine Flu because of the severity of your allergy symptoms?

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I almost always have a case of the sniffles or sneezes, even on my allergy medication. It is nowhere near as bad as it was in my pre-medicine days, but nevertheless constantly present. Now when I go into a store and sniffle a little bit I notice people looking at me a little different. Almost like they think I might have the plague. Of course, that’s because it is possible that I am carrying something contagious that is being reported as potentially deadly. Just because I know I don’t have Swine Flu, doesn’t mean they know I don’t have it.

I’m tempted to explain to everyone who hears me sniffle, that it really is ok and that I’ve had allergies for as long as I’ve been breathing. Unfortunately, I don’t think most people want to get close enough to hear me explain. You know, just in case. The sad thing is I totally understand. If I hear a cough or a sneeze or a hoarse throat I want to spray the person down with Lysol and take a dip in some Purel. This isn’t a rational reaction, I know that. But it is a common reaction. So what’s a girl with seasonal allergies to do? Not to mention a girl who is also afraid of catching the Swine Flu, or any other crazy bug that happens to be lying around.

What I do is mostly avoid people, especially now. I know people are worried and my sniffles might make it worse so I’m not going to stores or business very much during the day. I go shopping at night at one of the 24 hour stores or order online. Of course I’m not just doing it for the people who think my allergies are Swine Flu, I’m also doing it because I don’t want other peoples germs. Paranoid is my middle name, too. That’s probably why I don’t mind those sideways glances and abrupt retreats when people see me with Kleenex.

Has anyone ever mistaken your allergies for Swine flu, or other contagious illness? What do you do when people shy away from you just because of your seasonal allergies?

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Looking back at my life, and medical history, it is easy to see that I’ve always had really bad allergies. Unfortunately, I was misdiagnosed for most of my childhood. Occasionally the doctor would say I had allergic rhinitis and would prescribe something for temporary relief. For the most part, however, it was brushed over and other explanations were given.

Fortunately, there are allergy tests that can help people like me. There are two types, a skin test and a blood test. I’ve had the skin test and it worked quite well. However, if I’d known there was a blood test option I think I would have given it a try. Why? Because the skin test is time consuming and can be a little uncomfortable. I would definitely go the blood test route for my child. If it showed considerable allergies I’d move on to the skin test if it was needed.

An allergy blood test is a useful alterative to an allergy skin test. The skin test requires patients to refrain from taking allergy medications for 48-72 hours, which can be absolutely miserable for someone with severe allergies. The blood test allows the patient to remain on the medications. It is also a good choice for a person with skin allergies that might make the skin test uncomfortable or difficult to read.

After the blood is drawn and specific antigens are looked for. Unfortunately, the blood test isn’t quite as effective as the allergy skin test. The skin test can also test for a wider variety of allergens, which is helpful if the patient has no idea what all he or she may be allergic to.

Have you had the allergy blood test? What was it like? Have you also had the allergy skin test? How did the two compare in your personal experience?

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For the longest time my parents, teachers, family, and I all thought I was just sickly. I seemed to get sick regularly with the sniffles and a cough. It wasn’t until I was an adult that we realized this semi-regular occurrence was actually caused by seasonal allergies. Unfortunately for me, I’m allergic to something year round so my ‘colds’ were a perpetual problem.

The confusing part is that most of the symptoms for the two ailments are very much alike. Fatigue, sneezing, and a stuffy or runny nose are all common for both:

Cold Symptoms

• Aches and pains -occasionally
• Cough
• Fatigue – occasionally
• Fever -occasionally
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose

Allergy Symptoms

• Cough – occasionally
• Fatigue- occasionally
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat – occasionally
• Stuffy nose

The big difference is that a cold will almost never cause itchy eyes but allergies will. Other than that, the only way to know for sure is to be tested for allergies.

The good thing about finding out you have allergies is that there are steps that can prevent severe reactions. Medications, allergen avoidance, and homeopathic remedies can all be implemented to relieve and prevent symptoms. The bad thing about allergies is that the symptoms often must be managed for life with these measures.

While a cold can’t be prevented, the symptoms can be treated with decongestants, pain relievers, and rest. Further, the duration of a cold is finite and subsequent exposure isn’t guaranteed. Allergy sufferers have to look forward to regular flare-ups, but people will only occasionally be afflicted with a cold virus.

If you aren’t sure which you have, see a doctor. If you notice your general practitioner has diagnosed you with recurrent ‘colds’ you may want to see an allergy specialist. My allergy specialist gave me a new lease on life. I haven’t been ‘sick’ in years because of my allergy medications, I’d be lost without them. Have you had a similar experience? Did your seasonal allergies drive you crazy for years before you found out you had allergies? Share your story!