The enviroment is out to get me, Ha-Ha!

[Zilla]

No this not a political post, atleast not in the terms of having anything to do with Obama, Democrats and Republicans. Instead it has to do with my allergist.

Two weeks ago I went to my regular doctor as I felt like shizz. They put me on Z-pack, gave me a 5 day Prednisone taper and sent me on my way. Yesterday I ended up at my allergist after I crashed and burned the night before.

Allergist says that what is making me feel like crap isn't viral or anything of that nature, it's the enviroment outside. We've had a mild winter here in MA, so this means that mold spores, pollen, and other enviromental things ( I have no idea what those things are, but he kept talking about those "things" like they were a unknown boogy man) are the problem, which lead to the suggestion that I should spend atleast the spring and summer in the house. Ugh! I've been down this path before and yesterdays suggestion of such a thing went over as well as it did the first time, like a fart in a space suit.

I left there with the promise that I would comply to the medication schedule I was given ( 30 days of Prednisone with a built in taper and treatments of Symbicort twice a day) and a appointment in 2 weeks to be tested for enviromental allergies. The last time I had this done, it showed I was allergic to everything under the sun. Grasses, trees, pollens, dust mites, almost all of my pets ( my fish pass the test) ect.

I enjoy being outside when we have good weather. I've been busy staining the house, getting the yard cleaned up, ect when the weather has permitted it. Sometimes even shoveling snow is "fun" and once again, I'm being told that I need to learn to become a hermit. I'm frustrated with this as one of the very medications I agreed to take ( Symbicort) can cause pnemonia and or death. So while there may be a enviromental boogy man that is out to get me, there are well established boogy men hiding within Big Pharma. Nuff said.

Hubby strattled the fence on this issue. He didn't come out and tell me to stay in the house 24/7, but he did tell me that I don't have to spend hours outside in the name of completing a project in a single day. Meh! I didn't say anything as I know atleast in part he was speaking out of concern, but I really wanted to thump him over the head. He went on to say that if I just stayed in the house, physically I may feel better but when I asked about the mental side effects from that, I was greeted with silence.

I know hubby is not going to invest the many hours it takes to maintain the gardens and such. If he had his way, we'd have a entire yard covered in mulch. I say this as there have been times that he has suggested such a thing in his own obnoxious way. Mulch would not fix the problem anyway because mulch comes from trees and since I'm allergic to them, a yard covered in mulch could technically be labled as just as "toxic" as the birch trees ( or any of the other trees for that matter) beside the driveway that I adore and refuse to cut down due to being allergic to them.

So I'm at the great wall of "What the fram?" once again. If a doctor told you that the only solution to such a problem would be to change your entire lifestyle in the name of avoiding a unknown "enviromental" problem, would you do it?

I realize that there are people that wouldn't have a problem with hiding in their house or apartment for entire seasons, but I'm struggling with it. Of all the things a person could do, gardening is hardly the worst of them.

[Bob T]

Originally Posted by Zilla

So I'm at the great wall of "What the fram?" once again. If a doctor told you that the only solution to such a problem would be to change your entire lifestyle in the name of avoiding a unknown "enviromental" problem, would you do it?

I am no doctor, so my word here is worthless, but in a word, "NO!"...I wouldn't give in.
First I would try another doctor, maybe a DO instead of an MD...someone with a more holistic approach, to make sure it is not something else, to look at options.
Second, I just wouldn't give in...we here know how adaptable our bodies can be...and avoiding what is causing the issue doesn't give your body a chance to fight, adapt and prevail...

I realize that there are people that wouldn't have a problem with hiding in their house or apartment for entire seasons, but I'm struggling with it. Of all the things a person could do, gardening is hardly the worst of them.

You are correct...
I need to be outside, I like to be outside...I couldn't give it up without one hell of a fight.

OK...again my disclaimer...
I am not a doctor, please don't do anything rash based on what I say...

Good luck...hope you resolve this soon,
Bob

[Robert2006]

Originally Posted by Zilla

Allergist says that what is making me feel like crap isn't viral or anything of that nature, it's the enviroment outside. We've had a mild winter here in MA, so this means that mold spores, pollen, and other enviromental things ( I have no idea what those things are, but he kept talking about those "things" like they were a unknown boogy man) are the problem, which lead to the suggestion that I should spend atleast the spring and summer in the house..

If the season starts early shouldn't it end earlier to ? It's not like the plants stay in flower forever.

We've had the exact opposite winter here. It's been the coldest in 30 years. When spring finally gets in full gear all the trees etc are going to be filling the air all at once

Normally with the altitude changes it's a bit every week. But this year