Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Allergy poll....Aaaaachoo!!!!!!!

Ok,

My question is since you have been diagnosed with AS have you had more problems with allergies & sinuses?

Before I was diagnosed at 28 I NEVER had allergy problems.

Even when I was diagnosed I didn't have allergy problems until like 2 years ago.

Now, it seems like over the last year I have benn having HORRIBLE problems with drainage & coughing.

I take sudafed (which is of no help) I suck cough drops at night (which doesn't help either) alot of times while sleeping I cough so hard and so much it makes me want to throw up. It is so miserable that I usually have to get up and can't go back to sleep for an hour or two.

I am sure dealing with my immune system it has something to do with it. As most of you know I have had pneumonia 5 times in the last 8 months.

Just wondering how many of you are suffering like me...hoping you are suffering like me in the middle of the night...can't sleep, up roaming the house...wishing you could sleep...lol

Lisa

I never thought these two things could be connected.
My allergy started when i was around 20 (so did my back problems). My mom has the same thing and it is getting worse, she s slowly getting asthma, she doesnt have AS, but other problems - dont know what you call it in english, but basically she doesnt have enough space for her spinal chord (hope you ll figure out what i mean)

my bro is hla b27+, no AS diagnosed yet, but starting to have back problems. he has allergy and asthma since his baby age.

my dad has AS, but no allergy

I actually think my allergies get better as my AS gets worse. Not sure what to think there.

That "coughing so bad you throw up" thing...That's called post-tussive emesis in medicalese. It's a sign your body isn't getting a good oxygen/CO2 exchange. You may have a touch of allergy induced asthma. If that's the case, there are meds out there that might help. Singulair is a once a day tablet that actually helps both. There are also other meds you can try that'll make you feel sooooo much better. You should ask your doc about it. He may also want to send you to a pulmonologist (lung doc) to make sure your AS isn't a causative factor in the whole mess.

As far as polls go, I don't know about the rest of the adult world, but here in pedi-land, every nose in town is running, and I think they're racing the watery eyes

Hope you feel better soon.

Since you brought up the subject and I think back all those years it does seem that I do have a lot more problems with allergies.
This may not have anything to do with the subject but growing up in the country and working around blooming garden plants and going in barns etc. meant you were going to get bee and wasp stung on occasion. I never had a problem other than localized swelling and itching until about a year after my first bout with AS when I got stung by a wasp on the hand and my arm swelled up really bad to my elbow. Amazing as it may seem I have not been stung since that time about 35 years ago so I don't know what kind of reaction I would have now. Ottis

No allergy problems here Lisa. My hubby has them and wanting to go natural, uses peppermint oil under his nose at bedtime to open the sinus passages so he can sleep better. This really helps with his nasal breathing so we're all happier campers here. Smells nice too.

If I have a dry hacking cough I'll take a tylenol #1, but if you're allergic to codeine you can't take that. The codeine helps settle the cough. However, if you're coughing up a lung then you need to get to the doc pronto, esp. with your history of pneumonia so many times.

Chelle's suggestion of that med sounds great too. I may try to get some for my hubby for when his allergies/asthma really bothers him.

There are things that bother me; some make-up causes rashes, several skin creams as well, tobacco smoke and strong perfume gives me a very raw, sore throat, and for about 2 years I'd get hives while eating strawberries. I'm glad that cleared up, it was temporary. But I woudn't say any of this was related to AS.

Prayers for good health... Sigrid

Lisa,

My sinus infections started in my early teens, as did minor AS symptoms. I've often wondered if constant infections and antibiotics played a part in my immune system's meltdown, chances are it was just another hyper response that was directed internally. I also had a massive abdominal infection when I was 12, followed by surgery and a long recovery.

Good question. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Kirst

ok... i can't answer your question b/c i was dxd so young, however, about 15 yrs ago they started using anti-inflams for asthma & allergies! it makes sense that reducing the inflamation in the lungs would ease breathing!

wheezzz hugs,
teddi

Hi Lisa,
I have mild asthma, in my teens suffered with sinus problems and also the cough to your sick problems. I had my first signs of AS at age eleven with swollen knee. All three of my kids have moderate to serious asthma and related allergies.
Regards,
Debra

God Bless you! It's interesting that you should mention that. I came down with alergies about 5 years ago, and it was bad. This past year, no alergies! No anti-biotics for a nasty sore throat either. However, this past week, I had one of the worse flair ups I've ever had. Its still with me as I write this. ouch.

Lisa, my experiance has been just the opposite. When younger I had asthma, and severe hayfever. Since my dx and being on strong anti-inflams for yrs, I have no symtoms at all. J.R.