I'm still in Sweden but this was news that's too good not to share right away. On Saturday, V went back home to Ireland and I've stayed here in Stockholm hanging out with his parents. Less than a week after we arrived in Sweden, my allergies. blew. up. Truly, I could not breathe without sneezing and coughing and when it was time for bed, the wheezing started. During the days my eyes felt raw and itchy. Indoors, outdoors, it was not pretty. It made me second guess my allergy to dust mites - since I rarely get allergic outdoors.
This was one morning that was particularly bad...
- and unfortunately, this was not the worst. During that day my eye got more red - the other eye started to get itchy and pink too... and at one point I could barely open my eyes at all because they were that swollen and hurty.
I've always suspected my allergies were related to dust. It was confirmed in my mind when, after months of being miserable when going to bed at night, I half-jokingly asked for a hypo-allergenic pillow for Christmas one year. I got it! That night, I slept on it, and got my first good-night's sleep in what seemed like ages. That was it! I knew I was allergic to dust mites.
A little more confirmation came from a recent blood test confirming that my IGE level is high - indicating I have some sort of allergy.
Final proof came just today... and this is why I really like my doctor (Dr. Lordan, in Lismore and Ballyduff) - while I had planned on making an appointment and asking him to do an allergy-specific panel after I returned home from Sweden, V returned home and told me I had received a letter from Dr. Lordan's office. I asked him to tell me what it said and V read that further blood tests have been returned from the lab indicating that I am indeed strongly allergic to house dust mites as well as four different strains of grass!!!
In Ireland, I'm rarely sneezy outdoors - in fact, when I'm cleaning, sometimes I step outdoors for a bit of respite from my allergies. While I've been in Sweden, I've been allergic e v e r y w h e r e. The allergy medication I was given by Dr. Lordan did not work!!! I was at a loss. It worked fine back home. Finally, a few days before V went home, we stopped at a local chemist and picked up antihistamine eyedrops as well as some Loratadin. I ripped into them while I was in the store!! Amazingly, everything ceased. No more itchy eyes, no more sneezy face... marvellous.
I am so glad to have confirmation of my actual allergies after such a long time. It's one step closer to being rid of being miserable and feeling like I have a chronic cold. One step closer to getting the correct medicines and finally feeling normal again! Hooray!
