Always sick all the time (Yuma, Flagstaff: teaching jobs, allergies, living)

[bluebelt1234]

I moved to Yuma in 2004 from Indiana and it seems like ever since I moved here I have sinus infections and allergies all the time. Everyone tells me the infections will decrease and I will "get used to it." My sinus infections have been increasing. Now I am in the doctor's office at least once a month. I don't know why I keep getting so sick and would like to find a place where I wouldn't have to suffer so much. Some of my friends think I need to see an ENT and possibly have surgery. I don't want to put myself through that and doctors are SO EXPENSIVE. I didn't get sick near as much back in Indiana but teaching jobs are hard to find back there. Back in Indiana, I got sick maybe once or twice a year and would have to occasionally take allergy medicine. I just don't know what to do. I HATE spending so much time in bed.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by bluebelt1234

I moved to Yuma in 2004 from Indiana and it seems like ever since I moved here I have sinus infections and allergies all the time. Everyone tells me the infections will decrease and I will "get used to it." My sinus infections have been increasing. Now I am in the doctor's office at least once a month. I don't know why I keep getting so sick and would like to find a place where I wouldn't have to suffer so much. Some of my friends think I need to see an ENT and possibly have surgery. I don't want to put myself through that and doctors are SO EXPENSIVE. I didn't get sick near as much back in Indiana but teaching jobs are hard to find back there. Back in Indiana, I got sick maybe once or twice a year and would have to occasionally take allergy medicine. I just don't know what to do. I HATE spending so much time in bed.

I hear allergies are less in Flagstaff, have you considered living there?

[Gretchen B]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I hear allergies are less in Flagstaff, have you considered living there?

Do you know what's triggering your allergies? If it's pollution, then Flagstaff would be much better. However the Forest Service conducts quite a few controlled burns around there, so if smoke bothers you that might not be the best place either. Except for that occasional smoke, though, once you get north of the Carefree Hwy, the air becomes much cleaner the further north you go. The only other complaint (besides the occasional smoke) that I've heard from allergy sufferers around here (Prescott area) is when the junipers bloom (not sure if that's the correct term ). Anyway, hope you find an area where you're not sick all the time.

[Ponderosa]

I feel your pain. I have had chronic sinus problems for years. I rarely have a day without sinus pain and headaches. I have lived in the desert most of my life. I also traveled a lot in my past career spending periods of two or more weeks in other cities. My experience was that the sinus problems never really changed and the allergy reactions sometimes got much worse in the green places. I think once you get sensitized, it just stays with you. So moving might not be your fix.

[tucsondesertdweller]

Ponderosa, what do you do or take for the sinus problems? I also suffer, and rarely am I without some sympton or another. It has made me sort of depressed. Dr is not too much help either.

[Ponderosa]

Just aspirin and Sudafed. I've tried some prescription things but they don't work any better. Sudafed doesn't agree with men as they get older, so I have had to go easy with that, too. I just suffer with it for the most part, I guess. It's been going on so long that it is normal now. Every once in a while I get a couple days break when I can actually breathe.

[tucsondesertdweller]

I have probably tried most of what is available. Benadryl works best for me, but sometimes makes me sleepy. Presciption medications don't work all that well either. I do have a new prescription nose spray, that is better then average, Astelin(sp). Worth a try for you

[discontented lot owner]

I originally came from Indiana -to Calif then to Florida always having bad sinuses until I changed my diet (eliminating fats, red meat, sugar, white flour-basic man made crap.) I took a suppement of Astragalus, Burdoc, Cats Claw, and to heck with the MD and his symtom maskers. If you want your car to run right you dont fill it with kerosine-the same applies to you body which can heal on natural food rather than chemicals.

[bluebelt1234]

I did not have problems this bad in Indiana. It seems like dust and air pollution make things worse. I have tried exercising and it did seem like it helped a little.

[ILoveNY629]

Unfortunately, it goes with living here. Since I moved to AZ 10 years ago, I have had problems with my sinuses. My husband has the same problem. We just purchased a good air cleaner and are trying nasal irrigation with a saline solution. I also notice that my kids get a lot more respiratiory illnesses. There are very few places with perfect air, but definitely the dust and dirt seems much worse here than where I came from. Also, the dry air probably makes it difficult for the membranes of the nose or lungs to filter as they should.

Good luck. I feel your pain.