Does anyone else have a lot of trouble playing at certain times of the year due to allergies? Each year at this time, it seems like i don’t even have enough breath for the low, slow ones. Any possible solutions?
My allergies subside while I am playing. But they come back in full force, headache, sneezing, sniffles, itchy eyes, as soon as I stop. I think playing only takes my mind off them.
There are lots of anti-allergic medications for this: local and/or tablets. Have you tried any?
Yeah, but with a history of HBP and heart problems, the choice is somewhat limited. Most of the over the counter stuff I’ve tried makes me drowsy, and Allegra, all their claims to the contrary, had some rather unsettling and even frightening side effects . I’ve got a prescription for claritin that I’ll be filling later today - here’s hoping that’s the one.
Good luck Chuck,
My allergies to meds are worse than my hay fever, so … oh, yeah, I forgot to do some bee pollen this week–that helps a bit.
Short of breath? Any possibility some asthma is involved? Perhaps you might try an albuterol inhaler (prescribed, of course, by a board certified allergy/asthma specialist). Can you tell I work for a group of allergy & asthma specialists?
Susan
You have my sympathy, Chuck. Sometimes I can’t even finish speaking a sentence without running out of breath! With my allergy related asthma I take two prescription sprays that help, Albuterol and Pulmicort. I have also used Claritin and it doesn’t make you drowsy like other medications. My wife swears by a new prescription spray called ADVAIR that cleared up her lungs after she had spent almost a month of coughing. You should check with your doctor on any of these medications, especially as you say you have heart problems.
If things get really bad I switch over to the piano, guitar or banjo for a while. As much as I love the whistle, I would advise anyone with our kind of lungs to also take up a non-wind instrument as a back up. That way we can still play music, or at least until we develop arthritis in our fingers! I wish you good luck in finding something that helps.
Best wishes, Tom
This year has been diffucult. I was off allergy meds for a few years, but I’ve spend several months on Claritan D this year. The heat, the drought, the humidity . . . even though I want to play, I find sometimes the lack of good air makes it hard and I tire within 10 or fifteen minutes.
My lungs used to be much worse as a teen, so I never played a wind instrument in school. I play now, and my lungs are great . . . but this year has been bad for everyone.
I like Claritan D, it cleared up the post nasal drip and stopped the sneezing. It’s killed my appitite, however.
I’m taking up the guitar(hopefully this fall!)to allow me to play through these allergy seasons. And it’s the prefect excuse to get a new instrument!