Kimber,
Probably the safest thing is avoidance, which is not entirely practical, but allergy tends to be cumulative so decreasing the load may make symptoms tolerable. Keep non preservative saline eye drops handy and use them to keep things out of your eyes, sun glasses are protective for more than just pollen, hats the same. Glasses also help keep hands out of the eyes. Saline nose/sinus washes (neti pot) keep things clear and loose there. Foods that don't bother you at other times of the year may add to your allergic load: the big five being milk eggs, chocolate, wheat, and corn. You may be sensitive to other things that are perhaps harder to avoid: air pollution, cigarette smoke perfumes, and chemicals in cleaning supplies, formaldehyde, etc.

What you are not exposed to can't cause trouble. Most allergens enter through the eyes and nose and indirectly from the hands. Drinking enough fluids may help as well. Your doctor may have other ideas, but I try to avoid any more drugs given all the problems we have and the drugs we HAVE to take. b.

What you describe as a "gaze" problem from near to far objects was actually my first symptom of myasthenia gravis. This could be the disease just changing its course.

I also am suffering from something with my allergies and sinuses at this time.

Let me know what you find helps!

ShanAlis,
Funny you should say the gaze problem was your first symptom. My neuro's nurse just called back and told me the doc said it was time to get my glasses checked. Not MG.

Also the nurse said to find allergy meds that were NOT anticholinergic. Most all of them are. She said Claritin (without the D), Allegra or some of the Tussins. However I have not found Claritin or Allegra helpful in the past.

The muscles that control focus are mixed striated and smooth. I think MG affects them, too. Rest relieves the problem or Mestinon or prednisone for me. Rest is especially helpful. MG in my book, even if not in the textbooks ( like our sphincters ). b

(Claritin and Allegra don't work for me either.)

Claritin and allegra do not work for me either. I have really severe allergies. I do get shots for them but that is not enough. I use two nasal sprays one in the morning and again at night, Azelastine HCL, and one at night FLuticasone Propionate. This is really important as my nasal passages are narrow and I use a nasal mask with my apnea machine. In addition I can't survive without an antihistamine. I know they are on the caution list but I adjust my mestinon as needed and do ok. I use benadryl BID and do quite well with it. Actually even one of our dogs is on benadryl. I do not get any sedative effect with it at all.

Everyone is different so you have to find what works for you. I use eye drops as well but they are more for dry eyes.

I hope you can get to the bottom of the problem and find a solution that works well for you. Marie

Yeah, my case started with difficulty breathing wherein I quickly developed asthma. I'm not allergic to anything. My IgE is the player in my immune system with numbers off the charts. Only persons with severe allergies (allergic to pretty much everything) would score as high as I have. So I call my asthma my fake asthma. The allergist wasn't to pleased to hear me call it 'fake'. I told her something else was wrong with me and it's got everything in my system stirred up. She asked if I knew what that might be and I said they haven't figured it out yet, but they will. She said until they do, I'll be ordering fake inhalers for it. I take 2 different nasal sprays and two inhalers. My sinuses are profuse and this stuff keeps it under control no problem:
Azelastine HCI 0.1%- Histimine nasal spray
Fluticasone - Steriod nasal spray
Pro Air HFA 90 mcg (same as Ventolin/rescue inhaler)
QVAR 80 mcg Long acting Steriod inhaler

Odd. I have also been diagnosed with asthma. Never hospitalized. Cold and allergy activated. My asthma is also not the average asthma. I generally don't have wheezing.The allergist called it a "quiet chest". Basically said it came on so quickly that there was nothing to hear. I have wondered a lot recently if it was standard asthma or some sort of MG side effect.

Same here!! .For me it's not really wheezing, but an inflamed feeling. Reminds me of when I was a kid and swam in a pool with too much chlorine. From inhaling it all day when I tried taking a deep breath I would have to cough. Kinda like that for me. As for my nose...never ending supply of liquid without the meds. I suppose one could look at the irritation as sinus drainage, but ti's not a sore throat...it's lower, just under the breasts in the middle of my chest.

If not already done so, have the doctor order an immunoglobulin panel

Another thought on this...

When I talked to the ENT about my glossopharyngeal hypertrophy and reactive upper airways he told me that the symptoms of this type of hypertrophy can mimic those of asthma. He included such symptoms as coughing when in cold air, spasmodic coughing when food touches a certain place in your throat, occasional stridor, and feelings of your throat closing off. I also have reflux which can aggravate all of the above.

Sometimes the answer is that more then one thing aggravates and causes problems. Asthma of course is greatly aggravated by reflux and is one of the things allergists look at first....controlling the refulx

Not sure any of this applies but will throw it out there. Marie

Green Marie...very good advice! Back when my breathing issues started, the pulmonary doctor was concerned I might be aspirating in my sleep because my lungs were working as they should and there was no change after a breathing treatment . He had my upper GI scoped and sure enough they found a gastritus. I didn't have any GERD symptoms, just the breathing problem. I went on a low acid diet and took acid reducer medication. I also took Slippery Elm to help heal it. Knowing we will always battle inflammation, we just never know where the side effects of that are going to show up. I noticed several members have eliminated gluten. Anyone explored other alternative remedies. I'm taking a basic probiotic concerned all this medicine in my system might be killing my good bacteria. What about herbal teas? I'm drinking several kinds. I cut out alcohol and caffine although I do like green tea. What natural changes has everyone made to help the body along with this?

Fishykybi....Probiotics are necessary for me too...Take them on a daily basis...and mandatory when I take antibiotics or I have all sorts of GI upsets. I find I have to take probiotics dose for dose with antibiotics and yogurt while a good idea doesn't seem to give me as much flora as I need. Every one is different tho so yogurt might work well for some... Marie