I vividly remember going to the allergy doctor when I was a kid. Having the prick test done and waiting as hives rose on my arms, wanting desperately to scratch.

I remember hearing the I Mother Earth song Pisser, with the lyrics “It seems I’ve had a lifelong head cold..” and thinking ‘Yes, exactly.’

When I was a kid it was allergies and asthma. I felt pretty awful about myself – I couldn’t take part in a lot of activities, it was hard to go over to friend’s houses if they had dogs and I spent a lot of time carrying around a lot of tissues.

Luckily I got a bit more fit in high school and the asthma has disappeared. Unfortunately my allergies have been getting worse as the years go on. I went from growing up with a cat to not being able to be in a house with one.

Marilla

Dandelions are my enemy. Allergies affect me in all sorts of ways –  I often can’t breathe through my nose, my skin, especially on my forearms gets very itchy and I often get hives, and my eyes get red, itchy and watery. Last spring was awful and this spring has been worse. Earlier this year I was going through the worst of my allergies, suffering from sinus infections and constantly stuffed up nose. I had been using over-the-counter REACTINE®, which was the best allergy medication I had found for my symptoms after years of trial and error

REACTINE® helped me conquer my allergies, and now I find my nose useful most of the time. It’s quite spectacular.

Now I only have to deal with my daughter being resentful that she can’t have a cat.

Figuring out how to conquer my allergies has been a lifelong journey, but REACTINE® is trying to help allergy sufferers. Following the pollen report and knowing which days to close the windows and turn on the air has been a lifesaver. Here are some more ways that you can deal with allergies: