Nosey

I've been suffering with allergy-type symptoms almost since Jett arrived. I'm not sure exactly when it started, but I think he was about a month old when I first got congested.

Now, I'm not one to balk at a common cold. It's just something we have to deal with. However, when I had the congestion for the second month, I began to think something was up.

However, I'm an anomaly. Well, you would think I am. I'm a nursing mom.

What? That's not unusual. There are lots of nursing women! However, you would think I was one in a million. No one really wants to mess with a nursing woman. You no longer see your ob/gyn for care, the pediatrician takes care of the baby and as long as s/he is gaining weight you aren't really their concern, general doctors don't really know anything about nursing or what you can/cannot take while nursing.... You're pretty much in no man's land.

So, I allowed the congestion, crazy amounts of sneezing several times a day, only being able to sleep on my back, and the constant use of tissues. I allowed it until today!

Today, I went to an allergist.

They poked me all over my back. Then, as if that wasn't enough, I got poked with 13 needles in my arms. I'm only mildly allergic to mold. All that for mold. And, the doc isn't so sure that's what's causing my rhinitis...the fancy word for snot in your head.

Okay, so "snot in your head" really isn't accurate. I actually don't have much snot. It just feels like I do.

Did you know your nose is vascular tissue that swells? I didn't realize that so much. I kinda thought so, but I didn't really know.

The doc explained that your nose is kinda like "your lady parts" --no joke-- that's exactly what he said! Well, he said that after he said the proper terms for the organs that get increased blood flow for males and females. Then, he referred to it as "your lady parts". I had a hard time not laughing! Then, I got slightly embarrassed when I realized I was smiling.

So, all that to say that I have vasomotor rhinitis and possibly mixed rhinitis. It is probably caused by the increased level of hormones I have postpartum. Who knew?! And, since I'm still nursing those hormones are still a-swirlin'. Add that to some progesterone I'm taking and you have a recipe for some vasomotor rhinitis.

I googled it and found some interesting things. Mostly, the information made me say "yes!" It says it's triggered by temperature change and smells. Every time I get cold, I start sneezing and often get congested. Fan hit me...start sneezing. Air conditioning kicks on...I start sneezing. In addition, over the last eight months I sneeze every time I put on my deodorant or lotion. Crazy!

Wikipedia (don't you just love that resource?) also said vasomotor rhinitis is often confused with allergies. That explains why my attempts to ease my pain by taking Claritin and Allegra didn't work. It isn't really allergies!

So, the solution: some nasal spray. It has an anti-histamine. I'm trying one out for two weeks and we'll see how it goes.

First, I had to call the pediatrician and make sure it was okay. Is that weird?