Allergic to the Mediterranean

Piazza Duomo in Catania - Allergy central

I've spent a lot of time around the Mediterranean along several different cities.

The first time my immune system met the mediterranean was in Spring of 2007.  I was fortunate enough to have no symptoms of allergies (allergic rhinitis) while I was there.

My next rendezvous with the mediterranean was during my Sicily, Italy, Paris trip.  They didn't start as soon as I landed.  I spent my first 2 days in Palermo, sneeze free.

The night I got into Catania I was also fine.  It wasn't until a day of sightseeing the following day.  So I guess Day 4 of my European travels.  And when the symptoms began that night, they were relentless.  I could barely keep my eyes open, it's as if the light would trigger another sneeze.  My nose quickly was becoming raw from blowing it all the time.

My traveling friend carried zyrtec with her.  Up until this day I had never taken it before.  The effect was amazing.  Within one hour I felt the symptoms had significantly decreased and I was able to go out for dinner, sneeze and snot free.

I never where glasses when traveling, unless my allergies are acting up.  Mount Etna in the back!

As I traveled up the boot of Italy, and flew into Paris - I found that I was taking this medication daily.  And the effect was not as powerful as when I took it for the first time.  Towards the end of my trip - I was doubling the dose of zyrtec to combat my symptoms in Paris.

Believe it or not, when I came back to America, I was allergy free.  It's as if my nose had completely dried up.

In front of Isola Bella in Taormina - at this point I've become used to blowing my nose 500 times a day.

Finally my last venture towards mediterranean soil was when I went to Tel Aviv.  And this time the symptoms started on the plane as it was touching down.  My mouth felt itchy, and my eyes began to water.  Before I knew it, I was sneezing before I got out of the plane.  I miserably managed this once again with zyrtec and benadryl.

Allergies iz make me crazy!

I am leaving for Southeast Asia and China soon.  This time I'll be adding nasal steroids on to my regimen.

Sometimes I think maybe if I only I grew up in a third world country I wouldn't have to deal with pesky allergies, reactive airway disease, eczema, etc.  FYI, I only have allergies not the other two conditions, but I know many immigrants who have developed these illness here in the US, because our immune systems become hypersensitive.

Ahhh!

But then if I grew up in a third world country.  I probably would've have hepatitis already at least once, worms, cholera, typhoid, etc.  I'll just self medicate with anti-histamines.