PDA

View Full Version : Allergies?



teachergal
11-19-2005, 22:05
For years now I have developed a headache following day hike hike. (not into backpacking much yet...am day hiking the AT right now - will prob never "finish" but that's not the point! :) ) I have thought these headaches were caused by dehydration and not eating enough so have been eating tons while I hike and making sure I drink lots and lots of water and gatorade. However I still get a headache after I hike. Well today I think I found the culprit - allergies. I have been fighting my 1st ever sinus infection which was still causing me pain after the infection was gone and I went to the dr and she told me to take Claritin and a Sudafed in the morning and that has helped...but after my hike today the pain returned and since it was so close to the sinus infection I remember exactly what that kind of headache feels like and this is it. It makes sense as when I was a kid I was told that I was allergic to everything outdoors and I disregarded that information because I didn't like it and I didn't get immediatly miserable like I did from horses and cats so I figured the dr was nuts. Also makes sense because I didn't get 1 headache after 5 days of hiking in Glacier NP in Montana - they don't have the same decidous trees there that we do here... So I'm wondering, does anyone else get allergy headaches after hiking? If so, what do you do about it?

Auntie Mame
11-19-2005, 23:29
That is a total drag for you. My sympathies! I just get kind of swollen eyes whenever I sleep out. It takes awhile the next day to clear up, sometimes doesn't til I get back home. Leaf mold or sleeping bag innards, I figure. I used to get a dull, annoying headache from eating peanut butter, which took forever to figure out. Is it possible you eat some trail food that you usually don't at home? best of luck in tracking this thing down.

DLFrost
11-22-2005, 06:09
It makes sense as when I was a kid I was told that I was allergic to everything outdoors and I disregarded that information because I didn't like it and I didn't get immediatly miserable like I did from horses and cats so I figured the dr was nuts. Also makes sense because I didn't get 1 headache after 5 days of hiking in Glacier NP in Montana - they don't have the same decidous trees there that we do here... So I'm wondering, does anyone else get allergy headaches after hiking? If so, what do you do about it?
I take it you're alergic to pollen or leaf mold spores...? Since it's been years and years you might want to go to an allergist and make sure it's what you think. There can be other causes. (For example, some people get headaches because their blood sugar regulation is imperfect. One solution is to eat more frequently.) Being certain about the real cause of the trouble is the first step in dealing with it.

Doug Frost

Singe03
11-22-2005, 11:12
Allergies are weird things. I have horrible problems with allergies here in Houston but they only acted up a very few days out of 5 months on the AT and all of those days were in the mid states (NY and NJ were bad). I felt wonderful all through the south and then in the northern states except a few places where I suspect there were mold problems similar to what we have here.

Tylonol Allergy Sinus every morning when they are bad is about the only way I've found to manage them, but the stuff works like a champ for me. I keep benodryl around but it really knocks me out and I prefer not to take it unless I'm going to sleep it off, it actually works better as a sleep aide for me than any over the counter sleeping pill.

teachergal
11-22-2005, 22:22
The "sleep aid" in Tylenol PM is the same drug that's in Benadryl!!!!

smokymtnsteve
11-22-2005, 22:30
also look at how your pack fits and how it pulls on the muscles of your back and neck,,, a poor fitting pack can cause a head/neck ache..

if it were allergies look like U would have it more often than after hiking,