Pollen: Texas ongoing thread

[futureman 22410]

seems high today

 

[Hefeweizen 5307]

I have been jogging with a mask and it’s helped. I am wearing a mask everywhere outside because of the pollen and knock on wood it seems to have mitigated it a little.

Still can’t wait until cedar season is over.

[bschoolprof 6232]

Cedar has gone in dry today. Holy shit.  

[swraith 336]

Today is brutal.  No relief to be found.

[Pimphand 5587]

On 12/30/2020 at 10:35 AM, texhorn said:

Rain, please?

That was a monsoon the other day but the relief was only temporary.

[Neonmoon 38127]

I ran outside today. That was a really stupid. 
 

my nose is vibrating right now 

[futureman 22410]

7 hours ago, swraith said:

Today is brutal.  No relief to be found.

worst day of my life. 

[JimmyJames 12271]

Wearing a mask outside actually helped quite a bit with the cedar battle today.

Thanks Covid!

[miguelito 11204]

Yep, I'm definitely wearing a mask during cedar season from now on.

Probably oak season, too. Maybe ragweed.

[Chet Steadman 940]

Austin had the second highest mold count in its history back in September and today marked the second highest pollen count ever recorded as well.  

Real winner of an allergy season we got ourselves here.  
 

[atomheartbevo 89361]

Damn

Quote

Cedar allergy sufferers are experiencing the Austin area’s second-highest cedar pollen levels in our KXAN record books Monday after dry weather and gusty winds over the weekend.

1. 32,000 grains/m3 in mid-1990s

2. 31,587 grains/m3 today, Jan. 4, 2021

3. 30,961 grains/m3 on Jan. 10, 2006

Cedar pollen levels typically peak in January and decline through February or early March. Cedar allergies are typically worst during windy, dry weather and are kept in check by rainfall.

 

[miguelito 11204]

I think the source for this count uses a different unit than that Austin one, but whether it's grains/m^3, or furlongs per hectare, this sucks. 

Looking at my data for the last 4 years, this week is about the average peak time.  There could be another week of numbers this high before it tapers down, depending on cold fronts, rain, and how much you touch yourself.  Our overall total for the year is still pretty well behind previous year's totals, so keep your masks on for a bit longer.

[austingirl 2184]

I succumbed to the siren song of beautiful weather and sat outside for lunch on Monday. I've done a lot of dumb stuff in my life but that was up there. Yesterday was brutal, too. Here's hoping we get a brief respite today with the rain and that molds don't get too crazy while cedar is down.

[Deej 76507]

Cedar and mold vs. me. 

[Samson's Wig 3168]

So much for the rain today.  Fuuuuuurckkkkk.

[swraith 336]

Another day of suckage....the eye itching is getting obscene.  

[miguelito 11204]

Over 19,000 today, for an impressive 3-day total of 59,200.  We've had worse 3-day totals in past years, but not many, and not by much. 

So far our season total is about 127k.  The previous 4 years were 301k, 223k, 285k, 153k. 

[atomheartbevo 89361]

14 hours ago, swraith said:

Another day of suckage....the eye itching is getting obscene.  

No shit, even rising my eyes didn’t help much.  

[South Austin 52037]

This week has sucked.  My cedar regimen now includes Allegra and a sinus rinse in the morning, Flonase and a sinus rinse in the evening, shower in the morning and evening, and fapping three times a day.

[futureman 22410]

I’ve started taking pseudoephedrine intravenously 

[atomheartbevo 89361]

Even after I get the vaccine for covid, I will be wearing a mask and possibly goggles from December through February going forward.

Should have started doing it years ago.

Edited January 7, 2021 by atomheartbevo

[miguelito 11204]

So of course the cedar count is way down around 2600 today, but nobody is fooled.  Just stay inside until February.

[futureman 22410]

I think I might agree to be injected with AIDS if it guaranteed that I would never have to deal with allergies again. 

[Chet Steadman 940]

I’ve been here my entire life and I still can’t figure out the six-week cycle of Cedar.   Cold wind coming from the north, terribad.  A warm, humid wind coming from the south, equally as bad.  

Rain seems to help but then again our Top Five highest count ever was just a couple days after record rainfall in Central Austin.  

It would be great if there was a way to actually forecast these things and have an idea on whether or not the following day is okay for drinking beer and grilling on the patio for a few mins or if it’s going to be another total lockdown day.  

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, I wasn't doing too bad this week...the wife and girls were.  And then yesterday's winds and the second I walk into the HVAC part of the house...holy shit this morning.  It's like the little dwarf from "Cat's Eye" crawled in my skull and is just kicking the walls with his little dwarf feet and spreading around expired cheeto dust.  Little asshole.  

[texasdago 7550]

I'm new to dealing with cedar pollen and have learned a couple of things:

 

1) Do not touch your eyes.  I made that mistake at the end of December.  Learned from that.

2) Don't throw rocks at male cedar trees during cedar season with the kids.  The puffs are cool to see but probably best avoided

3) Don't go outside when the pollen is at 31,000 and use a leaf blower to clean up and rake leaves.  That night sucked!  Earlier in the day I walked part of the Violet Crown trail and felt fine until later in the day when the leaf blower came out.  Was like standing in front of a box fan with three Covid patients coughing in front of the fan.

 

Since then I've figure out if I do #1 I'm fine.  Don't rake on high count days and, if I'm going to work out outside, put on a mask.  Played soccer with my son yesterday while wearing a mask and it was all good.  Since then, all mostly kosher and haven't needed any allergy medicine.

[Updawg 2260]

Yep, raking leaves is brutal.

[mchookem 16093]

i'd convinced myself last night when i was taking my second benadryl in 3 hours that i had covid and then i had a long nightmare about it all night. woke up this morning and the first thing i did was take another one 🙄

PSA: no, sneezing is not a covid symptom 

[swraith 336]

Up through last night....fucking grade A miserable.

 

Today...actually not too bad.  Of course...I still didn't go outside.  I haven't been outside this week for more than 10 minutes each day....b/c yeah....FUCK CEDAR.

[hornian 5201]

My regimen that seems to keep worst symptoms in check:

1. Xyzal before bed - helps me actually sleep through the night instead of waking up around 3 a.m coughing and sneezing.
2. 2x of children's Claritin (Costco store brand) before work in the morning. I learned this trick from my allergist - after I got my rapid skin allergy test several years ago they gave me "liquid Claritin" because it worked faster. I asked whether you can buy it in the store. He said yep - it's just children's Claritin that you take a double dose of. 

I don't always remember the Xyzal before bed, and on those nights I do wake up around 3 a.m. and the liquid Claritin does its work very quickly. 

[texhorn 351]

buckle up. 

[futureman 22410]

10 minutes ago, texhorn said:

buckle up. 

expound please

[miguelito 11204]

Light front blowing through. Winds picking up. My nose knows.

[swraith 336]

I really want to go outside.  

Then I see the wind blowing from the northwest....and its a big nope.  Have to stay inside.

[miguelito 11204]

Yeah, 'only' 8790 today, but it feels much, much worse.  My eyes are basically crusted over. 

[futureman 22410]

I took a couple large swigs of children’s benadryl this morning and chased with sudafed.  feel pretty weird but allergies are not bothering me 👌 

[Hate 20102]

Careful with that Sudafed as you get older. It can make it hard to pee. I had that happen to me a few years ago and it scared the hell out of me. I thought maybe I had bladder cancer or some other issue because I just couldn’t pee. I had to pee but I couldn’t squeeze a drop for a while. My doctor figured it out for me and it’s been no issue since. If I get congestion, I take the other stuff instead of Sudafed.

[miguelito 11204]

were you putting the sudafeds in your dickhole?

 

(good tip, though.  getting old sucks)

[Hate 20102]

were you putting the sudafeds in your dickhole?
 
(good tip, though.  getting old sucks)

Well, duh.

[futureman 22410]

27 minutes ago, Hate said:

Careful with that Sudafed as you get older. It can make it hard to pee. I had that happen to me a few years ago and it scared the hell out of me. I thought maybe I had bladder cancer or some other issue because I just couldn’t pee. I had to pee but I couldn’t squeeze a drop for a while. My doctor figured it out for me and it’s been no issue since. If I get congestion, I take the other stuff instead of Sudafed.

good to know. what’s the other stuff?

[Hate 20102]

Sudafed PE. It does not have pseudoephedrine in it. The main ingredient is phenylephrine and doesn’t cause the pee issue. I don’t think it works as well, but it’s worth it to be able to pee normally.

[HiggyBaby 2506]

Been on a steady regimen of Flonase and Allegra, 2x daily. Seems to keep the worst at bay. If I forget either though, watch out. Thank goodness the winds are howling out the north today, keeping that hill country shit down south.

Edit: I can’t take any of the stuff that makes you drowsy or dulls the senses, like Benadryl or Xyzal.

[mchookem 16093]

i had to verify covid doesn't cause sneezing and watery eyes b/c that's all the symptoms i have but it's like a gotdamn waterworks!

i'm on a steady regimen of Benadryl that feels like it's just barely holding it at bay, thank god the sedative effects don't really get me. haven't put my contacts in in 3 days b/c my eyes won't stop flooding...

this is literally the first year i have ever experienced this! i assume it's cedar...been in Austin over 30 years and bragged every year how everybody else turns into a giant snot head. ugh. 

[Samson's Wig 3168]

I've found that a steady diet of Claritin D and Flonase, starting mid December and lasting till March, gets the job done.  When the sinuses start to hurt I throw a Mucinex Sinus Max in the mix. Allergy eye drops for the itch there, and I can at least get necessary work accomplished.  I can't sleep for shit thanks to the meth pseudoephedrine in Claritin D, but otherwise muddle through.

[Wiler77 1555]

Worst day of the year by far. Stayed indoors all day and still the allergy meds and sudafed we're no match.  Fucking brutal.

[bschoolprof 6232]

I’ve never had cedar allergies until this year. Holy shit. 

[miguelito 11204]

Welcome to the party, pal!

[Chet Steadman 940]

Will today be better?  Id like to at least try and see the sun and sky at some point today.  

I wish there was an actual allergy forecast out there.  

[miguelito 11204]

No, today's count is worse.  The first 2 numbers are 13.  I won't tell you what the last 3 numbers are, but you can do the math.

Rough 'forecasts' can be made based on amount of sun, winds, lack of rain, and whatever plans you have for the day.  Today and tomorrow should be bad.  Wear a mask.

[Chet Steadman 940]

Son of a bitch