Pollen: Texas ongoing thread

[miguelito 11500]

Dare I say it?

 

 

Yes, we're well out of oak season now.  We've had counts of 0.0 for several days in a row now.  This year was weird after the freeze.  The oaks took a while to get going, and then it was a long climb to that shitty week or so when all the trees were climaxing at the same time. 

I'll post my graphs later, but rest assured that all you have to worry about now, for a while, is mold, pecan, elm, grasses, and maybe some other stuff!

[InkaUtexas 26860]

So just smoke more weed to deal with grass pollen? Got it. What about Cocaine for the other stuff? 

[AlbertGitchell 4]

On 5/6/2021 at 8:48 PM, miguelito said:

 

I'll post my graphs later, but rest assured that all you have to worry about now, for a while, is mold, pecan, elm, grasses, and maybe some other stuff!

Graphs?  I'm interested.

[miguelito 11500]

There are some graphs for oak and cedar upthread if you look back.  And here is 2021's FINAL oak graph.  You can really see the delayed start, gradual climb, and massive spike:

 

 

 

The overall number for oak this year (the area under the curve) was pretty close to the running average, so even despite the hard freeze and late start, oak gonna oak.

[RPM 26616]

On 5/6/2021 at 8:58 PM, InkaUtexas said:

So just smoke more weed to deal with grass pollen? Got it. What about Cocaine for the other stuff? 

[texhorn 356]

Oh, you want cooler/drier weather? Enjoy some elm and ragweed to go with that! Fuck me

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, Ragweed been rolling through here like a bitch-ass mutha' fucka.  Made me think we had some Covid-19 up in this bitch.  /honkeytalk

But it's a band-aid thing.  You gotta rip it off and open up all the windows in the morning and evenings and let fresh air blow through at the end of summer.  It sucks a few days of sneezing and runny noses but it's good for us in the long run.  Woulda been a perfect plan until I saw it's gonna be a hundred fucking degrees again on Tuesday so gotta seal the windows/screens 'n shit again and turn both units back on.  WTF?  

[AlbertGitchell 4]

Austin Pollen - see daily values and historical averages from every relevant news source, all in one place.

 

 

[AlbertGitchell 4]

A web project I've been working on for a while now. . .  Ragweed has peaked. Cedar is starting.

Austin Pollen - see daily values and historical averages from every relevant news source, all in one place.  https://austinpollen.com/.  Comments, suggestions, shares, and bookmarks appreciated.

 

  https://austinpollen.com/. 

 

[atomheartbevo 90637]

https://www.kxan.com/weather/weather-blog/cedar-fever-season-officially-returns-to-central-texas/

Quote

Cedar season officially started Thursday morning with the first cedar pollen of the season on the allergy count from our expert partners at Allergy & Asthma Center of Georgetown. While the count is currently low, it does mark the first time this Cedar pollen has been detected in the last few months.

Cedar allergy season typically begins in December and extends through February, with the highest mountain cedar counts often coming in late December or early January.

Quote

Allergy & Asthma Center of Georgetown says that it is difficult to predict the severity of cedar allergies from year-to-year, as there are many factors that can play a role. These include rainfall in the past year, rainfall during the past season, and temperature fluctuation.

Quote

Cedar pollen levels will likely stay low through the weekend, but with next week’s cold front Sunday into Monday will likely kick up higher pollen levels.

[miguelito 11500]

San Antonio:

 

[miguelito 11500]

Already up to 480 today.  And there's a cold front coming tomorrow morning.  This weekend could be miserable.  Start loading up on drugs now.  And also allergy medicine.

[miguelito 11500]

Pretty high number for this early in the season.

 

 

[Samson's Wig 3230]

Just shoot me now and get it over with.

[JimmyJames 12271]

14 hours ago, miguelito said:

Pretty high number for this early in the season.

 

 

You can’t stop what’s coming. It ain’t all waiting on you. That’s vanity.

[miguelito 11500]

You definitely can't stop what's coming.  Choo choo motherfuckers.

[Chet Steadman 940]

I was tested for allergies three years ago but never moved forward with the shots.  That officially changes next year.  

I can’t take this any longer.  

[JimmyJames 12271]

4 minutes ago, Chet Steadman said:

I was tested for allergies three years ago but never moved forward with the shots.  That officially changes next year.  

I can’t take this any longer.  

Take it from a veteran of this. Flonase once daily starting now until around Christmas then twice daily until the end of January. Take a 5k vitamin d pill twice a day (might be too late for this to do any good this year). Wear a mask when outdoors for any length of time and you’ll be good all but one or two days without getting shots. The only good thing I learned from mask wearing during covid. 

[High Plains Drifter 11186]

 

asshole upwind neighbor was cutting/clearing cedar the other day. From the road, I could see a sideways cone shaped cloud of cedar pollen going straight from his chainsaw to completely encompassing my house. 

 

If I killed the guy, y'all think a jury would let me walk?

 

[InkaUtexas 26860]

6 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

asshole upwind neighbor was cutting/clearing cedar the other day. From the road, I could see a sideways cone shaped cloud of cedar pollen going straight from his chainsaw to completely encompassing my house. 

 

If I killed the guy, y'all think a jury would let me walk?

 

If they are Texans then yep. Kill all cedar, but at the right time of the year.  

[JimmyJames 12271]

3 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

asshole upwind neighbor was cutting/clearing cedar the other day. From the road, I could see a sideways cone shaped cloud of cedar pollen going straight from his chainsaw to completely encompassing my house. 

 

If I killed the guy, y'all think a jury would let me walk?

 

It don’t matter whether you chop or kill the cedar tree or not. That yellow wave is coming anyway.  No matter what. 

[miguelito 11500]

9530 today in SA. 

 

The early high counts this year look kind of similar to the 2018-2019 season, which peaked just before Christmas, and then just had a few isolated spikes before wrapping up in mid/late January.  Hopefully the assblast this year will be over quickly. 

 

edit to add graph - see the lime green plot for the '18-'19 season:

Edited December 17, 2021 by miguelito

[Samson's Wig 3230]

3 hours ago, miguelito said:

9530 today in SA. 

 

The early high counts this year look kind of similar to the 2018-2019 season, which peaked just before Christmas, and then just had a few isolated spikes before wrapping up in mid/late January.  Hopefully the assblast this year will be over quickly. 

 

Oh man I hope you're right.  Leaving the country for a while and hope to come back to clear skies sinuses.

[hornian 5290]

On 12/16/2021 at 11:56 AM, Chet Steadman said:

I was tested for allergies three years ago but never moved forward with the shots.  That officially changes next year.  

I can’t take this any longer.  

They are life changing. If your doc has the option for doing a long day with like a ton of shots to get started, take it. It sucks for a couple of hours, but helps immediately. 

I had to stay at the Doctorss office for about 3 hours and take a bunch of anti-histamines and have an epi-pen ready, but would definitely do it again if needed. I actually need to go back and get back on the regular maintenance schedule, I stopped once my 2nd kiddo was born (she turned 3) and the shot effects are starting to wane - but the fact it lasted that long with no shots is amazing to me. 

[Willfully Horn 8258]

Allegra and Flonase. 

[Nonbryan 176]

Eyes are on fire today. 

 

Prepare thy anuses for Juniper!!!!

[bluto 4995]

On 12/18/2021 at 2:55 PM, hornian said:

They are life changing. If your doc has the option for doing a long day with like a ton of shots to get started, take it. It sucks for a couple of hours, but helps immediately. 

I had to stay at the Doctorss office for about 3 hours and take a bunch of anti-histamines and have an epi-pen ready, but would definitely do it again if needed. I actually need to go back and get back on the regular maintenance schedule, I stopped once my 2nd kiddo was born (she turned 3) and the shot effects are starting to wane - but the fact it lasted that long with no shots is amazing to me. 

Oh man, I did the full rush immunotherapy deal after lighting up the tests. Legit ~50 shots in both arms/hips over 48 hours (12 of those at doc office watching Netflix), absolute hell but was on monthly maintenance after that. Pure hell but worth it, wish I could find a doc near me to redo it. 

[miguelito 11500]

10,080 today, first 5-digit reading.  Happy Festivus!

[austingirl 2194]

This is the one time of year when the air quality in southeast TX is an improvement over the air quality in Austin. I mean sure, when I go home for Christmas I'll be inhaling carcinogens, but there's no cedar pollen so...

[Guest Lobo]

Man, I felt for y'all the last couple weeks but was secretly enjoying the fact that I didn't have any cedar/pollen issues unlike y'all.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday.  

Allergy attacks feeling like Covid.  Covid attacks feeling like allergies.  With Omicron bursting at the seams.  Just in time for holiday gatherings with all my chain-smoking relatives, some of whom are not vaccinated.  'Tis the Season...hallelujah.  Holy shit.  where's the benedryl?  

[miguelito 11500]

21,000+today.  It's been a big assblast all week.  Hopefully the front coming this weekend blows the rest of the shit out to sea.

[InkaUtexas 26860]

Woke up and felt it real bad. Eyes look like crap, coughed all morning until the drugs kicked in. 

[ztejas 44223]

I got back from Dallas on the 26th and was fucked up the next morning. Had to get a covid test because I had a sore throat and fatigue but not a ton of sinusy stuff or congestion. Hit the drugs pretty hard yesterday - feeling a little better today. 

[Spaulding Smails 1610]

My son and I were sitting in the deer stand in Kimble County Sunday evening.  Wind was whipping.  He said, "Holy crap, Dad.  Is that Cedar tree on fire?   Looks like smoke coming off of it!"  I just let out an uncomfortable chuckle as my eyes watered and I continued sneezing in the stand.  It was out of control this weekend.

[El Diablo 4232]

I had never used Flonase until this year. Had it at the house but never had used it. I broke into it about a month ago and I think it's kept me alive the last week or so. I take a Zyrtec a day from November until March and that's usually adequate for me but with the added daily nasal blast I'm feeling pretty bulletproof. 

[texhorn 356]

21,000+today.  It's been a big assblast all week.  Hopefully the front coming this weekend blows the rest of the shit out to sea.

The dry air & strong winds from the fronts cause the trees to blow a major load. Short of a good dousing, a cold front is not your friend when it comes to cedar pollen.

[Nonbryan 176]

Is this when we ask if it's ok to go cut all of the cedar tree's down?

[Lerka Lerka 1097]

8 hours ago, Spaulding Smails said:

My son and I were sitting in the deer stand in Kimble County Sunday evening.  Wind was whipping.  He said, "Holy crap, Dad.  Is that Cedar tree on fire?   Looks like smoke coming off of it!"  I just let out an uncomfortable chuckle as my eyes watered and I continued sneezing in the stand.  It was out of control this weekend.

We hunted in Junction for many years. Know exactly what you are talking about. 

[miguelito 11500]

On 12/28/2021 at 10:12 PM, texhorn said:

The dry air & strong winds from the fronts cause the trees to blow a major load. Short of a good dousing, a cold front is not your friend when it comes to cedar pollen.

I know that, I just meant that it would be nice if this front kind of scrubbed the trees clean and gave us some relief after it blows through.  A guy can hope.

14,000+ today.

[miguelito 11500]

Sorry, 14K was yesterday.  Today we're over 16,000.  😷

[ztejas 44223]

Kxan has it at almost 28k today. 

Not that you need to check since there's a visible haze of it hanging over the city. 

[CooterBrown 18287]

Yesterday was rough AF. My daily Flonase dose worked perfectly for my nose and sinuses but holy fuck my eyes felt like molten grass spurs were rolling around in them. The Zyrtec eye wipes and allergy eye drops helped some.

[South Austin 53220]

Sucks for me as well. Allegra in the morning, Flonase at night, and I still wake up with my eyes itchy as fuck and caked with eye boogers. Worst cedar season for me in recent memory.

[miguelito 11500]

Up to 24,880 today.

I think the high number in the last 6 years or so is 31,000. 

[drt 645]

Seriously considering walking around in a full face respirator tomorrow. Fuck this shit. 

[phdhorn 6225]

2 double whammies this past week - 24K+ then 2 days later (yesterday) it's 24K+ again in ATX.
Not sure if I've ever seen that.
I thought the La Niña dry fall would cut down on the cedar.  Yeah, right.

 

[Deej 77807]

On 12/31/2021 at 5:14 PM, drt said:

Seriously considering walking around in a full face respirator tomorrow. Fuck this shit. 

Yep. I immediately shower to get the pollen off me if I've been outside and toss the clothes into the wash.

[ztejas 44223]

Not sure what eye drops y'all use but these are the heavy duty ones that I prefer. They do burn like a motherfucker but they work. (I can always find the generic equivalent, too, just compare labels)

[miguelito 11500]

Do you use those eye drops only when you have symptoms, or do you use them every day regardless?

[ztejas 44223]

6 minutes ago, miguelito said:

Do you use those eye drops only when you have symptoms, or do you use them every day regardless?

Just as needed but my eyes tend to get dry regardless of allergy symptoms.