Ask your pharmacist for allergy advice

By David Stanley

In my part of the country, nature announces the beginning of the growing season with an explosion of pollen. This is an annual spring event here, a sign of spring just as surely as the return of the robins to the north or the arrival of baseball players in Florida.

Any day now, I will leave for work and see my car covered in this dusty pollen. This will remind me of why I went to pharmacy school and of a conversation with a customer who thought he had to choose between his stomach and his head.

The man suffered from digestive problems, and was taking Levsin, a prescription medicine that helped his stomach cramps. We were making small talk about the weather, and he told me how he dreaded the annual dust explosion.

"My allergies make me miserable." he said. "And I couldn't understand why the Benadryl made my mouth so dry until I read online that it could interact with my stomach medicine. Now I either take Benadryl or the Levsin, depending on what part of me is bothering me the most that day."

This strategy helped a little bit, but I had a way to help him a little more. I told him about a nasal spray to treat allergies that had just gone over the counter.

"Forget the Benadryl and try the Nasalcrom for a couple weeks. I have a feeling your stomach will thank you."

The next time I saw him, he was one happy customer.

"I guess I should have asked in the first place instead of trying to be my own doctor," he said.

The shift of several medicines from prescription to over-the-counter in the last few years has made it more convenient and cheaper for the average allergy sufferer to find relief. However, you're not on your own when it comes to selecting the right medicine. Given all the allergy medicine choices you have today, a short conversation with a doctor or pharmacist is well worth your time.

I or one of my colleagues can help you sort the Claritin from the Nasalcrom from the Zyrtec-D, and find the one that's right for your particular situation. Your doctor has other options that may be right for you--from antihistamines you won't find in the over-the-counter aisle to allergy shots and breathing treatments for severe cases. As my customer found out, having your entire healthcare team aware of your complete healthcare picture can help you in ways you may not realize.

So when the dust comes this year and my neighbors complain that they can't wash their cars until the explosion is over, I'll smile a little, and remember my job isn't always as frustrating as it sometimes seems. I'm a bit thankful for the dust actually.

Of course I don't have allergies.

David Stanley is a freelance writer who has worked as a community pharmacist for 15 years. He can be reached at dmsrph at gmail dot com.