I have to admit that I’ve not been feeling great the past few weeks, and I’ve been blaming my allergies. More specifically, I’ve been blaming my symptoms on my wheat allergy.
The symptoms that were bothering me most were fatigue, insomnia, and waking up feeling very unrested. Also $brain_fog$, but that could have been due to lack of sleep, or it could have been allergy symptoms.
As usual, I suspected wheat. But something about my symptoms did not seem to match my usual reaction to this allergen.
As time went on, I became more tired and lethargic.
Mean while, it had occurred to me that the problem might be dust. I’d not done my dusting for probably six weeks or more – not good for someone with a dust allergy!
Finally, I vacuumed my room. There are about 101 other things I would rather do with my time, but the way I was feeling, none of them were getting done.
I also opened all the windows in the house, winter temperatures not withstanding. The good thing about winter is that because of the big difference between inside and out, a good air exchange happens very quickly, especially as the screens are all removed.
The improvement was swift. Just airing out the house seemed to clear my brain fog. I felt better within hours, so this was not a wheat allergy.
Last night I slept like a baby. I slept in, as I have been doing lately, but the difference is that this morning I woke up feeling rested for the first time in at least two weeks!
I hate to admit it, but dusting the house is an important chore.
Symptoms: Knowing the Difference
This story explains why it is good if you can tell the difference between one set of allergy symptoms and another – if you have more than one allergy. Most people with an allergy have more than just one allergen that they are sensitive to, so this is likely the position you will find yourself in as well.
I wish I could tell you what symptoms match which allergies, but everyone is different, so you must learn on your own exactly what you are allergic to, and how each allergen makes you feel.
Still, it can be confusing. Two clues tipped me off: timing and severity. On the occasions when I might have been exposed to wheat, symptoms seemed to start within a few hours. In my case, wheat allergy symptoms take about 24 hours to present themselves.
Secondly, I didn’t find the symptoms as bad as they normally would be for a wheat allergy, not in my case.
Everyone is different, so it is good for you to stay in touch with your own allergy symptoms.