Are your allergies out of control?

I hate allergies. Hubby and I and all three teenagers have allergies. We have them year round-not just in the spring when things are blooming. *Sigh*

 We buy tissues in bulk. I really like the kind that has lotion in the tissues, because that way I don't look like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer when I'm blowing or wiping my nose ALL DAY LONG! 

We can usually cope okay, but how do you know if you may need help dealing with allergies?

Webmd has a slideshow called "10 Signs Your Allergies Are Out of Control."

There are a lot of ways allergies can make you miserable besides a runny nose and sneezing. It can affect all areas of your life. 

• Allergies can keep you up at night because you may have a stuffy nose or are coughing or wheezing (think of what it's like to try to sleep when you have a cold-only this goes on for weeks and weeks with allergies!)
• It might be hard to concentrate because antihistamines can make you tired or your nose is running, eyes are tearing up or you are sneezing
• You might be be really tired from not sleeping night after night 

The Webmd article has other things to watch for too. It's surprising all the ways allergies can affect us. If all the things mentioned above aren't bad enough, allergies also cause asthma attacks for me to. 

Our local news list the pollen count during the weather forecaster each day. It's helpful, because if I am having a really hard day with allergies, I can see what's in the "extreme" category. (Grass, Elm trees, etc) Then I know to stay out of doors for a few days. Or at least cut down on the time I'm outside. 

If you are wondering if you should just try dealing with your allergies or if it's time to visit an allergy doctor and see if there's something else they can, watch the Webmd slideshow.