Recommendations For Allergists And Ent Docs

[Alicia karr]

Hi everyone, I'm usually one who posts referrals here for medical stuff, but I find myself having some significant problems and the common denominator seems to be bad allergies. Most recently I've had a partial loss of hearing and allergic conjunctivitis. I strongly suspect the hearing thing is also related to my allergies as it has happened before. And I've been allergy tested and am allergic to the most basic things (trees, grass, dust, to name a few). I hate shots and since I have so many allergies, kinda felt overwhelmed at the thought of treatment. But I've had too many secondary problems like asthma, sinus infections and now the hearing thing, so I think I should see someone.
Recommendations for an allergist and otolaryngolico? (Or however you say ENT guy?) English speaking would be great but not essential. Recoleta, barrio Norte,Palermo, belgrano easiest for me to access. Should be someone who takes OSDE but I've almost never met anyone who didn't.
Thanking everyone in advance

 

[Girino]

(Or however you say ENT guy?)

otorrinolaringologo or in short simply otorrino.
Sorry I can't be of more help, I wish you get better soon!

 

[EricLovesBA]

I don't live in your area so I can't recommend a doctor, but in the mean time I can suggest treatments for a couple of your problems. I too am having abnormal allergy problems the last couple months. Hope that whatever is in the air will just move on down the road and we will both feel better soon.

I agree a trip to the doctor would be a good idea, but in case that doesn't come together soon, here are two things that may bring some relief:

Asthma: You are probably already using an inhaler, but asthma is a wide spread problem here due to air quality and such. My in laws all have issues with it, and they have taught me that a nebulizer offers a much more lasting effect. I have only used it rarely, but the last few weeks it has become a regular thing, maybe 2 or 3 times a day for whatever is going on with the air right now. Purchase a "nebulizador", You mix some base saline solution - the bottle I have here from the in-laws says "Solución fisiológica", with a few drops of Salbutamol 0.5% (the brand doesn't really matter afaik), and use the nebulizer for about 10 minutes, as needed up to once every 4 hours. Watch the time and don't go over or it might make you feel a bit woozy and nervous.

Nasal allergies: After a lifetime of allergy problems, I highly recommend a nasal topical corticosteroid. I was resistant to this solution for years, because it sounds like you're taking "steroids" (not the same thing at all - it's just local to the sinus area), plus I didn't have patience to give them a chance. The first few days they may actually make you feel worse - you may tear up and sneeze right when you use the spray at first, giving you the impression that you're totally wasting your time. It takes a week or so to have any effect, but once you get a regular habit of taking it preventatively, I find it much more effective than any antihistamine pill, with no noticeable side effects. In the US I used Flonase, which seems to work better than the cheaper brands, perhaps only because the spray bottle delivers a finer mist. It's available here but I use a cheaper generic "Flucticasona". .

Disclaimer - these are prescription meds and I'm not a doctor. Follow my advice at your own risk, but I will say playing doctor is one of the things I really love about Argentina. I like taking the reins on my own condition, doing my own research, and the anarchy of walking into a pharmacy and almost never being asked for a prescription. Viva la patria!

 

[Alicia karr]

Eric, thanks so much! Yes I have a nebulizer and will try that out...feeling nervous is better than always feeling tired! And I have steroid nasal spray but didn't know that the effect builds up with continued use! So I will incorporate that into a daily routine, yes I remember using Flonase in the US and liked it.
Anyone out there gone through allergy treatment? With what results?
Still hoping for names.....

 

[nativexpat]

Sorry to hear about your allergies, lacoqueta. The only place I have been to is:

http://www.cechin.co.../dr-chinsky.asp

I have gone there a couple times during my first years in BA to treat sinus infections. Fortunately, I have not had any more serious allergy problems for years, just itchy eyes and skin (I take Loratadina and use Patanol drops for that).

My secret weapon is suero fisiologico applied directly into my nose - no nebulizador. It may sound ridiculous and too simple, but I swear by it. I flush my nose with suero every single day and night, in planes, everywhere. It washes away the allergens and keeps nasal ducts moisturized. This was recommended by my Spanish allergist many years ago.

The only effective allergy treatment I went through was in Spain, not here. It was called Vacuna Sublingual Antibacteriana. Two drops under my tongue for 5 minutes first thing in the morning for two years. It helped me A LOT. It´s probably the reason why I have been sinus infection free for more than 5 years.

Suerte!

 

[EricLovesBA]

...

My secret weapon is suero fisiologico applied directly into my nose - no nebulizador. It may sound ridiculous and too simple, but I swear by it. I flush my nose with suero every single day and night, in planes, everywhere. It washes away the allergens and keeps nasal ducts moisturized. This was recommended by my Spanish allergist many years ago.
...

That doesn't sound crazy at all. I gather it's rather standard practice in some cultures. Look up "nasal irrigation" or "neti pot". I've never tried it on a regular basis, but I imagine it could be quite helpful - basically cleaning out the filter of nature's air cleaner.

http://en.wikipedia....asal_irrigation

 

[Johnny]

Sorry to hear about your allergies, lacoqueta. The only place I have been to is:

http://www.cechin.co.../dr-chinsky.asp

I have gone there a couple times during my first years in BA to treat sinus infections. Fortunately, I have not had any more serious allergy problems for years, just itchy eyes and skin (I take Loratadina and use Patanol drops for that).

My secret weapon is suero fisiologico applied directly into my nose - no nebulizador. It may sound ridiculous and too simple, but I swear by it. I flush my nose with suero every single day and night, in planes, everywhere. It washes away the allergens and keeps nasal ducts moisturized. This was recommended by my Spanish allergist many years ago.

The only effective allergy treatment I went through was in Spain, not here. It was called Vacuna Sublingual Antibacteriana. Two drops under my tongue for 5 minutes first thing in the morning for two years. It helped me A LOT. It´s probably the reason why I have been sinus infection free for more than 5 years.

Suerte!

Thanks for the report nativeexpat ! Where do you find your suero fisiologico here in Buenos Aires ? I can find plenty of non-saline solucion here but have struggled to find decent sized bottles of your remedy. Not long ago I was in Thailand where they sell big bottles of sterile saline solution for cheap, but I don't see much of that in Buenos Aires.

Thanks for any recommendations !

 

[Girino]

Any pharmacy it should carry it for cheap. It should be good also to wash your contact lenses

 

[nativexpat]

Johnny: as Serafina pointed out, suero fisiologico/solucion fisiologica is sold everywhere - Farmacity has its own brand. It's the liquid that you put into the nebulizador. I don't know about big bottles, though.

 

[Johnny]

Johnny: as Serafina pointed out, suero fisiologico/solucion fisiologica is sold everywhere - Farmacity has its own brand. It's the liquid that you put into the nebulizador. I don't know about big bottles, though.

Thanks ! I've likely been asking for the wrong thing. I'll check it out.