Vic - My allergist said she didn’t see any point in putting me through allergy tests, since I had symptoms year round, and I was fine with that. But like a lot of other conditions, sometimes one of the best ways to diagnose is a trial of medication plus using good self-help measures. Have you tried antihistamines?
Not that that alone would necessarily be enough to treat allergies, but if you noticed some improvement, it might give you an idea if you really do have allergies.
Per my doc, I need an antihistamine, a nasal steroid spray (not addicting like over the counter nasal sprays), Mucinex, and I used to use a decongestant (Sudafed), but it’s way too constipating for me so I had to give it up (but it works really well on nasal congestion!). Plus she had me put allergy covers on my pillows, and I use an extra pillow to elevate my head (because I too get extra stuffy at night). And no pets in bed, or even in the bedroom. That was a hard one at first, but it has definitely helped. (I don’t sneeze when I pick them up, so I’m not that allergic; no way am I kicking the animals out of the house - I sometimes get mildly itchy eyes when I kiss them though, so I know I’ve developed an allergy to them, and it’s not completely blocked by all my drugs…)
I tried to go off the nasal steroid, but it was only a few months before I had a sinus infection - again. My allergies ramp up and then my sinuses plug up and then I get the sinus infections. So I’m back on the nasal steroid spray. Sounds wicked, but supposedly doesn’t affect your system as a whole - I never trust when they say that, but I’ve decided that the sinus infections are just too disabling (I always miss a few days of work, and lose a lot of sleep).
But I can usually tell when my eyes get puffy (sometimes the whole area between my mouth and my nose gets swollen too), and I get a headache, and the nasal congestion either starts or seems to be escalating at the same time, that the congestion is at least partly due to migraine. Like I said in another post, you have to be a detective to sort it all out!
On really stuffy nights, I also use Breathe Right Strips - a lot of athletes use them, too - they work really well.
But you’re right - what DOESN’T migraine do? So many strange and yucky things! :roll: