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Sorry to hear about your allergies. :(
I'm a lifelong allergy sufferer, but I managed to get through it somehow.....until the bunnies came to stay with me. For me, it's the hay and not the actual bunnies. (I haven't had an official test, but the symptoms got worse when I handled the hay, but not when petting the bunnies.) I haven't tried the things you're using now. I can control mine (within reason) with Zyrtec. I also use Singulair, for mild asthma. I once thought I could quit the Singulair to save money, but when I stopped my allergies got worse again. So I'm not sure exactly how it helps, but it does. Claritin never helped me at all.
Then at night I have to use Flonase spray. I've got nasal polyps, and the steroid spray helps shrink everything up in there. I tried Rhinocort and Nasacort (or something like that), but I'm allergic to both of those- when using them, my forehead turned bright beet red!


 
I also bought a Neti pot from amazon.com. I hear it does miracles for sinus problems. It washes our the allergens and other muck that can cause sinus congestion and infection. No chemicals, no $40 a month! I am excited to try that.

Patanase still doing ok with that so far. Clarinex... I don't know, I don't feel like it's doing an awful lot. I guess I should be glad I don't have seasonal allergies too!
 
kirbyultra wrote:
I also bought a Neti pot from amazon.com. I hear it does miracles for sinus problems. It washes our the allergens and other muck that can cause sinus congestion and infection. No chemicals, no $40 a month! I am excited to try that.
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I use a similar product. It's a sinus rinse, with a squeeze-type bottle, made by some people called NeilMed. It does the same job as a neti pot. It took some getting used to, but now I'm cool with it. I use the salt/baking soda packets sold by the same company.
I usually just use them when the allergens are up, it does a good job of rinsing the gunk out, and making me feel much cleaner. I've stopped minor sinus infections with diligent rinsing.

I've never tried a neti pot, but I've heard good things about them, and I highly recommend sinus rinses!
 
BethM wrote:
I usually just use them when the allergens are up, it does a good job of rinsing the gunk out, and making me feel much cleaner. I've stopped minor sinus infections with diligent rinsing.

I've never tried a neti pot, but I've heard good things about them, and I highly recommend sinus rinses!
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Good to hear this! I am looking forward to it. It should be arriving by mail tomorrow. I saw them in stores like popular pharmacies as well as Whole Foods and they were so expensive. I got this one for about $13 online so I thought it was worth a try. I will do anything pretty much at this point for a breath of fresh air through my nose.

It's gotten so bad that I can't even eat dinner without choking because I keep having the urge to breathe in, and I have no choice but to inhale through my mouth...and well, sometimes food goes down the airpipe when I do that. :grumpy:
 
You'll have to let me know how the Neti pot works! I've been thinking of buying one for awhile, but they are usually kind of expensive and I wasn't sure if I'd like it/it would work.
 
Will definitely let you know!

Other news: What's up with Toby? He's been super well behaved (except for the little er, hide and seek incident - http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=54149&forum_id=1). He's sitting and flattening for petting. He has been affectionate enough to climb on me when he's out for his run. He's been more social and pleasant instead of a stuck-up bun who runs away. Must be post-Milo realizations!

Ok, so he did just step all over my tax documents but I guess that is not to be held against him. After all, to Sir Toby, paper is paper... :p
 
Yep, Toby sometimes is still Toby - naughty and a troublemaker!

He's still sitting down for petting. He had a very peculiar look on his face today. He was looking at me kind of... longingly... He really seemed to enjoy the rubbing on his head and nose :)

Kirby was out all night again of course. Uh, he started going into Kitchen. He has never gone in there before. Ever since Milo stayed here he's been very curious about the place. Now he's just hanging out in it. It's not much and it's not officially bunny proofed... the only things he can really chew on are some of his old mats (which have become regular "welcome" matssince he started to chew on them in his cage LOL) and our shoes/sneakers, etc. I don't know that he would chew on our shoes, but I didn't particularly like him being in our kitchen... it's very slippery with hardwood floor. I'm really shocked that he willingly bounced around on there!!!

King Kirby's land is growing...

There are only 3 uncolonized lands left - the 2 bathrooms, and the master bedroom! Eeek.

Sorta finished my taxes, as a first rough draft through Turbotax. Ugh, I owe NY state lots, LOTS of money. I haven't even calculated Jersey tax yet (I have to pay two states) and the IRS actually owes me a lot of money. I think I might only break about even this year :(

:dutch
 
Am so proud of you for making the right decision about your career... I know you've been think about it for a long time :hug:
Kudos to you for striking out in faith and improving your quality of life! :highfive:

The kitchen is going to be annexed, eh? Better get another foster in, ASAP :D So, essentially, it will be like a real-life game of RISK Bunnies at your house :p

Can you take a video of all the bun action?
 
Hmm I should! Video is going to be tough to capture Kirby in all his funny looking glory because my lighting in the living room at night isn't so great. But it's funny to see him sprint around!! He's a black blur!

Ohh this morning I heard Kirby hum for me! He was running in circles around me, first thing in the morning when I woke up!!! It was such a great way to wake up. He's never done it before. He has a very subtle hum so I don't know if he did it before and I just didn't hear him. :)
 
After a sinus rinse am I supposed to sneeze like a maniac? I am having lots of trouble with the solution not flowing as well. Sometimes it's a small trickle. Sometimes I get nothing. It's a bit of a learning curve!
 
February 5, 2010 - An Impressive Day

To everyone and anyone reading this - this is the happiest day I have had in a while! Last week, I asked one of the volunteers are our rescue if she could help me bond my buns. She has had lots of experience with rabbits and lots of experience bonding them, so I thought she would be able to guage for me whether there is hope for Kirby and Toby, or if I should just give it up and keep them separate forever (sigh).

I had described to her the behavior of these two and how Toby likes to chase and pull fur while Kirby is terrified and runs away... the whole lot of my woes about my babies, basically. She was telling me that from what I was saying, it doesn't sound too promising, which is as much as I assumed as well.

She did an introduction session with my bunnies, and can I just say, it was absolutely the most amazing thing I've ever seen. First of all, Kirby came hopping over to Toby, not the other way around. Kirby then started to get too excited, then scared, and got Toby all worked up all in a matter of about 5 to 8 seconds on the ground. She actually went for Kirby, and settled him down. She petted him, stroked his ears, calmed him down... and in fact, Toby was just strolling around, investigating & sniffing Kirby. No growling, no fur pulling. Not even touching Kirby. And he had every chance to.

She kept stroking Kirby to keep him calm, and he remained very calm. No buggy eyes, no super fast breathing... he seemed relatively relaxed. That alone had me floored! But Toby then kinda stood there a few inches away from Kirby and she started to Toby with her other hand. Toby sat still for petting too. She kinda held their ears, gently petting and stroking the ears and the backs of their necks. Both buns were really quite well behaved. I was shocked beyond belief watching this.

Then she actually nudged Toby over to sit next to Kirby. Their bodies were right next to each other, touching. She was able to pet them both on the head in one stroke of her hand - their heads were THAT close. It was all very tolerable by both buns. Minimal negative energy happening. It lasted maybe about 5 minutes. Kirby then got up and walked away. Toby continued to sit, not minding that Kirby up and left. And that was the end of it.

I have never seen my buns this close together. I have never seen them NOT be upset with each other. I have never seen Toby that close to Kirby in his free will and NOT take a bite of fur. It. Was. Crazy. I'm still in disbelief that this happened.

I am pleasantly surprised needless to say, but she was surprised too based upon what I was telling her about their behavior as pen-neighbors. Her opinion is based on this session that it is not hopeless. If I want to, I should keep trying in t his manner. She advised, and I agree now, that controlling Kirby's anxiety is the key to setting a calm tone for the sessions. Previously, it was like when he freaks out, Toby gets upset and then Kirby runs away and Toby gives chase - one bad reaction leading to another. I think I will go with that and really keep the sessions down to about 2 minutes or so each. I am not entirely confident that I will have as much control over the situation as she did, so I should keep the sessions down to a minimum so that everybun won't really have enough time to get ticked with each other.

I am really excited! This was more than I ever imagined. I was fully expecting her to see the boys in all their crazy glory and tell me to just give up (lol). Seeing them side-by-side, laying down, all relaxed, gave me hope that I can do this. they might be able to bond. I'm so happy!

:bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:

:dutch
 
Great news on the bonding session!
Where did the session take place? In your home, or did you take them somewhere? I think bunnies do better in unfamiliar settings, if they are both a little bit uncomfortable they can help comfort each other.
Do you drive? My rescue is really big on car rides in a laundry basket as a bonding tool. One person driving, one in the back seat petting both bunnies. They'll usually huddle up together.
Sounds like you've found someone who can help guide you through the bonding process!!


On the neti pot.......I think you have to tilt your head in a certain way to get the water to flow properly? Mine is a squeeze bottle, so I just force it through. If your sinus tissues are swollen, it will be more difficult for the water to go through. Did you use salt water, or just plain water? The salt water helps. (Plus you might want some baking soda to balance it and reduce stinging.) You might have gotten a bit of the water trapped, and that's what is causing the sneezing. It will eventually drain, no worries! That might also depend on how you hold your head. (If you find it messy, you can do it in the shower, too.)
Does the Rx spray you have reduce swelling? Maybe try using the spray, let things dry a bit, then try the sinus rinse?)
I think some people can't deal with water in their nose, but if you're ok with the general feeling, I think you will be able to get the hang of it with a little practice.
 
Hey Beth - I was really loving the Patanase spray and it was definitely the most clear and dry days so far. Unfortunately I have to go in for a follow up appt and was planning on taking a food allergy test too, so I have to be off antihistamines for at least a week prior. The sinus rinse is all I've got until Wednesday! I'd say it helps, overall, otherwise I'm sure I'd be getting progressively worse the longer I am off the medication. I have trouble getting the flow through one nostril; the other seems to flow only a tiny bit. I think a little is better than nothing until Wednesday at least. A squeeze thing sounds like a better idea than a pot that relies on gravity now that I am actually struggling with it. I am pretty swollen up in there off meds. To make matters worse I had to handle the buns for nail trimming and for the bonding today. Fur all over me! I was choking and coughing so badly this evening that I had to leave the rabbit room. My chest tightened on the right side and I couldn't get enough air. I had my husband get me a heatpack to relax my chest so that I could slow down my breaths. It was scary. That once happened in my sleep... I woke up suddenly gasping for air and choking, probably from a floatig piece of fur that I inhaled.

The kit came with some salt packets and it was not painful at all. The saline solution was quite fine in my opinion. The sensation is kind of weird at first but there is an odd feeling of relief from the allergens as I feel the wash working. I

The woman actually came to my apt after work, which was so nice of her! I tried bathtub a long time ago and it didn't go over well. I am a bit afriad if the situation gets crazy in the car that it can get dangerous. We did this today in the hallway at home and it was ok. They are familiar with the hall but they don't hang out there and it's hardwood floor to make them stumble uncomfortably a bit. It's a neutral enough space. And worked really well :) If the buns ever bond I'll be forever grateful to this nice lady :)
 
Congrats on yesterday's results. Hope it continues to be successful for Toby and Kirby.



kirbyultra wrote:
My chest tightened on the right side and I couldn't get enough air. I had my husband get me a heatpack to relax my chest so that I could slow down my breaths. It was scary. That once happened in my sleep... I woke up suddenly gasping for air and choking, probably from a floatig piece of fur that I inhaled.
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At your next dr's appt, you may want to ask for an inhaler. Advair or Pro Air. I was having problems breathing whenever we had to close the bedroom door with Sebastian in there. Same symptom, couldn't breathe and grasping for air. I keep in next to the bed in case I have problems at night breathing.
 
hln917 wrote:
At your next dr's appt, you may want to ask for an inhaler. Advair or Pro Air. I was having problems breathing whenever we had to close the bedroom door with Sebastian in there. Same symptom, couldn't breathe and grasping for air. I keep in next to the bed in case I have problems at night breathing.
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That's a good idea. Last time she asked me if I ever experienced tightness in my chest and the answer back then was "no" but having been off all antihistamines, the chest/lung pain from coughing and wheezing is enough for me to cry mercy.
 
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