I’ve had spring/summer hayfever since my teen years. In Riverside, California, I suffered moderate symptoms through the summer. In Germany I had stronger symptoms, but for a shorter time, mostly the month of June. In Boise, ID, my allergies began in May and lasted through June. When I moved to Portland, OR, in 1984 I was decimated by allergies, and they were largely confined to the month of June.
Over the years I would take an allergy pill, and they were moderately effective at best. But they did a great job making me drowsy. In Oregon the symptoms were so debilitating that I went to an allergist for testing (grasses were the dominant problem) and began a shot regimen. It was costly and inconvenient. The first few months I had to go in twice a week while they ramped up the dosage. Later it became every week or two, and finally, after several years, the doctor gave permission to stretch them out to once every six weeks.
Within a couple of years I was symptom free all through the glorious month of June. The shots were a huge success. After a decade or so the doctor agreed I might try discontinuing the shots, that the immunity might well persist. And I could avoid entirely the expense and hassle of regular shots.
Sadly, as the subsequent years went by my June allergies gradually returned. I tried various medications, which have improved over the years, but my quality of life during that month was impacted, especially when engaging in outdoor activities such as cycling. I decided I should visit an allergist to see if there were better medications or treatments.
To be continued . . .