Height of Allergy season

So I haven't really had a lot of time to post much recently or write much for that matter. Sorry! 

So iwe seem to be having the worst allergy season to date, suffering something rotten this year, here's a look at what I'm taking to get through the day! 

Thought I'd use a pink background make it a bit more exciting! Day's Meds- excuse the Aerochamber it does really need a wash! I willdo it at the weekend promise! Not featured in the photo are two sets of eye drops. 

I took this late June when I was really feeling poorly, the week after I took this I got bitten and ended up with a tissue infection,so there where more mess to add to this. 

Oh to be allergic! 

Follow up.

So after my last post about the big day at the doctors I thought it time I followed it up with some answers so here's the follow up: 

As I mentioned In my last post my hayfever is a lot worse, I was really lucky on the day I went in the one eye that's been the worst affected was really playing up so my doctor could actually see it was bad!  He had a good look at my eye as he wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with it, there wasn't anything in it especially as it was so much worse than my right eye. I like it when doctors check things out properly I feel like I'm ok and that I'm not time wasting. Sure enough it was ok, definatley allergic, the right eye is also allergic but the difference is unexplainable. The prescription drops I already had have been increased and I've now got a strong steroid nasal spray, which he said to double dose for the first week or so, until I saw a difference. This got a thumbs up too, seems to be doing the job. 

 He was also very adamant to check over my asthma whilst I was in, I passed! I was instructed to return promptly if the spray didn't work as there are more options and it's important to make sure my hayfever is well controlled because of my asthma. Interestingly he mapped a pattern of my asthma flare ups and allergies etc, it seems to be the same time of year for each so we may be approaching this with new treatment paterns. To be discussed at my next review. 

I have also been prescribed a form of contraceptive pill, I had no idea literally how many types there are, but the one I've got is predominately used for treating acne, he was in complete agreement that this is a reasonable step considering the treatments I've tried in the past. There a lot of information to go through before hand. It could take three to six months to see results but I've figured I'm happy to try. I'm on my second week. My blood pressure will need to be monitored very closely on this though. 

I thought I'd already taken up enough time and did consider not mentioning mums concerns seeing as she backed out of coming with me. But I did mention it, i d made the decision to go and get sorted so i saw it though. Big step for me. He wasn't at all concerned by mum thinking I had a thyroid issue. He didn't think it was the case (happy as he's the doctor) but he said there was no harm in checking it out, to put everyone's mind at rest. Talking about my tiredness, he did think it may be a deficiency so sent me for blood tests. 12 hours fasting!! Testing: FBC, Electrolytes, Liver, Bone, Thyroid, Glucose, B12 & Folate and Vitamin D. 

Lucky for me I got a 7.55 appointment so didn't have to wait too long to eat my breakfast! Anyway when I phoned for test results, they were satisfactory. No further action required. So I guess it's more coffee more sleep!!! 

With all that I forgot to ask about the lump under my ear lobe, but it's gone again now. 

And to finish I'm very pleased that in the last few weeks I've lost 5lb! Feeling happy 😀

The big day!

Before I start this blog post, I'll just say sorry for the absence etc, but I'm back and will explain it all soon, but first tomorrow is a big day! 

I'm at the doctors tomorrow as I've finally decided to get everything else that's going on (besides may asthma) sorted out. I have an appointment before work which is a bonus! And I'm seeing a doctor I actually don't mind seeing. My mum has offered to come along as moral support, and this is the list. 

Please remember I find these things very difficult and much prefer to refuse to deal with things so this is one huge step for me, but there's so much going on with my health at the moment I've realised I really need to get some of it sorted. 

Going in gently starting with the fact that my hayfever seems to be a lot worse this year and the medication I have at present isn't helping me, I need to get this sorted as having bad hayfever doesn't do anything for controlling my asthma. It's also embarrassing everyone asking what's happened to your eye! Or have you been crying! 

I want to go onto the pill, I know so many people who take the pill for other reasons than purely contraception, and this is where I fit in! Being single, I don't need it for the obvious, but plenty of people have had great results on there acne for it. Over the years I've had so many OTC and prescription lotions and potions, topical treatments and have been prescribed a whole host of different antibiotic treatments and tablets with very little result. Some of the antibiotic tablets worked long term, but after long periods on these the side effects weren't all that great. So I stopped treating it and learnt to accept that at certain times my skin would be much worse that others. Particularly at that time, however I'm now very much fed up of being stuck in a teenagers skin, especially in a professional environment that I work in. So hopefully this might help. 

Mums also keen to mention she thinks I may have an underactive thyroid, I've always been very anti this idea and the first to silence the idea, but just recently I'm afraid to say I have to admit that she might just be right, I found this list of symptoms in the NHS website; 

Now tiredness is something let's face it I've always had, recently I spent a few days off work at home and everyone noticed how much I was tired even though I wasn't working, I never stop moaning about being cold, as I sit writing this it's an average temp for the evening and my feet feel like ice cubes, my work colleges think I'm crazy because I'm always moaning I'm cold even in the summer! aches and pains check! Dry skin again had this many many years I also have very sensitive skin! And my weights been a long battle, but I'm most definatley overweight. So we will see what they have to say about that. 

I'd also like to get an answer to what the lump I can feel at the bottom of my ears is as it can be pretty painful at times. 

Hmm do you think that's enough to keep them going? Hopefully I'll get some answers and start moving in the right direction! Will update as it happens.

Do you not see enough of me...

I spend plenty of my time inside my doctors surgery yet somehow sometimes this happens 

Seriously again ??????? 

Ok so when I picked this repeat up I noticed a sign that says the surgery now has an online appointment booking system! I thought this was going to be the answer to all of my problems, which incase you don't experience these ( but I'm sure that you do, I think there's a school these people go to, to qualify in patronising sarcasm) these are mine: 

1. Automated phone systems - that don't work 

2. Getting to speak to a person is like walking through a wall 

3. Please hold the line - long wait 

4. Rude people

5. Not Thursday's and as Early as possible, doesn't mean Thursday at 3.30pm will be acceptable

Great so I get online, grab my diary, work schedule a pen etc and think I'm onto a winner, punch in the web address for my surgery, go to the booking area and I'm hit with this: 

So to make my appointment online I need to phone the surgery to retrieve a password. This means I'll go through to the automated system, wait a while, jump through some walls waiting for a receptionist, wait some more, get a speech about why I don't need to use the online system now I'm on the phone and probably get offered an appointment on a Thursday at 3.30pm. When I'll revert to getting angry trying to work the automated system. 

As you can tell my morning will be fun ! I might attempt to ask the desk when I'm in for the appointment I hope to make for a password whilst I'm there! Chance my luck! 

All pictures have been cropped and blurred to protect my personal details and my surgery identity. 

So my goodies Arrived

Holland and Barrett 

So my goodies have arrived slightly more in volume than previously purchased so these have been going a while! 

Plamil dairy free chocolate £1.15 45g 

Plamil dairy free alternative to mint chocolate £2.29 100g 

Celtic chocolates free from fine dark chocolate bar £0.85  unsure of size. 

Ok so let's start on price all seemed fairly reasonable for the size of each bar, they did have buy one get one half price on when I ordered them so the prices I paid where less than above but I would happily pay the full price for these items. 

First up Plamil dairy free - this was a very yummy bar , in fact I could demolish this in one sitting if I really wanted, the loft silky texture and chocolately scent had me over excited before I could even get it out the packet towards the end of the bar. Definatley the closets to milk chocolate substitute I've tried so far.  New favourite ! 

Mint chocolate - the texture of this one took some work I'm a but on thr picky side when it comes to the texture of food including my beloved chocolate. So this was a little different I put felt very sugary in your mouth. Although it didn't taste it, I wonder if it's to do with the way it is produced. The other thing that stood out on this for me was the mint, was peppermint oil, so quite strong in taste. It was a nice treat and good to try something with some flavour in. 

Last but not least was the fine dark chocolate- once taken out of the packet this could pass of as either of the ones I've tried so far from the supermarkets, it looked identical and had the same smell. I was in fact different to taste. It tasted more like a rich dark chocolate, I'd say like a high cocoa percentage. As I think you've probably all gathered by now I'm not a massive fan of dark chocolate. 

Might pay a visit to Holland and Barrats shop see what else they can offer! 

Another week another chocolate

Ok so due to some personal reasons, lack of Internet connection and me being poorly blogs have seemed to disappear again recently so here's some more I've written recently, oh yes I'm still expłoring dairy free chocolate and reviewing it for any one interested.

Tesco free from , this week I did my shopping in Tesco and was surprised at the variety available, I did manage to control my urge to buy everything and settled for four things because I want to be able to make comparisons to the items I trialed last week. Most exciting for me was the fact there was a white chocolate substitute! 

All of the items are in my picture, first taster was the White buttons obviously. Unlike the price variation in Morrisons all of these where £0.45 each. 

The White buttons - these where ok, they remind me very much of the old fashioned white mice I had as a child from the penny sweet shop in my pic and mix. I'm not sure I'd rush out and buy more but they did the job and sorted my chocolate fix, I've always loved white chocolate but you do have to go a long way to get the consistency right for me, Milkybar has it spot on and not many others have the lovely creaminess that it does so I guess that's even harder to achieve with dairy free. They where as the picture shows a little on the yellow side.

Both the chocolate bar and buttons are very much the same taste wise as each other just shaped differently, they also look very similar equally to the versions I brought from Morrisons last week. However I do prefer the Tesco ones for taste they had a smoother texture and tasted a little less dark  than the others I've tried. Thumbs up Tesco. 

What do they say save the best till last, boy did I get that right! The Crispie bar is by far the best I've had so far, imagine rice crispies in chocolate (heaven right) yes they've done it.  Top of my list and definatley one I'll be buying plenty of ! 

That's it from me for now, I've just but in an order at Holland & Barrett and purchased a few dairy free goodies, mainly so I got free postage but I will be writing on them so watch this space !! 

Living dairy free...

Ok so as you may already know from previous posts, dairy is a trigger for my asthma. It started out as being able to tolerate a small amount but now any amount is a no go! 

I switched most things easily, I hate cheese, so no issues there and  I've never been a fan of butter so that was just cut straight out, I switched to soya milk although I think I now prefer almond milk but either make a good substitute for the real thing. I punched on with yoghurt a bit longer but now there soya alternatives too. 

So how does a chocoholic give up chocolate you ask? With greatest difficulty I assure you! I've fought holding onto it for so long but it has had to go, I did manage to try these before hand though. Any chocolate lovers out there will probably already know how amazing they are especially me being a white chocolate lover.  If you haven't tried them your missing out!! 

Ok so the switch has been made and I thought I'd take the time to review some products for anyone out there who's interested. This week is the turn of Morrisons. There free from range says they are milk free this is as close to dairy free ad they produce.  Here's what I brought : 

M Chococy Buttons £0.40p , M Choccy bar £0.45p and M Choccy orange bar £0.75p. 

Off course before I'd even made it back to the car I had sampled the buttons 

I've had a small taste of them all so as I can write this post. So here's what I though: 

Buttons - these where nice, obviously not the real thing, they lacked the silky feel of chocolate, and obviously as there is no milk they are very close to a dark chocolate. I don't mind dark chocolate but it's not my favourite. I enjoyed the buttons and they come in a nice small treat size packet which are ideal and especially at £0.40p I'd buy these again.

Choccy bar - this is again a also good alternative and a little like opening a bar of dark. It did melt a little an your mouth, and was very similar to the taste if the buttons. I'm hoping the rest of the bar will be as good for a small £0.45p 

Choccy orange bar - this had a similar texture and look to the Choccy bar but was most disappointed with the taste. I was hoping that the orange would sweeten the bar slightly so it didn't taste so much like dark chocolate but it didn't the orange is almost to artificial tasting. Nothing like a Terry's chocolate orange! I'd give it full marks for smell as the orange smelt beautiful just didn't taste so nice! I wouldn't buy this again as it was a disappointment In general and came in well above the previous Choccy bar at £0.75. So for an extra £0.30p I got some orange flavouring which was not as good as it smelt! Not sure if I'm going to continue this bar either and that's saying something for a chocoholic ! 

In summary my favourite was the Choccy buttons. 

Hopefully I'll have some different ones to review next week. Next supermarket...