Pharmacist offers tips to tackle allergies and avoid mistakes

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- “It's allergies left and right,” said Austin pharmacist Rochelle Guyse.

“This one guy came in, and he was so miserable because he's like, 'my head is so cloudy, and I need to clear it!'”

The KXAN allergy tracker shows at least nine different allergens in the air on Tuesday, including grass, cedar, mold, and others.

Guyse advises that people talk to their pharmacists when looking for allergy relief.

“As a pharmacist, I always try to break down the word allergies. Some people just say allergies, but that can be different symptoms for different people. It could be the congestion, it could be the runny nose, it could be the drainage.”

While some allergy medications are flying off the shelf, Guyse explained that the most popular decongestant is behind the counter.

“Pseudoephedrine. That is one of the stronger ones. That is the most popular one,” Guyse said.

Before Guyse suggests powerful decongestants, she asks the allergy sufferer if they have high blood pressure.

“They feel so miserable, they want anything, and they're just willing to try it. But we don't recommend it if you have the high blood pressure; you cannot take that.”

The easiest way to treat symptoms may be to get an allergy test, according to Guyse.

“These are symptoms that people have year-round, and they're trying to understand, 'why?'" she said. "You can also get allergy tests so you can figure out exactly what it is that your body is responding to and triggering it so that you can be more aware.”