Allergies, medicines, doctors-- Oh my!

So life has been interesting lately, full of events and doctors appointments. I started going to the ENT (Ear Nose & Throat doctor) to try and figure out the cause of my constant sinus problems (~6 yrs) and constant sore voice (~2 yrs). She scoped me and thankfully I did not have damaged vocal chords. *phew* They were however red/irritated. She then ordered an X-ray, which she said "may be indicative of chronic sinusitis" (chronic sinus infections basically). So she ordered a CT scan of my sinuses. That came back clear, no chronic sinusitis-- diagnosis? Allergies. Allergies?? Really?? Non-stop for 6 yrs? I thought those were supposed to be seasonal?
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So she sent me to see an allergist, and on 20 January I went in to have a "skin test" to check for allergies. This test involves several "panels" of plastic pokey prongs. Each prong has at its end several tiny triangular-shaped points, going around the circumference of the prong and inward. The prongs are maybe 2-3 mm in diameter... So very tiny. The points are very sharp-- but just less than an actual needle so they don't break your skin. I think the point (no pun intended) is to press a deep "well" into your skin so that the liquid they are putting on you stays in one place.
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So each panel has about 6-8 prongs, each with a concentrated liquid version of potential allergens at the end (on the points). They took each of 10-12 total panels and pressed it firmly into my back. This was a bit unpleasant to say the least. I then laid there on my stomach for a good 15 minutes. Too bad I didn't bring anything to read!
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The results of this test confirmed my suspicions, but also were rather surprising. I began to suspect (now knowing the problem was an allergic reaction to something) that perhaps I was allergic to dust mites. The little boogers are everywhere! That was confirmed. But surprising was, I am allergic to (count them)-- 9 types of grass, 7 kinds of weeds, 8 kinds of trees, 9 kinds of mold (I feel like I'm singing the 12 days of Christmas here)-- as well as cockroaches, a type of mold mite common in dust, and actual dust mites. The worst allergy of them all was... Dust mites.
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While I was laying there letting my back swell up, a spot on the right side almost instantly started to itch like crazy. After several minutes the nurse came to check on me and I told her. "Oh, that's dust mites," she said. "Greeeeeaaaaaaat....." I replied.
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Modern medicine's answer to most problems is to, of course, prescribe pharmaceuticals. In stride, the allergist prescribed me 2 different nasal sprays (and the ENT had already prescribed another medicine prior to this). One was an antihistamine and the other a corticosteroid (to reduce swelling). He said they work best in conjunction with one another.
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WELL... After a few days I realized that if I took all 3 concurrently, my voice (i.e. throat swelling) dramatically improved. But I also started retaining water like mad. So I stopped taking the one the ENT prescribed. My voice wasn't as good, but I like it when my clothes fit you know. Then after about 2 weeks of using both of these sprays, I started to notice I was really moody and becoming increasingly depressed (and retaining insane amounts of water / getting very fat! Well, 2" worth anyway). The warnings inside the box said to inform my doctor immediately if I experience "suicidal thoughts"... Yeah... So I finally realized that it was the medicine making me depressed (and making me retain water) so I stopped taking it.
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I decided to stop just the antihistamine first since that one I heard causes water retention most. And like magic, the next day I felt way less depressed. And today I am not depressed at all. I felt totally whacko, and it was not fun. It was kind of scary. Yes we'll be sure to communicate this to the allergist next week when I go back...
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Aside from learning I am allergic to planet earth, life has been pretty typical. I haven't traveled much for work other than to Las Vegas for a Sales Manager Conference-- I'm actually home for the first 3 weeks of February doing transaction audits (remote data interrogation) and other various and tedious tasks.
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A NEW thing that is happening-- I am going to be playing a full 30 minute set of my own music at a craft fair held in my church's parking lot on 14 March-- The fair is put on by the 7th Day Adventist church with which we share the building, and they are advertising in local newspapers and on radio stations I was told. Wow, this is my first real "gig" by myself since... Well, I think ever. Aside from an open mic at a coffee shop which wasn't scheduled. So I'm excited (and nervous!) about that! Hopefully my allergies don't kill my voice and I can sing that day!!!
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Well this is now becoming a War & Peace novel so farewell my friends! I will update this again probably in another month or 2... :)