Is There an Allergist in the House?

May 29, 2002

Several years ago, I had bad allergies and asthma, and I got allergy shots on a regular basis. Some time around the time I got to high school, the doctor decided that I didn't need the shots any more.

Now that I'm not going camping once a month with the Boy Scouts any more, my hay fever seems to have picked back up since I got to college. I had some trouble when I was living at Rob's place, but I eventually could be around the cat without turning into a giant ball of snot.

But now I'm watching Rob and Allison's cats while they're on their honeymoon. When I got back from their place last night (covered in cat hair of course) I was in horrible shape. My eyes watered and itched, my nose was running like there was no tomorrow, I was sneezing and I generally felt like shit.

So my question is: Does the immune system of a formerly-allergic person "forget" how to handle antigens, or am I just psychosomatically screwing myself over here?

May 28, 2002May 30, 2002