Spring has sprung into my nose

A very pregnant me wandering in an orchard. Credit: C. Ian Campbell

Allergies. I have been a sufferer of seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember. I heard on the news yesterday that this year's allergy season is set to be one of the worst on record. Actually, I didn't really need the news to tell me that. Having left the windows open to get some air circulating during the unseasonably warm April, I've had to mop and wipe down my kitchen every morning this week because it's coated in bright yellow pollen.
So it's not just going outside that sends me running for my hankie - it's being inside my house too. Last year I finally went to the allergist to see what exactly it is I'm allergic to. Turns out it's everything - except dust. I'm allergic to trees, grasses, mold, ragweed, cats and dogs. He gave me samples of Nasonex and Zyrtec and sent me on my way.
In my experience over-the-counter allergy meds have only dampened my allergies, not gotten rid of them. And unfortunately it seems that the drowsy-inducing meds work better than non-drowsy. This spring I am excited to try out some natural alternatives. I have tried homeopathic nasal sprays and tablets in years past and they did little to nothing.
Plenty of natural treatments claim to offer relief. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is an herb whose antihistamine effects have been being studied and reported on in many journals recently. In 2002, the British Medical Journal published a ranomized, controlled study showing that just one tablet of butterbur four times a day was as effective as a Zyrtec (cetirizine) in controlling the symptoms of seasonal allergies. But a placebo-controlled study of butterbur's effectiveness in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in 2004, saw no significant difference in the symptoms experienced by the placebo and butterbur groups.
So which is it? Well for me, it sounds like it might be worth a try, if I can find it easily and it isn't too pricey. Other natural remedies I'm eager to try and have heard many good things about are:
A neti pot
Freeze-dried nettles
Goldenseal
Local raw wildflower honey
Vitamin C
Quercetin

My allergies got much worse while I was pregnant, and in the lactating years to follow. I wondered if it was just a fluke, and can't find too much research or information on the topic. A report in a 2006 issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America says:

"Twenty to forty percent of women in their childbearing years have some form of allergy. Of those pregnant women who have known allergies, some studies suggest that as many as 10 to 30 percent experience increasing allergic symptoms during their pregnancy and return to their normal pre-pregnancy state after delivery. In addition, increased circulating blood volume and hormonal influences on nasal mucosal secretions that are seen in pregnancy promote nasal vascular engorgement and noticeable nasal congestion. It stands to reason, therefore, that pregnancy can amplify any pre-existing nasal condition."

So maybe it wasn't a fluke. Or maybe it's because I moved to the pseudo-woods where I am surrounded by trees.