Originally Posted by
deep_sky
Well, let me give a little background. As far back as I can remember, I have woken up congested and nauseated from the post-nasal drip. This clears up in 1-2 hours on a day that I don't ride. When I do ride, if its an easy recovery ride, I don't produce much mucus. If I am working hard, the faucets are at full throttle and I am constantly wiping my nose no matter what the temperature.
I just recently added regular dairy back into my diet a couple of weeks ago, and I have noticed no appreciable difference in the amount of mucus I have, so while things do point to a food allergy, I am not sure it is dairy causing it.
I will definitely try pineapple though, and see if that at least thins things out.
For most folks, dairy makes no difference. You already gave it a try. Now it's time to go full medical on the problem. The simplest and easiest thing is to use cheap over-the-counter meds. Take 25mg of diphenhydramine hydrochloride at bedtime. That should help the nighttime issue. Before a ride, you can try 4mg of chlorpheniramine maleate. These are both antihistamines. Before every hard ride, I use a nasal spray, oxymetazoline hydrochloride. That's a decongestant. I don't need it for easy rides.
It's possible that your problem is airborne allergens. A HEPA filter near your bed might help with the night problem.
If these measures are ineffective, you can go the prescription route. Many people like Nasonex, others prefer Flonase. These are both nasal sprays. They both work very well. Your doctor can prescribe.