I have no idea what the answers to those questions are so thank you for giving me the vocabulary to ask them!
It’s through Ladder if anyone has specific experience with them.
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No problem! I have a life insurance license but not in your state. I just work in admin so day to day don’t think to hard about the structures beyond the boxes I have to check off. If you want to share I’d love to see what product they’re showing you and how they’re trying to make the sale (if you’re working with a person as opposed to a fully algorithmic thing)
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Ladder’s website looks interesting. I don’t know the insurer but they don’t require medicals under 3 million, so the premium information you’re being quoted right now should be really close to what the actual premium payments will be unless maybe you’ve been in some major car accidents (they look this up). Once you get an insurance offer (issued policy, the contract they will present for signature) the premium information will all be explicitly laid out, probably in the first few pages of the contract. If there is a graded structure there will be “outlays” for what that looks like for all years the contract is in force, or disclaimers about non guaranteed values.
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People with allergies! What OTC would you recommend? My main thing is nasal drip and coughing and I’m really starting to think it’s allergies-- want to try something just to see if it works, and then react accordingly with a better long term plan. Thanks!
Friendly reminder, this is all my problem btw but since I’m in the weeds rn already: I am not looking for medical horror stories of what else it could be, terrifying anecdotes, grave warnings, or additional medical advice of who I need to see immediately, etc. LOL, just covering my bases bc I love y’all but I know y’all. 
Just looking for the name of some OTC allergy meds today. Thaaaaanks!
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Not an allergy person (mostly) myself, but a friend basically allergic to the outdoors takes generic claritin (I think the active ingredient is loratadine–costco sells bottles that amount to a yearly supply for ~$15) daily and it generally works well for him although he steps it up to generic benadryl when things get bad.
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I use a combo Flonase nasal spray + Claritin off brand pill, and it helps. I’d start with the Claritin because that’s plenty for many people. Do you have asthma? I also take an asthma med that helps with allergies, brand name is Singulair.
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Thank you both! @Bernadette I do not have asthma. I think I’ll try Claritin! <3 You’re both tops.
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Meds work differently for different people. I’d start by trying any of the 3 main generic OTC drugs (Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec). Give them at least a month (unless of course you have a bad reaction) to judge effectiveness. If none of them do the trick but one at least helps some, try doing that plus Flonase.
There’s also a non-generic OTC some really like, called Xyzal (spelling?).
For the 3 generics, places like Costco or Sam’s usually have a year supply for like $10-15
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I am using Benadryl right now. I have had very low grade reactions (mild postnatal drip, slight runny nose) for years, but just this week I had a much stronger reaction (lots of sneezing, itchy / watery eyes, and sinuses feeling like I was eating wasabi). Benadryl is working to mitigate all these symptoms. I get generic Benadryl at Costco, big bottle is about $5. Spouse has more severe allergy reactions, and has felt that after using one med it can stop working as well, and that rotating to a new med can help.
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I’ve used them all over the years and I like generic Zyrtec the best. But ymmv, good to try another one if the first one you choose doesn’t work. Benadryl makes me very sleepy! I actually use it to fall asleep occasionally when I have a long run of poor sleep and start getting all up in my head about it.
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I use the generic 10 mg Loratadine tablets, 24 hr non-drowsy style. I did indeed buy a bottle of 365 tablets at Costco last year, haha. They usually work really well for me all spring/summer. I had to add a nasal spray for a week or two last year when my allergies got more terrible than usual, but I don’t remember what brand it is at all.
Honestly this is the first non-drowsy allergy med I tried and it worked, so I just stuck with it. I don’t have any comparison to other formulations.
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24h Claritin worked really well for me but I was a little meh about possible systemic effects over time so I switched to nasal spray and it worked just as well and is a little easier to take day of rather than have it build up for a day or two before it starts working.
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Generic Zyrtec is my go to. But most people will find either claratin or zyrtec make them sleepy, but not the other. Experiment with both and see which is your optimal!
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I use claritin (loratadine). It does give me wierd dreams if i take it to close to bedtime so i like taking it at like 4 pm. Allegra doesn’t work great for me. Zyrtec is too strong. My husband does Zyrtec and allegra for severe allergies, one am one pm and claritin as needed but he has a lot of crap going on. I would only give them a week to work before switching though. Everybody reacts different. Allegra used to be great for me but isn’t anymore so trial and error may be your best option.
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This is good to know, I will get both in that case and plan accordingly!
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I’m on a 3-4 step approach right now.
Benadryl at night (fully clears me but knocks me out)
Reactine once daily
Flonase steroid spray once daily
Sinus rinse as desired
Complaining and taking to my bed as needed
If I am desperate I will take a decongestant, I prefer oral but am limited to spray right now
So today I will do the decongestant spray before my appointment. The steroid spray takes about a week to hit efficacy and I was avoiding it until two days ago, and then I expect to be under control with just that.
I also do face massage, cold wet towels, breathing exercises and a cream called lymphdiaral which are all temporary. If you have a caffeine eye serum I highly suggest it.
This is one of my worst allergy seasons in years! But I’m also in a new house
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Wow thank you! I’m saving all these responses in a word doc to check after I try my first line of defense!
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I can go way deeper into the hippy stuff if anyone is interested! I used to do workshops on it and had a solid patient base of people with shitty allergies
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I use daily loratadine, and a daily sinus rinse. During actual allergy season, I add daily steroid nasal spray, and a morning sinus rinse.
If you try the sinus rinse, I like the squeeze bottle. But you can boil your own water, and make your own salt solution. Trying without salt solution is unpleasant. Not recommended.
Or, you could try abandoning the horrible land soil plants bees insects, and living at sea.
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