NEW SEASON BRINGS NEW ALLERGIES : GROWING ARSENAL OF TREATMENT OPTIONS BRINGS DOSE OF CONFUSION BEFORE RELIEF.

Byline: Elizabeth M. Cosin Daily News Staff Writer

Welcome to allergy hell: Antihistamines. Steroids. Broncho-dilators. Theophylline. Beta-agonist inhalers. Decongestants. Cromolyn sodium. Leukotriene antagonists.

And you thought the symptoms were bad.

Runny noses, watery eyes and breathing problems are not the only discomforts facing allergy sufferers, as anyone who has paced the aisles at the local drugstore knows all too well. There, lining the shelves, is a dizzying array of medications - from pills to nasal sprays - and that's not counting what you need a prescription for.

``You have to become a chemist to know what will and won't work for you,'' says Paula Roberts, a book publicist from Agoura Hills who has suffered from allergies on and off since her teens. ``There's like 8 million (allergy medications) in the drugstore. I'm to the point now where I don't take any of them. Twice a year when it gets bad, I just call my doctor and get a steroid inhaler.''

Choosing among medications can be a confusing, difficult and time-consuming process, particularly now, one of the worst times of the year for the a pproximately 20 percent of the U.S. population suffering from allergies.

Traditionally it's spring, with its airborne pollens, that is considered the most irritating season for people prone to allergies. But fall in Los Angeles is no walk in the fresh air either.

Besides pollen and ragweed (not as bad as the East Coast version, but a problem, nonetheless), allergies are exacerbated by the oft-present smog that traps particulates closer to the ground and to people. The Santa Ana winds are troublesome as well because they kick up dust and pollen from trees and plants. Even brush fires can stir up all kinds of allergy-causing particles.

``I wouldn't say it's the worst place, but we're certainly justified in calling Los Angeles one of the major allergy centers,'' says Dr. Alan Becker, an allergist based in Tarzana. ``We have a combination here of very unique factors, and we have four pollen-producing seasons.''

Becker says many of his worst cases come to him in the spring and fall. The first thing he and other allergy experts recommend, though, is trying to treat your allergy yourself. Sometimes a trip to the drugstore is all you need. But you must use caution in choosing the right medication.

``You really have to be careful and learn to read labels,'' says Elysse Robbins of Santa Clarita, who has allergies that cause her so much sinus pain that her teeth hurt. ``I usually get one that doesn't make me too drowsy. I bounce around from one to another because once I'm finished with a box, I'm immune to it.''

Doctors say that the body can get used to certain over-the-counter allergy medications, rendering them not as effective. They recommend that the drugs be used judiciously.

There are basically two categories: antihistamines and decongestants.

Antihistamines counteract the histamine release of cells in the body, which are primarily responsible for causing allergic symptoms. They come in various forms - pill and capsules, as well as liquids for children.

They help ease symptoms such as runny noses, itching and rashes. The downside of antihistamines is that they make people drowsy, but experts say the most effective nondrowsy medications are available by prescription only.

Decongestants shrink membranes, particularly in the nose and sinus passages and help ease congestion.

Many medications combine antihistamines and decongestants.

The best way to find out what is most effective for you, doctors say, is to try different medications until you get relief, although that might take some time.

``There's just loads of these types of medications,'' says Becker. ``Cold capsules, cold-sinus stuff, allergy. By and large, they all have the same ingredients, though some are in different combinations. You have to be a real consumer.''

If you can't get relief, says Becker, your next step should be to visit your doctor or allergist. This is particularly important for allergy sufferers who have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, chronic coughing, sneezing or itching, that won't go away with medication.

The doctor may recommend prescription medication - there are many new products available - but pills, sprays and inhalers aren't the only remedies for allergy sufferers.

New products - including lint-free filters for air conditioners and other filtering systems, hypo-allergenic pillows and gadgets that keep cars and homes free of airborne particulates - also are on the market.

Robbins, a public-affairs staff assistant at the Getty Trust, got an air filter as a gift a few years ago and has special dust-free covers on her mattress.

``My headaches are usually worse in the morning because of the change in air pressure,'' she says. ``Keeping the filter on all night really helps.''

Most of the products available are primarily for people who get allergies from dust, not pollen. If you have an allergy to airborne particles in your house, then closing windows, using dust-free linens and covers for your bedding, and using a HEPA filter (which stands for high-efficiency particle air filter) will help you, say the experts. But if your allergy is to something that settles into carpets or upholstery - pollen, dust mites or cat hair for example - using an air filter won't solve your problem.

``There's a perception that cleaning the air is of itself a good thing, in that (if) air pollution is bad, then clean air must be good,'' says Dr. Harold Nelson, an allergist and senior staff physician at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver. ``But there's just not much evidence this is the case.''

CAPTION(S):

Drawing, 2 Photos

Drawing: (Color) SNEEZE RELIEF

Clearing the air about allergies

Gregg Miller/Daily News

Photo: (1) Experts recommend allergy sufferers try over-the-counter medicines such as these before seeking a prescription medication.

(2) ``I wouldn't say it's the worst place, but we're certainly justified in calling Los Angeles one of the major allergy centers,'' says Dr. Alan Becker.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News