Allergen removers....big time sufferers please HELP!

[Nomad]

Our son and his family moved to an area of the country where the allergy counts are often very high...some of the worst in the country. I have never had issues with allergies until now...

we visit them often. All of a sudden, at the tail end of our visit or as soon as I get home, I get a nasty sinus infection. Having Sjogrens Syndrome might make me a tiny bit more prone...not a lot of protection immune wise,etc.

but I see a pattern here WTH this city.

Where we stay has wall to wall carpeting. . I have a nice, large, hepa filter air purifier that rotates
in the living room and a small one in the bedroom. I have him turn them and the ac on one or two days before we come. When we arrive, we dust and vacuum.

The SIs are getting serious and complicated...long story.


does anyone know what is the very best air purifier around and what other advice can you offer?


my allergy tests came out fine...but there is NO doubt this is allergy related somehow...to much consistency and this area has sometimes a pollen and other allergy rates 10x my local area.


i almost end ended up in the ER today from a SI that is so severe one doctor thought it was the flu..another long story.

help!

 

[InsaneCdn]

Is this an older house? if so, the problem could be mould instead of pollen... a whole different problem.

 

[tiredmommy]

We pulled out our rugs... too much dust and pollen hides there. An allergy mattress cover may help. Also, don't dry dust; use a damp cloth or one with something to attract the dust on it. Start taking an approved allergy medication the day you leave home or the day before. Take off shoes when entering the house. Use nasal saline solution. Wash your hair daily.

 

[Nomad]

Many thanks! Will do these things and check for mold; the place is not too old. Do you know of a top notch air purifier? And we will likely pull the carpet in the bedroom. HELP! I nearly ended up in the hospital!

 

[tiredmommy]

We use Holmes brand during peak pollen season here. Don't forget to change the air filters on the furnace and ac unit (if applicable).

 

[susiestar]

Get allergen barrier pillow and mattress cases and use them at both homes. Don't rely on just saline. Get a nasal rinse bottle or neti pot (do the same thing, neti pot needs to be used in the shower, saline rinse is used while leaning over a sink, but both clean out your sinuses). Use this daily at your son's house. Use distilled, not just bottled water for the rinse. You will get some packets of salt with the bottle/pot, but when they are gone just mix salt and baking soda 3:1, meaning three teaspoons salt to one teaspoon baking soda, and use 1/8 teaspoon of the mixture in the adult size bottle or neti pot. Of course you can buy more packets, but they are just salt and baking soda at a huge markup.

After you use the bottle/pot, use saline gel inside your nose. If you don't, it will get too dry and that can also cause problems. You buy the gel in the same area of the pharmacy as the bottle/pot (all the big chain pharmacies carry all of these items) and you apply it with a cotton swab. Use the gel during the day to make sure that your nasal cavity is moisturized. Sjogrens means it is drier and lets more allergens through. If blowing your nose does not get any results, use other means to be sure you don't have dried snot covering the surfaces inside your nostrils. a layer of thick mucus or dried mucus will keep the little hairs from doing what they are supposed to do, which is trap allergens before they get into you.

Use a humidifier or keep a pan of water simmering on the stove. The moisture in the air will help keep your sinuses from getting too dried out from the allergy medications. If you use a humidifier, it MUST be thoroughly cleaned every other day at a minimum. That is why we use a pan of water. It has less of a chance of spraying mold everywhere.

I hope you feel better soon. You may want to ask the doctor if taking antibiotics at the first signs of problems is a good idea. If it is, see if she will trust you to have them with you when you travel rather than having to wait and get in to see the doctor and then get them filled. Or maybe a prophylactic round should be started a day or two before you visit your son?

If you don't use omeprazole or lansoprozole (prilosec and prevacid, respectively) regularly, start using it a few days before you go to your son's. GERD is often undiagnosed and can wreak havoc on your sinuses. If acid gets up into your upper esophagus, it can dry things out, scar, and disrupt the natural good bacteria there. These medications help stop that. Both are OTC but of course check to see if they are a problem given your other medications.

It is entirely possible to have nothing show on allergy tests and still be allergic to things you were tested for. It isn't what is called a 'true' allergy, but your body reacts the same and the treatment is the same. I have this. According to the allergy docs, my immune system 'freaks out' (another quote, the guy is colorful in his word choice, lol) and reacts just like it si allergic, but allergy shots won't do a thing to help you.

These will help a lot. Also make SURE that you shower before bed. If you forget, change the bedding. Your hair traps allergens during the day and as you sleep they are able to come off your hair as you move and then they get all over your face and on the bedding. When you move, you put your face right into the bedding, so it shoves those allergens right up into your eyes and nose. Get husband to shower at night or sleep elsewhere, even in winter. FYI, the phrase "shoves those allergens" is a quote from my allergy doctor.

If you can tolerate it, take garlic tablets. It is a natural antibiotic and antifungal and can do some really amazing things for infections. You can get deodorized garlic tablets which mean you won't get garlic breath or burp garlic, which is nice.

 

[Nomad]

Many,many thanks!!!


I am seriously ill...and lucky I didn't get pneumonia this time. I have bronchitis and sinusitis and hurt all over.
90% of the time it happens after a visit to this area and we are suppose to move there in about three years and I am petrified and I'm not exaggerating..


Questions:
1. What is the name of the saline gel you put in your nose with the q tip?*
2. Do you simply boil distilled water on the stove at night to moisten the house?*
3. Do you also thinks Holmes is a good filter p; do you use a filter for allergens?*
4. I have an electric netti pot thing that I take out when I'm having a problem...which I never have in my home town. Should I use it nightly when I visit this place? With distilled water and 3:1 salt and baking soda? I used Spring water and a capful of hydrogen peroxide at my first symptoms*
5. Can't get shots for something I don't know about, I presume...I literally tested o for all allergies. But this happens 90per cent of the time I'm there.
6. I'm pulling out the bedroom rug, but if we move there, I'm getting rid of all the rugs.
7. Heard there are new blow dry places (only) for hair...I'm already looking for those so I don't have to blow dry my hair myself nightly. But, ill shower nightly and wash my hair nightly.
8. What might be a good phrophlatic medication to take? Example (s)*





*questions

I'll be honest, I'm scared.

 

[Nomad]

Also, I do have GERD and take AxID. I can't use the more common ones, they give me headaches. But Axid is less likely to cause osteoporosis.
I haven't had any symptoms in last ten days due to a few changes
1. I eat a light dinner
2. I drink more pure water....only Fiji or Penta
3. I drink almost every evening one drink container of something called "aloe glow"
4. If my tummy bothers me even slightly, I sleep in a recliner chair
5. Also, if my tummy bothers me even slightly, I chew two or three DGL tablets.


does this all make sense to you? Honestly, thank goodness, it seems to be working.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Answer #2... tap water is fine for generating humidity; think "slow simmer" rather than boil. Or, if the heating system is on, there are ways of using a tray of water, a small stand (stool or such), and a towel.

[90% of the time it happens after a visit to this area and we are suppose to move there in about three years and I am petrified and I'm not exaggerating..

Does it make any difference what time of year you go?
Does it matter if you stay in a hotel or in the house?
What other "differences" have you tried or noticed?
I'd be very wary of moving into an area that causes me that much problem... without at least knowing what the trigger is and what can be done about it.

 

[witzend]

Do they have central air/heating? They probably need to have their ducts cleaned and use the super expensive filters and be sure to change them at least as recommended.

 

[Nomad]

Yep. Central air and heating. We just had a discussion about having them cleaned by COIT or another reputable, exp.company when I'm not around.

We do use a high quality ac filter and change it almost every time we,visit. AND we have noticed that the times I do get sick are often when this filter was not changed immediately upon my arrival or we forgot to change it. Doesn't matter if it has only been a month. My husband just went to Home Depot and bought several,of,these high quality ac filters and spent kind of a lot of money on them so that we can change to a new one with each visit.


Figuring out how to remove the bedroom rug...wood best? Got to find someone to do the work when I'm not around. Checking on Holmes filters.....

And should I use the saline spray morning and night? Garlic pills too?

One difference we have noticed is Spring is a little worse for me... and I do have the special cases for the pillows and mattresses.


*Thank you all!

 

[tiredmommy]

I couldn't afford these when we purchased or Holmes units, but these are probably the industry gold standard:

http://austinair.com/

I used to date a young man 20 years ago that did indoor air quality testing. He swore these units were the best. He even did some independent quality testing on their products.

We use store brand saline solution in a white squeeze bottle twice a day. Every day. It works wonders.

 

[Nomad]

Ill check out the Holmes unit and fingers crossed we can afford them. I am truly frightened. This is our easy child, his easy child wife and our grandson we are talking about! I hope to figure this all out!

*Thank you.

 

[tiredmommy]

Holmes are a lot less expensive than Austin Air.

 

[Nomad]

seems I know little about these air purifiers, but hubby is working from home this morning and guess who is getting an Austin air purifier for Xmas! Moi. Thank u!!!!!!!!

we have small Honewell and Holmes units....those are moving to bedrooms. We are trying to find someone to clean ac ducts this weekend. The removal of bedroom rug will hopefully be within a month or two.

Next...do you need to dust the wood floors daily? With what? I use a shark vacuum for in between and swiffer for In between cleanings. They work on wood? I guess I can see dust better with wood?...

I'm feeling a little better, but it's slow going. Bad bronchitis and bad sinusitis. I was on the wrong antibiotic and my tx was delayed...long story.


ps either my iPad is acting up or this cough medication has me batty or both...forgive typos please.

 

[tiredmommy]

I don't dust daily, that stirs up dust. I wipe with a dust mop I bought at Dollar General (maybe Libby brand?), it comes with one washable terry mop head but I also bought 2 extra for rotating. I usually dust with a cloth or mop head barely dampened with white vinegar or a tiny spray of furniture polish (just enough to attract and lock in the dust). Your allergies seem to be severe enough that you may want to take the following steps: do not use a ceiling fan, remove plants from your bedroom, get rid of heavy drapes or use wash and wear, and keep pets out of your bedroom.