How can i improve my allergies? Stuck in a bedroom with my 2 cats.

[terestrife]

The only way i can keep my cats is if we share a bedroom. I can't afford my own place. Sometimes my allergies get really bad in my room. I'm scared to get to the point of having ashtma.



They dont climb on my bed because of a tent i have on my bed. I tried using an air filter and it was making my allergies worse because it was kicking up the car fur into the air. I'm using an allergy spray that i found on Amazon. Most days it helps but it's so much dander in there. I'm on zyrtec and flonase.

I'm trying to avoid using an inhaler because i worry about side effects and becoming dependent on the medication. What can i do?

 

[maggie101]

Cat Allergies: Symptoms and Treatment

I have never dealt with this but this article should help including articles on TCS. Read down where it gives ideas how to prevent it there are also vaccines and certain cat food

 

[Astragal14]

One of the easiest things you can do is to wipe your cats twice a day with a damp paper towel. You can buy dander reducing wipes but my vet says a damp paper towel works just as well.

Another thing I recommend is to vacuum A LOT (or use a dust buster). An air purifier is great for trapping dander, but you're right about the swirling cat hair - the hair is too large to be filtered. But using a vacuum to catch the hair and and air purifier to catch the dander particles will help considerably.

You may also want to use things like allergen pillow protectors and allergen mattress protectors, these will keep the dander from settling into your bedding (also, wash your bedding weekly in hot water).

It may also help to research tips on how to reduce exposure to pollen allergies; the allergens are different but the goal is the same - keep as many allergens out of your system as possible. There are things like neti pots and nasal barrier gels, but I don't know much about them other than I know people with outdoor allergies who use them.

 

[Krissy72]

I would suggest being sure to regularly brush your cat's fur and bathing your cat to remove any dander. Also what kind of allergy spray did you get from Amazon? I might also suggest trying a different cat food. Purina has Purina Pro Plan LiveClear which has been shown to reduce the dander and allergens in cat hair.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Years ago I was allergic to cats, I am talking over 30 yrs. But I have not had any symptoms for a long time. So I went for 2 blood tests and was approved by an allergist to get a cat. I contemplated a Russian Blue and a Siberian because of the low allergen level, but couldn;t afford the cost of those breeds.
Lo and Behold, 2 weeks after getting my shelter calico Louise I am full blown allergic! So back to another allergist I went to see what can be done. No way am I giving up my lil' Louise!
I am now taking Pataday eye drops and Ceterizine over the counter and they help a bit. At night she creeps up onto the foot of my bed and I sometimes wheeze, but over the counter Primatene Mist takes care of that.
The best thing for my eyes which is the main issue is washing them with an eye cup whenever they itch and then applying the drops.
The only other step is to sign up(lots of paper work) and get allergy shots..a rather big thing with a wait of MONTHS before getting those weekly jabs. Also, one has to walk around with an Epipen in case of a bad reaction. Serious business there....too serious for me.
I will live with over the counter remedies. But those with no allergies are fortunate indeed.

 

[di and bob]

Allergy shots are given just once or twice a year and help MUCH better with allergies. I think the weekly shots that were mentioned above are a series of shots to help you 'desensitize' to whatever allergens you are allergic too, yes time consuming and expensive, but worth it in the end. My sister went through them. The yearly/twice yearly shots are for general allergies and work REALLY well, ask your Dr. about them.
I always thought Benadryl worked the best, but take it at night, it makes you sleepy. Wiping down your cats with a damp paper towel is effective, as is vacuuming every day the area around where you sleep.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Allergy shots are given just once or twice a year and help MUCH better with allergies. I think the weekly shots that were mentioned above are a series of shots to help you 'desensitize' to whatever allergens you are allergic too, yes time consuming and expensive, but worth it in the end. My sister went through them. The yearly/twice yearly shots are for general allergies and work REALLY well, ask your Dr. about them.
I always thought Benadryl worked the best, but take it at night, it makes you sleepy. Wiping down your cats with a damp paper towel is effective, as is vacuuming every day the area around where you sleep.

I had no idea about the once or twice a year shots. The allergist was really pushing the more $$ course. So typical.
I am a believer in Benedryl. It works better for me, but I only take it at night because it makes me sleep like a baby!

 

[lisahe]

I've had allergies all my life and found that just about anything -- the allergies themselves and what works to prevent/treat them -- can change at any time. I was very allergic to cats as a child... but have now been living comfortably with cats for several decades. I used to sleep under down comforters... but I suddenly found myself very allergic to down about 20 years ago. I could go on and on!

What helps now is a combination of spraying my nose with canned saline, using Flonase, and taking Allegra as necessary. Claritin used to help but now does nothing at all (except put me to sleep!), and Zyrtec barely takes even the edge off my allergies... but taking Allegra consistently works. We also use HEPA filters and keep windows closed a lot during the summer when the pollen's heavy. When things get really bad, as they were this fall, I use a neti pot, which really cleans things out. It took getting used to but it works.

Probably the very best thing I ever did for my allergies, though, was to get rid of some old rugs and upholstered furniture. We did that for our cat, just after she was diagnosed with asthma, but I noticed a huge change in my own allergies once those things were gone. I highly recommend small, washable area rugs (Marshall's and TJ Maxx often have nice ones) and washing blankets and other bedding (for humans and cats) frequently.

Good luck, terestrife !

 

[debbiedo72]

The only way i can keep my cats is if we share a bedroom. I can't afford my own place. Sometimes my allergies get really bad in my room. I'm scared to get to the point of having ashtma.



They dont climb on my bed because of a tent i have on my bed. I tried using an air filter and it was making my allergies worse because it was kicking up the car fur into the air. I'm using an allergy spray that i found on Amazon. Most days it helps but it's so much dander in there. I'm on zyrtec and flonase.

I'm trying to avoid using an inhaler because i worry about side effects and becoming dependent on the medication. What can i do?

I researched which allergy medication is best for cat allergies when I got my 9 week old kitten. I tried Allegra Allergy Gelcaps, and I don't have any problems with cat allergies now.

 

[les26]

I was allergic to 14 molds years ago and did go throught the desensitization shots, it took awhile but they helped a LOT!

Also try Vitamin C, Quercetin, Bromelain, natural things for allergies, even the homeopathic remedy Histaminum, little pills you put under your tongue, less side effects that man made antihistamines.

Good luck to ya!

 

[terestrife]

Thank you everyone. I am reading the thread today because I had some health issues i had to deal with this week. Thank you so much to everyone for the advice.