The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Allergic to my cats OR my apt: What are my options?
Kyougu
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
First, let me say I had no idea I was allergic to cats before all this. Had one before, been around them with no problems. Except for now. Everytime I get home, it's the same things: Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tight chest. Symptons are worse when I'm laying down.
And that's where the problem lies. It's cutting into my sleep and it's getting hard to actually get rest. So now, what are my options? I figured two so far.
1) Medication? Any that would work? How expensive?
And
2)Giving up the cats. I had them for about 4 months now, and I love the little guys, but it's getting to the point where I can't enjoy being in my apartment. If I go this route, I definately don't want to leave them at a shelter, but what other options are there? Craiglist is the only one that comes to mind.
So yeah, help?
UPDATE: So based on what people are saying, it could also be my apt, which I moved into December and was in a month before I got the cats. What should I look for? How could I get it tested?
And that's where the problem lies. It's cutting into my sleep and it's getting hard to actually get rest. So now, what are my options? I figured two so far.
1) Medication? Any that would work? How expensive?
And
2)Giving up the cats. I had them for about 4 months now, and I love the little guys, but it's getting to the point where I can't enjoy being in my apartment. If I go this route, I definately don't want to leave them at a shelter, but what other options are there? Craiglist is the only one that comes to mind.
So yeah, help?
UPDATE: So based on what people are saying, it could also be my apt, which I moved into December and was in a month before I got the cats. What should I look for? How could I get it tested?
Kyougu on
0
Posts
*edit* aurin beat me. ~.~
You will get used to your cats dander. It just takes a while. Mine only really bother me during molting season now. I can rub my face in their tummies, and suffer an itchy face. Now. But when I got them I was on anti-histamines for a while. Otherwise I'd get snuffly, sneezy, itchy, and a tight chest.
(Aside: for the love of God do not get their fur stuck in your eye! UNCOOL!)
I can go to my parents house and within an hour or so, boom. Out come the anti-histamines.
I'm not in the States, so my costs are different to yours. I can survive on over-the-counter meds -- but they're more expensive. I get 6 months of anti-histamines for about $30 from a prescription.
Good luck. If I were you, I'd go the Dr. route if you can afford the trip or two. Once it's in your history, you can often call to get a repeat on your prescriptions, save yourself the cost of a visit.
Good luck!
If you've been around cats before and had no problems, ask yourself whats different. Is this a long-haired cat while others weren't?
It could even not be the cats. Do you have a friend you can leave them with for a few weeks to see if things improve? (a couple of days won't help) If the cats are out of the house for an extended period and things don't improve, its not them.
Right when I got them, I also got sick, so at first I thought it was a bad side effect from cats. When to doctor, got cleared up with some antibiotics and medicine. Symptons went away for a bit, but in a month I was back. Got X-rays done again, some more antibiotics and was solved. Symptons have slowly crept back up until now, were I can't get reastful sleeps due to the constant coughing and labored breathing.
Do you feel better when going to work or immediately after leaving the area?
Yeah I do, which is also another reason I think it has something to do with cats.
And wiki along with google search lists coughing and labored breathing as two symptoms of cat allergies.
I also thought it was either bronchitis or pneumonia, which is why I got checked up. Even got X-Rays done.
Also, keep them out of your bedroom. This makes a world of difference.
I ended up on 4 medications to help control the allergies. I think the main two are Advair and Singulair. The other two are nasal sprays which I don't remember the names to. I think everything but the Advair is available in generics at this point too.
I'm going to voice with others, I don't think this is the cats. The fact that you were given antibiotics and it got better makes me think more there may be something wrong with the AC/Heat in your place. I had that same exact thing happen to me at work over a year period. I would get sick, cough, have issues breathing, but within a hour or two or leaving work I could breath better. I ended up being diagnosed with Legionnaires and a issue was found with the AC in my office.
I was actually treated three times for "severe bronchitis" before they decided to test me for legionnaires. Tada congratulations you have legionnaires.
Its also a new apartment, it can be anything from a tree/plant pollinating outside, to dust, fumes, AC/Heat, etc.
Might be worth it to get tested to find out if you're allergic to cats. You can also try as someone suggested having the cats out of the apartment for a week and see how that goes.
Beyond those items try out OTC allergy medicine, Zyrtec works well. But if you're having persistent reoccurring bronchial/pneumonia like symptoms look into more detailed tests from the doctor.
* As a note it wasn't just legionnaires either, apparently there was a dust issue as well which I have allergies to, so the legionnaires was messing me up and the dust while I was in my office was only aggravating it further.
I still doubt it's the cats, you very rarely cough with allergic reactions (they do it, but it's so rare that most of those people that report those symptoms usually get it from something else).
Check your bathroom, check the filters (you'll probably have to have the maintenance crew do that).
Things like legionnaires usually stem from water vapor that's laced with the bacteria or an infected filter. Though, everyone in the building would be having issues if it was the central air/heating units usually. The most common cause of legionnaires is from shower heads that aren't cleaned properly. Though, I still think it's asthma or something else. If the doctor gave you a steroid inhaler it'd probably fix your issue. Hopefully the allergy doctor finds out the cause.
So I started using that, and it seemed to help with the cats, which I picked up a couple months later. However, I soon noticed that not only was I OK around furry animals, but I seemed to no longer get a stuffy nose. And then I realized that when everyone else was complaining about allergies, I was perfectly fine and breathed normally.
It's a pretty cheap prescription (well, $10 each time for me, about once every two months) but it definitely improved my quality of life, and as far as I can tell there's no side effects.
Legionnaires is caused by water vapor laced with the bacteria, the reason my whole office didn't have it is because the room I was in had its own AC/Heat units and wasn't part of the central system. But there are also two types of Legionnaires. Standard really bad Legionnaires and Pontiac fever. Pontiac fever is the milder version of Legionnaires.
And it also depends on how the apartment is set up. Where I live each apartment has its own separate heating/cooling system. So if one is infected it may not mean they all are. So definitely get checked by the doctor since this is reoccurring and get checked for allergies.
But as someone said, check the filters (wear a mask), eyeball the vents/ducts (do they have a lot of dust build up?
Has anyone else been to your apartment and had similar symptoms? It takes 24-48 hours after exposure for Legionnaires or Pontiac Fever to show up. And not everyone who is exposed will get it, or get a severe version of it. Smoking, asthma, weak immune system, breathing issues, etc all make you more susceptible. Not everyone who is exposed will come down with Legionnaires.
unfortunately, my husband is in the same boat, same exact symptoms, and after a trip to his sister's, we are pretty sure it is the cats
so you should get used to them, but get on allergy medication and see about a purifier, meanwhile try to keep things as clean as possible
Some other forumers pointed me to amazon, saved me a ton of monies
I would also check out the possibility of mold or another irritant, but try allergy meds and I hope you won't have to rehome your kitties
You'd hate to get rid of the pets and then a month later the problems are still there and then now you still have the problem but you also now have no pets.
Get a low pressure, high-volume pot if you end up interested.
Oh the positive side I picked up some Clairitin D and Municex on the way home and they're making a world of difference. Hopefully I'll get some decent sleep tonight.
Drink lots of water. Mucinex can really dehydrate you.
EDIT: Oh, and you're from Plano? Wish I'd hit this thread sooner, I'm from Allen and I know all the local allergists by name.