When Allergies Attack

[billroper]

I've been walking around sniffling for over a month now, ever since the heating season started at home. It finally struck me that this might not actually be a cold, but some sort of allergy. But what could possibly be triggering it?

I finally got the bright idea to check the pad in the whole house humidifier. It was pretty ugly. I pulled the unit apart, took the holder, scrubbed it out, and put in the new pad. And for the first time in weeks, my nose is pretty much clear.

Unfortunately, I'm now having a massive reaction that I would normally attribute to a food allergy. But I haven't eaten anything that could trigger it, so I suspect that the big chunk of crud on the pad may have set off a contact dermatitis that is giving me the usual systemic effects that I get from sulfites: itching, blotchy skin and swelling. Wonderful.

I'm well doped up on Benadryl now and the swelling and itching are somewhat under control. *sigh*

Comments

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

If you need a good allergist, I can point you to one in Hinsdale, not too far from your office.

[controuble.livejournal.com]

I would recommend a mask and gloves next time you go to clean out/replace any of your whole-house filters. They are there to catch the things you don't want in the house and if the reason you don't want them in the house is that you are allergic to them, then some protection is in order.
Either that, or have someone else do it for you - no touchy!

[catalana.livejournal.com]

Eek! That's not good. *hug* I hope things get under control soon; you don't really need this right now. (Or ever, for that matter. But it's particularly ignominious to get an attack when you're doing something to prevent things like this. *sigh*)

Fighting allergies.

[tesral.livejournal.com]

I got them. I suffer also and feel for you. Mold in general is nothing to mess around with. With a house built in 1929 keeping ahead of that sort of thing is a full time job.

Another thing that helps is having the duct work in your house cleaned if you have forced air heat. As we run central air as well as heat the ducts are nearly constatly in use. We have it done every three years or so. The gunk that comes out is impressive.