Allergies getting worse

[kirbyultra]

I am one unfortunate soul, I am allergic to rabbits and I just live for them. It appears that I may also die for them!!! I have been controlling most of my sinus congestion with a combo of Clarinex pills and Patanase spray but for days when i've been with the shelter buns and play with my own two buns a lot like I did last night I suffered a rather scary night.

The wheezing and coughing started slowly. When I was playing with Kirby after a whole afternoon with 3 shelter buns, I noticed my nose was making noises when I breathed. A couple hours later I went to bed and that's when it got really bad. I think it's when I lie down, the lungs might have shifted liquids or whatever in a way that made it very hard to breathe. It's happened several times and I can never fall asleep when I'm wheezing and coughing so hard that I can't get a breath in. I grab my empty pillowcase with uncooked rice, throw it in the microwave to make a temporary heat source. Putting that on my chest, covering my throat and lungs help...

My question is, do any other members have such bad allergies to anything? How so you deal with it? Am I experiencing asthmatic symptoms or something?! Would taking something like singulair or advair help you think?

I gotta go back to my allergist soon but I just can't yet. I'm switching insurance since I quit my job and I am in this limbo right now

 

[Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears]

Helen I'm also a rabbit lover allergic person

I was on Advair for a couple of years, It was really bad when I played with the bunnies for long periods of time.

I bought a air purifier to help pick up the bunny hair floating around, that helped quite a bit. Keepingair movement's in the place was also a key to breathing.

I haven't taken Advair in a while but it did help when I couldn't breath. When I was first diagnosed with Asthma I was given a daily Inhaler and a Rescue in Inhaler.

 

[JadeIcing]

Until you get your insurance in order you may want to avoid the shelter buns.

 

[kirbyultra]

I can try to minimize the time... but I love those little guys. My rescue bun still hasn't been adopted and I want to spend as much time with him as I can before he finds a forever home of his own. I'm telling you these long eared hoppers are going to be the end of me!

Has anyone ever used the Rabbit Air filter? I have no idea what it has to do with rabbits but when I google hepa air filter it's the first thing that comes up and Amazon has it pretty highly rated by customers. I like that people say it's quiet and it's fairly compact, low power consumption too so I can leave it on in the living room all day.

I am having a lot of trouble being in the rabbit room these days, so I stay in the living room and wait for my buns to come out to play with me. They love being in the living room so I can play with them quite a bit but now the living room is getting all furry too. I'm pretty sure any filter I stick in the rabbit room will choke after running for 12 hours lol...

I'd love to hear anyone's air filter experiences!!

 

[luvthempigs]

You should really see a pulmonologist for your breathing problems since that's their specialty Asthma, copd, emphysema etc. There are a lot of good meds out there to helpcontrol asthma. You just have to know which ones to use and use them correctley.

The trick with any medication is to take as directed. Advair ismeant tobe used as a maintenance drug not a rescue. That means taking it twice a day is necessary to get maximum results. Something like albuterol is used as a rescue (when your in trouble)

I hope you can find something that helps relieve/control your symptoms. I can't imagine being allergic to something I love so much

 

[aurora369]

I have two air filters running in our living room where the bunnies are. Ryan is terribly allergic to hay, which the bunnies roll around in all day. He breaks out in hives if he lies on grass or touches hay.

We bought our first one when he moved in three years ago. It was a Bionaire filter and it worked very well. When we moved this past November, we picked up a second one from Costco, an Oreck XL air purifier. Our new place is my grandmother's townhome and it was very incredibly dusty (still is because of all the dirty carpet), so we needed a second one.

The Bionaire is awesome for pulling fur from the room and I vacuum it clean every time I vacuum. The Oreck is great for pulling lots of the dust and fine particles from the air, and that one gets cleaned every couple of weeks.

For Ryan, the air purifiers make a world of difference. He starts sneezing and getting stuffy if both are turned off. I think one would probably really help you out as well. Put a really good one in the rabbit room and another one in the living room (maybe you could put it in your bedroom when you sleep at night).

When shopping for one, you need to find one with the largest room rating. Each purifier will state what sized room it is designed for. The Oreck I have is rated for 600 square feet, and I think my Bionaire is 300 square feet. You also want something that is going to have a life time HEPA filter, that you can vacuum or wash.

-Dawn

 

[hln917]

I have a mild case of asthmaand use Advair. One shot in the morning usuallyhelpsthru the entire day. I rarely use therescue inhalerbut I do carry it just in case.I've been using Pro Air which I don't find as effective as Abuterol. Though you can't see the allergist yet, can they at least prescribe a prescription for you?

When you're with Kirby and Toby,is the door to the room closed? Try leaving it open. I noticed I only havebreathing problems if we're sleeping with the bedroom door closed with Sebastian inside.

 

[luvthempigs]

Again, Advair is meant to be used twice daily to get maximum results.

Pro Air and Proventil are both brand names for albuterol

 

[pbheather]

I agree about the pulmonologist. They can help you out with the breathing, and help diagnose if you have a breathing disorder. I take Advair, and yes, twice a day every day controls breathing. Use your emergency inhaler, or a nebulizer, if you have one, when you have a flare. Even try going to the allergist. Because you've been there before, they should be able to call out a prescription for you, btu you'll have to pay full price. I have to take both a decongestant (Singulair) and an antihystimene (Xyzal) for my allergies and they're working pretty good right now.

Since you don't have insurance, and I have never not had insurance, I have researched a little for you. Some doctors allow you to pay out of pocket. Health departments, ERs, and walk-in clinics seem to be good choices. If you're having extreme symptoms, ERs are probably your best bet as they must to treat you even if you don't have insurance and can't pay.

Stay away from the shelter buns for a while until you get everything in order medically. Also, clean out the bun room in your house frequently, but use a mask to keep the allergens from reaching your lungs and nose. Or have a loved one do it for you. Wash your hands after handling the buns, and don't put them (buns or hands before washing) up to your face. Don't lay down on the floor with them. You can sit with them, but don't lay down. You'll be closer to the allergen if you lay down. Vacuum wherever they've been in other parts of your house so you don't track it into your bedroom. Keep them out of your bedroom completely. If you play with them before going into your bedroom, take off like a sweatshirt or clothing that the buns have been in contact with. That will keep the allergens from going with you to the bed. Even shower before going to bed so you know you have the allergens off you. Taking allergens to the bed is a frequent way to bring on an asthma/allergy attack, so these last few guidelines are really critical, especially since you're having trouble at night.

Also, if the breathing gets real bad when you're lying down, try lying on your side, your stomach, or even propped up with pillows. That shift in the lungs is what's making your breathing worse, and laying on your back is the worst thing you can do. These should help alleviate the trouble. If it gets too bad, do not get worked up about going to the ER. They can give you a breathing treatment (especially if you don't have a nebulizer). I have done this several times. And if you are wheezing/coughing/etc, they will take you back almost immediately.

I have severe animal allergies, and I am also an asthma sufferer all my life. These strategies have worked for me, and I hope it alleviates some of your symptoms.

 

[pOker]

I am a bit allergic to long haired rabbits like Vegas my holland lop.. I have gotten a bit better after taking some kind of allergy medicine(I think it was Zantec or something close to that name)...and during his play time I usually vacuum quickly afterwards and during his out time I keep out an air filter..Its quiet, but bulky because it is old!
Now its getting worse because he is molting..

Also--when I know I am really going to be handling him alot, I put on this 1 shirt I have---I wash it after ever handling and I wear it everytime..
Sounds strange--but it really has worked for me...especially the fact that I never let the shirt end up in the hamper, because I dont want it to sit there...

Dont know how much that would help you..but its an idea.

 

[elrohwen]

Those symptoms sound like my asthma back when it was very bad. It's tough!

Do you have an allergist? I think the absolute first step would be to see a doctor who specializes in allergies and asthma and see what he/she says. I think shots could help you immensely (they have changed my life) and an inhaler or something like singulair could help in the short term.

eta: I just re-read your post and saw the part about no insurance. That is tough! Would it be possible to pay any of it out of pocket? My shots are only $50 per visit (for the full price) which may be possible for you to pay for a month or two. The doctor's visits themselves are $150-200. It's a lot, but if you only have to go to the doctor once and then get some shots, it might not be that bad.

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

oh i a so sorry, i am not allergic to buns but i am very sensitive to certain hay and will get hives all over me and will wheeze and cough , and the wheezing is so scary. Hope you are able to get something that works for you

 

[kirbyultra]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!!

Regarding insurance, I am switching to my husband's plan but right now it's kind of in limbo as BCBS flips it and sends me the card. I think it'll be a matter of a couple of weeks before I can get into the doctor's office. In fact, now that I think of it, I better make an appt now because this allergist is so popular that I don't want to have to wait for an appt once I do get insured.

So, I can reduce seeing the shelter buns to once a week for only a couple of hours at a time. Heather's suggestion about isolating the allergens outside of the bedroom seem like a really good idea. I tried for a while and then got lazy. I should be more vigilant about it for my own sake. We used to let Toby run around on our bed, but we don't do that anymore. I don't know if I can stop playing on the floor with them. I just love to play with them and it's how I know they are happy. I do stick my nose in their fur more often than I probably should. I do wear a mask when I'm deal with their hay but I don't wear it when I'm vacuuming. I probably should. And you're right, lying flat on my back is whenthe wheezingis really the most awful.

I wonder if I can try getting shots... I know it's such a big deal and you have to go all the time for a while. It's a ton of money to be investing in getting a regimen of shots for allergies. I have to ask the doc and see what I'd have to pay with my insurance. She said that it was an option the last time I saw her. She said it is such a bother that she lets most people kind of wait it out and see if meds work well enough or if the allergies bother people enough that they get rid of the allergen. AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN, LADY! I love my buns. I always said, if Kirby kicks the bucket, I may go after him. There's no way I'd give Kirby and Toby up. They are my life.

The practice I go see is an Ear, Nose and Throat type of practice with many doctors. I know pulmonology is a different specialty but I wonder if they have one in the practice or can recommend one if it gets to that. I am sure my allergist can prescribe stuff like advair though... I'd be willing to take something twice a day if it helps in the long run as a preventative measure. That's what this nasal spray is right now - twice a day. I can deal with that.

I ordered my air filters! One small one to fit inside my bunny room (I have a strong feeling that poor machine is going to choke on fur real soon) that can do a 110 sq ft room, and one big one for the living room and kitchen. I already have one for the bedroom and it does a real decent job. I have also resolved to get out of the apt when the bunnies are sleeping in the afternoon. I pay for therooftop as an amenity of the building, I might as well use it on a gorgeous day like today to get away from the allergies temporarily.

Am I deathly allergic? Probably not. I amallergic enough to be really bothered by it though. If I can do something medically in my favor, I'd do it. I am not willing to make compromises where it affects the happiness of my bunnies. There is a high level of discomfort I'd be willing to endure for my bunnies. It's weird, it's irrational, but my love for them runs that deep. If humans could be allergic to their children, would a doctor or a friend suggest they give up the child?It's just asimpossible an option for me. That's how I see it. Wouldyou tell a person with severeseasonal allergies to stop breathing? :rainbow:

 

[tonyshuman]

Don't forget about the indoor humidity--I've been having lots of issues with the heat on all the time, I had to get a special humidifier.

 

[elrohwen]

I get shots and for 3 shots the sessions are only $6 after insurance. Even when they were $25 (I had an HMO with a co-pay) they were 100% worth it. You do have to go once a week for the first year or so, but isn't your health the most important thing? Honestly, they've changed my life and I am completely med-free. They're really not as hard or as expensive as most people think.

 

[pbheather]

Shots are a good idea, and a lot of people don't have to take meds after getting to their maintenance dose. Unlike me, who can't go up without having a life-threatening reaction and has to keep having the solution diluted.

You go to an Ear, Nose, and Throat office? Make sure your doctor is an actual allergist. I went to one of those an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist once, and they almost killed me with shots because it was a nurse practitioner giving me the treatments, and the doctor did a general allergy (you know, the sniffles in the spring when things are blooming, not the I can't eat certain foods or I could die and I'm miserable during the spring because my eyes swell shut). I then found an asthma and allergy clinic that has a real allergist, and they've worked with me through all of my reactions. If you have severe allergies, I would suggest finding an office that centers specifically on allergies, and they will help with your breathing problems as well.

Shots really aren't that big of a deal. They're little needles, with small amounts of serum going into your muscles, so they don't have to find a vein or anything. It doesn't really hurt other than if the needle has barbs on it or something. Those are really not fun.

 

[Bentley]

well im allergic to everything but the kitchen sink, so I feel your pain.

Mowing the grass in the summer = Hives. Millions of hives.

haha, but I'm most allergic to bentley's timothy hay, not really to the bedding or to bentley's fur (wierd, cause im allergic to almost every fur, but not hers! yay!) My lips will puff up and itch really bad whenever I touch something I'm allergic to, say for instance timothy hay or our stupid chinchilla, and I take Zyrtec. Sometimes it gets worse and I take two of the pills instead of one. I'd say you have asthma and it might be that you need to see a doctor cause its so bad. Most people wouldn't have such bad symptoms.. and inhaler might help also.

 

[BethM]

I'm also allergic to everything! I have mild asthma, too. I just see an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, as I've got terrible problems inside my sinuses, and he has prescribed some allergy things that have helped me. (Plus done surgery.)

Going to an Allergist would be my next step, but I'm doing ok for now. (Not perfect, but a million times better than I used to be.)
If you're still having problems that your ENT isn't helping you with, maybe you should see an allergist.

I take Zyrtec and Singulair. For me, the Zyrtec knocks out the major grass/pollen allergens. The Singulair really helps with my animal allergies, as these are the ones that tend to trigger my asthma. (It's not severe, but after being in a house that has a cat or dog for an hour or so, my lungs start feeling itchy. I will be scratching at my chest, trying to make the itch stop! Then I feel like I've got a giant dry ball of scratchy hair in there, start wheezing, and I have trouble breathing. As long as I take my scripts every day, I'm ok. (Like I said, not perfect, I'll still get a milder version of this, and I get random runny nose sometimes.)
But, I also know people who tried Singulair and it didn't help them.

I had HEPA filters when I lived in the apartment, the carpets there were full of dust, no matter how much I vacuumed. They also sucked in an amazing amount of rabbit fur. I had one small one in the bedroom, on my side of the bed. I also had one next to the larger rabbit pen. They really helped me a lot.
Since moving, I don't use them anymore. I've got all wood floors now, and we got all our rugs new, so I am not breathing in years of dust anymore. It really helps! I think you have wood floors, though? (If I'm remembering correctly from pictures you've posted.)
I also had a small humidifier that I used in the bedroom, and that helped too.


Have you been using your neti pot? If so, is that helping you?

 

[kirbyultra]

Hi Beth - I'll respond below...

BethM wrote:

Going to an Allergist would be my next step, but I'm doing ok for now. (Not perfect, but a million times better than I used to be.)
If you're still having problems that your ENT isn't helping you with, maybe you should see an allergist.

The doc I see at the ENT is actually an allergist. She is the allergist at the ENT practice, she's not an ENT doctor herself. She seems to know what she is doing. She came highly recommended. I can't wait to go back to her. I have an appt for early April. She's on vacation for 3 weeks (Eeeeee......)

I take Zyrtec and Singulair. For me, the Zyrtec knocks out the major grass/pollen allergens. The Singulair really helps with my animal allergies, as these are the ones that tend to trigger my asthma. (It's not severe, but after being in a house that has a cat or dog for an hour or so, my lungs start feeling itchy. I will be scratching at my chest, trying to make the itch stop! Then I feel like I've got a giant dry ball of scratchy hair in there, start wheezing, and I have trouble breathing. As long as I take my scripts every day, I'm ok. (Like I said, not perfect, I'll still get a milder version of this, and I get random runny nose sometimes.)
But, I also know people who tried Singulair and it didn't help them.

I have never taken Singulair but I know my mom has tried it for seasonal allergies (which I don't suffer from, ironically), and it did not work for her allergies. I wonder if it will help me for animal allergies though. Zyrtec didn't do me any good. My husband takes it for hay allergies and it helps but it only helps like 70%. Yeah, between he and I, we're a real couple of winners when it comes to owning rabbits.

I had HEPA filters when I lived in the apartment, the carpets there were full of dust, no matter how much I vacuumed. They also sucked in an amazing amount of rabbit fur. I had one small one in the bedroom, on my side of the bed. I also had one next to the larger rabbit pen. They really helped me a lot.
Since moving, I don't use them anymore. I've got all wood floors now, and we got all our rugs new, so I am not breathing in years of dust anymore. It really helps! I think you have wood floors, though? (If I'm remembering correctly from pictures you've posted.)

The HEPA filter in my bedroom helps my husband a ton, and honestly I do feel different with it on. It traps a lot of fur even though the buns don't go in there! I have wood floors for the most part but my living room is carpeted. No matter how and when I vacuum it, my Dyson gets an incredible amount of fuzzy in it after going over my carpet. And it is new, as of April 2008 when we moved here.

I also had a small humidifier that I used in the bedroom, and that helped too.

Humidifier, huh? A few people have mentioned this! I do have one, but I used it mostly to help with my dry airways on really cold days in NY. I haven't been using it the last couple of weeks. I will set it up tonight. I'll take what I can get

Have you been using your neti pot? If so, is that helping you?

I've been doing the neti pot. It works 50% of the time. Some days it just doesn't work out because I'm way too stuffed up. When it does work, it is just wondrous! It's a really great feeling.

 

[elrohwen]

Neti pots are great. I don't get any immediate relief from mine, but I've found it's essential in preventing sinus infections and things that result from my allergies.

I'm guessing your doctor will suggest shots, since it doesn't seem like you've had a lot of success with meds :-( Do you have an inhaler? Your wheezing sounds like asthma and there are inhalers that you take every day to prevent symptoms (in addition to the ones you take only when you need them).