Question:
I believe from my own experience (I have yet to make an appointment with an
allergist) that my husband and I are mildly allergic to pet dander or dust
mites. The effects we feel are EXTREMELY annoying but not serious (ie: no
skin disorders, itching, or asthma.) We feel a tiny teeny numerous "crawly" type feeling, also like (but
definately NOT) static electricity. I can feel some teeny movements in my
face hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, ear hair, and head hair. This happens
whenever I sit on my upholstered couches or at my home-made wood desk
upstairs. When I wash my hair and pillow case, I don't feel it. "It"
sticks to clothes too until washed or dry-cleaned. I think I feel it also
from cedar shavings (don't use that anymore.)
Question- has anyone else experienced this? (We have 3 hamsters on
carefresh (recycled paper pulp) bedding and had guinea pigs before. The
animals NEVER itched and we don't itch. Yet, if I can't solve this I can
never ever have animals again in my life because I've tried every type of
animal. (By the way, I dog-sat a poodle and didn't feel this from him. I
washed him immediately upon arriving and had him for 2 weeks.)
If I go to the allergist, what should I expect? Is skin testing the best or
sufficient? Are allergy shots effective? What are the best non-drowsy
allergy meds avail? I really DESPERATELY want to keep my little pets, but
don't want to go to extremes of course to keep them. They bring laughs to
my life!
Answer:
I vote for dust mites or mold. Why? You don't mention symptoms when near
the animals. You say you have symptoms when you sit on the couch, or at
your desk, and in your clothes. It goes away (?) when you wash your hair
and pillowcase, but is there otherwise. If you go to the allergist in the US, you can expect to give a medical
history. The Dr will suggest some prescription meds, and if you are lucky
give you some samples so you will have an idea of what prescription would be
best for you. Skin testing works great at detecting allergies, but first
the Dr might want you to try the meds, to see if it is even an allergy
problem. It has been so long since I have seen an allergist (first one
died, second one retired) that I don't know what meds are the most
up-to-date. I take Allegra and love it, it is non-drowsy.
Whether allergy shots are effective or not is the 64K$ question. There is
no way to tell ahead of time if shots will work for you. You have to get
them for a few months, and then decide. If the Dr says you are a good
candidate for shots, it means you are allergic to something they can
identify, and there is "stuff" available to inject you with. As you can
tell by my command of medical terminology, I am not any kind of Dr. If you
are going to contact one and are in the US, do it now. Allergy season is
starting, and if you wait until spring you will be put on a long waiting
list. Yes, I experience this most of the time, If I go to my daughters house, who
has two black cats, I start to itch all over, around my eyes, nose, hair and
other places, if she comes to us, I feel the same. If I go in a carpet store, or a clothes store, I feel the same, I have to
wash new clothes before I can wear them, otherwise, I suffer with the same
symptoms, other substances also set me off, but my other daughter has two
cats, but they are a different colour and they don't bother me!!
If I go near a photo-copier or laser printer, I get the same symptoms ....
it is most annoying, embarrassing as I need to scratch myself to relieve the
itching, it feels like there are thousands of bugs are crawling all over me.
I need to get a shower as soon as possible to help to relieve these
symptoms, although they do not go, they do not feel so bad after a shower.
