Question:
I moved to the pacific northwest 4 months ago. Since then it seems like I
have been sick almost constantly. I don't think it started right away. But
definitely at lease the last 2-3 months I have been sick with something
almost every week. I'll get better and then the next week I have something
else. Nothing too serious, mostly just annoying cold, cough, or slight
fever symptoms. Mostly cold type symptoms however. I did have one sinus
infection. My other allergies include cats, mushrooms, shrimp, neosporin, augmentin.
I'd like to add that in between the times that I am sick I feel fine, no
other allergic type reactions. But am sick soooo often. I've never been
like this before. Is it possible that the a mold allergy is making me
sick?
Answer:
Make a note of the time, and place (work or at home or a the car shop
or a store, etc.) you feel these symptoms. And check whether these
places have things you mentioned. In fact, inside your house, check whether certain places you sit such
as couch, sofa, gives you fever and toher symptoms?
Also, has AC/Heater unit been cleaned well? And the filter changed
regularly?
Of our two heaters in use, one is a baseboard electric heater, so it isn't
that one. That other one is like a space heater of the fan variety. It is
in the wall but I'll see if I can get in there to clean it out. The thing about my "symptoms" - I don't have to be in any particular place
to have them. What happens is that I have been getting ill more often than
usual. For instance, every week or so I will catch a different cold or
cough or slight fever. When I go out for a few hours the illness does not go
away. In between illnesses I will have a few days of being totally
healthy - without any change in my daily routine. Then it starts again.
I know it doesn't sound like a typical allergy. One of my friends here says
that when he first moved to the pacific northwest he was ill often, just
like me. His doctor put him on Zyrtek and he no longer got sick. I do have
a doctor's appt next week but I was hoping to get some outside feedback to I
can discuss my problem a little more effectively with my doctor.
Googleing "mold allergy" didn't turn much up. I found something where the
person said that his allergy (I forget to what) had the effect of
distracting his immune system so that he got ill alot. That seems to fit
what is happening to me but I don't know how plausible an explanation it is. Yes! My husband and I both got the stomach flu! As for all the other
colds and such, I've had tons of them but my 17 month old baby has has for
the most part been fine. She didn't even catch the stomach flu from me.
The fact that she has been so healthy while I've been constantly ill makes
me think that my immune system is in some way not at full speed. I'm not
around too many other people, and haven't been around anyone who has been
sick.
