OT: Coping with Dust Mite Allergy

[MEM]

DD14 was just diagnosed with a dust mite allergy - not surprising at all, since she is always stuffed up and tends to breathe through her mouth. I understand that I'll need to buy special protection for her mattress, box springs, pillows and comforters. She doesn't have carpet in her bedroom so that's not an issue. We do have a sanitary cycle on our washer that we have always used on her sheets and we all use Tide-free. Her allergist prescribed Nasonex and Zyrtec to deal with the symptoms.

I am interested to hear how others have dealt with/are dealing with dust mite allergies. What would you recommend buying and what would be a waste of money? I have surfed the net to educate myself but I am interested in how "real people" cope.

Thanks!

 

[linnell]

I am highly allergic to dust mites. When I had my testing done, I had instant 2" hives. Ugh.

We have no carpets in our house and leather couches. That is the biggest thing for me when I go to another house, the couches. I also have the cover on my pillow, but not the mattress, that is something I never really needed. I find that I get used to my dust, ie the stuff in my house, but I go elsewhere and I get really bad attacks.

I use Nasonex and Zytec as well, but I don't have to take them every day, however if I know I'm going somewhere that may affect me, I'm sure to be proactive with the medicine.

It's a hard one because no one wants to be told their house is dusty, and I always feel scrutinized. Like at my in-laws, I don't even sit on their couches anymore, I just drag in a chair from the dining room or stand, because if I start sneezing they basically act like its in my head ("We don't have a cat anymore, why are sneezing?")

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I was diagnosed with a dust mite allergy as well as many others (trees, grass, mold, mildew, etc) and my allergist handed me a printout with instructions and then threw back his head and laughed. It's completely impractical to do what is suggested for dust allergies (especially at the time, when I was a new first-time mother as well as worked full time outside the home) and he knew it.

I did allergy shots. That provided almost 100% relief. I was down to once a month shots and then got off schedule and didn't go back. These days, I use a nasal steroid during high pollen season and sometimes also Claritin (Zyrtec didn't work well for me), and the rest of the year I don't need anything.

The usual strategy is to keep one's bedroom as dust free as possible, since that is where one spends the majority of time at home. Damp mopping my bedroom every night? Not going to happen. I do not have my mattresses or pillows incased in anything, and I do have carpet, but I don't air dry any washables and I don't have house plants. And if I have been outside for any length of time I make sure I wash my hair before bed.

Of course, in true "mom" fashion, I would probably put forth much more effort if it were one of my kids instead of me.

So I guess you could say that for the most part, I cope by just living my life as usual, with medications. I could make it a full time job keeping just my bedroom dust free but I honestly don't want to make that my priority, know what I mean?

I'm sure you've already read that pet dander makes up a significant portion of dust. Not sure if you have pets.

Good luck, whatever you choose (or not!) to do.

 

[kirstykids]

I was stuffy all the time when I was diagnosed with a dust mite allergy. I also dont have carpet and put all the bedding protecters on. I did not like taking the allergy meds daily so I went the allergy shot route. 3 1/2 years later, I am allergy free. Tested negative for dust mites and no more stuffy nose. It was crazy at first doing the shots because you have to go weekly for a long time but was so worth it.

 

[thebeesknees]

Also, make sure you wash her stuffed toys on a regular basis, if she has them up near her bed. They can harbor the mites, as well. My son has been on Nasonex and Zyrtec for about a year now, and that seems to have helped, but it took a few months of experimenting with different combinations before his allergist hit on the best dosage and medications for him.

 

[Kristi1357]

I always thought the pillow & mattress covers were overkill - until I broke down many years ago & got them!

We do have hardwood floors, and I do think it helps. I also did allergy shots for many, many years and they also do help. It is a pain to get shots weekly then monthly for such a long time though.

I use a nasal spray daily - Nasacort AQ. I have Allegra D for when I have real issues. But I do swear by the Nasacort AQ!

 

[disneyandme]

Change the filters on your heater/AC more frequntly. Also, we have HEPA filters on our main Heating/AC unit as well as samller ones in the girls bedrooms. It makes a big differnce.

 

[redlawyer]

I understand why the doctor laughed when he/she gave you the list. Mine made me watch a video. We have hardwood floors, with a large area rug. We put protectors on the mattresses and pillows, but it didn't help. I'm about 1/2 way through the allergy shots to build up my immunity and WOW it has really helped. I still use Astellin daily, but I haven't had colds or been sick like in previous years. The shots are a PIA, but I got lucky and found a doctor I like a mile from the house. If you can swing it, the shots really do work.

 

[Kristi1357]

Also, please make sure you doctor is not just board certified, that they are allergy board certified!

Years ago, I went to an ENT for allergy shots since my insurance had them listed under allergy. Well, long story short - they gave me the wrong shots weekly for 3.5 years!!!

When I found my current doctor, he asked why I was coming to them. I explained that I had been seeing those ENT docs. He interrupted me and said "say no more." Then I got sort of scolded for not researching if they were allergy board certified. Basically, it boiled down to the fact that the ENT office was giving allergy shots as a money maker and clearly were not experts in that field. And my new doctor knew all about this other practice.

I continued with the "good" office. I was on less meds from day one with them, and had less symptoms!

Good luck!

 

[lori123]

My husband has a horrible dust mite allergy. His arm swelled up something crazy with all the dust tests. You just can't avoid all dust so it is hard to "fix". He has always suffered - headaches, snoring, not being able to sleep. What helped? NeilMed Sinus rinse. He no longer needs meds or anything! We also have our son use this in the spring/summer for his seasonal allergies.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

DD is allergic to dust mites. As said, she spends the most time in her room {more specifically her bed} and we spend the most attention there.

She does have allergy covers on her pillow and her mattress. (She does not have a box spring.) We strip her bed weekly and wash everything including blankets and comforter. We minimized her stuffed animals. (She was 7 at the time, yeah, right!) The ones she has now either get washed weekly or take a turn in the freezer in a ziploc.

She has a wood floor. When first diagnosed, we took down all the curtains and just had blinds. (Though miniblinds surely weren't dust free!) She now has vinyl roller blinds and washable curtains. Truthfully, we ought to wash them more often than we do, but she hasn't been bad lately and we haven't.

We also minimized the knickknacks in her room. She doesn't dust or vaccuum, but less stuff makes it easier for me to do.

 

[mrsklamc]

Laminate flooring has been great. In-laws actually built a 'sealed' house with an air purification system to help FIL but that's a rather pricey option.

After struggling for years Patanase has been a wonder drug for me.

 

[PeterPan&Wendy1970]

Just wanted to add one more: encase the comforter/quilt!!
I was washing all our bedding with special detergent, had everything encased (mattress and boxspring and pillow) and was still waking up with swollen eyes and runny nose. Once I encased the mattress and put on a washable cover over it, I was fine!

 

[estherhead]

Change the filters on your heater/AC more frequntly. Also, we have HEPA filters on our main Heating/AC unit as well as samller ones in the girls bedrooms. It makes a big differnce.

We have a Merv 16 filter. And we run the blower on low all the time. This helps immensely! I also wear a mask while vacuuming and doing heavy cleaning. Hard wood floors. I no longer plasticize my pillows. I guess I've grown out of it a bit because as a child that was essential. I hated it! But with a normal pillow I couldn't breathe in the a.m.

I don't obsess. I do what I can and take pills to deal with what I can't. Just OTC ones. They seem to work as well as prescription. As a kid I took tavist d.

 

[Kat77]

For me, washing my comforter often has been just as important as the sheets. I've always used matress and pillow covers. We have wood floors, no curtains, no throw pillows, a modern line couch (those cushy, homey ones are horrid dust magnets). During pollen season or spring cleaning I'll double up my allergy meds.
Changing your filters often is helpful. I can't even be in the room when DH changes ours.

 

[tripplanner2]

All 3 of my girls. 1 is really bad. We encase all the mattresses and pillows, hardwood floors, and are working on getting rid of our couches and getting leather. We still have carpet in a couple of rooms (expensive to change to wood floors through out) but we are getting there 1 room at a time. Also an air purifier in the bedroom, definately helps. Our sickest daughter is on Flonase, Flovent, and Singulair, and Alegra as needed. She also has asthma.

 

[Kat77]

We have a Merv 16 filter. And we run the blower on low all the time. This helps immensely! I also wear a mask while vacuuming and doing heavy cleaning. Hard wood floors. I no longer plasticize my pillows. I guess I've grown out of it a bit because as a child that was essential. I hated it! But with a normal pillow I couldn't breathe in the a.m.

I don't obsess. I do what I can and take pills to deal with what I can't. Just OTC ones. They seem to work as well as prescription. As a kid I took tavist d.

The allergy free cloth covers work great! I've never used plastic ones. I have to use a mask too, especially when going under beds. Ugh!

 

[MarieS]

Aside from daily zyrtec and nasonex, what helped ds was putting the allergy covers on mattress/pillows(not the plastic kind), washing all the bed linens weekly in very hot water and starting the day with a couple squirts of saline spray ( we use the brand Ayr per our allergist). I have to turn up my hot water tank once a week just for this load of bedding, but I notice a difference in his symptoms if we skip.

 

[tripplanner2]

The allergy free cloth covers work great! I've never used plastic ones. I have to use a mask too, especially when going under beds. Ugh!

I also use the allergy free cloth. Bring them with me when we travel too.

Question for all of you. Is there a way to rent an air purifier while at Disney? We get the VIP clean but those carpets in the room are killer for my youngest.

 

[Brer Shay]

what helped ds was putting the allergy covers on mattress/pillows(not the plastic kind), washing all the bed linens weekly in very hot water

Same here for my DS. The other most helpful thing was putting a HEPA air filter in his room. We've done a couple of allergy meds through the years, changing from one to another as the effectiveness wears off.