Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: CLKD on September 15, 2017, 05:10:46 PM
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I find that unless Himself wields the hoovery-thingy regularly my allergic rhinitis is bad. I am not good at housework! but find keeping the bedroom as tidy and clean as possible really does help.
We have pillow protectors. Sheets etc. are BOILED weekly. A low-temperature wash does not launder correctly - remember how Granny had the copper on the boil on a Monday ;D - also a low-temperature wash doesn't get the power from the clothing as it's not a long-enough cycle apparently. Certainly until I went back to a hot wash my bedding felt sticky.
I never use a softener. Those that state that the fragrance lasts 'hours' ........ if the laundry is rinsed correctly then it won't last as the chemical is washed out of the clothing.
Carpets - maybe hire a washer and get them deep cleaned? Also curtains, get them onto the line to blow in the fresh air - I do this twice a year, they don't get laundered because they might shrink :o.
Think - how have you been whilst in the US and what is in their home - wooden floors for example, light furnishings, air-con., anything that you can consider to ease your symptoms?
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Thanks for your thoughts, CLKD.
I have been diagnosed with aspergillus mould allergy, which is something we all breathe in and usually it is no problem. It can become a problem for people with respiratory challenges like me and for other conditions.
As a child, I had severe asthma and medication in the 50s and 60s did not control it. Fortunately, medication these days is more effective, though reliever inhalers no longer help me. My childhood bedroom was sterile with Lino and just a bed and a chest of drawers and a chair. Carefully selected bedding and dusted regularly. I haven't had to be so careful as my asthma was well controlled for many years. But I'm aware of the care that has to be taken. I used to suffer from multiple allergies, but not so now.
And this is where I am confused. We were staying in a wooden cabin surrounded by woodland (trees brushing the windows) fairly near a lake. The bedding was not wonderful. Feather duvet and old pillows. Nor was the cabin wonderfully clean. My son and DIL do not share my standards, though obviously we cleaned a bit. The wood stove had to be lit a lot as it was chilly in the evenings and mornings and was in the same room. All things that should have been a challenge.
So I am confused. I was concerned how I was going to cope breathing wise, particularly as I was already challenged with the aftermath of a virus. My peak flow readings were low, though not dangerously low and eased suddenly during the flight and remained higher than they had been for some years. So I'm confused why my bedroom is an issue. Carefully selected bedding, though the mattress, a Tempura memory foam one is several years old. We do have carpet and that may be an issue.
My daughter has suggested that there may be other new allergies...different trees, again lots of trees here, but not so close and we do live in a river valley.
As my breathing dramatically improved on the flight over to the USA , we are thinking air purifiers may be the way to go, but they are expensive. I can't afford to spend money just in case, so will look to seeing if I can borrow one to see if it helps. DH hates the thought of no carpet, but would give it up if I could show it was a problem. I didn't have breathing problems in hotel rooms with carpet. It's my bedroom that's the problem and maybe where we live. A weeks holiday near the sea may be the way to go to see how I go. I'd hate to move. I love it here. So does DH. But we'd move if where we lived was a problem.
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Maybe start with the carpet? Some have chemicals added at manufacture in order to be more stain resistant. Have a good look at the various types available here. Including the backing as well as what you are placing them onto. We had 'Marley' tiles here, remember those ;D and the carpets laid when the 1st people were here were directly onto those tiles. Which eventually cracked. So we had those removed, a concrete skim over the ground floor, under-lay and thick wool carpet, paying as much as we could for the best at the time. In rooms we don't use much we had a cheaper carpet laid which does the job.
We also have wooden flooring in the ground floor. Cork tiles in the bathroom upstairs and carpets, though why we choose cream I will never remember ::).
Perhaps have the bedroom carpet professionally cleaned or go the whole hog and replace it with something that hasn't been treated. Kind of start from the floor upwards? Many people have carpet int he bedroom to stop noise vibrating into the lower floors ........ i.e. when people walk, make the beds, hoover ......... sort of sound proofing ::)
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Hi Ju Ju. I use an air purifier in the bedroom because I really suffer. I set it off early evening and turn it low through the night so as not disturbing. It is really good and has been worth every penny. I have issues with the fir trees around our house which give me hay fever symptoms. I use Sterimar Hayfever and allergy spray (100% natural) recommended by the chemist. I use it twice a day when I am bad and it really helps a lot. I hope you get some relief soon
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Ju Ju - hello, sorry are suffering again.
My daughter moved house last year and when they removed the headboard in their old house - they had a shock - the back of the headboard was covered in mould and spores - they were horrified as they had a new baby . Seems it had been caused by condensation build up and just took hold and for some reason clung onto the headboard. It was awful.
Sure you have checked this but thought I'd mention it xx
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Many years ago we lived in a stone property and the mould thrived on Domestos ::)
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My son suggested DH build me a cabin in the garden or to come and live with him! :o not sure what my DIL or DH would feel about that!
Been doing a little research and there is some thought that carpet can be better than wood/ laminate flooring as carpets hold the dust, while on hard flooring dust is easily disturbed.
Anyway, I can't sleep at the moment, but inspiration came and I could try and see if sleeping in the spare room makes any difference. New carpet.
GH, I will check the headboard, though it won't be easy. The mattress is very heavy and moving the bed frame is impossible without help. I will check behind the headboard tomorrow as best I can with a torch. It's about an inch from the wall. I don't put furniture against outside walls as mould can result. The other side of the wall is the garage. Along the wall is a monstrosity of a boiler (industrial size!) which takes the chill off this wall and the garage, so maybe some protection from mould caused by condensation. But that would be an easy problem to rectify. Almost hope that that is the cause! Thank you for the suggestion. I suspect spores and mould from outside are more likely to be the problem than dust mites as I coped with them while I was away, but who knows?
Anyone recommend a good air purifier?
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Even with a normal wood headboard (we had a very old solid wood one but now a slatted wood one) - it used to build up with cobwebs and dust behind it and I rarely moved the bed to clean it so no wonder I was always sneezing/rubbing my eyes in bed! I also suffer from mould, dust cat allergies - but gives me allergic rhinitis not asthma. Re the chemicals - my son used to get asthma from all sorts of household chemicals ( as well as cats, dust etc). Someone once stayed in our house while we were away and used some horrible spray (Febreze) on all the furniture and carpets which coated them as they had brought a dog into the house, and he suffered terribly for several days. Could it be something you use/spray around the house?
Hurdity x
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No, I've stopped using sprays, but chemicals are all around us. The trouble is you can develop allergies to innocuous things. In the past, I was allergic to the usual allergens, dust, animals, even my own hair as a little child, various foods, smoke, but I seem to have built up a resistance as I grew older.
The problem started after pneumonia last year, when I didn't recover as I should have done. My GP decided something else was going on, hence tests. I tested positive to aspergillus mould allergy, but not, thank goodness, to aspergillus infection in the lungs, which is far more serious and necessitates steroids and anti fungal drugs.
I was really worried about where we stay as I would have thought we were living in an area full of mould spores etc. We had a fair amount of rain, which should have been a challenge along with the humidity.
I slept in the spare room last night. No head board and all easily moved for cleaning. I shall seek advice from the doctor next week as my peak flow has gone down even further, along with the irritation and tightness and feeling of weight in the chest. In years past, I would use the reliever inhaler, but it doesn't make any impression. I doubt the GP will have any insight, but it needs to be flagged up that I'm struggling.
I'm going to a wedding today. Really don't feel up to it, but it's my lovely niece's. I want to be there for her and my sister, who's no longer with us. DH and my DD loathe weddings, so intend to use me as an excuse to leave as soon as respectable! I've got to polish up my acting skills as my parents will be there. I shall blame the haggard look on jet lag! Make up a necessity!
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Enjoy the wedding :)
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Hi Juju.
I think I've asked you before about whether you've tried the Fostair pink inhaler? It's combined so each time I'm using it I'm getting both reliever and steroids. Blue ventolin just does nothing for me (mine is allergy induced asthma)
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Hi juju
It's a nightmare for you, I can't offer advice but I have a dust mite allergy and it's a nightmare.
I try to keep the house as dust free as I can and get someone to empty Hoover ect or I have to wrap my face in a scarf, my partner has a cleaner to dust his as when I go to stay I'll get bitten.
I itch like mad and mainly get bites on my face or neck and normally itch like hell then scar.
I also broke my nose and had a devaited septum so had surgery last year as could t breath out one side as had collapsed but really wish I'd not bothered, now I can't breath out the other side and the original side constantly drips which is really embarrassing.
I've tried every spray under the sun.
Anyway just thought I'd share hope the wedding goes we'll xxxx
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Hi Juju.
I think I've asked you before about whether you've tried the Fostair pink inhaler? It's combined so each time I'm using it I'm getting both reliever and steroids. Blue ventolin just does nothing for me (mine is allergy induced asthma)
Might be worth checking whether I can do this with the fostair inhaler with the consultant next time I see him. Mine has been infection induced for 20 years, but the aspergillus mould allergy is new.
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Lil, I enjoyed the wedding, apart the speeches which went on far too long. Just wanted a piece of the dairy, egg and wheat free cake that my DD had made for pud. Not often I get to eat pud. Sadly she didn't get to eat any as they sneaked out to go home as it was too much for GS. My niece and BIL were a bit emotional as my sister wasn't there. She died 15 years ago. A girl wants her Mum at her wedding. My parents managed to get there, despite Mum being so frail. They were treated as celebrities as Mum is 90 and Dad, 92. There must have been well over 100 there, but it was a low budget wedding. It's amazing how you can decorate an old hall. And lovely to see people I haven't seen for ages. Several people from overseas.
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"Oh my ********!" said my DH when we saw the accumulated dust and cobwebs behind the bed head! No mould, GH, but as the bed head is up against an inside wall, I'm not surprised. The mattress is incredibly heavy as it is a memory foam Tempur one, so we had a struggle getting it over the bed end. The bed frame then collapsed. It was all rather silly! It's one of those wooden slatted affairs, with nooks and crannies for dust collecting, so I have had a field day damp dusting the frame, bed head and bed end and washed down the wall and skirting board. I regularly vacuum under the bed, so that wasn't an issue. This is a job that I don't do, as it's impossible without help and energy. Next job is dismantling the large chest of drawers, which is incredibly heavy as well. I expect there will a similar sight behind it. The rest of the furniture in the house is movable and gets cleaned behind fairly often, apart from the fitted kitchen. This is a job I had wanted to do for ages, but DH was reluctant. Said I was over fussy before! Changed his tune!
We have a big expensive carpet cleaner, which I don't use as I haven't the energy, but I could pay DD to do it for me. Or would it be better to get it professionally steam clean in order to kill dust mites? The curtains need cleaning, but as they have faded, I'm going to risk washing on a low temperature if they will fit in the washing machine separately. Big window.
And I was going to have a quiet restful day today!
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May I giggle!
Any spiders? .......... Himself will vacuum the mattress over and under, we have a 7ft x 6ft bed. On a divan. He will shove and push so that he reaches underneath. Moves the bed-side cabinets. :-* as well as hoovers the shades. Really does make a difference to my sneezing.
He also has a VAX carpet cleaner but it is too heavy for me to use as well as a steam mop for the hard flooring.
Would a futon be easier Ju Ju? They come in various designs but again, are quite heavy. At least the end can be folded over to hoover underneath.
Bet your parents are tired after the wedding!
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We simply can't afford a new bed at the moment. We have to consider DHs needs as well as he has a bad back (resulting from falling off the back of his brothers motor bike at 70 miles an hour at age 19! The problems caught up with him in his 40s.) The next bed will be on wheels!
I haven't spoken to Mum and Dad yet, but plan to ring this evening.
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There are lots of beds that rise and fall, enabling one to read more comfortably as well as being able to lift head/foot of the mattress in order to get off the bed easier.
Hope your parents aren't having an early night!
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May I borrow it Hope22 :lol: ........
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My DDs partners family have one. DD hated it! When the children lived here there were no spare beds! Very useful. It was sleep on the settee or a blow up mattress. Only those who enjoyed camping and /or our company stayed. It kept less welcome guests at bay!
The bed is back together again! It was easier than taking it apart as we knew how it fitted together. Rehearsal run for when the carpet is cleaned. Now the chest of drawers which is more complicated. When I bought it I had only seen a smaller size and had no idea how big it is or how very heavy. It's lovely, suits our needs, but..... :o moving it!