My blog and a question for everyone

[Dank]

I don't post here often. I do keep up with some of the threads and come here for research on specific topics, seeing what works for who. A quick version of who I am is: My name is Daniel, I'm nearly 26, and work in the IT field as a Systems Administrator. I was diagnosed when I was 3, and have been managing to live with it ever since. I've gotten myself into trouble and I've been constantly fighting towards a better life. I've always been against lots of medication, I try to eat organic and find eastern alternatives to medicine when possible. It's difficult with CF, as I'm sure you all know.

My blog: (started today!)
http://stubbornrealities.blogspot.com/

I'm fortunate enough to have a mild case of CF. I've had a somewhat eventful 25 years thus far, and at some point I'll be posting the story online to share. But for now, it'll just be used to get things off my chest in hopes it'll be enough to help me think through my current problems in life.

My question to you all:

Any CF's with cat allergies, but live with cats? What do you find works, and doesn't work? I'm pretty allergic, but I have managed to live a year with my friend and his one cat...so I'm hoping I can develop some sort of way to coexist with them without much problem.

The secret for me, was having my friend brush her cat often, and an air purifier running 24/7 on high. This is a little different because i'm moving in with TWO cats. My girlfriend is a bit worried, and we're trying to find the best ways to handle the dander and the allergens in our new apartment. We move in next month (provided all the paperwork goes through this week).

Suggestions are welcome!

 

[m.coteklein]

Dank,

Great that you're starting a blog! Sounds neat-I'll have to navigate to it! Anyway, About the allergy question: I am very, very allergic to Russian Thistle (tumble weeds essentially) and actually have an EpiPen for it and I live in Eastern Washington (desert that is filled with them!) In all honesty, I find that if I'm religious with my hypotonic saline nasal rinse (1-2 times daily) and over the counter allergy pills I can get through the day. Congrats on the next step of the relationship too!

 

[mstehlin]

My wife has CF and we lived with cats for many years. We did not think that the cats affected her health at all.

However, now we have no cats and she is doing better and we have much less stress about cleaning up after them all the time. The cats just were not worth all the hassle and maintenance IMO. Health comes first.

 

[Dank]

Hopefully it doesn't come to needing an epipen! Additionally I've tried allergy pills but they seem to mess with my sinuses too much.

And, I'm glad you and your wife can come to that understanding, but unfortunately that's not an option for us, as those cats are like her children. I've lived with a cat before, just one of course, and the air purifier and brushing made it so my eyes didn't itch. I will agree once I moved I felt a bit better, but I'm hoping that I can try to keep the air clean and healthy with means of air purifiers.

 

[Melissa75]

I highly recommend allergy shots--with the review/approval of your CF doc, of course.

I have non-CF bronchiectasis, cause unknown, and I'm allergic to cats, dogs, dust and mold. I took over the counter meds and got allergy shots as a kid, and I was able to live with cats then. I was allergic to pollen as a kid, too, but one round (several years) of shots seemed to get rid of that permanently.

I started shots AGAIN in my thirties for the stuff i listed above because I seemed to be reacting to everything (but the pollen) again. And I really wanted a dog, and dog didn't even show up as an allergy for me at one dr office. It did at another, but my glass is half-full dammit.

Also, I was looking for anything that might help the lung inflammation and bronchiectasis. Almost five years into this round, I can pet a cat and clean super dusty stuff and my nose doesn't even run. Prior, I would have been red-eyed, a river-of-snot and wheezing. I got a non-shed dog and he gets professionally groomed every 2 months. For some reason, I wheeze very noticeably when he is wet. Otherwise, nothing detectable.

The shots I am referring to are traditional immunotherapy desensitization, but there is also Xolair, which blocks the IgE reaction and is a bigger deal. People with APBA go on it. You have to be more closely monitored.

Are you on Singulair? That is a great prescription med for allergic asthma and it has helped me. I don't think I will ever not be on it.

In conclusion , if you must live with multiple cats, you should see an allergist/immunologist who is willing to work closely with your CF doctors.

 

[Dank]

Thanks Melissa, I have an appointment with the CF docs next week so I'll be finding some sort of plan to put together with them to hopefully make me immune to the kitties.

Currently I'm facing ABPA and it's interesting that you should mention it. I have to wonder what kinds of problems I'll have dealing with this and moving in with the cats.

Juggling life/work/relationship is tough work. lol... Hoping between the air purifiers and perhaps some shots? I can combat whatever allergies I have towards the cats and live normally. We'll see though. Thanks for the response

 

[Melissa75]

Sorry you're dealing with APBA too. Good luck at your appointment. Let us know how it goes.

I hear you about life/work/relationships. If you haven't already done so, I suggest making sure you and your girlfriend are on the same page about not acquiring any additional animals. Also, if at all possible, no carpet or rugs in the bedroom. It is SO much better for dust, dander and mold allergies to be able to vacuum and then damp-mop a hard floor.

 

[JustaCFmom]

Give & Take

I personally feel that living with another human being requires some give and take.

This is a real health concern - maybe she can try some other outlet? Like volunteer for Big Sisters or for the SPCA, etc?

Good luck.