possible hayfever

[dyza]

Young Craig has had a right bad cough the past week, mostly in the mornings and at night, its quite raspy. His nurse suggested that it may be hayfever, she tells us that most of her asthmatic paitients are coming down with it just now also.
So we took him to see his doctor and yes he believes that this is what it is, its funny how everyone has heard his cough at clinic, except the doctor, don't you just hate that when that happens.
What are your experiences of hayfever, any tips , advice would be greatly appreiciated. I figured out that pollen rises in the morning and comes back down in the evening, would keeping the windows closed at this time help? bearing in mind that its warm here just now and we dont have air conditioning in Scotland, theres no need for it here..Lol

 

[NoExcuses]

1. Get a good anti-histamine and take it daily (in the EU I think you all have Telfast and Levociterizine)

2. Put allergy encasings on all pillows on the bed and on the matress. www.allergyasthmatech.com can give you examples of what to look for (i don't think they deliver to scotland though <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0"> )

3. Keep all windows closed. This will keep outdoor pollen out

4. Take a shower/wash hair before bed. Last thing you want is pollen on your body to be in your bed. Then you breath it in all night.

5. Change clothes upon entering the house. That way pollen doesn't get on the couch on the floor only to be kicked up and inhaled later on.


Get some allergy tests (full two day work up - 4-5 hours each day) to see what craig is allergy to.

 

[letefk]

I second Amy's recommendation. Also, it was recommended to us that we put a really good air purifier (a HEPA filter, no UV lights) in the bedrooms. Our allergist said that we should think of the bedrooms as the 'safe havens'; keep the air in the room clean, vacuum and dust frequently, protective bedding (they have dust mite allergies), and keep the bedroom doors closed, so the filter can do its work. The idea is that if you concentrate first on controlling allergans in the bedroom, you get the best bang for your buck. It seems to be working, and it is a tremendous help to me to know where to focus my energy. I was going insane trying to tackle the whole house (I mean dust?!?! It is everywhere!)
This may be less useful to you, since your son may not have allergy issues in the colder seasons, when you have heat on, but we replaced the filter in our furnace with a high quality electrostatic filter, and within 24 hours, I noticed a difference (mildly allergic, too) and saw a difference (less dust on everything).
Finally, listen to Amy. She knows her stuff on sinuses and allergies! (Thanks again, Amy!)

 

[amber682]

I wonder if that could be my sons problem. He has had this cough
for almost a month, but no other symptoms. Doc thinks it could be
asthma. Does hayfever affect people with asthma as well as people
with allergies?<br>

 

[dyza]

Thanks for the info and insight.
Craig takes Desloratadine, we bath him at night now and we try and keep the windows closed as much as possible. The alergan pillow cases and matress is the first thing on our shopping list now.
Keeping the room as a ''safe haven'' sounds a great idea, my wife has asthma so it will benefit her also.

 

[NoExcuses]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>amber682</b></i>

I wonder if that could be my sons problem. He has had this cough
for almost a month, but no other symptoms. Doc thinks it could be
asthma. Does hayfever affect people with asthma as well as people
with allergies?</end quote></div>

allergies and asthma go hand in hand. one definitely leads to another - no question

 

[NoExcuses]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>dyza</b></i>


Craig takes Desloratadine, we bath him at night now and we try and keep the windows closed as much as possible. .</end quote></div>

desloratadine is such a weak antihistamine. you might as well be taking a sugar pill.

ARROGATE, ENGLAND -- December 4, 2002 -- First head-to-head data on the two latest antihistamines presented for the first time at the Annual Meeting of the British Society for Immunology (BSI) and the British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI) today, indicates that Xyzal® (levocetirizine) is more effective than NeoClarityntm (desloratadine) in treating subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Results also showed that Xyzal has a more rapid (1 hour versus 3 hours, respectively) and longer duration of action than desloratadine. Xyzal further showed significant superiority in alleviating nasal congestion after the first drug intake.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2249a2.htm
">http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2249a2.htm
</a>


This is a no- brainer. your kid needs a better anti-histamine like Telfast or Xyzal..... and slap your doctor for not doing his research and giving you an inferior anti-histamine

 

[dyza]

Thanks big time for that Amy, We'll get on to that forst thing Monday morning

 

[NoExcuses]

my absolute pleasure. let me know how it goes

 

[dyza]

Amy, our sons nurse was at the house today ,Thur, so i spoke to her about the weakness of his anti-histamine, ( his doctor is on his holidays just now ). She assures us that because he is only 14 month, that strength is right, if he was older, then yes he would be using the stronger anti-histamine.
The thing is his coughing and runny nose esp' are at an absolute minimum now as to when he wasn't taking the anti-histamine, and our pollen levels have been moderate to high the past week, we are also right on the outskirts of town next to fields.

 

[NoExcuses]

I disagree stronly with your nurse and I know many practitioners would agree with me.

Your son's anti-histmaines CLEARLY not treating his symptoms (as characterized by your 1st post).

Allergies can lead to inflammation which can lead to lung infection. I would take this lighty and I would push for a stronger anti-histamine. There are anti-histamines that have children's doses..... that are weak like desloratadine.

I will tell you this much - my lungs are at near normal lung function, and I'm 25 years old. They weren't always like that. My allergies were under-treated for years. Once I got them under control, my sinus infections stopped, my lung function improved, my health was 100% improved.

Push for a better anti-histamine.

 

[dyza]

update,
Its been a few days now passed and craigs cough is now practically non-existant, so either his anti-histamine has worked fine or the pollen levels have dropped, there has been a significant drop in temperature here. Another hot spell has been predicted for August, so we will see soon as to wether it will flare up again.

Amy, he broke out in spots, all over his legs and butt, the doc says its viral,( general prac, not CF doc), could this be linked to his anti-histamine?

 

[NoExcuses]

wow, doesn't sound like a side effect fro the anti-histamine at all.

glad to hear your craig is doing better <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

spots can be an allergic reaction to something, though. are they raised or flat?

 

[dyza]

The spots are almost like chicken pox, but smaller. Some not all came to a head, and kind of burst, so to say. They do however seem to be fading now. Its kind of strange how they were only from the waist down, except for 3 spots on the palm of his hand. If they persist into next week , we will go and see his CF doc ( still on holiday, how dare he)