Allergies SOS!!!!

Hi

I am in tears, I seem to be having strong allergic reactions to my cats. Not sure where to post this, but does someone know how to help? I have tried everything, claritin, rubs for them and nothing works. The topper was last night I got so congested I couldn't sleep. I know it's them cause I can tell the triggers. I am in shock. The last cat I had was mostly white haired and research Ihave been doing states that black haired cats can trigger more allergies.

I have tried some non traditional remedies too, homeopathic, and stinging nettles. But nothing helps and it's getting worse.
I am in real distress, emotionally and physically.

See if you can get a prescription for Zyrtec. That stuff is a miracle drug, especially for pet allergies (since the other stuff, like Claratin and Allegra are formulated mainly for "outdoor" allergies like pollen, grass, etc.).

Be sure that you wash all of your bedding, and vacuum your bed while it is washing. Vacuum really good in your bedroom and actually your whole house. (I'm sure you already do this.)

Worse comes to worse, make your bedroom a "cat-free zone" so you have a place to retreat. It may take some restless nights of them crying to come in, but if it saves your allergies then it will be worth it.

You can also get room filtration systems. Don't buy a cheap one - they will be noisy and the filters will end up costing more than if you bought a good one in the first place. I have both Hunters and Bionaire and they both work well.

Good luck!!

I second the Zyrtec suggestion - it helps me when the others don't. Both my husband & I are allergic to cats. We keep them out of the bedroom sad but necessary. We don't have any carpets or curtains in the bedroom, either - just blinds, and use a dust-mite proof mattress cover, to make the bedroom an allergy-free zone. We also bought an air filter for the bedroom, and one for the living room. Reducing your exposure to other allergens helps boost your tolerance for exposure to the cats - your body can only take so much, and if it's overloaded by other allergies, the cats will bother you more. Bathing the cats once every couple of weeks in warm water (you don't even have to use soap, just water) will help if they'll let you do it. Also, it may help to wash your hands after petting the cat, and avoid touching your face right after petting the cat until you've had a chance to wash the dander off your hands. I get allergy shots too, and that has made a huge difference...I can snuggle with the cats again now, without my eyes swelling up & turning red, and getting all stuffy.

I'm so sorry you're going through this...I hope you get better soon.

Thanks for all these suggestions. I don't know if they would go for the bath. I did make an appt with my allergist, maybe I can get Zyrtec. problem is due to work and his schedule I can't go in for a month. I don't want to spend this month sick. But may just have to find bandaid solutions in the meantime!

Here's some web sites for air filters:

http://www.bionaire.com/support_files/air_cleaners.asp

http://www.hepatech.net/all_models.shtml

I own the Hepatech65 and an older Bionaire. The Bionaires are quieter, and you only have to replace their filters every 3 years. The Hunter's need to be replaced every 6 months.

I am allergic to cats too and I have 5. Call me crazy!

From my experience, bathing them does help a lot. And you might be surprised how well they tolerate it. It's all in the technique! (so they say!) What I do is lay a rubber mat in the bottom of the kitchen sink and fill it about 1/2 way or a little more, with warm water. The mat helps so they don't slide and then they feel more secure. And most cats are more scared of the running water so if you prepare it before putting the cat in, it helps.

Another thing that works well for me is a liquid product called "Allergy Relief from Cats" by OUtright. Works much better for me then wipes but it's the same concept I think.

Air filtration also helps. I have an air filtration unit in my living room and now I'm convinced I need one in my bedroom! It really does help!

Good luck!

Let me ask you, for those of you with cat allergies, do you have black cats, or mostly black cats? I have two tuxedos' and I have been reading that research says the reaction to them can be considerably worse. Cause i had a white cat live with me with minimal problems. But with these two I am possitively sick.

I know whatcha mean i have terrible allergies and the only
thing that works for me is Benadry.
I have been on Claritin,Zyrtec,Allegra and none of
them worked

I have horrible allergies to cats yet I still have two, and orange tabby and a siamese mix. I take Zyrtec and I'm also on a nasal spray called Nasacort. I also reccomend picking up a nasal saline solution and using it a few times a day, it helps to remove a lot of the allergens that get stuck in your nose. Sudafed also works wonders when combined with allergy medicine. I change my bedding every week and make sure to wash them in hot water. Every few days my cats get wiped down with wet cloths that I get at petsmart. I also try to brush them as often as possible to reduce the amount of hair and dander that gets spread in the house, when I brush them I wear a mask to keep from getting the hair and dander on my face. At least once a week I sweep and vaccum the apartment, so far I haven't had to many problems with the cats. I still let Tibby sleep on my pillow every night even though I know I shouldn't, but I was already so in love with my cats that when my allergies started I knew that I could never get rid of them.

I definitely recommend a combination of allergy shots and filtration systems. None of the antihistimines have ever had that much of an effect on my allergies.

I really hope you find something that works for you.

For your color question:
I have four Tuxedo cats, and used to have a Tortie that went over the Rainbow Bridge last year, and a long-haired white Turkish Van patterned cat who passed several years ago. I haven't noticed any significant difference b/w the allergies those cats cause, with one exception - My husband's tuxedo cat initially bothered me more than my tuxedo cats, and mine bothered him more than his did. It was really weird - I could hold mine right in my face, but his made me all stuffy. He could hold his cat in his face, but mine made him sneeze. I asked the allergist about it, and he told me that over time you can get used to your own cat's dander so that it doesn't seem to bother you as much, but other cats will still bother you. When you say the white cat you used to have didn't bother you but the tuxes do, I'm wondering if the allergy is either newly developed, or if perhaps you were accustomed to the white cat, but haven't yet adjusted to the black & whites' dander.

You know this is the best site, people really send helpful responses. Anyways, it has meant a lot to me to read your message, this has been a hard time for me.