Conference misery::feline_v1

    Was a bath one of the things that you tried?
    
    According to many magazines and a very allergic friend of mine, a bath
    really helps cut down on the allergens.  My friend also vacuums often.
    
    Also, to avoid allergic reactions in my own home I bought an ionizing
    air cleaner the other day. The air in my den where we hang out is
    definitely much fresher.  These air cleaners claim to get dust, mold,
    dander and allergens out of the air.
    
    If you have not tried the bath, do it. The medical journals state that
    it is effective - the cats get used to it. As I understand, show cats
    are always bathed before a show.
    
    I sympathize with you completely as I am going through the break in
    phase and my husband keeps saying "we'll see how  my allergies go".
    
    Another thing to keep in mind is that at this time of the year indoor
    pollutants are truly miserable - that is why I got the ionizing air
    cleaner.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Signe
    

    Have your husband ask about Histimal.  Its stronger than Seldane
    which does not work for everyone.
    
    Maybe that will help alleviate things while you continue to search
    for a home.
    
    Good Luck.
      Nancy

    re: .1
    
    Yes, unfortunately everything did include a monthly bath, aller-pet
    (which is applied to the fur and allegedly reduces dander), frequent
    vacuuming and dusting, an air purifyer with a HEPA filter, filters on
    all the vents and a spray on carpet and furniture that is suppose to
    reduce the amount of dust and dander rising - I **really** wanted to keep
     my little chum.
    
    What really gets me is how this allergy snuck up on him.  I had a cat
    about twelve years that he had no reaction to, and he has never had a
    reaction to cats in any home that we have visited.  I wonder if it is
    because we have moved from Ireland to Washington D.C. where apparently
    there are a lot of allergens in the air anyhow, and the combination has
    triggered this off. 
    
    
    The prospect of a catless life has really got me down!  I hope that
    someday this allergy will disappear.

    >I wonder if it is
    >because we have moved from Ireland to Washington D.C. where apparently
    >there are a lot of allergens in the air anyhow, and the combination has
    >triggered this off. 
    
    Very likely.  It seems that Jack (my husband) has "allergy days" where
    there is nothing he can take that will help his allergies.  He is on
    Histimal all the time now and that seems to have reduced the number
    of "allergy days" that he has.  We currently have 12 cats/kittens.
    
    One other thing you might try is an "Alpine Air" purifier.  We got
    one both to help keep down cat odors (I have some whole cats) and
    to reduce the amount of allergens in the air.  We bought a 150C
    which cost $500.  It has two ionization plates.  It took about
    3 weeks before we noticed much of a difference in Jack's allergies
    but he hasn't had an "allergy day" since (colds yes, allergies, no).
    The regular 150 is around $400.  That's alot of money, I know, but
    these folks will let you try it in your house for a month first
    before you pay.  
    
    I guess it all depends on how much you're willing to try.  I have
    a number for a place in Needham Mass. Perhaps they can either refer
    you to a local distributor, or ship you a purifier via UPS to try.
    Their number (Alpine Air of Mass) is 617 449-7979.
    
    I have a co-worker who suffers terribly from allergies - especially
    when the pollen count is high.  I gave him some literature on the
    Alpine air (I could send you a copy) which he took to his allergist.
    While he personally didn't buy an Alpine Air purifier, his allergist
    says he has patients who have bought them and have been pleased
    with the results.  His allergist also commented that it was too bad
    that this sort of thing wasn't covered by health insurance.
    
    Anyway, I think I'm out of ideas now - except  perhaps for a 
    allergy desensitization program for your husband.  Best of luck.
      Nancy DC
    
    

    I am so sorry to hear your beloved cat is causing allergie 
    problems for your husband.
    
    Since you moved from Ireland to Washington, DC I would suspect
    exhaust fumes from the cars plays a good part in your husbands
    condition.  Most allergist find out there is an animal in the
    house and don't go any further. Since he hasn't been allergic
    before and visiting friends has been no problem I would seek
    another opinion. I suffered for years with flu like symptons
    and they said I had the flu all the time. Fortunately one doctor
    sent me to an ears nose and throat specialist/allergist and he
    found out I was allergic to all the flowers in our flower shops.
    Never did consider our 2 cats and two saint bernards.
    
    I know you will make the right decision for you and your
    husband and the cat. Keep your chin up also. Oh yes, welcome
    to this side of the Atlantic.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's

    Did the allergist do "scratch" or sensitivity tests?  The reason why I
    ask is that the first allergist that my husband went to made the
    diagnosis that he was allergic to cats without the sensitivity test. 
    Naturally he said the cats had to go.  We went to another specialist
    and he did the scratch tests and found that he was not allergic to cats
    at all but to dust and other stuff.  In the meantime, we added another
    cat to everyone's horror!  If these tests haven't been done it might be
    well worth your while having them.  You might just find that it's
    something else that is causing the problem and can get on shots for the
    specific allergy.
    
    Seldene is a great drug but is also very mild - it apparently works
    well for some people and doesn't do much for others - it works fine on
    my pollen allergies but didn't do much for my husband.  Don't despair -
    perhaps going one step further will provide the solution and you'll be
    able to keep your little furface after all.
    
    Keeping good thoughts,
    
    
    Giudi, Pippin, Gino, Stitch and a husband who was supposted to be
    allergic to cats.
    
    

    He is getting scratch tests today, but the allergist did a test
    (blood test, I think??) specifically for cats before the holidays and 
    the word is that he is indeed allergic to cats.
    
    If it were me, I would do the whole range of drugs and de-sensitizing
    shots because a house isn't a home with a cat (or two, or ...)
    - unfortunately, my husband is rather indifferent to cats and
    doesn't like taking medication - I have been working on him for the
    last five months but he isn't interested in the shots.
    
    sigh...  

    Well, the scratch tests just might show that he's allergic or more
    sensitive to something else which WILL require medication - like
    pollens or exhausts in the air.  Perhaps it's the difference in
    climate.  Maybe this doctor can provide a simpler solution.
    
    I sympathize with how you feel.  I was diagnosed as allergic when I was
    a child and my parents gave away my little Peepo which devistated the
    whole house hold - but looking back on it I was more allergic to dust,
    carpeting and feather pillows (my bed room was medicinal) than the cat,
    I think.  I never seemed to be affected while around other people's
    animals and I never showed any symptoms with any of mine over the last
    25 years.
    
    Hope it all goes well - maybe if you could get some one to take your
    baby for a few days and see if it makes a difference.  If it doesn't
    then you'll know it's the cat.  Let us know how it goes.
    
    
    Giudi

    Ooops - that should have read "if it does makes a difference then
    you'll know it's the cat".
    
    Giudi

    My husband was also indifferent to cats and the allergist was very
    quick to tell him he was allergic to cats along with everything else in
    the universe.  That was eight years ago shortly after my husband moved
    here after spending years living in the U.K.
    
    I had three cats when he came in June of 1980, but the allergies did
    not appear until spring of 82 - the spring after we moved into a house
    surrounded by woods and open fields full of weeds.
    
    I had already given two cats away because he was not crazy about them
    and then my one remaining cat died. When I wanted to replace him, my
    husband refused because "the allergist said he was allergic to cats".
    He has been on the desensitizing shots since then and finally agreed to
    me getting a cat three weeks ago.
    
    I got the ionizing air cleaner because I was having allergy symptoms
    myself and my husband seemed to be having some sniffles (but I think it
    is the flu).
    
    Anyway my house is a home again at last.
    
    For the sake of your happiness, I hope that the allergist blames
    pollutants and not cats!
    
    Signe

    For what its worth Jack's top three are Cats, Dust & Dust Mites.
    He seems to be quite comfortable with 12 cats, An Alpine Air and
    Histimal.
      N

    Things might be looking up!!!
    
    My husband came back from the allergist after having scratch tests done
    and he *is* allergic to cats but - he apparently is allergic to dust
    mites, ragweed pollen, and molds.  He was given a list of foods to
    avoid because of potential molds they contain, and on that
    list (hehehe!) was beer.  Now, it is very hard to tell a native Irish son
    that he should avoid beer.  So now he is willing to take shots. 
    Getting rid of Myles was o.k. with him but give up beer - never.
    
    If it weren't for Myles, I am sorry that he ever went to the allergist
    because none of the other things he apparently is allergic to has noticably
    affected him - but for now it is a temporarily restricted diet and
    shots.

    HI!
    Your Husband and I have identical allergies it seems!  In the order of
    worst to best I suffer from: Ragweed, house dust/mites, cats and mold. 
    The cats seem to affect me the least unless I am rubbing my face all
    over them (which is almost all the time!) and then they don't always
    bother me.  If I clean house or go into a cellar I start sneezing
    almost at once and develop the itchy/runny eyes syndrome.  A quick
    Benedryl usually helps for the cats and Chlortrimetron works for the
    organic (besides the cats!) allergies.  If you have an area that gets
    damp, say a garden floor apt. or a cellar, that would probably have
    enough mold and dust to affect him and start the whole business. 
    Bleach works well to cut down mold on surfaces in the cellar or bath. 
    I hope this gives you some encouragement!  I will never give up
    breeding cats or showing them, simply for an allergy!
    Karen, Ruby, Stinky, Wing

    Had a feeling that the scratch test would show some other things than
    JUST CATS!!!  I'm glad things are looking up - now you've got something
    to work with - or trade with - take the shots, drink your beer and I
    get to keep the Cat - after all it isn't the cat alone that's causing
    this.
    
    Good luck and keep us posted.
    
    
    Giudi

    Re; cleaning house brings on allergies.
    
    I wonder if this is from the dust kicked up, and if wearing one
    of those cloth masks while you dust/vacuum might help.  I notice
    that my Sweetie, who has a respiratory thing, coughs when I do the
    vacuuming, so I now do the house in halves.  (He takes refuge from the
    monster vacuum cleaner in one half while I vacuum the other, and
    by the time he (and H and LB) return, the dust seems to
    have died down, he doesn't sneeze/cough anyway.  The next day
    I do the other half of the house.
    

    Last week my husband had an asthma attack and I have to rush him to the
    hospital.  While there, we discovered that he also had pneumonia!!  So,
    the good news is that this scared him enough to send him to an
    allergist since the Doctor on duty felt that it was all related.  He
    has been avoiding the allergist like the plague cuz he thinks that he
    is just allergic to cats and didn't want to find out for sure.  
    
    But, I have noticed that his asthma gets worse after he drinks red
    wine, beer, or some other types of alcohol.  Does anyone know if red
    wine has mold in it?  We have a problem with standing water under our
    house sometimes, and I know that there is a mold problem in the house.
    One of my cats is allergic to that.  Does anyone know if home
    improvements due to an allergy can be written off taxes???
    
    Jo

	Jo - hope your husband is feeling better, and that he's allergic
	to *anything* but cats :^}

	Karen - vacuuming does kick up a lot of dust.  When I saw an
	allergist and had the scratch tests, it was determined that I was
	allergic to dust, and he recommended that I wear one of those 
	masks when I vacuum.  Also, I guess old mattresses and box springs
	are big dust buckets.

	We ended up buying a Rainbow vacuum cleaner, which traps the dust
	in a basin of water.  I think there's another brand that works
	this way, too.  Eventually, I want to have central vac installed,
	as that channels most of the dust (and noise) to wherever you've
	installed the main unit (like in your cellar or garage).

	Sandy

    The food items that my husband is supposed to avoid includes beer,
    wine, cider, sour milk, sour cream, tinned tomato products, vinegar and
    I have forgotton what else - apparently all these things have mold in
    them.  He is to avoid them for while (so far an undefined period) and
    re-introduce them into his diet one by one.  Hopefully by that time his
    shots will start to have an effect.
    
    Anyway - yes, apparently red wine does have mold in it so perhaps it
    would be a good idea for your husband to be tested.
    

    Jo:
    
    Good idea for your husband to go in for scratch tests, etc.  Richard
    was found to have a triad condition, non-specific allergy related to
    nasal pollyps, asthma, and allergies to dust and dust mites.
    
    As to red wine, yes it does have a mold in it but what has happened
    over the last ten to twelve years, and what is affecting people as a
    result is the sulfates/preservatives that have been added to wine.  I
    get horrible headaches and a stuffy nose after drinking red wine (good
    red wine I might mention) but then I took a 14 year old bottle out of
    our wine cellar about two weeks ago that didn't have all the other
    stuff in it and didn't have a single reaction.  More and more people
    have become sensitive to wine as a result of the sulfates.
    
    I might add that Richard has had tremendous success with a new
    allergist and pulminary specialist.  He's completely off steroid drugs
    and hasn't had an attack in 2 years.  These two guys really worked
    together switching medication and weaning him off the pred and getting
    him to use cortizone based sprays (inhalent and nasal) which have done
    the trick.
    
    Good luck
    
    
    Giudi

    Oh those red wines..!!! Tim thinks it's funny to show off how
    allergic his wife is to mold. IF we have company and serve
    red wine he always says, "Watch Barbara, here Barbara smell 
    the bouquet of this wine." (I won't do it anymore) However 
    when I did it's almost instant shut down of the air passage
    ways, and the eyes tear like crazy. We have to throw the
    cork away the minute Tim pulls it as the smell will knock
    me out too.
    
    Tim does all the vacuuming for me. I'm okay with the dusting
    if I use furniture polish on the cloth. Pollen is my other
    enemy. When the pine trees bloom in June and the yellow pollen
    is all over the place I am usually in bed dying. We even have
    it creep into our ventalating system here at work.
    
    With all the allergies I have one of them is NOT animal fur.
    I think a lot of it depends on your physical condition. Like
    poor Ken just found out. The phemonia wasn't discovered until
    he had that awful attack and I'm sure the attack was worse
    because of the phemonia.  
    
    When I get up the courage to go the New England Flower Show
    in Boston I start taking my medicine days before until I think
    my sytem is full.  Taking to most people it seems you have to
    keep changing your medications around.
    
    I hope both husbands are better soon.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's 

    I can't stand house cleaning....only because every time I do it,
    my allergies kick up in full force...tearing, itch eyes, sneezing
    till tomorrow and the stuffieness (and eventual headache that come
    along with it).   
    
    I never made the connection w/ wine though, I though it was because 
    Nolex-LA effectiveness wears off when combined w/ booze.  I get the 
    stuffies and runnies (my allergists name for them) every time I drink
    it....which isn't often because I am sensitive to the sulfites.  Anyone
    else sensitive to the sulfites have problems w/ eggs, onions and
    garlic?

    No, just the red wine and some white wine.  Beer doesn't bother me
    though.  But as I've gotten older I find that hard booze gives me a
    headache as well - all except Tequilla because I think it doesn't have
    the sugar content.
    
    Garlic and Onions?  Cooked or raw?  Or does it make a difference as I
    understand that cooked garlic looeses its potency.
    
    Years ago I remember my grandparents telling me that they gave their
    cats and dogs doeses of garlic once a week - for worms I think. 
    Anybody ever hear of this?
    
    Giudi
                     

    My dad developed an allergy to alchohol in all forms.  It started
    out manifesting itself as an intermittent swollen lip.  Sometimes
    when he'd drink it would happen, other times it wouldn't.  I should
    mention that my folks are NOT drinkers.  My father would have a
    highball about 4 times a year on special occasions.  
    
    After a while the swollen upper lip happened all the time and then
    he started getting quite sick as well.  It wasn't hard to give up
    those 4 drinks a year.  :-)
    
    

re: cleaning house

as silly as it sounds, a filter mask can be purchased at hardware/paint
stores and it will protect you somewhat- as I cannot afford a house cleaner,
it is my option when my roommate doesn't take pity on me - of course, in
return, I cook virtually all meals that get cooked in the house...old friends
work these things out (probably better than husbands and wives) 8^}

re: wines, etc.  I cannot drink any red wine EXCEPT an obscure European
label, maybe Hungarian, which name translates into Bull's Blood...at any
rate, it isn't around much so I don't drink red wine.  I am also beginning
to react to white wine except for exceptionally dry, exceptionally good
(and I might add, HORRIBLY expensive) champagne - needless, to say, if
I have to spend $100.00+ for a bottle of wine, I'll drink iced tea!

I haven't detected any reaction to eggs or garlic (heaven forbid!  I'd
rather get stuffy than give it up!)

re: .24

>re: wines, etc.  I cannot drink any red wine EXCEPT an obscure European
>label, maybe Hungarian, which name translates into Bull's Blood...at any

"Egri Bikaver", definitely Hungarian

Ray

    RE: last few.....
    
    A co-worker w/ food allergies and sensitivities was the one who
    mentioned that garlic, onions and eggs may trigger reactions
    in folks who are sensitive to sulfites (and by reactions he means
    more in the way of indigestion ect.)
    
    Garlic in any form bothers me, and raw onions.....well I don't like 'em
    anyway....cooked onion (read: crispy) and eggs don't seem to bother me.
    
    RE: .24
    
    My aunt was privilaged to help an old Italian relative who made
    scads of wine every year.  This stuff was as clear as could be (but
    real dark).  I never had a problem w/ that wine.  Unfortunatly, he
    decided he had stock-piled enough to last him till he dies and decided
    not to make it anymore....or share the recipie.  :^(
    

    RE:26
    
    My grandfather and grand-uncles used to make wine and a few of my
    cousins carry on the tradition - that dark red wine never bothers me -
    Nor does the home made when I've been in Italy visiting relatives. 
    We've sat around the dinner table for hours consuming the stuff and I
    never got a head ache - too bad I couldn't have imported a ton of it as
    mu cousins here don't make quite enough to go around except for
    holidays.
    
    Giudi

    
    re: .27
    
    I know what you mean.....

    Aren't sulfites added to wine?  Mebbe you folks are doing okay with the
    homemade varieties because nothing is being added.  I know I've seen
    organic wine out here in Calif.
    

    Yes, they started adding sulfites to wines some years ago and that's
    when alot of people started having problems.  The home made stuff, of
    course, doesn't contain them nor wines that are older - like maybe
    10-15 years.
    
    Wish my cousins would go into business with this wine thing - they
    could make a killing!  It's too expensive and too much trouble finding
    a good red wine without sulfites thats reasonably priced.
    
    Giudi

    I wonder if the wine makers here know that they're driving away quite
    a bit of business by adding sulfites.  Perhaps there's something else
    they could use if they were aware of the allergy problems.
      N
    

>    I wonder if the wine makers here know that they're driving away quite
>    a bit of business by adding sulfites.  Perhaps there's something else
>    they could use if they were aware of the allergy problems.
 

	The Hungarians added anti-freeze a couple of years ago!

	However.... It is the cheapest and easiest way to serilise and
	preserve wine.
	
	If you want them done a different way..............wines are available,
	but they are definately NOT cheap.

	We have a couple of "green" farmers that have started to produce "green"
	wines, but nothing on a grand scale.
	- People won't pay the price.

	- except scrupmy (hard cider from the farm)!


	Heather

    Why did they start adding the da** sulfites in the first place??? Seems
    red wine was doing fine and aging beautifuly before these people set
    out to give us stuffed up noses and a headache.
    
    Seems to me if something "aint" broke then don't fix it!  Seems like we
    have enough allergies to deal with, the air, the dust and associated
    mites, the pollen, work, sometimes people and worst of all our furfaces
    - then they have to go and mess up red wine - isn't that a kicker???
    
    Giudi (who suddenly wants a glass a red wine badly)

>    Why did they start adding the da** sulfites in the first place??? Seems
>    red wine was doing fine and aging beautifuly before these people set
>    out to give us stuffed up noses and a headache.
 
	Well, the types of wine that are made for "laying down" for some years
	are still OK. 

	However many people started to want "younger" wine, and didn't want
	to pay the above prices.

	So, the choice hasn't been taken away, there is now just an added
	cheaper alternative - with sulphates.

	Heather

    Well, Ken went to the allergist and had the testing done.  The good
    news is that he is not allergic to dogs.  :^)  Actually, the news isn't
    that bad.  His allergy to cats was only as bad as the control allergy
    reaction.  
    
    But, turns out that he is intensely allergic to every kind of grass
    known to mankind, not to mention most weeds, and most trees.  He is not
    allergic to molds or to dust or dust mites.
    
    So, I think the fact that he is allergic to weeds, grasses, and trees
    might be why he reacts to beer, wine, and alcohol.  Of course he
    neglected to ask the doctor this. :^)  
    
    The treatment so far is Theophylline and two kinds of inhalers for his
    asthma, and Histmanal and another kind of inhaler for his allergies. 
    The goal is to get him off the inhalers completely, only having them
    available for emergencies.  Interestingly enough, he had an asthma
    attack while they were doing the testing.  They put a certain kind of
    grass allergen on his back and within seconds he was having trouble
    breathing.
    
    Also, they tested his lung capacity, and he is only using 35%!  That
    could be because he is just getting over pneumonia, but the doc thinks
    that like most asthma sufferers, he isn't breathing deeply enough.  He
    has to go back every week and have his lung capacity tested.  It is
    supposed to improve every week.
    
    I am so relieved now that we know that while he is allergic to cats, my
    breeding cats isn't what put him in the hospital.  I was truly worried
    about that.
    
    Jo

    poor Ken.
    

Jo, glad Ken is going to be okay - that must have been pretty terrifying...

re: allergies to grass, trees, etc. and connection to reaction to booze...
actually, I have noticed that those of us with the grass/tree allergies
do seem to have problems with wine and beer (actually all alcohol does me
in...I cannot even drink one glass of wine anymore).  I always figured I
was reacting to the yeast family in beer and sulfites in wine.  However,
even a shot of brandy does me in.  It seems to be a systemic reaction to
the depressent effect of alcohol.  In Ken's case, he really should stay
away from alcohol as it does depress the system - including lung performance.

    Yeah, Dian, you and I know that Ken should stay away from alcohol, and
    so does he, but it is a whole nuther story trying to get him to agree.
    
    A couple of years ago we had a bet about him not drinking anything
    alcoholic for 6 months.  I wanted to prove to him that there was a
    relationship between the alcohol and his asthma/allergies.  Well, he
    stayed off for 6 months, lost 25 pounds, and admitted that he felt
    better.  When the six months was over, he congratulated me on proving
    my point, I congratulated him on sticking with it, and he went back to
    an occassional beer or glass of wine. :^)
    
    It seems to be much worse with certain types of wine.  His favorite,
    Cabernet causes the most problems.  Cabernet and Beer are about equal. 
    White wines are not quite as bad, except for Chardonnay.  Hey, I just
    thought of something.  Chardonnay is fermented in *oak* barrels!  I
    wonder if that has something to do with it.  Alcohol has a high sugar
    content and sugar is a congestant, so I think that is why other
    alcoholic beverages cause him so much trouble.  Probably if he didn't
    have asthma too it wouldn't be so bad.
    
    I tell you, I am so relieved that he is seeing a doctor now.  I will
    never forget the terror I felt as I rushed him to the emergency room
    that day.
    
    Jo
    
    PS - congratulations on your soon-to-be addition... :^)