Allergies Forum - Coping with allergens

Conditions and Diseases > Allergies Forum > Coping with allergens

TOPICS DOCTOR QUESTIONS

Allergies

What causes allergies? We review risk factors and common allergens in this intro to allergies section....

Q: Coping with allergens

asked by: DoctorQuestion on February 1st, 2009

we have cats, which i don't want to get rid of. we've had them about 2 years and my asthma is worse now than before we had cats. we read that it was the cat saliva that was the culprit so we used to bathe them but they are too feisty for that now. i only have asthma problems when i am at home. i don't really have any probs at school or in p.e. my mom feels really bad about the whole thing. my mom bought one of those wands that uses light to kill dust mites, bacteria, etc. hoping to use it on my bed, pillow, etc. and then seal the bed and pillow. if i touch my cats and then my face, i start to get splotchy and wheezy. right now my inhaler seems to not last long before i need 2 more puffs. i use proair(albuterol) and my doc already increased its level. i use xyzal and singulair at bedtime. does the wand work and will it help me? is there something better i can be doing? will wrapping my bed and pillow help? i cough and wheeze a lot but i really really don't want to ditch the cats. help

Replies(2)

Dr. Goce Aleksovski , MD

replied on February 2nd, 2009

Allergies Answer A5643

Current medical status: asthma in allergy situations
Current medical treatment: albuterol 4 or more times a day

Most of the patients with asthma have an allergic asthma background. The substances that cause allergies may differ, but can be inhaled in general. House dust mites, pollen, and mold spores are just various common ones. But pet epithelial cells can cause the symptoms, too. When allergens worsen the symptoms, there is no other way to improve the condition but to remove the allergens from the surroundings. Increasing the dose of the medicaments does not always give good results and can definitely cause adverse side-effects if taken more than recommended. Bathing the cats will not help, because the epithelial cells will keep on falling in the dust.

DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" questions are answered by certified physicians and other medical professionals who volunteer their time on eHealth Forum. For more information about experts participating in the "Ask a Doctor" Network, please visit our medical experts page. You may also visit our Allergies , for moderated patient to patient support and information.

The information provided on eHealth Forum is designed to improve, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her own physician. Personal consultation(s) with a qualified medical professional is the proper means for diagnosing any medical condition.

Comments (1)

This question has been answered by the doctor. This topic is now open for public discussion, however no comments below this point will be answered by a doctor.

Learn About Us

Get Help

Join In

Do More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health
information:
verify here.

The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written by any author on this site. No health questions and information on eHealth Forum is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author, and not the administrators, moderators, or editorial staff and hence eHealth Forum and its principals will accept no liabilities or responsibilities for the statements made. Schizophrenia health sitemap.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2009.
© 2008 eForums, Inc