[Help] Allergies, cat and hay fever.

[Insel affe]

I know this board can be the font of all knowledge and we have many pet lovers here, I wonder if someone can help or at least offer some advise please.
Over the past five years I have gradually started to suffer from what I think was/is a mild case of hay fever during the spring and summer.
We back then had a lady cat that sadly passed away Christmas 2022, November 2023 the wife and daughter decided we were getting two kitten brothers.
Due to where we live, numerous cat missing posters and foxes everywhere they have not been unleashed into the great outdoors (not my idea, daughter has bad anxiety and does not want anything bad to happen to them) they have been neutered, but stay in the house.

We have nets up over the windows in the summer, with good ventilation etc, and what I think is hay fever is manageable.

The past month or slightly more though, within ten or fifteen minutes of getting in the house, I get a headache, itchy eyes and a really stuffed up nose.
It is really really irritating, so much I go into the spare room and read, listen to music or whatever because it is the only room the cats do not go in. My symptoms subside briefly, but it is not until I leave the house and half an hour or so, I start to feel better. The worrying thing is normal allergy tablets seem to not help, and I have been so stuffed up over the past month, I have had four nose bleeds from nowhere., surely that is not right, I am at the point where I get anxiety about going home some days, I can't even sit in the front room for more than half an hour before i get so clogged up, I can if I have had a few beers, but that is not the way to go.

I love my wife and daughter, and I do love the kittens too, so would never force them out, more likely I would be forced out if the truth be known.

Has anyone any advise, I have heard you can get shots, but they may not work and are a tad expensive.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Became allergic to cats in my 30s after having one at home for 20 years growing up. I'm now so allergic I can't be in a "cat house" for more than an hour or so without struggling to breathe. Go to the docs and get a test done. Trying to push through it if you really are allergic to the cats can be really dangerous.

 

[FatSuperman]

I have developed this in my 40's after having pets most of my life - exactly the symptoms you list, although for me I left it and ended up with no sense of smell or taste. As two-choices said, you have to go via the doctor and get a blood test done, to then get a referral. Don't bother with half of the allergy clinics you'll find on google.

I haven't got as far as the treatment yet, so can't comment on the cost / efficacy. We're both on this journey together. Allergy brothers!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I know this board can be the font of all knowledge and we have many pet lovers here, I wonder if someone can help or at least offer some advise please.
Over the past five years I have gradually started to suffer from what I think was/is a mild case of hay fever during the spring and summer.
We back then had a lady cat that sadly passed away Christmas 2022, November 2023 the wife and daughter decided we were getting two kitten brothers.
Due to where we live, numerous cat missing posters and foxes everywhere they have not been unleashed into the great outdoors (not my idea, daughter has bad anxiety and does not want anything bad to happen to them) they have been neutered, but stay in the house.

We have nets up over the windows in the summer, with good ventilation etc, and what I think is hay fever is manageable.

The past month or slightly more though, within ten or fifteen minutes of getting in the house, I get a headache, itchy eyes and a really stuffed up nose.
It is really really irritating, so much I go into the spare room and read, listen to music or whatever because it is the only room the cats do not go in. My symptoms subside briefly, but it is not until I leave the house and half an hour or so, I start to feel better. The worrying thing is normal allergy tablets seem to not help, and I have been so stuffed up over the past month, I have had four nose bleeds from nowhere., surely that is not right, I am at the point where I get anxiety about going home some days, I can't even sit in the front room for more than half an hour before i get so clogged up, I can if I have had a few beers, but that is not the way to go.

I love my wife and daughter, and I do love the kittens too, so would never force them out, more likely I would be forced out if the truth be known.

Has anyone any advise, I have heard you can get shots, but they may not work and are a tad expensive.

I take an antihistamine (cetirizine or loratidine) every day and have done for several years. This is primarily for hives. But the underlying pathology (release of histamine from mast cells) is broadly the same as cat allergy. These pills seem free of any ADRs (no drowsiness). Try that. Cheap as chips in generic form from the supermarket.

 

[Cordwainer]

I take an antihistamine (cetirizine or loratidine) every day and have done for several years. This is primarily for hives. But the underlying pathology (release of histamine from mast cells) is broadly the same as cat allergy. These pills seem free of any ADRs (no drowsiness). Try that. Cheap as chips in generic form from the supermarket.

Would you mind telling what brand antih’s work for you please? My son gets regular hives which we are in the process of trying to diagnose cause. Seems preventative antih’s may help but was worried about long term usage/drowsiness and other side effects. Thanks.

 

[zoe]

My husband is allergic to our cats so takes I take a cetirizine an antihistamine every day, as I feel slightly guilty about this (I'm a crazy cat lady) I buy his antihistamine in bulk online which works out just over £1 a month.

 

[maidstoneseagull]

I had similar and it was kicking in about 9 at night but over a 6 month period was becoming all day. Take a nasal spray and asthma inhaler and this has got on top of it. I initially thought it was from having COVID without realising

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Would you mind telling what brand antih’s work for you please? My son gets regular hives which we are in the process of trying to diagnose cause. Seems preventative antih’s may help but was worried about long term usage/drowsiness and other side effects. Thanks.

Sure! I have Piriteze in my pharma cabinet presently. This is cetirizine 10 mg. The generic Sainsbury version is cheaper. All supermarket generic versions are identical (probably all made by the same company).

Acrivastine, cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine all work equally well. These are the nonsedating antihistamines for allergy. I use whatever is available and cheap in the supermarket. Look for 10 mg once a day tablets/

Hope that's helpful

(I had undiagnosed hives for years. Saw a dermatologist. Had a biopsy! The missus suggested hives. Not only do the antihistamines keep them down to maybe one bump a year, another problem, annoying bumps in the scalp, also disappeared. The skin is a weird beastie. Good luck!)

 

[AmexRuislip]

I take catnip every day and have done for several years. This is primarily for hives. But the underlying pathology (release of histamine from mast cells) is broadly the same as cat allergy. This seems free of any ADRs (no drowsiness). Try that. Cheap as chips in generic form from any petshop.

Evening

 

[Cordwainer]

Sure! I have Piriteze in my pharma cabinet presently. This is cetirizine 10 mg. The generic Sainsbury version is cheaper. All supermarket generic versions are identical (probably all made by the same company).

Acrivastine, cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine all work equally well. These are the nonsedating antihistamines for allergy. I use whatever is available and cheap in the supermarket. Look for 10 mg once a day tablets/

Hope that's helpful

(I had undiagnosed hives for years. Saw a dermatologist. Had a biopsy! The missus suggested hives. Not only do the antihistamines keep them down to maybe one bump a year, another problem, annoying bumps in the scalp, also disappeared. The skin is a weird beastie. Good luck!)

Very helpful..many thanks.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Evening

If you'd changed it to wine rather than catnip you'd have hit a nail on a head

Oh and, yes. Evening

 

[happypig]

I suffer from several allergies, including pollen, dogs/cats, mould spores and dust (more specifically it's the dust mite's faeces). It affects me by making my nasal passages swell up and produce copious amounts of mucus.
I take cetirizine every day which helps a bit with mild exposure but if I go into a dog/cat house, I'm fooked.
I also have a prescription for Rhinolast nasal spray which is a steroid. That also helps a bit.
I've found that taking ibuprofen helps to reduce the swelling in the nose and reduce the snot production.
Often I will need to go and have a lie down.

It's a real pain as I would love to have a little dog.

 

[Robdinho]

I grew up with cats in the house, and always thought i had colds in the winter and hay-fever in the summer. It wasn't until I left for uni that I realised it was the cat, and even then it was only when I came back for Christmas the first time. Within seconds of walking through the door I could barely breathe; clearly daily exposure had kept it at a low level, but having left it became much much worse.

Weirdly it's not all cats, but in most cases I can sense if any object has been in a house with cats cos my throat starts to itch! Standard antihistamines certainly help, and I also have a nasal spray. Apparently there are lots of options for these, the first one I was prescribed gave me loads of nosebleeds, but the second one (Avamys) works very well, so hopefully you'll find one that sorts you out.