In a blink of an eye, life can change.Over the past few years my health has been up and down.
Lots of doctors visits and always diagnosed with nada...but yet I feel icky everyday.
This all started about 3 years ago, so I just assumed it was stress and tired that comes with being a mom.
That is until I ended up in the hospital last Christmas. From that point on everyday of my life was a guessing game of what caused an allergic reaction with me in the E.R.
Cut to a year later and test after test still being done. All with results of nothing is wrong with you...you just have too much stress.
I wasn't excepting this as an answer. I kept fighting and finally yesterday, answers were given.
I sat thru 61 allergy tests and found that I was allergic to 55 out of those 61 tested.
Highest on the list is my Kitties...This makes me most depressed and sad. I have owned cats since I was 5 years old. I NEVER had any problems, so I thought. Apparently, I have always been slightly allergic with the allergy growing year by year until my kitty bit me last xmas eve.
Sending me 4 hours later to the E.R.
Not only my kitties are the cause...I was tested for every grass,tree and weed grown in my neck of the woods and I am highly allergic to all. Hmmm, see this means I was never meant to live here.and the second worst is Dust Mites, not want a vintage loving girl wants to hear at all! This list goes on and on, with every animal hair, dog, and so on.
So apparently the only way to live is by getting a shot every week for 5 years to build up my immunity to these things. I am so scared of ending up in that hospital again from a kitty love bite...How can I turn my babies away. I have had them for 11 years, I am their mama.
I just want to know how this happens, how can you cuddle and love them one day and the next you're highly allergic to a thing you have loved all of your life.
I would love to hear from those who have to deal with severe allergies and how you live around the things you love but are allergic to. Please give me some hope that things will be okay.
13 comments:
Hi Amy
I know how devasting this must be, I have had those exact allergies all of my life. My children have a lot of the same as well. It is such a life adjustment. I do know a few that have kept animals and just taken the shots. I took the shots for many years and still can be around kittys. I also have to carry two epipens at all times. Try using an air purifying system in your home that will help tremdously. Hang in there:))) Sending you much love & hugs
xoxo
Kate
i'm so sorry amy. must have been hard news to hear? my husband and son both have severe allergies so we have always lived in an "allergy free" home. no pets (sniff, sniff) etc. i really can't give you much advice on how to "live' with the things your'e allergic to as we have always lived without them. not fun but a reality for us. i hope the shots work well for you and you are feeling better soon...AND...in the company of your beloved kitties!
Amy,
I'm so sorry to hear this! My dh is allergic to soooo many things, and here we live in the Willamette Valley,
"the valley of death", that's what the Indians who founded this area called it.
It's not fun, I'm so sorry about your sweet kitties!
I hope you can find an acceptable balance, for you and your pets.
I'm allergic to cats but I have four inside. I just don't let them in my bedroom which really helps. I think after awhile I've built up an immunity to the cat dander or whatever makes us allergic! Katie always fights allergies, and now Riley has them too. Guess its just part of life, you know. I'm sure you will find a good solution, don't stress!!
Take care, Sue
Amy, I am beginning allergy shots in a few weeks. I am so sick of being tired, headaches, etc. I am hoping against hope it is the cause of my fatigue that never quite goes away....
I too, have always been around dogs. And guess who found out she is allergic to dogs? Good grief. I can't get rid of my dog, as crazy and neurotic as she is, we have had her for 6 years.
I didn't do as extensive a test as you did, but the little I did, the nurse told me I should go live at the beach.
I choose Laguna!!!!!!!
We can only HOPE, right?
love you!
lynn
This news is so sad because you love those kitties so much. I pray those shots help you! Allergies are a pain in the .....you know.
I've heard tons of success stories with the shots and friends who will not live without their cats.
So, hopefully, that will be your case, too. xoxoxoxo Rhonda
Aw noooo ! I'm sure there is some kind of special kitty shampoo for people with allergies...so you can still enjoy your pets...the kitties would hate it mind you but it would be worth it. The thing is...having cats or pets helps people relax . My sister uses nettle tea which seems to help. And she has been to a homoeopath which was good, she has 2 cats and a garden and seems ok now thankfully. Thinking of you !
Gail x
Hi it's me back again !! I just looked on the internet and there are shampoos specifically designed for cats whose owners are allergic, hope you get sorted x
Gail x
At least you know now what the cause is! My husband is a cat lover with allergies, and we keep the cats out of the bedroom as much as possible. I think that advice is probably good. And get a mattress cover that reduces dust mites. Sorry for what you have gone through and hoping you'll feel much better soon by taking a few less drastic steps than getting rid of your cats altogether!
Dear Amy,
I'm so sad to read this post.
I have lived (a long time ago) with a brother that was very allergic to so many things.
I am a pet lover too, but at that time I had a rabbit, 2 birds and hamsters. My parents tried everything, ending with a lot of inhalers (hope that's the right word) for my brother.
But unfortunately my birds and hamsters had to go, and the rabbit moved to the garden. I was so very sad. So I can understand how you must feel. But there are some good medicines out there that you could try to use, and maybe you can keep your beloved kittys in your home.
Hang in there...
Hugs Michelle.
Oh Amy - I´m so sorry you have to go through this. Hope the shots will do the trick for you.
Sending lots of prayers, thoughts and hugs your way.
xoxo Tina
Oh sweetie, just read this post. I'm so sorry! I am highly allergic to my cats too. Luckily I can get by with an allergy pill every day and lots of vacuuming. I've always had cats and wasn't this allergic as a child either. So weird how it can flare up as we grow older. Hope you are able to find a medicine that helps! There has to be a way you can keep your furry babies, and feel better!
HANG IN THERE! They say cat bites are as bad as a human bite as far as bacteria and everything else that can make you sick. One hint, as soon as you are bit, use hot water and epison salt on the wound until you get antibiotics asap.
My cat bit me, inside kitty always, and my hand began to swell right away and I had a red line going up my hand within two hours, waiting for my doc appt to get a big shot and 850 milg of huge antibiotics to take for 10 days. I still have four cats. I sneeze, stop up, take pills shots and I still can't let them go.
I think as we age we can develop these things, NOW I'm allergic to nuts! Go figure, so my advice, get another opinion, take the shots and just wipe your babies down every night with a wet cloth. It's their saliva you're allergic to. If you wipe them down daily it helps! Good luckxoxox-cindy
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