Allergic to Australia

[flossybeth]

Our 11 year old used to suffer a bit from hayfever in the UK but here it's ridiculous; he sneezes at everything - the sun, the sea, general breathing, even when he's sleeping... so far we're just dosing with anti-histamine but I was wondering if there might be a more gentle remedy if it's going to be so ongoing. I know local honey helps but I'm not really sure I can get him to eat it in quantities that might make a difference, so if anyone has any other remedies I'd be glad to hear them.

[sduffy]

Have you been here long.The first year i was here the hayfever for both me and my daughter was horrendous,much worse than the uk.A few years down the line,the hayfever is much improved,so he may in time become used to the pollens and not react.If you have been here a good while then the scenario wouldnt probably be as good.

 

I was told by an allergist that probiotics can help with allergies as they dampen down the general inflammatory chain that triggers the allergies in the first place.

 

Probiotics also help to support the immune system.Long term use of antihistamines can begin to have adverse effects in that they can dry out the protective lining in your nasal and respiratory system,which in turn will worsen the allergies.In addition ENT specialist advised me that long term use of nasal sprays,especially if they are

steroid based again can exacerbate the problem.

 

When we first came here daughter was diagnosed with as string of vitamin deficiencies ,her vitamin d was dire.Low vitamin d levels can allow allergies to worsen,might be worth having a chat with your GP,for some advice.Daughter is miles better on the allergy front since improvement of her vit d levels.

 

Long term fever can make you feel pretty miserable and can have also quite a bad impact on your sleep,which isnt good on the school front.

 

Good luck ,hope thinks get better for him soon.

 

Sue

[jim and adel]

Lots of different triggers with allergies, so what works for one person may well not work for others. The honey remedy is useful if pollen is a major trigger but less so if that's not the problem. It can be difficult to track down the cause(s) of allergies, but the usual suspects are plant-based (not just pollen), animals (new pets especially), diet and stress (which can be brought on by new surroundings or change in routine).

 

Treating the symptoms is always less effective than tackling the underlying cause.

 

I have perrenial rhinitis and plenty of things set me off, which is partly why we don't have pets (it can take me days to feel right again if I've been in someone's house if they keep a dog). Humidity also affects me, otherwise we'd be up in Qld! I'm on a nasal spray and antihistamines daily, which mostly keep things under control.

 

Jim

[Blossom]

It has been an especially bad hayfever season this year. Everyone I know who gets hayfever has been suffering badly.

The sleep part, apparently lots of allergens get caught in the hair, then when you go to sleep they get on your pillow, you move about, breath them in... So if he doesn't, washing his hair at night might help with that part.

[flossybeth]

We have only been here just over 12 months so it's his second summer (but we're in a different part of Adelaide this year).

 

I'll try him on the probiotics as well (he already has a multivit, krill oil and echinacea so one more won't do any harm!).

 

And Blossom - I'll suggest the hair washing in the past couple of weeks showering is something else he seems to have become allergic too with "but I had a shower yesterday" becoming his favourite bedtime phrase, although in reality it could actually have been two nights ago....

[Lily Rainbow]

The honey should help,but it has to be as local to you as possible to make a difference.I've heard one tablespoon per day is enough.Sounds a fair bit,but you could spread it on toast,drizzle some on cereal instead of using sugar,add some to hot drinks,so over a day I think thats achievable.I would also encourage your son to drink alot of water.Hope he finds some relief soon.xx

[John Browning]

Yes the Adelaide Plains do get pretty dusty when the wind blows from the North.

 

-Just a thought, but I guess you have come in contact with a whole lot more AirConditioning since you've been here,summer and winter

 

-Nothing wrong with that necessarily, except that the natives hardly ever clean out the filters (these need washing out at least once a month at this time of year).

 

Also, you might want to consider an air purifier for the bedroom. Harvey Norman have a range at resonable prices and some have washable (reusable) filters

 

John B

[Blossom]

My hayfever is often set off by my car aircon. No idea if you can clean that?

[John Browning]

Well here's a quick list of the usual suspects for you to check out in the local gardens and Nature Strips:

 

Native: Bottle Brush (Callistemon ssp Gawler Hybrid); summer and winter flowering wattles

 

Introduced: all Conifers esp Blue and White Cedars, but also the shrubs and prostrate forms; ornamental grasses (esp Stipa Elengentissima).

+ When the wind is blowing from the North at harvest time, it is likely to be carrying a lot of barley and rye pollen from the Goyder Line.

 

Weeds: esp Patersons Curse / Salvation Jane (loved by bee keepers and loathed by everyone else).

 

 

Even if you know these didn't cause you problems in the UK, remember... it can be months between rainshowers to wash away the pollen around here.

 

While we're on the subject, you will need to tell your children not to touch any part of the Oleander bushes and ornamental Rhus Trees that people like to grow as hedges.

 

John B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our 11 year old used to suffer a bit from hayfever in the UK but here it's ridiculous; he sneezes at everything - the sun, the sea, general breathing, even when he's sleeping... so far we're just dosing with anti-histamine but I was wondering if there might be a more gentle remedy if it's going to be so ongoing. I know local honey helps but I'm not really sure I can get him to eat it in quantities that might make a difference, so if anyone has any other remedies I'd be glad to hear them.

[Jessica Berry]

In the UK my OH suffered with hayfever and used to take Telfast daily, plus use a nasal spray and eye drops. When we came to Adelaide he started taking hayfever tablets but didn't seem to need the nasal spray or eye drops. He read about the 'honey method' and decided to give it a go and has not looked back since. The key to using honey is to take honey that is local to your area, the one he takes comes from the Adelaide Hills. The most important bit is you need to take it a month before your symptoms usually start so you build up a resistance. My OH has a reminder set in his phone to let him know when to start taking it. He takes 1 teaspoon a day in the morning and has been using this method with success for approximately the past 4 years. Generally he takes the honey from July to March. He has zyrtec tablets in the cupboard as a backup but rarely needs to take them, but if we go overseas or out of the state he will stop taking the honey and use zyrtec for the period we are away as we are no longer in the local area.