Dust mite allergy - any advice please

[Monkeysmum3]

Hi,
Really hoping some Mumsnetter might be able to give me their top tips for dealing with a dust mite allergy, my 12 year old was diagnosed yesterday as having an 'extremely severe' allergy. (Finally explains so many of her health issues)

I've ordered hypoallergenic bedding and a mattress protector, washed her duvet covers etc in a 60 degree wash. Long term we'll need to look at changing from carpet but that will take a while - does anyone have any other suggestions that might help. Should I buy an air purifier/ special hoover?

Thanks so much

Sorry *Mumsnetters - I meant it to be plural :)

Hi Monkeysmum

I was diagnosed at a similar age and am extremely severe, I have overlying seasonal rhinitis as well as perennial dust mite allergy

Generally a steroid nasal spray will make a big difference, I’ve been using one now for 35 years, sometimes I need antihistamines as well if I’m having seasonal symptoms too (mould/ tree pollens etc)

Damp dusting, a good allergy vacuum and hypo allergy bedding all help and no feather pillows

Pillows or toys can be put in the freezer periodically to kill mites if necessary

Sorry for the delayed reply, yesterday evening was a bit manic! Thanks very much for your suggestions Schroedinger, she has a nasal spray already as she has polyps in her nose which mean she can only breathe through her mouth, I’m now wondering if they’ve been caused by the allergy.
Good idea about freezing soft toys, luckily now she’s older she only really keeps one in bed with her so that can go in today! Hypo allergenic pillow and duvet arrived yesterday and she used them last night. Will look into an allergy vacuum too. Thanks so much for your help.

Polyps are a recognised side condition associated with rhinitis, sometimes they will shrink with a steroid nasal spray, sometimes they have to be surgically removed

I occasionally sneeze one out when I get a cold which I could do with right now as I’m aware of one and it’s damn irritating

Just be aware that it’s common to have other allergies along side, if she does have symptoms Worcester University have a really good pollen count site which indicates what is likely to be causing symptoms

They’re very good as they cover the whole range not just grass pollens

I've too been officially diagnosed. Suffer from hayfever, but not as bad as the dustmite. Suffered from it for 20 years before tests revealed it wasn't just hayfever but dustmites mainly! It explained why my symptoms are worse around October time!

As a result, I've been on daily antihistamine for over 25 years now, took them even when pregnant. It takes 36 hours of forgetting and the symptoms start. About 5 years ago, the pills didn't control it any longer, so was started on the steroid drops. I had always been reluctant as heard all the horror stories about steroid, by my doctor gave me reassurance that the sprays don't go through the blood stream and therefore don't have the negative effect you get from taking them as pills.

Even so, I am really struggling this week. Nose blocked, sinus headaches, dizziness, extreme fatigue. I think with the hot Autumn we've hard, the worse season for it is hitting us now.

Yes, polyps are likely to be linked (although I've never had them). I personally have never found special pillows/mattresses etc... were of any help, but I think they do for other sufferers.

I also have suffer from chronic rhinitis, and have done since birth. I also have the added issue of no longer being able to use nasal sprays as they have made my lining in my nose too sensitive (think red hot pokers being stuffed up my nose).

I have had to learn to live with as I am also over sensitive to antihistamines so can not take them unless really necessary. I do find mine go in cycles of about 7/8 years where they build up year on year getting worse, then really bad then they seem to get less.

I am so sorry clutterbugsman that you are not able to able to take anything any longer. By nasal spray I assume you mean the steroids, not the other ones? I made the error of using the decongestant for some time because it worked so well until I had to use them more and more often until my nose was blocked all the time. When I went to my GP saying I'd been using them for 2 years, he went ballistic saying it was almost like doing cocaine and told me I had to come off them immediately. That's when prescribed the steroids. The coming off was horrendous, sinus completely blocked 24/24 for a couple of weeks, but gradually the steroids worked. I now take them only twice a week, except this week I have to go back on daily.

Re. antihistamine, I have found that one brand works for me, but had time had to go with the one you can take three times a day. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to function at all without, which is why my GP agreed to prescribe them even during pregnancy 20 years ago, when they had just started to come out as generic.

The only issue I've had is that it led to my eyes being very dried. It didn't help I was a contact lenses wearer. I had to give that up and wear glasses however much I hated it. I now only wear contacts when doing certain activities or going out on a special occasion and use the most expensive ones (couldn't afford to wear these every day any way!).

Really sorry I missed all of these messages, thanks so much for all of your responses, I will check out the Worcester Uni website thank you, would be useful to know which grass pollen effects her more.

She's on daily antihistamines, has just finished the course of steroid spray and is on twice daily saline spray. She has a lot of the symptoms you describe - dizziness, really bad sinus headaches and she can never breathe through her mouth which has affected her jaw as it constantly hangs open and this has affected way her teeth have come through, she's due to have orthodontic work but we've been told that unless we sort the breathing issue the teeth may not stay in place afterwards. We're seeing a specialist in February to discuss possible surgery to remove the polyps - really not sure about it though as the ENT consultant was saying how thin the bone was between that area and the brain, and it's not a common procedure in children apparently.
I hope you all get some respite from some of the allergies as the colder weather sets in and there's less pollen about.
Thanks again.

Following

Hello
My Ds also has severe allergies. He has many of the measures that you have mentioned in place.
Dust mite cover that completely envelops the mattress, and ditto pillow cover. All bedding washed at 60 degrees. . Soft toy placed in the freezer for 24 hours and then washed. Engineered wood flooring and mattress on slatted wooden base so floor underneath can be cleaned. When he was younger we had a cotton duvet and for summer cotton mesh blankets, though now he has hypoallergenic synthetic duvet.
Filetti washing powder when younger.
He also reacts to foods, so dairy eggs and nuts are foods that he is allergic to.
Bedside table has minimal items.
We have leather sofas in the living room...sitting on old fabric sofas or armchairs will often provoke a reaction. Ditto rooms with chimneys seem dustier. We take dust mite covers when we travel.
We find that keeping all his allergens at minimal exposure lessens his symptoms.
Hopefully you will see an improvement soon. Good luck.