Is anyone else allergic to their own house?

[hotpotmama]

I think I am.

Been in hospital with DS3 for nearly 2 weeks and didn't have any problems there nor do I when I am outside. But in my house I am constantly sneezing, itchy nose, itchy eyes.

Any ideas what it could be? Maybe I need to dust more often!!

do you have carpets ? i was like this until i got rid of all my carpets & replaced them with wooden floors much easier to keep clean & my eczema really improved too , would you be able to have allergy testing done ? i did & the results were that i am highly allergic to dust . this might be the same with you , good luck x

Have you got any furniture with feathers or horsehair in? Any mould problems anywhere? There's loads of things that could be affecting you.

Get your GP to refer you for allergy testing - it'll help you narrow it down.

Biggirls, rubberduck - i asked the doctor about allergy testing and he said you couldn't have it for dust type allergies!

We have got carpets upstairs. Have got a goosedown duvet bought a few months ago. Could that be what is causing it?

thanks for replies

Do you have any pets? I am, allergic to cats. My mum kept them all my life, and I suppose I built up a resistance to them because I never suffered.

However visiting after I moved out was hell. My eyes would stream, my skin itched and burnt and I had difficulty breathing.

Maybe whatever it is you are alergic to has always been there and is only affecting you now because you have been away.

No we haven't got any pets, apart from 2 goldfish. They do poo in our garden tho .

Hmm, check with another GP. Mind you, I'm also asthmatic and was having to take antihistamines all year round, so that's why I got referred (my allergy is dustmites, but I'd assumed very long weird hayfever with additional sinus problems - all because my worst season was spring - coincidentally, also dust mite breeding season).

I wouldn't be surprised if it's the goosedown, tbh. Especially as it's something that's near you as you sleep.

Hmm, I wonder if you can get private non-woo allergy testing. Perhaps ask at your local pharmacy? I'm fairly certain that the Tesco Pharmacy near us had something up about allergy testing at one point.

Here you go: Tesco Allergy Service - £10

Decent accredited allergy services listed by Allergy UK - this looks like a good source to find somewhere local to you.

i think you need to get a second opinion or ask your doctor for a referral to a dermatologist , i got tested last year , they put lots of patches on my back & 24 hours later i went back & they removed the patches & told me i was highly allergic to dust , & mildly allergic to dog hair , so yes they can test for dust , hope you get the referral , good luck

THe duvet could easily be the culprit. I went for years with symptoms you described which vanished when I replaced my feather pillows. If I ever do sleep near feathers I start sneezing again almost straightaway.

Thanks for the links rubberduck and replies everyone. Will try swopping my duvet for the old one and see if that works.

Will also look at the allergy services too.

Doctor obviously couldn't be bothered or didn't know

Thanks again.

I don't think it's the can't be bothered thing - I think allergy services in the NHS are very overstretched. If you don't have additional problems (in my case asthma, or in others anaphylactic problems) then I think it's hard for them to refer.

I was lucky in that I got a fairly young and enthusiastic doctor - I didn't ask to be referred but I came in worried that I was having to use antihistamines every day and was concerned that was dangerous or was building up some kind of resistance to them. He suggested the referral. I'm not quite sure if that I just looked a mess and he took pity or if the asthma pushed it over the refer protocol 'edge'.