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can't sleep through the night~dust mites!

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Posted 4/10/2007 12:23 PM (GMT 0)
I wanted to ask you if you have any solutions to dust mite allergies. I am awfully allergic to my bed....I know its the dust mites and though I wash my sheets in hot water every week (often adding boiling water!) and clean my bedroom often, I am still congested every morning and often wake and can't get back to sleep. I have a mattress pad which zip ups. I use a hypo-allergenic comforter and tried the allergen protector for that as well, but found that it was too hot to sleep under. Any ideas? I'm desperate.

I used to take Allegra and Allergy shots, but found the shot didn't help too much ... I am reluctant to try more meds at the moment because I am nursing.
Libratravel
Posted 4/11/2007 12:11 AM (GMT 0)

Do you have an air purifier in your bedroom?  I have severe asthma and allergies and find that this helps me.  I used to wake up congested, with a headache, just like you are describing.  The longer I slept, the worse I would feel.

Good luck!

Carla

Posted 4/11/2007 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
A humidier to keep the air moist particularly if you are
using a dry heat during when you sleep. Or leave
the AC window air conditioner blowing, but keep the temperature up
high so the cold air doesnt come on - only the blower
runs and you get fresh air from outside.
Posted 4/11/2007 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with tru you need either a humidifier or a dehumidifier for your home and you can talk to your doctor about which one would be better for your weather climate. In Houston, Texas a dehumidifer should be used. Well good luck to you and keep us posted.
HUGZ
Posted 4/18/2007 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Libratraveler: Do you have sinus problems? People w/asthma sometimes have both sinus & asthma problems. Try sleeping w/bed at a 30 degree angle. This will allow allergies, sinus, etc to drain and alleviate asthma symptoms. A dehumidifier keeps the moisture out of the air avoiding mold, HOWEVER, if you have a "stuffy" feeling in her nose & head, this will make things worse. Instead use a humidifier to add the extra moisture your body needs to drain the fluids (allows you to blow your nose better and get the secretions out). Also, increase the amount of fluids you drink. Do you have reflux when you sleep? This will also set of asthma symtomps and raising the angle of the bed will help stop both symptoms. Hope this info helps.

Info meant for educational purposes only & not as med advice.
Posted 4/18/2007 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
Was all the bedclothes in HOT water,get hypoallergeneic pillow covers.If you have carpet in the bedroom get rid of it.....
Posted 4/19/2007 6:44 AM (GMT 0)

the key with asthma, is to NEVER use a HUMIDIFYER, thats like the pro-asthma machine, you want to eliminate moisture from the air, you need to use a DE~HUMIDIFYER, and thats straight from my asthma specialist

heres the keys:

1. Wah all you bedding in HOT water, thats the most important part, if your not useing very hot water its not killing the mites (i was concerned when you said that you evan add some hot water???? it need to be all really hot water)

2. If your asthma is really that bad you need to vaccume your room daily, air it out, get filters for your heating ducts and keep everything maticulously clean

3. For your bedding, do not use feather pillows, and get DUST MITE covers, for your mattress, blankets, and pillows.

 It does suck but it is possibly that you just have such bad symptoms you are one of the unlucky that need to dust and vaccume well daily, get a mask for this, or get someone elce to do it

good luck, let us know how everything turns out

Posted 4/19/2007 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
Josey:  I'm an asthma educator and work w/pulmonologists, etc re/asthma tx.  Please don't advise everyone to not use a humidifier.  It depends on the case.  As I stated, dehumidifiers (excellent for keeping mold from growing in a house and avoiding extra moisture) can decrease a person's natural moisture in the body causing secretions such as sinus infections to become so thick that it is almost impossible to clear from the passages. This can inturn cause the airways to become inflammed resulting in an asthma attack.  It is not good to use a humidifier all of the time, only during the times when your secretions become thick.  As I said, also increase fluid intake (water, not soft drinks, etc).  If a person does not have thick secretions, than use a dehumidifier to keep mold from growing and setting off attacks.  Thanks. yeah

Posted 4/22/2007 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I had this same problem and i got the air cleaner from Orek and it helps me out like you would not believe, I put it right next to my bed!
Posted 4/27/2007 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
libratravel, does your congestion last all day, or just in the mornings when you wake up? i have this problem with duse mites as well. i have congestion all day long and headaches can get very severe. can you become tired from this. i dont have any answers i have been looking for them my self. i do find that drinking lots of water loosens the phlem and mucos and it is easier to blow my nose. i can say that i have been congested for plenty of years now, on an everyday basis. i dont know what i am allergic to,that keeps me like this 24-7. i know that dust bothers me. i do not vacum or dust at all. my husband has to do it. i hope you find your solution to your allergies. talk soon
Posted 5/7/2007 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
libratravel, there are hypo-allergenic sheets and bed covers that can help. Walmart carries some. The ones I bought came from achooallergy.com. These are a bit more expensive but have helped me alot. Now about the only place I don't have congestion and coughing is my bed.

Marburg
Posted 11/5/2012 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
I have severe trouble sleeping in most places. I have tried 5 different air purifiers, multiple air filters, no carpet apartments, humidifiers, sleeping with the windows open, damp rid bags hanging up, etc. I know that I am allergic to mold and dust mites. I currently sleep on an air mattress to avoid the dust mite issue. I clean my sheets with anti-dust mite detergent and clean my apartment regularly.

What happens is that if I am in a place that my body doesn't like, I will wake up in the middle of sleep, if I can sleep at all, kind of jolting awake. I don't feel like I slept at all. It's a bit hard to explain. I do have some congestion in lungs and sinuses, but the main problem is that I just can't sleep. Also, my joints hurt in some place.

The most effective thing I have found is sleeping with a doctor's mask at night to filter the air as I breath through the mask. It's weir, I know, but it is the thing that helps. If my mask falls down in the night, I will wake up and have to bring it up.

Does anyone experience the same thing? I have heard of sleep apnea masks. Has anyone found that that is helpful?

I have also tried to get oxygen tanks to breathe through the night, but it technically a prescribed drug and my doctor won't prescribe it.

Any other thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks
Posted 11/7/2012 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
It's funny how each person reacts differently to dust mites.i rarely get wheezing or trouble breathing however my membrane around my lungs hurts to the touch. When it was hot and humid I'd get extreme dry mouth and facial pressure and pain.Now that its cold my dry mouth is gone, and facial pressure has dropped 50%. But lungs still hurt and I'm still dizzy when my facial pressure near Eustachian tubes starts up.Depends on the day and what I'm doing, seems better when I'm outside obviously in cool weather.Worst is mornings/ and in bed
Posted 11/10/2012 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Liquid plasma, what helps you?
Posted 11/10/2012 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Liquid plasma, what helps you?
Posted 2/6/2016 5:50 AM (GMT 0)

INK said...
I have severe trouble sleeping in most places. I have tried 5 different air purifiers, multiple air filters, no carpet apartments, humidifiers, sleeping with the windows open, damp rid bags hanging up, etc. I know that I am allergic to mold and dust mites. I currently sleep on an air mattress to avoid the dust mite issue. I clean my sheets with anti-dust mite detergent and clean my apartment regularly.

What happens is that if I am in a place that my body doesn't like, I will wake up in the middle of sleep, if I can sleep at all, kind of jolting awake. I don't feel like I slept at all. It's a bit hard to explain. I do have some congestion in lungs and sinuses, but the main problem is that I just can't sleep. Also, my joints hurt in some place.

The most effective thing I have found is sleeping with a doctor's mask at night to filter the air as I breath through the mask. It's weir, I know, but it is the thing that helps. If my mask falls down in the night, I will wake up and have to bring it up.

Does anyone experience the same thing? I have heard of sleep apnea masks. Has anyone found that that is helpful?

I have also tried to get oxygen tanks to breathe through the night, but it technically a prescribed drug and my doctor won't prescribe it.

Any other thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks

Thanks a lot, I've been having serious runny nose for many years, I'll try a breathing mask definitely.. i was very happy to find that post that i created an account just for that.. I've tried putting my pillows inside the freezer to kill the dust mites, well, it didn't help, so i threw the pillow and bought a new one, but after sometime i started to have a runny nose again.. so i switched to my old pillow which was covered with 2 large bags.. so no dust would come in definitely and inside the closet.. and immidiately after the night with the old pillow, i started to have severe runny nose like it was in the past.... which means it's not dust mites but dust it self is the problem... there is probably a lot of dust captured inside the pillow..

i've tried cleaning my entire room from dust, wash the floor, everything, it didn't help, i mean i only started having runny nose as soon as i lay down on my bed..

i wanted to order an air filter and etc, but i didn't, because it's super expensive and also many bad reviews on it.. some people said it almost killed them with black smoke.. emits bad odors, toxic and etc..

so definitely i'll try a MASK, i'm already using a sleep mask and ear plugs, i can't without them, now i will look like a complete alien sleeping with filtering mask as well lol... i think i found the solution right now...

Edit: I've ordered few filter masks from amazon, i bought though 3 from the pharmaceutical shop (nurse's mask)..... and it's harder to breath like that.. i'm not sure if i'll be able to sleep the entire night with this.. i tried it on.. it's much better breathing without a mask.. i'll try the others.

Edit 2: Well, I've tried the mask again, actually it's not that bad, maybe another mask would be better. it just would easily fall since i strap it on the ears.. another mask is needed.

Post Edited (armyswat) : 2/7/2016 11:47:58 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/7/2016 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
Wouldn't it be harder to breathe with the mask on Ink? Did you panic upon waking with the mask covering your mouth and nose the first time you used it? Is this safe?
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