How to narrow down the cause of nighttime wheezing?
November 30, 2011 7:25 PM Subscribe
Something in our bedroom is affecting my boyfriend's breathing and allergy symptoms. How can we figure out the specific cause?
BF had an allergy test last year and found out that he's allergic to a number of things, including some weeds, animals, basically the usual suspects. He takes some meds everyday that seem to have helped, but he still wheezes when he spends extended periods of time in the bedroom. This has been going on for a few years.
We did have an air purifier in there, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Keeping windows open seems to help but not eliminate the problem. I don't think I'm affected as much, but the woman who cleans our place said that she sometimes feels some allergy symptoms in that room. She thought it might have something to do with the wood that the furniture is made of. I tend to think it might be our foam mattress or pillows. The other possibility is that it's something in our closet (which is mostly clothing, but some other stuff is stored in there as well).
I realize that none of you can find the source of these allergies from what I've written. I'm wondering how we can go about narrowing down the "suspects." I thought about trying to remove the possible culprits one at a time, but our dresser is massive, so it would be a major undertaking to remove it. Obviously removing the bed would be a problem as well. (We live in an NYC apartment, so there's not a lot of room for furniture storage.)
I'm assuming there's not a Ghostbusters' PKE meter-like device for allergy sufferers.
BF had an allergy test last year and found out that he's allergic to a number of things, including some weeds, animals, basically the usual suspects. He takes some meds everyday that seem to have helped, but he still wheezes when he spends extended periods of time in the bedroom. This has been going on for a few years.
We did have an air purifier in there, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Keeping windows open seems to help but not eliminate the problem. I don't think I'm affected as much, but the woman who cleans our place said that she sometimes feels some allergy symptoms in that room. She thought it might have something to do with the wood that the furniture is made of. I tend to think it might be our foam mattress or pillows. The other possibility is that it's something in our closet (which is mostly clothing, but some other stuff is stored in there as well).
I realize that none of you can find the source of these allergies from what I've written. I'm wondering how we can go about narrowing down the "suspects." I thought about trying to remove the possible culprits one at a time, but our dresser is massive, so it would be a major undertaking to remove it. Obviously removing the bed would be a problem as well. (We live in an NYC apartment, so there's not a lot of room for furniture storage.)
I'm assuming there's not a Ghostbusters' PKE meter-like device for allergy sufferers.
Change one thing at a time for a few days? It's been happening for a few years so the 3 weeks it takes to find this out won't be a thing.
Then check for mold in the walls/wherever.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 7:33 PM on November 30, 2011
Then check for mold in the walls/wherever.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 7:33 PM on November 30, 2011
I'm assuming there's not a Ghostbusters' PKE meter-like device for allergy sufferers.
No, but there are dogs! almost wish I suspected that we had mold so I could see this dog at work... but maybe you can hire a company with a mold-sniffing dog to check, in case you're suffering from some kind of creeping horror!?
posted by peagood at 7:37 PM on November 30, 2011
does this happen every time he is in the bedroom, or just overnight?
if it's just overnight, it could be something as simple as post-nasal drip. it will make your whole throat and face itch, induce coughing (and then the asthma).
another possibility could be dust mites (or any mites)...
posted by unlucky.lisp at 7:37 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
if it's just overnight, it could be something as simple as post-nasal drip. it will make your whole throat and face itch, induce coughing (and then the asthma).
another possibility could be dust mites (or any mites)...
posted by unlucky.lisp at 7:37 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Maybe start by visiting some place like this and get covers for your mattress, box spring and pillows.
Also, a place I lived in for a couple years had massive amounts of mold on the window sills and around the windows that I never noticed until I was doing the move-out cleaning and actually pulled the curtains all the way away from the windows.
posted by bendy at 7:41 PM on November 30, 2011
Also, a place I lived in for a couple years had massive amounts of mold on the window sills and around the windows that I never noticed until I was doing the move-out cleaning and actually pulled the curtains all the way away from the windows.
posted by bendy at 7:41 PM on November 30, 2011
When was the last time you've changed or washed the pillows? Have you vacuumed the mattress and underneath it? How about blinds? Do you every take them out of the windows and washed?
Also, try a humidifier. It could be terribly dry for him when he sleeps.
I've found that a little OCD behavior goes a long way when you have allergies. In the warmer weather when the windows are opened, I vacuum every day. Wash the pillows once a month and tumble dry on high for at least 45 mins. Vacuum the mattress and bedframe every time you change your sheets.
Have him shower and wash his hair every night before bed. He could be bringing things home that triggers his allergies in his hair and then in the course of sleeping, spread it all over the pillow and then onto his face.
Good luck, allergies suck!
posted by Yellow at 7:44 PM on November 30, 2011
Also, try a humidifier. It could be terribly dry for him when he sleeps.
I've found that a little OCD behavior goes a long way when you have allergies. In the warmer weather when the windows are opened, I vacuum every day. Wash the pillows once a month and tumble dry on high for at least 45 mins. Vacuum the mattress and bedframe every time you change your sheets.
Have him shower and wash his hair every night before bed. He could be bringing things home that triggers his allergies in his hair and then in the course of sleeping, spread it all over the pillow and then onto his face.
Good luck, allergies suck!
posted by Yellow at 7:44 PM on November 30, 2011
Response by poster: He is allergic to mold, so that could, indeed, be the cause. I'm just not sure how to diagnose that and solve it in a rental apartment. There isn't any obvious smell or signs of mold, but that doesn't mean it's not inside the walls.
unlucky.lisp - I thought of that too, but it's not just overnight and he doesn't have these symptoms sleeping elsewhere.
Yellow - Those are good suggestions that I would like to try. The blinds are pretty new and we have an awesome cleaning lady who comes in every other week, but we could probably do a better job at cleaning the space on a regular basis. He works from home, so I'm pretty sure he's not bringing anything in there.
posted by pourtant at 7:50 PM on November 30, 2011
unlucky.lisp - I thought of that too, but it's not just overnight and he doesn't have these symptoms sleeping elsewhere.
Yellow - Those are good suggestions that I would like to try. The blinds are pretty new and we have an awesome cleaning lady who comes in every other week, but we could probably do a better job at cleaning the space on a regular basis. He works from home, so I'm pretty sure he's not bringing anything in there.
posted by pourtant at 7:50 PM on November 30, 2011
Feel like hard work?? Here's what you do...
Remove everything soft from the room (drapes, clothing, bedding, rugs etc). Dust the ceiling, walls and surfaces then vacuum the floors. With hot water with a bit of bleach wipe down everything (walls, furniture, closet shelves, baseboards). Remember to move the big things to clean the bottoms and the area below. Wash floorsn steam clean carpets. Put a full casement cover on your bed to keep dust mites away. Buy new pillows (no down, wool etc). Go for cotton everything when possible. Wash all your bedding in the hottest water it can take with bleach if possible (why I love white sheets and bedding). Slowly bring your stuff back into the room washing everything before you bring it in. I strongly suggest using this time to purge a lot of stuff as it is way easier to give it away/toss it than to clean it.
Now your room should be the cleanest it has ever been, smell slightly like bleach and be very organized since you took the time to unload so much stuff right! If this doesn't improve the situation I would really consider moving. Good luck!
posted by saradarlin at 7:52 PM on November 30, 2011 [6 favorites]
Remove everything soft from the room (drapes, clothing, bedding, rugs etc). Dust the ceiling, walls and surfaces then vacuum the floors. With hot water with a bit of bleach wipe down everything (walls, furniture, closet shelves, baseboards). Remember to move the big things to clean the bottoms and the area below. Wash floorsn steam clean carpets. Put a full casement cover on your bed to keep dust mites away. Buy new pillows (no down, wool etc). Go for cotton everything when possible. Wash all your bedding in the hottest water it can take with bleach if possible (why I love white sheets and bedding). Slowly bring your stuff back into the room washing everything before you bring it in. I strongly suggest using this time to purge a lot of stuff as it is way easier to give it away/toss it than to clean it.
Now your room should be the cleanest it has ever been, smell slightly like bleach and be very organized since you took the time to unload so much stuff right! If this doesn't improve the situation I would really consider moving. Good luck!
posted by saradarlin at 7:52 PM on November 30, 2011 [6 favorites]
If you have carpet, get rid of it. I have the same problem if I sleep in carpeted rooms. Basically, my allergies (pollens, mould, and dust) are 98% gone when I live in a place with no carpet.
Also, how old are your pillows? If they are not new go get some new ones (and replace them every year or two), it makes a big difference for those of us with dust allergies.
posted by sadtomato at 8:05 PM on November 30, 2011
Also, how old are your pillows? If they are not new go get some new ones (and replace them every year or two), it makes a big difference for those of us with dust allergies.
posted by sadtomato at 8:05 PM on November 30, 2011
i concur with saradarlin. this is the sort of situation that removing and cleaning everything and then bringing it back in would be beneficial. the day or two after everything's cleaned/removed, dust allergies might act up. eliminating allergens is tedious work.
posted by nadawi at 8:05 PM on November 30, 2011
posted by nadawi at 8:05 PM on November 30, 2011
That site [b]bendy[/b] linked has a home mold test you can try, which would help with figuring out if it's mold.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 8:15 PM on November 30, 2011
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 8:15 PM on November 30, 2011
Dust mites, remember you can get them in pillows too so it might be time for a new pillow, you can get anti allergy ones and anti-allergy covers to help. Also mattresses can get damp from your bodies, even if you are sleeping and not sweating your breath releases moisture, and harbor moulds if they are not aired or air doesn't circulate under them properly. Also foam mattresses and pillows are terrible for this in my experience with a husband with allergies. The only way we got rid of his night time allergy problems was new bed, mattress and pillows and a humidifier when the air gets too dry in winter.
posted by wwax at 8:18 PM on November 30, 2011
posted by wwax at 8:18 PM on November 30, 2011
Put your pillows in a dryer for at least 15 minutes on hot.
Apparently this kills dustmites more effectively than washing.
Do the same with blankets, duvet's etc, anything soft.
Buy a very inexpensive allergy cover, for your mattress.
It's unlikely to be the wood. Look at things that are soft/could collect dust, first.
posted by Elysum at 9:12 PM on November 30, 2011
Apparently this kills dustmites more effectively than washing.
Do the same with blankets, duvet's etc, anything soft.
Buy a very inexpensive allergy cover, for your mattress.
It's unlikely to be the wood. Look at things that are soft/could collect dust, first.
posted by Elysum at 9:12 PM on November 30, 2011
I have copied my answers to earlier questions on this topic. They overlap a bit but endorse the comments above.
I suggest you check out the thread http://ask.metafilter.com/151258/Suggestions-for-bedding-encasing. Since you spend a lot of time in the bedroom, use the 20/80 rule and start there. As I posted in the above thread, I was told to get rid of my dogs. I got rid of my carpets instead, focused on clutter in the bedroom, got rid of fabric drapes, got pillow and mattress covers. While I never had to use the spray solution that fights allergens, people find it helpful for sofas and so on. HEPA filters help; I prefer the central VAC. If possible, let somebody else do the vacuuming and dusting. In other words, don't expose yourself. I find it useful to get alerts from www.mediclim.com about asthma issues in my area. If you exercise outdoors, it is handy to know when you are vulnerable. On bad days, (smog, heat, humidity, high pollen count), you can stay indoors and turn on the AC and find some kind of indoor workout. I would also suggest that you find out if scented products (I hate women's perfume and men's cologne) make your asthma worse. Strong scented products and things like bathroom cleansers cause me grief. If they exacerbate your situation, either avoid or switch to something natural.
Making the changes outlined in the above-mentioned thread solved my problem.
Good luck.
I concur with the earlier postings that you can find something that does not rustle or make you sweat. I use a padded mattress cover over the vinyl case. No noise, no sweating.
I did find that encasing the box spring, mattress and pillows made a difference. If you have rug, I would strongly suggest that you take it up. Bare wood floors are far easier to damp mop to get stuff up. For me, that made a huge difference. And if you actually look at the base of a rug that has just been vacuumed, you will be appalled at how much junk is still there. I would recommend starting with the bedroom and keep it as clean as you can. Don't let clothes and so on pile up. Put them away. They not only gather dust but you pick up allergens when you are outside and they can cling to your garments. So make the bedroom spartan. Also check out whatever you use to cover the windows. Plush drapes can hold a lot of crud. Metal shades are easy to clean.
I have had dogs and did not give them up, despite the advice from my allergist.
As suggested above, you probably do want to get a good vacuum cleaner or a central vac. Mediocre cleaners just end up exhausting allergens into the air. I also use a HEPA filter on my furnace A/C.
You might be interested to know that there are also some allergen-neutralizing sprays that you can get that help with hard to clean items like couches, that can be difficult to clean. I have not had to use those: I found that the bedding and flooring changes, along with a central vac made a huge difference.
If you are allergic to pollen or mold, you might like to find some web sites that monitor environmental conditions and can warn you when the levels are high or your condition can be aggravated. I use www.mediclim.com for asthma alerts. Some of the weather sites I reference also give pollen and pollution counts. On bad days, turn on your A/C and keep your windows closed.
Works well for me. Good luck.
posted by PickeringPete at 9:13 AM on December 1, 2011
I suggest you check out the thread http://ask.metafilter.com/151258/Suggestions-for-bedding-encasing. Since you spend a lot of time in the bedroom, use the 20/80 rule and start there. As I posted in the above thread, I was told to get rid of my dogs. I got rid of my carpets instead, focused on clutter in the bedroom, got rid of fabric drapes, got pillow and mattress covers. While I never had to use the spray solution that fights allergens, people find it helpful for sofas and so on. HEPA filters help; I prefer the central VAC. If possible, let somebody else do the vacuuming and dusting. In other words, don't expose yourself. I find it useful to get alerts from www.mediclim.com about asthma issues in my area. If you exercise outdoors, it is handy to know when you are vulnerable. On bad days, (smog, heat, humidity, high pollen count), you can stay indoors and turn on the AC and find some kind of indoor workout. I would also suggest that you find out if scented products (I hate women's perfume and men's cologne) make your asthma worse. Strong scented products and things like bathroom cleansers cause me grief. If they exacerbate your situation, either avoid or switch to something natural.
Making the changes outlined in the above-mentioned thread solved my problem.
Good luck.
I concur with the earlier postings that you can find something that does not rustle or make you sweat. I use a padded mattress cover over the vinyl case. No noise, no sweating.
I did find that encasing the box spring, mattress and pillows made a difference. If you have rug, I would strongly suggest that you take it up. Bare wood floors are far easier to damp mop to get stuff up. For me, that made a huge difference. And if you actually look at the base of a rug that has just been vacuumed, you will be appalled at how much junk is still there. I would recommend starting with the bedroom and keep it as clean as you can. Don't let clothes and so on pile up. Put them away. They not only gather dust but you pick up allergens when you are outside and they can cling to your garments. So make the bedroom spartan. Also check out whatever you use to cover the windows. Plush drapes can hold a lot of crud. Metal shades are easy to clean.
I have had dogs and did not give them up, despite the advice from my allergist.
As suggested above, you probably do want to get a good vacuum cleaner or a central vac. Mediocre cleaners just end up exhausting allergens into the air. I also use a HEPA filter on my furnace A/C.
You might be interested to know that there are also some allergen-neutralizing sprays that you can get that help with hard to clean items like couches, that can be difficult to clean. I have not had to use those: I found that the bedding and flooring changes, along with a central vac made a huge difference.
If you are allergic to pollen or mold, you might like to find some web sites that monitor environmental conditions and can warn you when the levels are high or your condition can be aggravated. I use www.mediclim.com for asthma alerts. Some of the weather sites I reference also give pollen and pollution counts. On bad days, turn on your A/C and keep your windows closed.
Works well for me. Good luck.
posted by PickeringPete at 9:13 AM on December 1, 2011
I'm allergic to dust. The most important thing I did was buy latex-filled pillows and get rid of the old pillows. Latex is inhospitable to dust mites. Encasing the mattress was the next most effective measure.
The suggestions here about eliminating/reducing mite-friendly materials are also good, as are the ones about cleaning the room and keeping it clean.
posted by wryly at 12:48 PM on December 1, 2011
The suggestions here about eliminating/reducing mite-friendly materials are also good, as are the ones about cleaning the room and keeping it clean.
posted by wryly at 12:48 PM on December 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Wuggie Norple at 7:33 PM on November 30, 2011