Allergies Opinions on air filters/humidifiers.

[Heather Gilley]

I was wondering if, for a person very allergic to animals, dust, and pollen, what would be the best air purifier or filtration system of any kind.
I know that there is many sites and recommendations but wanted to hear the opinion of allergic people and what they do to get by.

I do take all the precautions I possibly can. Though I do refuse to have someone else clean their cage. It's a very crucial bonding time for us that I love, they are so use to me being in their cage they use me as a toy and massage slave. I love that their comfortable with me and do not want to lose that. So I cover my face and neck. I take allergy medicine of course. And clean their cage more than one normally should, fleeces and towels swept out two to three times a day and changed every three to four days. Which all helps tremendously.

But it's time I invest in a filter to un-stuff my head.
I thought it was just spring, but it's lasted into winter now and its apparent I need to find something else to help my head.

 

[demona1918]

an air purifier definitely helps, my boyfriend is very allergic....dander, hay, dust...so he goes in the other room while i do the cage. he has asthma so it will trigger an attack. i myself am allergic to dander and hay. i also cover my face and take allergy meds when doing cages or replenishing hay. i open windows and immediately wash my hands up to my elbows and face, then sit with purifier on. once in a while if one of us has a sneezing fit we turn on the purifier. it helps. my boyfriend uses the humidifier when the air is too dry..it adds moisture to the air and helps with his breathing. it turns your room into a bathroom after a hot shower...steamed up windows and mirrors. hope my input helps a bit.

 

[Heather Gilley]

:3 What type of air purifier and humidifier do you use? My boyfriend also has asthma but is lucky and somehow not allergic to them nor the hay so the humidifier could possibility help his spring/otheranimal allergies at the very least which would help enough, sure it would help me too.
But I sound like your boyfriend. If it exists I'm allergic to it.

Have you switched around allergy brands? I was wondering which was the best all seem to do about the same though I've just switched from Zyrtec to Claritin trying to find whats best for me. Before that I was on a generic form of Zyrtec. It seems promising, my head is feeling a bit less stuffy and my nose isn't runny. But cage cleaning was yesterday so I may have just timed doing everything right for the moment. And it seems at the beginning once the medicine kicks in it works great for awhile and then gets weak.

 

[Heather Gilley]

I do apologize for I'm sure another post to bog down the actual answers, I did look but was trying to find specific filters like you've stated that would be best.
I found many but it didn't help much, people have a tendency to use what is cheapest as well as I wanted a testimony from someone with a good filter that they knew worked for a very allergic person. And I must say I'm a bit guilty on liking conversation and discussion. And guilty of being a bit lackluster in navigating the forum still. I'm sorry.

But since they have a good return policy I will most defiantly give it a crack, nothing can hurt at this point, and I'd rather have something expensive I'd expect it to work better. I am quite certain I'm allergic to them though sadly, Miss Piggy when I rescued her had never had hay and I still broke out in a rash where she sat on my lap. I didn't even notice till I changed into my PJ's that night, even through my pants it happened just like with cats and was still there in the morning when I re-change, never slept pointless, to go to the store for said hay heh (Happiest adult piggy ever to be seen). But it's not them causing my stuffiness and problems that bother me, that is the hay as you said. The hay when added didn't agitate bad until last winter set in and when spring came it was horrible. Windows were my only hope in this room, all open all the time in the summer after the pollen levels dropped. Helped tremendously still a bit of the constant stuffiness but no sneezing fits though my hopes were crushes as it never got better after that. Now winter is here again and windows closed and I can tell. But I may switch to Bluegrass hay, it doesn't bother me nearly as bad and I'm quite certain I can get it straight from a farm around here. A win-win for everyone. :3

Thank you for your reply though. And allowing me to raddled on.

 

[Heather Gilley]

I have family on farms that grow all different types of hays for their companions and livestock a bit away from here that may still have it. I know they did when they had Rabbits, I'm sure they still have them. Their a bit extreme on the 'grow your own', I commend them and wish I had the area to do so. But it's East Coast...hmm I'll say the Blue Ridge Mountain area since it's extensive enough to hide a true location. Back there. In the boons. In places people would be terrified to be lost at.

Which then comes to that problem is I have no idea what it would cost me to have allergy injections or where I'd have to go, but I did have a allergy test about four years ago in which they returned and told me not to go outside basically. My top allergies is any grasses, dust, animals (at least those they tested for, I'm sure the regular Dog and Cat), and about any tree but I think Pine is okay.. So actually I'm allergic TO my area, at least most the pollens of this area. And possibly nature in general. I wouldn't have the money for injections. I have a special 'piggy' fund for if they need medical attention but for myself... well it's lacking in the funds area for that kinda thing I'm sure.

But thank you, I would have most defiantly have tried washing it. What would you say? Replace it annually just to pop a fresh filter in for insured filtration? Maybe a bit longer?

 

[Traysea]

FYI, It is my understanding that bluegrass is a hybrid hay grown specifically for KMS. Taken from the KMS website:
The beautiful hay we carry called "bluegrass" is actually a hybrid seed my farmer has developed. It is an orchard/bluegrass seed. For those of you that are used to orchard grass, this will be similar except it has a beautiful blue/green color. After viewing more that 30 farms and countless hays, it just didn't do justice to call my hay "orchard", so I have chosen to call it "bluegrass". It is a wide bladed, leafy variety that is soft and pliable. Nutritionally, it is equivalent to orchard grass.

I am severely allergic to hay. I am less allergic to KMS bluegrass. I have tried many different brands of hay including other brands of orchard hay and I had the same reaction. When discussing this with KMS she told me the reason is because she has a deal with her farmers to cut the hay a little higher up from the ground thus elimination more other contaminants like other weeds, pollens and other ground level plants that might be in the field.

As for air filters, what you need is a HEPA filter and to look at what size room you have and how often it cycles the air. If you get on with a carbon filter as well it will help with the odor. Carbon filters need changing once a month, HEPA's usually 1-2x a year but you still need to vacuum regularly. I don't do it more than once ever few weeks but I really should do it weekly. You would be amazed at what is on the filters. You can get HEPA filters that are reusable. They do say that TRUE HEPA filters are better (they catch smaller particles).

I have a winnex plasma wave

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=winnex+air+purifier

I abuse it and I use it 24/7 its still running strong and cycles a ton of air. It is a washable/reusable TRUE HEPA with a Carbon filter and it does ionizing but since i have asthma I don't use that function. If you have asthma avoid ionizers or make sure you get a filter that you can turn that function off. The Winnex I have has a remote and that is the only way to shut off the plasma wave on it. Some models can not be shut off so you need to check.

I think amazon is a good place to look at reviews, better than asking here because you will have reviews from hundreds of people rather than just a handful here. I like my filter, I recommend it depending on the size of your room.

What you need to know no matter what you pick:

Is it HEPA
Is the HEPA filter washable
How much are replacement filters
What size particles does it remove
Does it have a Carbon filter
What size room does it cover
Does it have an ionizer (AKA plasma wave technology)
If it does can I turn it on and off
Does it have a change filter warning light? (optional)

 

[Traysea]

Oh and regarding my allergy medications... I have allergies and allergy induced asthma. I take cingular in the morning and a maintenance inhaler 2x a day followed by rescue inhaler (only as needed) and allegra if I still feel symptomatic. The allegra works very well for the allergy part of my symptoms, the cingular works for the asthma and allergies.

Have you tried allegra- D? The D is for decongestion... Also for your boyfriends sake don't use the ionizer function (see my post above!)

 

[Traysea]

Also you don't need to apologize for posting questions. People can choose to answer or not. It is always good to make people aware that this forum has a search function because there is lots of valuable information to be had. Then again this is also a very active board and posts get swallowed up quickly and products change, new products are introduced so I think it makes sense to post repeat topics if you want the most current information.

This is what message boards are for, otherwise this wouldn't be a forum, it would be a regular ol'website where information is posted one sided and not discussed amongst members.

 

[Heather Gilley]

Thank you very much Traysea for the information I wouldn't have known about it irritating his asthma at all. And for the exact things I need to go look for when getting one beside that as well. I do take 'breathing' treatments from a nebulizer after I clean their cage which helps a lot to relieve my lungs. But as for decongestants though, I'm not allergic, it destroys my stomach. Any cold or chest medicine does also so I can't really take it. I can take the child dose and it be tolerable but no more than that. It also matters I believe on the brand I get. But it's scared me from taking them cause of the pain that no one can find the source of. Eating helps before with certain ones too.

I didn't mean to make it sound as if it was the same, I was positive it wouldn't be the exact same type because of the way you can make your own 'recipe' I suppose is a good way to phrase it. I need to talk to them of what exact hay it is. I think it maybe Kentucky Bluegrass, actually I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

And I apologize for everything I can't help it for whatever reason.