Allergy sufferers: some HEPA he'p, pleeze

[Robb]

:D

So turns out I'm not dying of bronchitis or some other disease, I'm merely allergic to dust mites. Doc says I need to HEPA the house... so online I go!

I've already got electrostatic furnace filters, but they don't cut it, supposedly. True HEPA filters on the furnace would strain it too much, as I understand furnace workings, so I've been looking at the HEPA stand-alone boxy filter thingies.

They seem awfully spendy... is that just a fact of life in my new life as a dust mite hunter? :P

[benburch]

1. Yeah, they are expensive.

And you may need one per room, too.

[Blue Diadem]

2. Check out HSN or QVC

I've seen a special on there a couple times for a two pk..one larger and one smaller. Both air cleaners utilize hepa filters.

I have one of those older large ones and it's very loud even on it's lowest setting. Those advertised were supposed to be quiet.

Also, if you don't already have these, there are pillow covers that help out with mite allergies. Sorry, I don't remember where I got mine.

[GumboYaYa]

3. I'm off the charts on dust mites also.

Generally, I don't think HEPA filters work very well. At least not for what they cost.

Up until a few weeks ago I dealt with my allergies primarily by taking massive doses of Allegra and Singulair. Lo and behold my insurance stopped paying for those, so I stopped taking them a few weeks ago.

Keeping the windows of the house open as much as possible is a giant help for me. I also spend as much time outside as I possibly can. Wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week. Also get one of those mattress covers (although I've heard others say they don't thnk these work that well). Also, have the ducts to your place cleaned. You will be amazed how much house dust accumulates in there.

[MissMarple]

4. A second to duct cleaning, it can be amazing what is in them.

Also, if you can, avoid wall to wall carpeting, and lots of drapery and excess fabric upholstery. I take an OTC non drowsy decongestant, it seems to work. Allergic to dust, it seems like a joke, but it's real. :D

[mcar]

5. Definitely get your ducts cleaned

You should also look into getting your car's heat/AC system fully cleaned out (cost about $200). My son was really suffering from a dust mite allergy and we had his Escort cleaned. The service guys said it was the worst (e.g. moldy, dust-filled) system they had ever seen.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. We've Got Ionic Breezes

Three pets, i have asthma, and my wife has chronic sinusitis. These things have worked WONDERS! Also, fairly pricey though.
The Professor

[Blue Diadem]

7. no replacement filters though right?

My son uses them and swears by them. He says the initial cost may be higher but there are no expensive replacement filters to worry about.

Right now, I need a new hepa filter on mine..it's around $100.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. No Filters

You plull the 4 element collection grid out, wipe it down, dry it and put it back in. Done. It LITERALLY takes 4 minutes to clean it, and we clean it maybe once per month.
The Professor

[GumboYaYa]

9. I'm going to have to try one of those. n/t

[amazona]

10. you don't need all that garbage

I never had any such thing as the HEPA filters and I had severe dust mite allergies. It's true that the electrostatic filters don't work either although they create some highly interesting dust bunnies.

My allergist explains that dust mites are everywhere. What you really need is an effective combination of medicines that work for you.

If you have multiple allergens, focus on eliminating the allergans you can get out of the house, such as cats, etc. and do not worry about the allergens that it is physically impossible to get rid of. Otherwise you just make yourself crazy to no purpose. There is always a new money-making scheme being aimed at the allergy victim. My allergist had a whole huge list of things that, in an ideal world I should do -- like tear up all the carpet and replace it with hard wood flooring -- but when I pointed out that the cost made it impractical, he confessed that the most important part of the treatment was to get the medication mix right.

I react very little to dust mites at this point, although at one time I was a very strong reactor, so you can outgrow these things. Meanwhile, if you can't afford or don't wish to hire a maid, wear a respirator when doing chores that stir up dust or better you do the cooking/dish-washing/laundry and let your spouse/housemate/whoever do the dusting and vacuuming.

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