Are allergies a good enough reason to move and settle in portland?

[NWGirl74]

Originally Posted by bler144

If evergreens are a trigger, you'll be more unhappy here.

Same with birch. I'm highly allergic to that and pretty much every tree in my neighborhood is from the birch family. I have to both take Benadryl and use the cream when I finish trimming the hedge that came with my house-when I tell people I'm "allergic to yard work," I'm not just saying that!

[Bluesmama]

'Seems I've read that the Willamette Valley is the WORST for grass-seed allergies, which makes sense. For myself I never had allergies at all until I moved here but mine are mild compared to a lot of people I know.

[eric351982]

Isn't the grass seed capital of the world just down the road?

[Nell Plotts]

Quite a way down the road in fact.

[psichick]

It definitely depends on what you're allergic to. For example, I'm allergic to all kinds of trees, molds, and grass. I'm from SoCal and my allergies bugged me more down there than up here. After I moved up here and I truly was afraid of what Spring would bring, all the flowers and pollen in the air, and guess what? It hasn't bothered me one bit. Not one bit at all. The only time things bother me here is when it's dry, windy, and warm (as a combination, not individually).

So obviously for me, moving here for allergies is a great idea. I don't have any. For others, it could be way worse. You have to figure what you're allergic to, what triggers them, and if things here would bother you. BTW, I also go to Hawaii and have no issues even with all the flora. It's just not dry like it in here sometimes or in SoCal.

But, you see, I also know what triggers my allergies. It's not the trees, molds, grass, or flora. It's the dry, windy, warmth. Disclaimer: I take Zyrtec daily for skin allergies that aren't related to nature so that obviously helps my nature-related allergies too. But I've never been without an allergy attack for so long in my life.

If you want to see if you're allergic or not, visit for a week, don't take anything, get outside, etc. Try and visit when you'd be most allergic. So for me, I'd visit during the summer when it's more dry. Allergic to pollen, visit now, but when it's not raining if you can. Allergic to mold? Visit in the winter. Etc. I'd also suggest the panel for local flora, however, I'm not sure how accurate that is seeing as how I'm fine around trees, molds, and grass yet the panel said I'm very allergic.

[dent_arthur_dent]

Has anyone ever had immunotherapy shots to get their allergies under control? If so, how did it go?

[bler144]

Originally Posted by dent_arthur_dent

Has anyone ever had immunotherapy shots to get their allergies under control? If so, how did it go?

You're asking for anecdata, on a subject where you probably should instead look for medical research.

But I'll bite. My mom had years of immunotherapy shots, and thinks it helped. When I was a kid I had treatment for two of my worst triggers - one improved and the other didn't. For my more seasonal allergies, I haven't pursued it. I have a co-worked whose done it with minimal benefit.

But I suspect the choice to pursue it depends on the severity as well as the number of triggers.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by dent_arthur_dent

Has anyone ever had immunotherapy shots to get their allergies under control? If so, how did it go?

Yeah. It's a nuisance to go in for shots very 3 weeks, but it reduced my symptoms a bit and put an end to my asthma attacks.

It's not a miracle cure and I don't think it works the same for everyone, but it is worth a try, if you can afford it. You have to keep going. It's not a three shots and done deal.