[Sunnyloohoo]

Hello everyone!

I am brand new to this list and I am hoping you can help me.

My doctor recently informed me that I need to start seriously thinking about relocating to a warmer climate because of my worsening asthma. As I've gotten older, the cold temps here in Cleveland, OH have gotten harder to tolerate and my attacks are getting worse and lasting longer.

Each year, my asthma gets bad once we have our first couple of really cold days in the 20's or 30's. In the past, I could use medication to mellow my lungs out but those meds are no longer working.

My husband could transfer to the Huntsville area with very little difficulty so that is a definite possibility for us to move to. What I need to know, however, if it would be a smart move for my lungs. I haven't had much luck finding anything on the internet.

I don't really suffer from allergies very often, however, I will have some issues in the fall around here. I'm not exactly sure what I may be allergic to but I will most likely undergo tests before I make a final decision to move. The main thing at this point is to get away from these really cold winters.

So, I was wondering if anyone has any experiences they can share with respect to temperatures and allergens and living with asthma in northern Alabama.

Thanks so much!

Sunny

[grace1202]

We live in central AL so I can't provide specifics about the Huntsville area. Both of our girls (13, 11) developed asthma within a year of living here (we moved from the Midwest). Our oldest has improved with medication but it flares up in the fall when temperatures begin to change. Our other daughter has cough-variant asthma and allergies and she continues to get worse (carries 2 inhalers, nasal spray, etc). We moving back to the Midwest this May and their health was one of the prime reasons. Best of luck with your health and your decision regarding moving!

[josephhawkinson]

I don't want to scare anyone because my experience of AL is only about visiting a friend few times (Birmingham Area). Last time it was summer and I was surprised to see billboards showing AIR ALERTS due to pollution. I asked my friend and he said mountains around the city block the winds that sweep away the polluted air and air gets polluted sometimes.

The air did bother us while driving that day when there was an alert , but once we were off the highway to my friends home in Chelsea area air was fine to me. You should research a little more because of your condition.

[harry chickpea]

Birmingham air pollution is bad. When I lived there a while back, most of the steel processing was shut down. Since then, some of the plants are busier (Fairfield area) and the pollution sweeping from the southwest part of town to the northeast (Tarrant & Centerpoint) is bad. In November, when we visited B'ham and exited to the south, we could see the cloud of pollution from the Double Oak Mtn area. A couple of years ago I had to be there in July during an ozone alert and my eyes were stinging and throat sore and raspy.

We drove just south of Huntsville yesterday, and I didn't notice anything exceptional about the air.

Most of AL is moist, so some breathing problems may be eased, but if mold is a problem, or you have an allergy to pines, you might want to reconsider. Much of AL is planted in pine as a timber crop, and the above average rainfall and heat lets mold grow easily.

For pure moist air, you have to go further south. My father lived for years on an island in the river near Ft Myers, because of a sinus problem. His near-fatal nosebleeds stopped entirely once he was in that moist environment.

[lisamm]

Originally Posted by Sunnyloohoo

Hello everyone!

I am brand new to this list and I am hoping you can help me.

My doctor recently informed me that I need to start seriously thinking about relocating to a warmer climate because of my worsening asthma. As I've gotten older, the cold temps here in Cleveland, OH have gotten harder to tolerate and my attacks are getting worse and lasting longer.

Each year, my asthma gets bad once we have our first couple of really cold days in the 20's or 30's. In the past, I could use medication to mellow my lungs out but those meds are no longer working.

My husband could transfer to the Huntsville area with very little difficulty so that is a definite possibility for us to move to. What I need to know, however, if it would be a smart move for my lungs. I haven't had much luck finding anything on the internet.

I don't really suffer from allergies very often, however, I will have some issues in the fall around here. I'm not exactly sure what I may be allergic to but I will most likely undergo tests before I make a final decision to move. The main thing at this point is to get away from these really cold winters.

So, I was wondering if anyone has any experiences they can share with respect to temperatures and allergens and living with asthma in northern Alabama.

Thanks so much!

Sunny

I hate to scare you because i loved it in Alabama. I moved to Hunstville from NY. I developed bad allergies that i never knew i had. It was terrible that I had to move back up North to Ct. My son also developed bad allergies. The doctor said it was common that people that moved to Alabama from the North developed bad allergies. I even had a bad sinus infection. I had never had any of these problems before. I also noticed that most people living there all suffer from allergies and asthma. Its sad because hunstville is a beautiful place to live. The people are great. Alabama suffer from bad allergies, even children. When you go to the pharmacy there all they advertise in the front of the store is allergie meds. something i've never seen before I moved there. The other thing i couldn't get use to was the tornado warnings. To many for me and it was scary. If you move go to South Hunstville, not the north. Now that i'm back up north, not once have i had any allergy or sinus problems. Well good luck on your decision.

[lisamm]

One more thing about hunstville, it's like a deep valley surrounded by mountains so there is lots of pollen that just lingers there. The pollen is very high and there are lots of pine trees that you should stay away from. It's sad because out of all the places i lived in Huntsville is the greatest place to raise a family if you could handle the asthma and allergies.

[paintswithcolorsofthewind]

we live in Dothan Alabama and I do not suggest anyone with severe allergies or asthma relocate here. My daughter has asthma but she never Thank God has been here. I just moved here 2 years ago never had any problems with allergies or anything. Now I suffer. Pollen is awful to say the least. and dust. Its hot and humid here. Very differant.

[FedUpInFtMyers]

I just happened upon this thread, and I have asthma. I used to live in Chicagoland and also experienced asthma attacks, worsening, and brochitis during fall and winter. The seasonal changes were the very worst. One thing I wanted to mention to the original poster is that my condition worsened, and I started having problems around the time that we had to turn the heat on. My doctor up north told me to be concerned about air quality INSIDE, too, and that I must be religious about changing the air filter(s) inside of the home. Additionally, he told me that a moist lung is a healthy lung (resistant to infection as well), and therefore, when the furnace is on (heat dries the air), it was imperative to also run a humidifier - at least in the bedroom where I sleep - or, in the alternative, breathe steam. I boiled water in the morning before showering and at night before bed (after I removed my makeup) and put a towel over my head and sat over the steam from the pot. This helped me TREMENDOUSLY and was great for the complexion, too!

[NotYourTypicalSoutherner]

Ahhhh! If you have allergies, beware! I am a near-native of AL, but I've traveled all over the country. I have never been anywhere where the pollen count gets higher than here. We have many beautiful trees, flowers, and grasses, but guess what happens every spring? Pollen EXPLODES everywhere, dusting everything including our cars in a fine yellow powder. I had to start my daily taking of benadryl last week after it warmed up. Someone else mentioned going south to the Gulf where it's moist...that may be your best bet! I had mild asthma as a child, and when we moved from Georgia to Alabama, the pine pollen was awful...I keep sinus infections constantly! When I graduate college in another year or so, I'm hoping to relocate so I can get some relief! Wherever it is though needs to be warm and sunny...the weather in the South has spoiled me!

PS: Have you considered somewhere like the coasts of North or South Carolina? Check the Pollen Count monitors on weather websites to get a good idea of what allergens are out and about!

[Sunnyloohoo]

Hello everyone!

Thanks so much for all of the responses to my question. While I realize some people have asthma issues as a result of outdoor allergies, I really don't think pollen and such bother me. I honestly haven't been able to connect attacks to any type of pollen count, pine tree, or any other plant around here, and I have remained pretty much unaffected during times when friends of mine were suffering miserably with their allergies. The seasonal flareups I struggle through with my asthma seem to me more a result of the temperature changes we get here in the Cleveland area (80 degrees on Monday, 20 degrees on Wednesday). Going from cold to warm and vice-versa is one of the worst things for me. Aside from the temp changes, asthma triggers I am definitely aware for me are dust, cigarette smoke, cat dander and strong physical exertion. I do just fine when it is 90 degrees and humid so long as the temps don't drop 50 degrees the next day. The cold, dry winters are certainly tough, though. Humidifiers help as long as I don't leave my house. That really stinks since winter lasts so many months here. Spending half a year trapped at home is NOT fun!

At any rate, my family and I have decided to vacation in Huntsville during spring break this April. We have reserved the hotel for just over a week. Are the pollen counts and outdoor allergens bad during the second week of April? Perhaps this will be a good test to see how I might do. We intend to do all sorts of outdoor activities, so I can be sure to breath nice and deep to inhale as much Alabama air as possible to see what happens. What do you think?

Thanks a bunch!

Sunny