Austin Mold Allergy (Dallas, Lubbock, Orange: best cities, apartment, house)

[Bo]

I have a mold allergy and get along just fine 80 miles south in San Antonio. I had to get allergy shots every 2 weeks for nearly 2 years to get to that point, but it worked. Since there are few places in the world one can live to be free of mold, I felt it was better to change my body's reaction to allergens than to move away from them.

[CptnRn]

Welcome to Austin - Allergies in Austin


http://www.centraltexasallergy.com/pollenchart.gif

[hillcountryheart]

Visit Marfa, by all means, and Alpine and Fort Davis and hike the trails of the Big Bend National Park. Everyone should do this at least once.

I have a friend who's lived in Texas for years, moved with her husband to ABQ for his health (allergies, especially molds) - and then moved back about a year ago for family reasons.

They're miserable.

The reason we have mold here is that we dam the Colorado for recreation and water supply. If not for the Colorado and the lakes, we'd have a very arid climate. We also import mold from the Gulf in the summer on the prevailing southeasterly winds. I'm not saying we ought to un-dam the Colorado; but instead realize that some of the misery is caused by something we benefit from.

[SpeedAndFade]

How did your friend feel while living in Abq?

[SergeL]

Originally Posted by SpeedAndFade

I live on the East coast and have been beset by strange health problems of late. I have invested quite a bit on a variety of alternative practitioners. Sadly, things have only gotten worse. My doctor now told it to me straight recently. Telling me that he's had a number of people like me leave the area and move to the Southwest and feel better. I recently tested highly allergic to mold. I have felt better on trips to Southern California and even on a trip to Vegas last year. Now my doc did specifically mention New Mexico. As an adult, I have lived in Boston, DC, and Chicago. I spent most summers right on the ocean here. I am sure New Mexico is a perfectly lovely place, but I just don't see myself being happy there. I really love Austin when I have visited. So I defer to those on this forum. Maybe you've known someone who moved to Austin to escape mold issues or vice versa. Information on the internet is somewhat contradictory on which cities are good and which are not. Airborne allergies are not so much an issue.

Austin on paper would be great and moving for health reasons would be something of a fringe benefit. I'm a single guy and see Austin as much preferred as to say Phoenix, Nevada, and especially Abq. My sense from visiting has also been that alternative health (juice bars, organic grocery stores, naturopaths, etc) is an accepted practice there.

I'd likely have to spend at least 6 weeks somewhere first to see if it really helped me feel better. If it does its a no brainer. I appreciate all feedback.

From my personal experience, coming to Austin from DC metro after 11 years being there, I can tell you that I don't have any allergic reactions so far. I've been allergic to every single tree on the East Cost and I was suffering from very bad allergies from Spring till Fall. I would assume that I'll probably develop some allergies in Austin, but so far I'm feeling much better than in DC (for various reasons ).

I believe there are no place on earth, except both poles, where allergies will not haunt you

[hillcountryheart]

Originally Posted by SpeedAndFade

How did your friend feel while living in Abq?

Fantastic and only returned here because a teenaged kid really was not able to made the switch.
As a parent I understand this, and I too am in Austin only for my kid (shared custody).

I also feel much better in the desert or arid mountains as do many of my family members. I'm moving when I can.

Phoenix has far too many golf courses and imported plants and is in a valley, meaning pollution. My impression is far less favorable than of ABQ, but there are obviously more jobs.

[sloppymeg]

Originally Posted by SergeL

I believe there are no place on earth, except both poles, where allergies will not haunt you

Amazingly, the beach environment is great for me. Maybe the onshore winds blow all of my main triggers away? One day I hope to convince my non-beachy spouse to retire on the beach.

[hillcountryheart]

Originally Posted by sloppymeg

Amazingly, the beach environment is great for me. Maybe the onshore winds blow all of my main triggers away? One day I hope to convince my non-beachy spouse to retire on the beach.

If you mean the Texas gulf coast, then yes. The worst pollen allergens, cedar and mold, are not as bad because those trees are much less common there than here. I have lived both places, and the cedar allergy kicked in for me around year 4 of living in Austin.

[sloppymeg]

Originally Posted by hillcountryheart

If you mean the Texas gulf coast, then yes. The worst pollen allergens, cedar and mold, are not as bad because those trees are much less common there than here. I have lived both places, and the cedar allergy kicked in for me around year 4 of living in Austin.

Gulf coast in general for me. Florida, Alabama, Texas. Any of those places have been great vacation spots for me.

Thankfully, cedar doesn't seem to cause any more issues for me. I don't generally get the sneezing, coughing though. Just horrible headaches, fatigue, postnasal nastiness, malaise. I live with many of my allergens (2 cats, dog, houseful of dustmites) though, so perhaps it's more the being away than the actual locale. I'll just keep believing it's the healing effects of sand and waves.

[tazbigdog]

I grew up on the east coast and up until 3 years ago, never even thought of moving to Texas. I lost my job in PA due to the crazy economy and found one here in Texas. I have had allergies for over 40 years. While sometimes it was bad on the east coast, the majority of time it was tolerable.

Fast forward for me for the last three years...allergies here, mold, cedar, etc. are TERRIBLE! So bad, that I am thinking of retiring early and moving to an allergy-less state (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico or even Colorado). Just when I think I have a handle on this here in Austin, another allergy kicks in. Cedar is devastating, mold is crazy, oaks, etc are just plain painful.

While I like the state and its citizens, the allergies are the worse.