OK.....Can we talk about the poisonous air here..? (Austin: sale, buy)

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Aren't allergens low in general in the heat of the summer? Mold is low, no "cedar," elm, etc.

No. Mold is often high during the summer; it's normal. You can scroll through last summer's counts: Allergy Forecast | Austin Weather News, Videos | KVUE.com | Austin, TX

Grasses are also present in summer.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Idlewile

No. Mold is often high during the summer; it's normal. You can scroll through last summer's counts: Allergy Forecast | Austin Weather News, Videos | KVUE.com | Austin, TX

Grasses are also present in summer.

It depends on the summer. During the drought year, all grasses went dormant during the summer and the pollen was at an all time low. Then there was no ragweed that year either.

This year, with all the rain, will probably be horrible for allergy and mold sufferers.

[orngkat]

I've lived here thirty years and don't have any allergies I am aware of so it's possible to not be affected by them at all. Speaking of poisonous air though, I am mostly concerned with the proliferation of cars with the recent population influx. That type of air pollution has really increased. Also, get ready for the agricultural smoke that comes from Central America every year in April-May. Lots of hazy sunless days.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by opalminor

That is, if Austin can stop patting itself on the back and bragging about its music festivals and so on, to talk about the subject that no one wants to talk about.... and that is the pollen and MOLD that makes so many people here feel crappy on a frequent-to-daily basis...!

(If you DON'T want to talk about it, feel free to ignore this thread. )

OK... so WHAT is the deal with the fact that every pollen count website seems to contradict the other one..?? Are any of them accurate at all..?

The U.S. map on a popular pollen website usually shows Texas as a huge dark red spot (high count) in a country full of yellow and green (lower counts). Basically the highest count in the whole country. That's the one that makes sense to me (because it coincides with how I feel that day).
And yet you'll go to another site, and it says today's count 'medium' and another one says 'low'. Or it says 'no reading' or 'N/A'. .....Wtf....?? Hello, this is a pretty important issue here in Austin- that affects the well-being of so many on a daily basis. Why can't they get their facts straight..?? WHY isn't there more accurate information out there..?

I once went to an allergy doc and was told I've have to spend almost $1000 to get tested to 'see what I was allergic to'. Well it's obvious what it is.. (pollen/mold) and, no thanks. So treatment seems out of reach for many of us. And I'm not convinced a daily pill would work anyway.

It would be one thing if there was an allergy 'season' like other places.. but the problem is... the 'allergy season' is ALL YEAR LONG. It never ends....! And it's not just the cedar and other pollen, but the MOLD that is a big one. If the pollen's high, the mold's low, and when the pollen's low, then the mold's high. Or, it's ALL just high.

So on days when they say the pollen is low but you still feel crappy (sinus headache, achy etc.), check the MOLD count, because that's probably why. It took me a long time to figure out what that nasty little devil was that makes me so sick is.. it's invisible, it's stealthy, it's totally unpredictable... apparently it's called ALTERNARIA and it's mold that thrives in DRY areas. Geez.. who knew?? I couldn't figure out why MOLD was such a big deal here.. aren't we in a perpetual drought forever? But yes, apparently Austin is cursed with this Alternaria thing, that thrives on dry vegetation. Why don't they talk about this on the news every day and EDUCATE people about it.. so people don't have to wonder why they feel so sick half the time for no reason...?? They may mention 'cedar fever' but they never seem to mention mold/Alternaria. Every time I try to search for info about it, all the articles are about black mold in homes. Or they say stuff like 'take your shoes off in the house and wash your hair and pillow every day.' Yeah.. right. Sorry but that's no gonna cut it. Somehow, even when you're in your house all day, it gets THROUGH the walls and into your sinuses. I've experienced this. HOW does this happen....? I don't understand.

I guess they don't want to discourage people/businesses from moving here... but the reality is, it truly DOES affect many people's ability to function, to be healthy, work, survive, etc.

It's a shame that the climate is so temperate, but many people can't really enjoy it. The fact is, since there's really no winter here, its never kills off the pollen, mold and other nasties that make people sick.. so there is literally NO BREAK from it. At least where it snows, you know you're going to have a break!
I've lost count of the days where I wanted to open a window to let in some fresh air.. but I can't, because there is rarely any fresh air... because it's full of pollen and mold that I don't want to let in the house. So, that's why I used to think the air was so clean here (less pollution than many other places).. but sadly, I see it differently now.

Anyone else have a similar experience, or just as frustrated as I am, or know of a solution (along with moving elsewhere, obviously).....?

Just looking for an honest discussion (not snarky 'don't let the door hit ya on the way out' and all those usual comments). Thanks!

Who is this "they" that you are demanding inform you and take over responsibility for ensuring you understand your own health?

Whoever "they" are, they clearly arent taking care of you well enough and should be fired..

Ill add that Im not affected at all, but my wife, dog, and one child are. If any of them get it bad like I see with some of my friends, I would move the family in a heartbeat.

Idlewile said austin isnt good enough to put up with it. I would actually say no place is good enough to put up with that level of suffering. My wife is stubborn and wont go see the allergist. I have had multiple friends get shots and drops that reduce the symptoms enough that over the counter drugs take the edge of the rest except on the very worst of days.

[Topaz]

Here is my crazy contribution to this discussion: I had "seasonal" allergies to so many things (pollen, mold, pretty much every green growing thing but especially cedar, etc.) that I had allergies all year round.

Someone told me to try avoiding gluten to see if my allergies improved so I thought it couldn't hurt to try it. I went 100% gluten-free and my allergies disappeared completely.

I could have done this 20 years ago if I had any idea how much gluten affects me.

Just something to potentially try.

[rangergrit]

>"Why don't they talk about this on the news every day and EDUCATE people about it."
>"I didn't mean to imply there was some kind of 'conspiracy'.. just frustrated at the lack of information, that's all. "

opalminor, I understand your pain. But I want to quibble with you about the above quotes.

In Austin, we get lot's of "news" and "information" about allergies. Before Austin, I never saw any allergy info. Here, pollen counts are on the local TV newscasts every day and in the newspaper every day. And on the wall of every exam room at my Doctors. I had never seen any of that before coming here.

Glad you found C-D. It's a great resource for info on local allergy problems.

[Leaving Arizona]

What's this filthy, nasty, allergy-ridden air in Austin you refer to? God, it's like a paradise for me. I was driving tonight in NW Austin and had my windows down, and I gloried in the air, so different and it smelled good.

My hometown is in a large valley that holds in pollution, particulates, smoke, and the pollen from the weeds that everyone else dragged in from all four corners. If there's no wind to push it out to the west, it's very reminiscent of Los Angeles, right down to a nice layer that obscures the mountain tops and ranges in the distance. This has only been a relatively recent development - growing up there, it was great. Once the population boomed in the 80s and 90s, though, game over.

I never had 'allergies' until about ten years ago - at one point, I went in thinking I had some horrific ailment, Valley Fever at the least, and nope! Allergies, just seasonal allergies. But in the last few years, OTC drugs hardly touched it anymore, and I had a horrible, incessant, croupy cough that never really went away.

After a little over six weeks here, the coughing's gone. I get the very occasional ninja-sneeze, which I consider normal for the pollen/mold counts, but holy cow do I feel better.

Tangent question: how much of it is due to the fact that it's hilly/flatter here and not hemmed in with mountains?

[Aquitaine]

I went 100% gluten-free and my allergies disappeared completely.

Not an uncommon sentiment in Austin! 1% of the population has Celiac disease but over 11% of households buy gluten free products. Makes it more affordable for the 1% that actually need them!

There is not any documented evidence linking gluten (which causes inflammation in your duodenum if you have Celiac) to allergic reactions in your respiratory system; nor do the symptoms of Celiac disease have much in common with pollen or mold allergies. But this is 2015, so 'I used to <x> and then I stopped eating <y> and now <z>' is all the evidence some folks need!

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Aquitaine

But this is 2015, so 'I used to <x> and then I stopped eating <y> and now <z>' is all the evidence some folks need!

I'm sure that is in here somewhere.

[creepy]

[quote=opalminor;38778300]That is, if Austin can stop patting itself on the back and bragging about its music festivals and so on, to talk about the subject that no one wants to talk about.... and that is the pollen and MOLD that makes so many people here feel crappy on a frequent-to-daily basis...!

Thanks for bringing this up. Yes the allergy potential is terrible here. Any potential new Austinites should know this. This is no joke and not at all like my sometimes being silly and writing the slogan "Don't Move Here" randomly.

I must have a low susceptibility for allergies because it took 20 years here for me personally to get them, yes 20 years! But I meet lots of people who have terrible allergies due to living here. Stress also exacerbates them. In 1996 my 20th year here, actually 22nd my FIL died I got the worst allergies I have ever had and had to get a steroid shot.

My husband's family all have terrible allergies, my husband included and they regularly get sinus infections. One time his Mom broke out in a rash over half her torso from gardening. She gets steroid shots year round(scary health risk). Some of his Aunts get Bronchitis and have asthma.

Not sure about the accuracy of the stats though. I mostly ignore them. I get allergies yearly in Sept. for 2 weeks. It seems to be at a time when no one else gets them. I do my nasal spray, Mucinex, antihistamines and sometimes the Neti pot and whip it in the butt real good and knock it out within 2 weeks usually.