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Hello. I am a 48-year old with pollen allergies and severe asthma, somewhat COPD-like (though I've never smoked.) We have decided to relocate since my husband was laid off back in November. We hate Illinois-the weather mostly, but also the lack of interesting things to do. We would like to be within 5 miles of the coast. Decided against Florida for now because of the crime, red tide, and lack of good schools. (We currently home school, but would like to keep our options open.). My allergist said he thought anywhere near an ocean would be better for me, but he really seemed quite clueless actually. I have read that living at sea-level is best for COPD lungs. I saw Charleston was #9 on a list some years ago of best cities to live with asthma. Does anyone have any experience with how the Charleston area is for allergic asthmatics? I know it's humid, but is there a breeze off the ocean, and how far inland does it extend (Hanahan?) Thanks!
This is anecdotal, since I don't live there yet, but my mother in GA was telling me that the Charleston area was getting pollen so bad a few weeks ago that it was showing up as snow on weather radars.
The yellow/green covering we get each Spring is thick & highly visible. I myself am not affected by allergies but so many friends are miserable. Of course, anything outside needs to be cleaned quite often during those 2 weeks.
Don't know if that will end your thoughts of Charleston, but do know that this happens beyond just here: my family inland & north in Raleigh experiences the same thing.
... I don't live there yet, but my mother in GA was telling me ...
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OP, fwiw mrs soulsea has asthma and mild environmental allergies and she hasn't had an episode since we moved here a couple of years ago. I'm sure someone with more sensitivity can add further feedback.
The yellow/green covering we get each Spring is thick & highly visible. I myself am not affected by allergies but so many friends are miserable. Of course, anything outside needs to be cleaned quite often during those 2 weeks.
Don't know if that will end your thoughts of Charleston, but do know that this happens beyond just here: my family inland & north in Raleigh experiences the same thing.
If I get the job, I will deal with it! I have allergies here also in WV
OP, fwiw mrs soulsea has asthma and mild environmental allergies and she hasn't had an episode since we moved here a couple of years ago. I'm sure someone with more sensitivity can add further feedback.
Hey, no need for that. Mom's kinda obsessing over my move and getting back closer to home, so she's plugged into Charleston as much as she can online and via people she knows there. Sue me for passing information along that was given to me because of my own allergies.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. The pollen truly sounds awful in Charleston. Here in Illinois we definitely have it, but I don't recall seeing a yellow coating of it anywhere!
So, I've been doing more research and it looks like we may need to reconsider Florida, particularly the Atlantic coast that gets more breezes and has several towns that made asthma and allergy good lists (Palm Bay area, Boca Raton.). California is supposed to be good by San Francisco or San Diego, but it's too expensive for us. I saw that Sarasota and Naples also made a good list or two, but I just know my lungs would react horribly to that potent red tide the gulf side gets. I feel I need a breezy ocean and not a desert, but apparently need to avoid anything north of Melbourne/Palm Bay area (too many of the trees I'm allergic to.) I just wish I heard better things about living in southeast Florida!
Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. The pollen truly sounds awful in Charleston. Here in Illinois we definitely have it, but I don't recall seeing a yellow coating of it anywhere!
So, I've been doing more research and it looks like we may need to reconsider Florida, particularly the Atlantic coast that gets more breezes and has several towns that made asthma and allergy good lists (Palm Bay area, Boca Raton.). California is supposed to be good by San Francisco or San Diego, but it's too expensive for us. I saw that Sarasota and Naples also made a good list or two, but I just know my lungs would react horribly to that potent red tide the gulf side gets. I feel I need a breezy ocean and not a desert, but apparently need to avoid anything north of Melbourne/Palm Bay area (too many of the trees I'm allergic to.) I just wish I heard better things about living in southeast Florida!
The big yellow pollen comes from pine trees and only has a peak about 3 weeks out of the year that everybody notices it. They say it doesn't really cause allergies because it's heavy and visible compared to the more invisible pollen that comes from trees people are actually allergic to. That being said I don't think I've ever heard of it actually causing an asthma attack. Half our family has allergies and asthma and during pollen season the allergies sufferers get running noses and the asthma sufferers don't get anything.
I loved Florida when I lived there , but as a heads up I've never lived in a place that had so many forrest fires. It doesn't rain much for about 9 months out of the year which means by May/June something is either on fire or they're doing controlled burns to prevent it from lighting on fire. It was mildly annoying to me, but an asthmatic might have more problems. I'd say the forrest fires are far more prevalent than red tide. You don't actually smell red tide unless you're really close to the beach. Even so, you might get an episode of red tide only on a specific beach once every few years.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. The pollen truly sounds awful in Charleston. Here in Illinois we definitely have it, but I don't recall seeing a yellow coating of it anywhere!
So, I've been doing more research and it looks like we may need to reconsider Florida, particularly the Atlantic coast that gets more breezes and has several towns that made asthma and allergy good lists (Palm Bay area, Boca Raton.). California is supposed to be good by San Francisco or San Diego, but it's too expensive for us. I saw that Sarasota and Naples also made a good list or two, but I just know my lungs would react horribly to that potent red tide the gulf side gets. I feel I need a breezy ocean and not a desert, but apparently need to avoid anything north of Melbourne/Palm Bay area (too many of the trees I'm allergic to.) I just wish I heard better things about living in southeast Florida!
I have a friend with Asthma and she feels that asthma is so different for everyone and suggested that you call Charleston Allergy and Asthma Charleston Allergy & Asthma Consultants: Care & Treatment and talk to them about what your triggers are. She recommended Dr Ball there.
The ocean's presence affect the weather and air quality as far inland as Hanahan (and much farther) but that's different than "feeling the ocean breezes". That effect only extends inland if you're up along one of the rivers.
I thought the pollen was worse in Georgia from the pine trees. We lived in Buford, Suwanee area.
It's tough to say how much is the area and how much is just from changes. My mother used an inhaler for 30 years and then out of the blue at 80, she has not had any breathing issues. She didn't move. My husband and son are considered asthmatic but compared to up north their symptoms in Georgia or in South Carolina have not been bad at all. Is it because of the environment or have their allergies just changed.
They say that the pollen we see is primarily pine pollen and is not the most irritating pollen for allergy sufferers but my view on that is -- if you are having trouble breathing -- that stuff coats your lungs and can't be good -- lol....
My conclusion -- hard to say -- you might find the mold, dampness etc irritates you more -- or you might be okay....who knows.
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