I'm allergic to whaaaatt?

[HorsesinHaiti]

The first weekend of April, my allergies blew up. So I went to an allergist mid-month, and after changing my meds he had me come for skin testing today. Now, keep in mind that my allergies blew up when the trees started shedding pollen, but the symptoms cleared up as soon as I went to a barn with 40 horses and stayed cleared as long as I stayed there, only to come roaring back as soon as I went home. I know I react to ragweed and maybe mold.

Results? I show little reaction to the oak that we THOUGHT I was reacting to. No real skin reaction to mold either. What do I react to?

Timothy and Orchard Grass and ‘meadow fescue’. Despite the horses being fed grass hay in those very barns. Ragweed and dust mites also get me, but the grass allergy is the big one on skin tests. I don’t react when I stand in the middle of our lawn.

Go figure. Oh, and I react to leather on bare skin if I am hot and sweaty for too long. Might not be a true allergy, they didn’t test for leather/ metals.

Does anyone here have to work around allergies to hay? to Horses? Can you manage a work around?

[WNT]

I skin tested through the roof for the timothy mix and alfalfa mix when I was tested a few years ago. I think most hay is cut before the flowers form, so I don’t think pollen is as much of an issue with hay. I used to get welts from western timothy hay, but east coast hay doesn’t do it.

Flonase has been my friend, it has really done a lot to alleviate my nasal and throat reactions, but my eyes are still itchy and puffy. I do keep an albuterol inhaler nearby, as my allergies will kick off an asthma attack if I’m not careful. I can’t currently take an oral antihistamine unless I absolutely have to as it can lower breast milk production (the things one learns having a kid!) and we’re not done yet. My other go-to is a sinus rinse bottle. I use the squeeze bottle, not the Neti pot; but cleaning the pollen and crap out when I get home from the barn or a walk really helps too.

When I was working in the barn 5 days a week, I would wear a dust mask cleaning stalls and sweeping hay areas. When I know pollen counts are high, I will use it grooming my horse too, since he’s probably covered in it. I need to be better about washing the dog after walks, since he sleeps on my pillow if I’m not looking.

[Haven_tJumpedInALongTime]

I am highly allergic to hay. I would use feeders that I pre-filled for a week at a time. I would cover myself from head to toe - jeans, boots, long sleeve shirt, gloves - before handling the hay, and then take a shower afterwards.

[gypsymare]

Leather is processed with a bunch of different chemicals that you could be reacting to, some of them very toxic

[HorsesinHaiti]

I figure that the leather reaction is contact dermatitis. The doc put me on Flonase and another nasal drug.

hay being cut before it flowers makes sense.

[vali]

DD is allergic to grasses, trees, hay, dust, and horses (and the cats and dog to boot). She’s starting allergy shots this month.

[walkers]

Yes Yes, I can’t even be home when they mow the pastures. If I have to hay the horses I wear a serious face mask and sunglasses or safety glasses. Your eyes are another way for pollen to get in your system. I’ve always had dust allergies but the grasses came on when I started keeping my horses at home. I used to love to mow , never again unless I want to feel sick for a week.
Allegra an hour before feeding and then a good face and hair wash after, actually better to never bring those barn clothes in the house but dump them right into the washer. I keep all barn and horse clothes in closet in mud room plus barn boots and have house shoes that never go outside.
I have lots of these tricks so I can feel healthy around the farm . I’ve never had any help from allergy shots and I’ve done them 3 times in my life. Total waste.
Best advice is what I said above , keep it out of your eyes and nose then wash up after you come in and NEVER let anyone bring the grass pollen inside plus keep the windows closed when mowing or hay is delivered or its very windy.

Also with allergens we get more sensitive to them but do the above and you’ll manage. I can deal with the runny nose and such but hate the brain fog and tiredness.
I’d do almost anything to avoid that awful brain fog but Not give up my horses.

[walkers]

Trick with your dog is take a real wet towel and just wipe him/her all over, paws to and much quicker than washing.The Neti pots are dangerous for mold but there are better ways to do it. PM if you want that system.

[DJohn]

I have a really bad hay allergy. I learned this when, after throwing hay one year my throat closed up and I couldn’t breathe. Had to go to the hospital.
I cannot throw hay, brushing my horse makes me sneeze to no end, eyes water etc. A doctor told me once that I’d have to sell my horse and stop riding… ya right.

Anyhow, I manage by always keeping a Benadryl handy as well as using nasal allergy spray before work. I am also allergic to most car air fresheners and perfume. It’s tough but I deal!

[LLee]

I have asthma and IF I don’t get an attack under control right away it could be another (and final) trip to ER. Always have my inhaler, have rescue meds at home and also a breathing machine for stronger meds. My Dr. said she would miss my sarcastic sense of humor if I croaked, so she loaded me up. Hay makes me sneeze and wheeze so I avoid it during summer, but in winter it has little affect on me. Blooming honeysuckle makes me stop breathing so I have eradicated it from my farm. I avoid perfume counters, soap aisle, elevators with humans drenched in stinky perfumes, and Cracker Barrel restaurants due to their STINKY scented entry. I have been tested and am not allergic to any animals, just all the weeds on the planet.