Mold Allergy

I have allergies and asthma--went through the testing process about 8 months ago and it showed that I was highly sensitive to Oak pollen, Mountain Cedar pollen, and mold.  The past two weeks have been terrible allergy weeks for me, and since neither oak nor mountain cedar are pollenating right now I assumed it was mold...and sure enough the mold counts are high.  Do the typical allergy medicines not cover well for mold?  I've been taking Zyrtec for my allergies and I take Qvar and Foradil for the asthma.  Are there other options for better controlling a mold allergy?

Sherry

[National Jewish Health]

While you may truly be allergic to tree pollen, there is controversy about the role these pollens play in allergic asthma.  See the following.

Pollen allergy has been found in 80-90% of childhood asthmatics and 40-50% of adult-onset asthmatics. Despite the high prevalence of atopy (a tendency to be allergic) in asthmatics, a causal relationship between the allergic response and asthma has not been clearly established. Pollen grains are too large to penetrate the small airways where asthma occurs. Yet pollen fragments are respirable and may be correlated with the asthmatic response in allergic asthmatics.

You may or may not be reacting to mold.  And the therapeutic response of mold allergy, to antihistamines, varies greatly from person to person and is highly dependent on the intensity of one’s exposure.  But, you should not assume that you are allergic only to the positively reacting allergens you were tested for.  There may be allergens, other than mold, to which you are allergic.  The more common allergens, unequivocally responsible for allergic responses in persons with asthma include animal (cat, dog, birds) dander, cockroach, and the house dust mite.  You should discuss this with your allergist and review with him/her the most likely indoor allergens in your home or workplace that might exacerbate your asthma.

Good luck

[dzinor6148]

A related discussion, toxic black mold was started.