A Reaction to something in sleeping environment

[Matress]

Hello
I have a reaction to "something" which I sleep on or with or near so mattress, pillows etc.
My Girlfriend has the same reaction.

The symptoms are:
Nasal passage inflammation makes it difficult to breath
Saliva thickens
Headaches
Red sore eyes
If I sleep on my bed now I have what feels like a hangover the next day
Sometimes we get Heart palpitations lying on our mattress
We have tried lots of different mattress, pillows ...

It has been going on for years now and we cant get to bottom of it.
We do not use memory foam mattress. I get a milder form of the reaction when I sleep with the Duvets and pillows from our bedroom.
WE presently sleep downstairs with sleeping bags on couch and have no reaction.
We have tried many different types of mattress, duvets and pillows. but always come back to sleeping with minimal cushions and sleeping bags

I am an analyst by profession but this problem has me completely flummoxed.

Please help.

[Matress]

Hi Jerry -

Do you feel worse in the Morning after a night on your bed?

I read this website about the side effects some people have to their mattress (often memory foam) my symptoms tally with this collection of stories.

http://www.chem-tox.com/guest/guestbook.html


But as You said my reaction is not limited to sleeping on my mattress but it is always much worse when I sleep on it.

[Jerry_NJ]

I have lived in the same house for about 25 years, same bedroom with one mattress replacement (and box springs) about 6 years ago.  I don't associate my congestion with the mattress, but now I wonder... still you haven't found your mattress(es) to be the problem.  

We have some radon gas but it is below the dangerous level, but it has had years to work on me/us.  

Mine doesn't seem to be related to pollen, I have the problem year round.  Dust could be a problem, we don't do the best job of house cleaning, vacuum (not a special low emission unit) and dusting is should be done more, and my full basement is full of stuff - including  desk and computer arranged as my "office".. but I don't spend much time there any more.

I will talk again with my Primary Care at my annual physical exam later this month.  He put me on Fluticassone Proportionate nasal spray which when I use twice a day (maximum allowed) it surely helps if I back it up with often use of saline spray. None of this works as well as the over-the-counter Afrin (or Walmart substitute) which I am told I can not use every day.  I have been off of that for about 5 days, using the prescription spray and my sleep breathing is tolerable, but I do wake with some panic and It doesn't seem to be for lack of oxygen.  At least the upside nostril is working I have some dry mouth irritation indicating I have been breathing through my mouth.  Unrelated I think, but connected in my night time discomfort is a suffer too from dream problems, I call it trouble mares, a soft night mare.

I have never gone to an ENT doctor, but may following my physical exam after discussing with my primary care doctor.

Spring is coming in NJ, and we have tons of pollen, I live out in the country with acres of trees and wild/natural vegetation - my car parked outside becomes covered in a visible coating of the pollen.  I also mow a lot of property, without use of a breathing mask... still, I have the same congestion problem in the winter, almost no pollen.  

I have considered trying an pillow change to some special material for allergy problems... maybe I can also get something more comfortable.. I see some interesting shapes offered.

[Matress]

Hi Jerry -

So you have congestion issues whenever you lie down? What causes this? Is it a reaction to a material\bed clothes? Or is it something to do with blood circulation?

I had always assumed my reaction was to a material (dust, dust mite, cotton, latex, polyester....etc) but having eliminated most of these I am at a dead end!

[Matress]

Hi - thanks for response. Because we have changed bedroom and house many times yet we continue to have our reaction I am trying to discover what are the common denominators in each environment.

[Matress]

This reaction has been going on for 4 years now.
In 4 different houses, 4 different mattresses, innumerable pillows and duvets.

I do not know what causes it. it is limited to my bed I have never had a reaction when standing in the room or sitting on my chair in the room.

Some decongestants work but I am trying to discover the source of the reaction not simply reduce the symptoms.

There must be more people out there who have reactions to\in their sleeping environment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am looking to buy an organic mattress but I am unsure whether this will solve to problem. Recently I slept on a new duvet on the floor and I had my reaction when I woke up in the morning. I was downstairs so not close to the mattress.

Please help

[Jerry_NJ]

Is your nasal inflammation what some (me) might call congestion?  Does it respond to over-the-counter 12 decongestant spry like Afrin (mine does)?

Do you get relief the first night away from your bedroom, sleeping in sleeping bags?  My congestion, while limited mostly to times of lying down, happens wherever I lie down.

Answers to my questions may be of value only to me, but they may help others come up with additional helpful suggestions.

As noted above, it sounds like there's something other than your bed/bedding that is causing the allergy.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi and welcome, it does not seem to coming from the bed or bedding since you have changed everything. What changes did you make in your bedroom over the last year or so. New furniture, paint, carpeting?