I have severe nasal allergy such as sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, sometimes coughing mostly late in the night or early in the morning. I live in Sacramento, California, considered to be the worst part of the US in nasal allergies. I am thinking to move into a desert type climate with least vegetation such as Las Vegas, Nevada. Please advise me about that. — Ahmad, California

We need to move from Ohio. I am allergic to dust mites, trees that are grown in Ohio and the Midwest, and grass. My wife is allergic to molds. I can not even take my 5 year old son outside without getting Bhronchitis this year. We are looking at moving to either Arizonia, Southern California, Colorado or Nevada. Which place would be best? I lived in NW Ohio and Central Ohio except for 5 years in Memphis. My allergies have always been bad in Ohio. My allergies were a little better in Memphis. — Rick, Ohio

My husband and I are both born and raised in Chicago where he has struggled with allergies/asthma since he was in grade school. There, he used his inhaler daily, plus using decongestant and antihistamine. He was miserable almost year-round, and got more than the usual number of colds (he had colds at least 4x a year).

Here in Vegas, he is a changed man. Does not use his inhaler AT ALL, and does not use antihistamines nor decongestants. He has not had a cold in 2 years here (we’ve now been here 9).

My story seems to be the exact opposite. I had seasonal allergies and non-allergic rhinitis back in Chicago. Here, I have problems breathing year-round. When the wind blows, forget it - I can’t even venture outside or I’ll be in bed for a day or two.

Maybe we’ll try Utah next! — P., Nevada

I have suffered with hives and allergies all my life. Born and raised in the southeast-TN, FL, NC. As an adult I chose to move around the country to find healthier ground. I went to the Northeast - too cold - so I moved to Las Vegas in 1997.

I thought the dry heat would help. Once you get past the first year of nose bleeds and sinus dryness and dehydration, it does get a little better becuase there are no real season changes. Although there are many new allergies I had never felt before - Watery burning eyes for weeks from the dust and blooming olive trees (olive trees which became such a air hazard they were banned from the county).

The first year was bad but after 8 years I decieded to move back southeast to NC. Mainly due to the pollution (air qaulity) in Las Vegas has gotten so bad. Now that I have been back the first six months have been as it should getting use to the changing of seasons again. In six months I have had two colds which put me into the antibiotic slide. One drug to the next always ends up giving me horroable hives/angioedema for weeks.

Now in my mid 30’s I am finally learning how to deal with my body reactions to environment and medications with all the side effects. Live where it makes you happy and manage the side effects of everthing else. Life is to short to be stuck indoors or in one place. Enjoy life! — GW, North Carolina

I have hay fever and other allergies and the best and clearest I have ever been was in Las Vegas in January. Go figure….. — Pat, Nevada

We have moved from Bellingham, Washington (Northwest Washington) to Reno, Nevada. My son, whom is 3 has never had any allergies. After 3 months of living here he now has a chronic cough, congestion and watery eye. We went back to Washington for the holidays (4 weeks on Christmas Break) and he completely cleared up. So, as far as I can figure he needs a more humid environment. I am trying to combat his symptoms without medications, using a humidifier at night, and a vaporizer. I refuse to throw pills at him, last time I put faith in a medication is came out to be carcinogenic. — E., Nevada

When my son was smaller, we lived in Seattle and Olympia, WA. He had a fair share of Asthma attacks and we thought they were bad, but eventually things improved as he got older.

Now his is 24 and lives with us in Las Vegas, NV area and functions pretty well, but has had three terrible attacks that to me and him were much worse than when he was a child. There are so many triggers here we didn’t have in Washington. Yes, it’s dry, so the summer is better for him but when it turns dry and cold, and we’re in the house more, he has these terrible, almost killer attacks.

We spray for bugs all the time and seem to have them almost eliminated but we do have pets. He really shouldn’t be living with us (we got the dog after he grew up as our daughter had never been able to have a dog). Now he’s back and it’s tough for everyone.

Anyway, I’ve been exploring the idea of a better climate for him. We have lots of pollen problems here too and that surprises many people because you’re in a desert and don’t think it will be that much of a problem. So I’d sure like to here of some other experiences. — S.M.S., Nevada

[Originally posted to AllergyNursing.com on December 2, 2003]