Which is good to keep me health ? I am live Eugene, Oregon and I have been sick everyday cause of allergy. I am take allergy shot both my arms same day every 3 week’s. But not help cause I am worse more allergy and hurt my headache & my face.

I am allergy cause of maple trees and grass, smoke, dust, mites and any other unknow. I want to know which state’s is good to keep me health stay away allergy. I am looking for moving to other state from Oregon. What about South - East California or Arizona or which is good to me moving ? — Patsy, Oregon

I have lived in Portland, OR for almost nine years, and my allergies (mold, yeast, dust, pollen) have worsened. For the last two years, I’ve been unable to work for days or weeks in March due to severe eczema. I need to move–but Colorado, which my doctor recommended, seems TOO dry from what I’ve read on this website. I’m also considering Berkeley, CA, or New England (I’m from NH & didn’t have nearly as much of a problem there). Any thoughts? I haven’t read anything about New England climates here & would love to hear from there especially. — M.N., Oregon

I developed allergies in my early twenties. I lived in Northeastern Ohio for a few years and was miserable (grass mostly). Northern California was horrible as soon as the grass began to flower. Couldn’t breathe in Portland. Thought I was going to die in Vancouver,BC. Started to develop asthma.

The only thing that helped anywhere was air conditioning. I was also told about chewing local honeycomb (spit out the wax) starting about a month before pollen season begins. This actually worked for everything except the grass (bees don’t go for grass I guess :o(

Makes sense. The pollen is in the honey and by eating the local kind, one slowly assimilates the local pollen. But what to do about grass?

I’m on Maui now. Different grasses but the Waddle trees here leave enough pollen to coat a house! Shorter season than grass though, and not quite as bad. Cost of living here is killing me instead!

Still looking for comfort. I’m considering Arizona. Any comments??? — BGS, Hawaii

I’m from Los Angeles, and I had minor asthma there, I moved to Seattle and began serious sinus problems, I’m now in Portland, Oregon and I have life threatening asthma as well as very frequent and painful sinus problems. My doc agreed Portland is the worst place for my allergies esp. to grasses. I’m considering Denver, Co I heard there are no dust mite allergies is this true? My doc also recommended Hawaii, any advice on Hawaii for pollen and allergies? Or any other best cities in the US? — Rebecca, California

Illinois (Chicago area): Awful. Lived there as a child, was often miserable.

Northern New Mexico: Moderate symptoms, but a tremendous improvement from Illinois.

Northern Utah: No symptoms whatsoever.

Eastern Washington (Tri-Cities): Bad, too much airborne dust.

Western Washington (Seattle): Light symptoms, dramatic improvement.

Western Oregon (Portland): Awful. Ryegrass season was sheer hell. 80-90% of the world’s ryegrass seed is produced in the Willamette Valley! Brought back long-suppressed bad childhood memories.

Coastal California (Santa Barbara and San Francisco): Very few symptoms.

Best compromise between personal preference in climate and symptoms has been Seattle area; probably anywhere on coast or Puget Sound area would be as good. — DWB, Washington

I’ve lived in southern California (Los Angeles), western Montana (Missoula and Bozeman), Arizona (Tucson and Phoenix), and northern Oregon (Portland). The best experience I’ve had is Tucson and the second best is Phoenix. The worst so far has been Portland.

My opinion is that in Arizona it’s so dry and hot that after April nothing blooms again until January or February, giving a person 9 months of light allergies to complete allergy relief. However, beware that Arizona has become not as good for allergy sufferers over the years due to the increasing amount of grass (golf courses and master planned developments); that being said, there’s a movement to introduce more xeriscaping (desert landscaping) which may, in time, restore the natural balance in the area.

In Montana, there are some rough months (May/June/July) but it’s so cold and wet that there’s not a lot that happens allergy wise from October through April.

Portland, OR has been terrible. Every day’s worth of rain brings days worth of blooming and, when things aren’t blooming, they’re moldy. I’ve yet to find a prescription or OTC medication that manages my Portland hay fever. Symptoms range from constricted breathing to extended sneezing sessions. — TK, Oregon

I grew up in Michigan - where my allergies/asthma begun around 8 yrs. old and it stayed semi-severe into my teens.

I moved to Houston, Texas in my 20’s, where I rarely had any symptoms the whole 8 yrs. I lived there.

I then joined the Navy, which moved me to Whidbey Island, Washington, where I had a few problems the 5 yrs. that I had lived there.

I now live near Portland, Oregon and I usually have mild asthma symptoms throughout the year - I use my inhaler frequently. I’m allergic to mold, pollen, grass, weeds, trees. Of course, there’s lots of mold here - due to all of the rain. — Marie, Oregon

[Originally posted to AllergyNursing.com on May 18, 2003]