This is my first time on here I'll try keep it short , I just feel so angry emotional
And frustrated . I was taken to hospital 6 months ago with breathing difficulties after suffering with a cough for 3 months and after I was diagnosed with asthma. I haven't felt well ever since even with
Medication and 95% of the time I have to live with this feeling of a heavy weight on my chest the cough isn't often anymore and I have no wheezing since hospital visit . Just shortness of breath and this heavy feeling my inhalers don't seem to improve either. When it rains ( most days) and high humidity ( where I live it seems to be always near or 100%) it's bad . I also live in a old stone cottage and we are constantly battling the mould I don't no if this is connected but we moved here 2 years ago before I lived in a colder but drier place and in a new build house no damp mould etc and never had any health problems .
Written by
Hicko1980
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Welcome to the forum, and I'm sorry to hear of your breathing issues.
I'm afraid that damp and mould are well known triggers for asthma and may well be contributing to the problems you are currently suffering. Last year's autumn, and of course the following winter, have been terribly damp - which won't have helped.
Do you have a peak flow metre and if so, what is your peak flow rate doing?
My peak flow at the min is around 350 and to be honest doesn't usually show much dramatic difference how ever I am feeling . I feel like I need air fresh air ! Yesterday the weather was cold and dry even the sun popped out it , it felt like heaven to me in my head I say yes I can breathe ! I can count on one hand the amount of days I've had like that so far this year.
I can sympathise to an extent. Some years ago we lived in a modern house, but it was situated at the bottom of a narrow tree filled dale. The location was beautiful and the house, being modern, had no damp issues. But that narrow valley did retain the humidity. My asthma was not fantastic whilst we lived there and there were days when I felt that I was gasping. It was never so bad that it landed me up in hospital, but I knew what it was like to have well controlled asthma, and while we lived there it just wasn't as good.
I never thought these kind of things could have such a impact on our health and I just feel like I don't want to spend my life like this I guess having 35 years with no health concerns it's hit me with a shock I have 3 children and I used to be so active it really does drain you doesn't it ? I'm so tired all the time I guess from constantly making my body work harder and I feel sometimes doctors don't seem to "believe me "
It is that bad the asthma nurse said she'd eels she can't do anymore to help me and I need to see my gp again I have seen a specialist at the hospital who told me the tiredness was simply everyday life tired ! And prescribed tablets which I stopped because I had an asthma attack my mum seems to have got angry with me basically saying she can't help me I need to sort it out or move back to where we moved from ( not that simple with work money jobs schools children ) I don't really
Want to uproot them again and I think it's decision we need to work out together I don't want to be selfish . we actually only moved in the first place for my mum my husband is supportive always checking in ok but you no when you just think I'm sick of my voice saying the same thing others must be too no one in my family has asthma and before last year I never understood so I guess why should they How can I live a "normal life " how are other people what symptoms do others have and is it possible to be completely
We rent the property and getting work done isn't easy I think sufficient heating is a prob Rayburn and we only have 2 small radiators there is no fan in the bathroom and a very old slash window . The cottage is very old we also have water running past the house it always the same place the mold appears on the same wall running from living room to my bedroom to the loft room the wall is so cold to touch we spend most of our time cleaning it off re painting and within 3/4 weeks it's back we recently put
a fan in the kitchen ( our own time and money to do this ) and I have a dehumidifier .
Its funny you mentioned damp, since I moved into my small bungalow 3 years ago ever year I get a chest infection and affects my asthma where my inhalers seem to have no effect. I sometimes use a dehumidifier and crystals in my wardrobes but cant seem to find a solution. People keep saying open the windows and make air holes in wardrobes but I dread to think what it would cost to have a builder in.
That's it and landlords/ landlady s don't always want to spend the money they don't in our case I no all are not like that . and we have put a lot of time and money in to there house already . I don't no if mold is the cause just I no how I am with weather I did read somewhere if your asthma is worse when raining / stormy it can indicate a mold allergy as this weather moves mold ( outside ) sure there was more to it than that but that's just what I recall .
If there's a lot of damp it might be worth getting a sputum sample done to test for the presence of aspergillus; my asthma recently developed into aspergillosis (ABPA) & the treatment is quite different to (albeit in addition to) asthma treatment. If they detect it in your sputum, further blood tests will show whether or not that's an issue for you.
We had problems with condensation water running down the windows etc, we live in a very well insulated bungalow so we bought an e.bac dehumidifier now no condensation magic also easier to breathe , just a thought good luck
Hi there I do have a dehumidifier which I run everyday esp after showers . We do get a lot of condensation in the bathroom as there is no fan ! Is there a difference in the type of dehumidifier ?
If the bathroom has a window open it after baths and showers to help get rid of the condensation. The other thing I do is to towel down the shower after I've used it to help prevent mould.
There are different sizes of dehumidifiers we run ours for 2 hours in the morning and 3 in the evening. You can buy mould remover smells like bleach , wash down the walls and its gone then well ventilate.
I believe mine is for a 3 bed house my husband cleans off the mould with a solution he read about he then re paints the walls it takes about 4 weeks and the mould is back , I usually open windows first thing and then once showers are done I close them and set the dehumidifier I usually leave it running till I get a reading of below 60 which can either take all day or some days not manage to get to that level.
I think we are at a losing battle I do t know a lot about buildings what needs to be done but I think it would be a big job for the last 2 years we have been asking for the guttering to be cleared ... Still waiting ! A lot of people say to me just rent a another house the price hike from private rented which is very hard to find and a agent is considerably higher and out of our budget council are pretty hard to come by too and we are currently bottom of the list as we have sufficient bedroom s etc . Does anyone know if the doctors will do a allergy test for mould ? My youngest daughter has eczema and the doctors refused to do any allergy test saying the list of reasons could be endless ! this also worries me as I've read people with eczema are at risk of asthma to and I wouldn't wish it in my worst enemy I'd do anything to prevent my daughter suffering from asthma she is only 2 when she comes down with a cough my heart sinks touch wood she hasn't had any symptoms as yet !
They know of my daughters eczema but not my asthma I thought they would want some kind of proof as to the cause of the health problems if I stated mould damp was the cause and I as I don't I haven't mentioned it I know there are a lot more people in desperate need of housing and I would hate to "jump the line " . Walked the school run its damp outside and instantly I'm short of breathe more than when I woke up .
You probably need to move. If you are on a lease, then the mould should be enough reason to get out of the lease as it is a health problem. Keep an eye out for a new house. What medications are you on?
I take fostair next inhaler 2 puffs twice a day and then I have the blue inhaler when needed . I was prescribed montelukast but as with steroid tablets I wont take them as bad side effects. Always looking for a new house but there always out of our price range or won't except housing benefit we have the rent topped up as at the moment only my husband is working I had to leave work when I first got I'll last year . Where we lived up country the rent prices can be hundreds of pounds a month cheaper than where we are now if we do have to move I think that is going to be the only option it's just not an easy move to make again .
Your landlord mustn't cause a statutory nuisance. A statutory nuisance happens when your home is in such a state as to be harmful to your health or is a nuisance.
Disrepair that's harmful to your health could include dampness and mould growth.
Local authorities generally take action against landlords where there's a statutory nuisance.
More about local authority help with statutory nuisance for tenants in private rented accommodation
More about local authority help with statutory nuisance for tenants in social housing
Thank you so much !!!!! That's great research . I think it is what I need to do I usually stay clear of moaning to the landlady and causing problems for fear of eviction ! Toughen up and stand my ground 😃 thank s again I hope this can off be of use to others too .
As above, I just repeat: your local council has a duty to make sure you are living in a safe place - yours is not because there is a structural damp problem no amount of paint or number of dehumidifiers will fix. It will affect everyone's health, not just yours. Get on to the council and keep nagging them. They can force the landlady to fix the problem. (All local and government authorities have to be approached with utter determination and patience.)
If you moved here to be nearer your mum and she is antagonistic to you because you are poorly, that is a good reason to move back again. How much stress do you need? You need to talk to somebody about all this, as it all becomes too much swimming around in your head. There are helplines, such as anxietyuk.org.uk which you can phone and talk it through. If you don't get practical and a bit of calming help you will make your asthma and everything else worse. Unfortunately, no-one can do this for you - you have to take as deep a breath as you can and get on the phone. You can do it.
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