mountain air stone house problems?

I grew up on the coast of Maine, USA, so elevation 0 and wooden houses and salty sea air. I attended college inland in a small city elevation ~100m. But was only there for 4 years and lived half the time in a concrete apartment and the rest in a wooden house. Then I moved to Munich, Germany, elevation ~500m, fresh mountain air, but the houses are all thick concrete, and a typical German custom is to air out the house often, otherwise the air gets stale.

Since I've lived here (16 years) I get sinusitis, rhinits and bronchitis at least once or twice a year. All the doctors just say something like "dry mountain air" and give me some nasal sprays, antibiotics and eucalyptus losenges and it goes away after a few weeks. But has been getting slowly and steadily worse over time.

Now for the past 3 years I feel like it's gotten so bad that I can't breathe properly when inside - especially when sleeping - which has given me sleep apnea which a CPAP machine does not help (makes it worse). I need to sleep with all the windows and doors open but still cough so much during the night, and of course in winter the dry, cold air is bad and I cough a lot, too. I just feel like I can't properly breathe when indoors, which is why I spend a lot of time outdoors where I can breathe freely. I instantly feel like I can't breathe as well when I go inside. And this has been the case in two different houses over the past 3 years, and we've taken measures to ensure clean, mold-free and perfume-free clothing and furniture, so probably not a contaminant issue. Plus my wife, who is asthmatic, has no problems whatsoever. But she grew up here.

So I guess my question is: can it be that I am just "allergic" to European stone housing or the mountain air? That it somehow slowly has been affecting my lungs? I'm seeing a lung doctor in a few weeks (has been tough to get an appointment with all the COVID stuff going on the past years), but I didn't know if anyone here has any knowledge or information on this kind of issue.

Also, I never tested positive for COVID, and the issue started a few months before COVID even existed. I'm also a smoker of 10 years, but it's no longer smoker's cough and seems to be more of just a problem getting fresh air at home. I actually breathe much easier when I'm outside having a cigarette and cough LESS.

Thanks in advance!

[TomTitTot]

My first thought is, are you sleeping with a down comforter ? It definitely sounds like some sort of allergic reaction.

[Hidden in reply to TomTitTot]

nope, synthetic. One of the first things we got rid of. Did allergy tests actually before this all started and got rid of everything in my life that I'm allergic to (mainly perfumes and certain chemicals in cleaning products). Did a more extensive allergy test where you send in some blood and they check it against like 650 things, and I only had mild reactions to most things, whereas my wife had severe reactions to other things (mostly foods). One thing that was weird was mild reaction to ozone. Wife had no reaction. I wonder if being ~500m in the air puts me just a bit closer to the ozone layer and it slowly has been affecting me?

Grandfather had genetic COPD (alpha one anti trypsin) so getting that checked in a few days, but still seems odd that since basically the day I moved to Europe I've been having bronchitis and sinunisits/rhinitis regularly (chronically) but had no problems the first 22 years of my life in the US on the coast.

[Patk1 in reply to Hidden]

It would b in yr beat interests to stop smmoking

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

when you have alpha 1 antitrypsin COPD can develop extremely rapidly. The main cause of this is smoking. A very good idea to get the genetic test. Then you can decide whether you have been looking for every cause except the obvious one for the deterioration in your condition.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

gonna get the test in 2 days. Just wanted to prepare myself for all eventualities before my appointment. I've had lung/throat/nose issues before started smoking, but definitely started after the move to Europe - like literally the first month. Obviously smoking makes things worse, and my grandfather didn't ever smoke but died from pneumonia brought about by his lung problems. And I'm not sure how many European doctors know about differences in elevation and climate as they apply to respiratory health. Obviously quitting smoking is likely to be on the docket, but I don't want to go to the appointment and have them be like "oh, you smoke? stop that and everything will be better". I have to force them to do the alpha1-antitrypsin test and press them on the issue of mountain vs. seaside air and European vs. N. American climates in addition to the smoking thing. For coninuity's sake, and for the sake of anyone who finds this thread in future, I'll post back any and all results I get. Thanks to everyone so far for the quick engagement!

[TomTitTot in reply to Hidden]

There is also the component of European reliance on diesel fuel. We sensitive lung types are especially hard hit by its noxious fumes.

However, your mention of alpha 1 anti trypsin lung issues and that you are a smoker makes wonder if you aren’t denying the obvious.

Wishing you all the best. Hopefully you’ll have some answers soon.

[Patk1 in reply to Hidden]

Hope appointment goes as u hope

[poppyshola]

HI Steve David,, I feel that you would benefit greatly from having an Air Purifier with a hepa filter .. I bought myself one on the advice of one of my GP'S when I had a moan about the nasal spray my GP prescribed for me when they decided we could make do with cheaper brands ... along with prescribing DYMISTA nasal spray.. The Air Purifier I bought was on £35.99 and like yourself I couldn't bear being in a room with no air quality, I can smell the heat ... its suffocationg... As my GP said even if you only have it on while you're in bed your lungs are getting quality Air while you're sleeping, which mounted up is quite a lot

I'm an ex smoker and found it one if the most difficult things to stop , but I'm glad I did ..for my pets and my grandchildren and of course myself ..

[Hidden in reply to poppyshola]

we've got one. Doesn't really work. Air is slightly less dry, so less dry coughing, but still need to keep the door and window open otherwise the air is just too terrible. Might just be a German house construciton thing? I lived in London while studying abroad and didn't have these problems. But will continue to use it since with the window open the air gets way too dry and I get the "dry air coughs". Again, might have to do with being at ~500m elevation, which is why I asked if anyone had any experience with that.

[garshe]

I agree with Patk1 you should stop smoking . I'll say no more as it's up to the individual , but I know I never coughed after giving up smoking. It's an excuse saying it's not a smokers cough you wont know until you give up and really you will feel so much better and your breathing WILL improve

Good luck xxSheila 💕

[Hidden in reply to garshe]

probably will stop soon (at the moment it's the only thing keeping me sane since I only get about 2hrs of actual sleep a night for 3 years), but this new thing is in addition to smoker's cough. It seems to only happen while lying down (cardiopulmonary edema?). The air is definitely worse when inside than outside, but it doesn't bring me to cough unless I'm lying down. I just wanted to know if anybody had any experience with mountain air causing problems already at ~500m