Managing spring allergies has helped me avoid CF hospitalizations

I live in southeastern Pennsylvania, where the trees and flowers bloom in April and May. In my early adult years, May was usually the month when I’d be hospitalized with a cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary exacerbation.

Many times, I chalked it up to being run-down after leading a team at the CF Foundation’s annual Great Strides fundraiser. I’m sure the event played a part in my hospitalizations, as I was on the planning and setup committee and always held a barbecue for my team afterward.

However, as the years passed, I questioned the role of seasonal allergies in my pulmonary exacerbations.

Recommended Reading

April 21, 2023 Columns by Kristin Entler

Waiting out spring as I manage my seasonal allergies

Identifying and managing my allergies

Since I was young, I’ve always had a dog. I remember my CF specialist pleading with me in my early 20s to find another home for my pet, as he felt the shedding and dander could exacerbate my breathing difficulties. While he wasn’t wrong, my lung function was still high and stable back then. For me, the benefits of a dog’s love, loyalty, and companionship greatly outweighed the possibility that its dander may be mildly hindering my breathing.

I’ve always felt my CF has more of an allergic and asthmatic quality to it, with more wheezing involved than infection. Each year, as spring approached, I felt my airways slowly begin to tighten. Ultimately, by May, I’d be admitted to the hospital to start intravenous antibiotics.

It wasn’t until my late 30s that I decided to see an allergist and have skin testing done. The tests revealed that I am allergic to trees (spring), grass (summer), ragweed (fall), and — say it’s not so! — dogs. I seemed to have a significant reaction to these triggers, mainly in the spring.

Around that time, I frequently saw a commercial on TV for Dupixent (dupilumab), a treatment approved for asthma, among other indications. I discussed the possibility of trying it with my current CF physician. He agreed it was a good option given my specific CF health issues.

I felt it made a positive difference for me, helping me to breathe easier and avoid my predictable admissions to the hospital. CF continued its slow progression, of course, but addressing my allergies provided a small reprieve.

With National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month approaching in May, it’s important for those of us living with CF to discuss allergies and get tested, if we haven’t already. Allergies can arise at any point in a person’s life. And with people with CF living longer, it becomes more challenging to tease out which issues are directly related to the disease, and which are caused by other bodily processes.

Following my double-lung transplant in 2020, I continue to take oral allergy medication from the spring through the fall. But while my allergies still affect my throat and sinuses, they don’t affect my new lungs, which is a welcome relief.

I follow most of my care team’s instructions and advice, and work hard to maintain the best health possible, despite having CF. But I do still have a dog. Being a transplant recipient means I’m immunocompromised, so I’m now largely focused on avoiding infections. I do my best to keep my home clean, but my dog’s unconditional love and companionship make life much more fulfilling. And isn’t that what it’s all about?

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.