I'm currently exploring the connection between humidity levels and MCAS.

[MCASMike]

I have now slep well for a week with a blanket over my head (it's a light blanket and there's an air pocket, so that my nose is never right up against the blanket), and I think it's related to the higher humidity. I found this paper connecting mast cell degranulation to humidity levels:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15402830

Also, when I would get a rash (for no apparent reason) in the past, I held a plastic sandwich bag against the skin, which seemed to resolve it considerably more quickly (and less itchiness). This paper offers an explanation for this odd phenomenon. And today, after being awake for over two hours, I had a nose bleed (very minor), which suggests the dry air was responsible. A few nights ago too, I sat up and took the blanket off for a few minutes due to feeling too warm, and a drop of blood came from my nose. Sleeping this way really seems to help with my eye issues, which would often flare up right before I was going to shut the light off and lie down (I put the blanket over my head and listen to an audiobook for about half an hour before going to sleep). Also, the dry throat and dry cough issues have not appeared for about a week as well. Anyone else have a similar experience, such as seeing a difference after using a humidifier? Here is some general information:

https://www.centralhtg.com/blog/humidity-levels

 

[skwag]

Interesting. I know my eyes have been doing a lot better once i got a humidifier. I like to keep it above 45% relative humidity. This is the one I got. Once you set the humidity, it'll turn on and off by itself. I'm sure there are others that work the same.

 

[MCASMike]

Interesting. I know my eyes have been doing a lot better once i got a humidifier. I like to keep it above 45% relative humidity. This is the one I got. Once you set the humidity, it'll turn on and off by itself. I'm sure there are others that work the same.

Thanks. I may go the humidifier route at some point. Yesterday, in the afternoon, I wore a basic surgical type mask for most of the rest of the day and this seems to help with eye issues (the humid air breathed out goes up and I can feel it on my eyes), so I intend to keep this up for at least a few days and see what happens.

 

[Strawberry]

I always improve in Honolulu. Now you have me curious if humidity is part of it too.

 

[MCASMike]

Last night was the eighth or ninth night that I didn't have major symptoms. However, it was warmer than usual and I was up for at least half an hour sometime in the middle of the night, which I imagine is not really "abnormal." There was minor skin itchiness but again, most people probably wouldn't think much of that either. I'm going to use a thin sheet tonight instead of the light blanket, so perhaps that will help. I'll keep updating every once in a while.

 

[andyguitar]

Humidity helps to keep dust levels down so maybe it's just that?

 

[Strawberry]

I'm going to use a thin sheet tonight instead of the light blanket, so perhaps that will help.

How is the sheet working for you?

 

[MCASMike]

How is the sheet working for you?

It seems like I really need quite a bit of humidity during the night for my face (eyes, nose, and mouth), so I'm wearing one mask over my eyes (it works well for that purpose upside down, actually) and sometimes one over my mouth/nose. The major problem is that it sometimes gets too warm after sleeping a few hours (with a blanket or sheet over my head) so I have to try different things to prevent that from causing major problems. For example, sometimes I'll just sit up without any top on and wait to cool down, which usually works but I'd like to figure out something better. The sheet may have a weave that's too tight, because the light blanket feels more comfortable, but the temperature has to be low enough or else that's too hot. I tried the two face masks and the sheet, which worked one night but felt too hot on my face the next time I tried it. I will be updating when I figure out what is best, which of course I'm hoping occurs. Also, I ordered this item and I'll try it out too and of course update with my experience:

https://www.amazon.com/ONTEL-Dream-...eywords=kids+dream+tent&qid=1620445038&sr=8-3

Updating this post, because last night I slept on my left side as usual (to avoid bronchosprasms and "exploding head syndrome," and it was too hot with the blanket or sheet over my head, so I put one of those basic, blue surgical masks on, but I only looped it over my right ear, and it didn't get too hot but the humidity seemed higher. I slept reasonably well, so I'll do this until it stops working. And if I try out that canopy/tent thing, I'll update this thread with the new information, but at this point I'd say that at least for me, humidity seems to be a factor that needs to be taken into account.

 

[MCASMike]

I figured out another thing you can try, which is to wear a mask and one of those disposable face covers/visors (cost around $2 each). This combination stops my eye issues within a couple minutes (after I feel them coming on). I have yet to get the bed canopy, but it should be here some time this week. Overall, wearing a mask most of the day has really helped (I can't wear it when I'm eating, obviously), with hardly any runny nose while wearing it and rarely do I get the eye issues any more (and then I put the visor on). I still have MCAS symptoms that would seem to be unrelated to humidity, such as becoming breathless quickly without much exertion, but I am hoping to try Ketotifen one of these days, and of course I'll create a new thread if/when I do.

 

[Strawberry]

Ketotifen is my life saver, but doesn’t eliminate

becoming breathless quickly without much exertion

That…

 

[MCASMike]

Ketotifen is my life saver, but doesn’t eliminate

That…

What symptoms does the oral Ketotifen eliminate for you? I'm still waiting for the canopy to arrive in the mail. In the meantime, my eye issues have continued to be a lot better, though this morning I woke up and the left eye did a lot of tearing for a few minutes, despite wearing the mask and putting on the visor (I slept with a blanket over my head all night). I didn't wake up with dry/irritated eyes, which happened the previous few nights, so perhaps things are resolving. It looks like I will get the canopy on Monday so the earliest I will be able to speak to its helpfulness is Tuesday.

 

[Strawberry]

What symptoms does the oral Ketotifen eliminate for you?

I honestly can’t answer that at the moment. And considering what I said, that’s pretty lame. I’ll try to put it into words and get back.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Yesterday, in the afternoon, I wore a basic surgical type mask for most of the rest of the day and this seems to help with eye issues (the humid air breathed out goes up and I can feel it on my eyes), so I intend to keep this up for at least a few days and see what happens.

thats an interesting reaction..

I experience the opposite- I cannot wear the mask hardly at all, and it wreaks my eyes which are a mess, and they feel baked/steamed in an intolerable way.

 

[MCASMike]

thats an interesting reaction..

I experience the opposite- I cannot wear the mask hardly at all, and it wreaks my eyes which are a mess, and they feel baked/steamed in an intolerable way.

From what I understand, high or low humidity can be an issue with MCAS. Here, the humidity and dew points have been low for this time of the year (in the 20s and 30s). Usually we have humid days by May, certainly not several days in a row with low humidity. I am curious to see what happens when the high humidity finally gets here, and of course I'll update.