r/PacificNorthwest • u/ruhruhrandy • 1d ago
Former Southerners
I moved to the Washington coast after living in the Deep South for my entire life. I don’t know if it’s the drastic change in climate or what, but I’ve never been sicker. I was almost never sick when I lived in the south, but I’ve had to call into work several times just in the last 6 months. Do any other former southerners, or transplants from other different climates, have this issue?
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u/Seraphynas 1d ago
We had a pretty rough cold and flu season the first year.
I think the viral strains are just different enough, regionally, that my Southeastern immunity didn’t do much good here, lol.
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u/leilani238 22h ago
Regional immunity sure seems to be a thing. I've moved to very different parts of the country twice and wound up sick a lot right after. The stress of moving probably didn't help.
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u/Winter-Newt-3250 1d ago
1) due to our temperate climate, cold/flu virus season is much longer (google how the flu virus survives the cold). 2) you got more vitamin d in the south than you do here (take a supplement or use lanolin based skin care to hydrate that skin).
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u/JWR-Giraffe-5268 1d ago
I lived in Ohio for my first 23 years. I have asthma and was allergic to grasses, mold, and pollen. Now my last 48 years here in PNW, I'm only allergic to animal dander and mold. Go figure.
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u/SoupOk4169 1d ago
Anytime I have moved to another area I get sick a lot at first. (MILITARY) moved a lot. lol
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u/pounce_the_panther 1d ago
I grew up in GA and was generally pretty healthy maybe a cold once a year. I moved to WA and immediately started getting sick all the time. Sinus infections, colds, pnuemonia, bronchitis and now I have mild asthma. I was sick all the time. I reluctantly moved to Texas for work and now I'm never sick. It's night and day. I love the PNW but my lungs don't.
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u/ruhruhrandy 1d ago
This is how it’s been for me. I was never sick but I had bronchitis for 2 months toward the end of last year
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u/undercave 1d ago
Now that it’s spring be sure to wear a pollen mask when outdoors. Seasonal allergies to all the fruit trees and flowers can make you more susceptible to colds and flu. Trust me on that. You might even consider buying an air filter for your home. Also, supposedly drinking nettle tea or taking a high quality (not cheap) nettle supplement can tone down the furor of the allergy season. Good luck.
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u/trippyfungus 23h ago
This area has a large amount of aspergillus in the air and your body may not be able to handle it.
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u/MadamAsh_ 1d ago
Funny! Grew up in the pnw never had an issue, moved to GA and have been allergy-sick each spring!
I do think since it's basically an entirely new climate, it'll take some getting used to.
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u/ErstwhileAdranos 1d ago
Same exact experience for me, and I moved from New England to the PNW, which you wouldn’t think would be all that different.
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u/BACKCUT-DOWNHILL 1d ago
Religiously supplement vitamin D in the winter
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u/RussellAlden 1d ago
Sun, salmon, mushrooms, milk
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u/Low-Tart3689 11h ago
Strongly recommend not trying to eat the Sun. It rarely comes out in the PNW and we only got one
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u/casapantalones 1d ago
I moved away from Texas and my miserable allergies, and now I’m never sick.
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u/treehugger100 1d ago
I’m from Texas originally. I didn’t have allergies when I lived in Dallas but they were awful in Houston and Austin. Goodbye ‘cedar fever.’ I don’t have allergies here. I only get sick occasionally but I take public transportation a lot so I think that is to be expected.
I’m much happier and healthier here than I was there. It always amazes me how little Texans walk when I go to visit family.
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u/SeaGranny 1d ago
Make sure you proactively combat mold. It can be sneaky.
I use a dehumidifier pretty much year round but especially from October through April.
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u/Dry_Sample948 1d ago
I moved here from CA Bay Area in 1989, year of the World Series earthquake. I’d had asthma as a child in CA but “out grew it” said the doctors. I never used an inhaler until I moved to the PNW. One sickness was an actual asthma attack, to the university health center kind of sick. They put me on inhalers and I’ve been on them ever since. Now I just use them in the morning. I’d ask about asthma and seasonal allergies (our tree and grass pollen in no joke). I’m sorry for your illnesses. Time away from work always made me feel a tad guilty, not good for healing. I hope you feel better and don’t give up on us just yet. Welcome
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u/Intelligent_Usual318 1d ago
Vitamin d supplements should help. A lot of people in the PNW tend to be very low on it
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u/SkyerKayJay1958 1d ago
You may be allergic to mold or pollen associated with fir and cedar trees. I was born here and live with it. Every time I am out of town my sinus clear and the minute I get home I am stuffed up.
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u/Alternative_Love_861 1d ago
You likely have an allergic reaction to something you weren't exposed to at home, possibly conifer pollen. If your symptoms are respiratory that's a good indicator. Usually untreated pollen allergies lead to inflammation then bronchitis then you're vulnerable to every cold, flu, etc you come across.
If your symptoms are worse in the morning, you're waking with a sore throat and coughing and wheezing through the day. Or your eyes either feel dry or excessively weepy. I guarantee that's what's up. Go buy some Zyrtec or Claritin and take it every 12 hours. I know the bottle says one a day, but until you get your histamine response under control take two. If you see an improvement after a week, you'll know.
If it is conifer pollen, you'll only really have issues late winter-spring. Right now is prime time. Get a pollen alert app for your phone.
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u/Warm_Kaleidoscope665 1d ago
As a former southerner who moved here 18 years ago I remember what you’re going through. I coughed so hard my first few winters here that I refractered old broken ribs. A boss of mine explained to me that there’s a certain mold that grows inside your ear canal here and until you get it you’ll struggle with the wet season. Now I have no idea if this is true but it seems true as I haven’t had any issues since those first few winters
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u/genZ_grandpa 1d ago
What is this ear canal mold? I cannot find anything on Google, but I get dizzy everyday from November to the end of February here and I'm from the East Coast.
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u/2TonCommon 1d ago
I moved here to the PNW from SW Virginia 45 years ago. The first two years had me getting used to the pollen and other allergens from the cedar trees along w/ other flora and fauna triggers. After that adjustment period, all was well.
Oh, word to the wise...learn to recognize the "Stinging Nettle" plant (Urtica dioica) and keep well clear of it!
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u/Dianthus-Diamond 1d ago
The allergies killed me when I first moved here from southern MS. Time and whatever little remedies work for you will help. Claritin, local honey, nasal sprays, and acclimation.
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u/freyasgoldentears 1d ago
We moved from Tennessee to Vashon and my allergies are way better. I haven't been sick here either outside a covid event that swept thru work.
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u/RyNoDaHeaux 1d ago
I went the other way….
WA —> TX I find that my allergies were worse in TX during cedar season. We were in Bellingham in April, and I was clear as could be.
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u/valencia_merble 1d ago
Are you taking Vitamin D3 / checking your levels? It’s hard for people who grew up in sunny places to adjust to the dark and drear, short days and rain. You might also consider a SAD lamp. There might also be plants that you are allergic to, mold issues, various things that come along with a damp climate. It’s an adjustment. Source : ex Texan
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u/NoScarcity7314 1d ago
More than likely, you immune system is getting use to new settings. Allergies like people have said for sure. Also, there are regional variations in viruses too. You could be coming into contact with variants your body just isn't used to.
You spend more time outdoors in the south. Here you stay boxed in for 7 or 8 months with other people riding out the weather. That's why illness spikes in the cold months. Then you get slammed with new pollen in the spring.
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u/Dangerous_Midnight91 1d ago
Yeah, I can tell you that southerners are basically soft. It’s not your fault of course. The SE United States has a pretty ideal climate (except when it’s so hot and humid you’re just disgusting all day). You’re not built to live in a temperate rain forest that gets dark at 4:30 in the afternoon in December. It’ll mess you up!
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u/Confident-Crawdad 1d ago
It's nearly as humid, but cooler so different molds and such grow here.
They're everywhere so if you have any allergies you're screwed
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u/Not-the-cia2 39m ago
It getting dark at 4:30 in the evening was such a wild thing I forgot when I visited my parents. I live in the south they live in the PNW. I made them go hiking after breakfasts then Christmas shopping in the dark lol. Allergies however I’m screwed no matter what. I’m allergic to most molds and pollen.
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u/Timberjonesy 1d ago
I've lived in the SE and in the NW and my allergies were a million times worse in the south .
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u/olyfrijole 1d ago
Have you checked to see if there's mold in your home or office? Mold and mildew are so common along the coast that many old buildings harbor spores that create chronic respiratory issues.
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u/ZephyrLegend 21h ago
Question: Did your getting sick start right away or did it gradually get more frequent as you went into the winter months?
One major thing that people moving from sunnier and more southern locales don't realize is that Vitamin D is a thing you need to account for, here. Even if the sun is shining (and outside of July and August, it's never a sure thing), it still doesn't get high enough in the sky for vitamin D synthesis or is only high enough for a brief period during midday for almost half the year. And it is vital to immune system function.
If you aren't already taking a Vitamin D supplement, then I would strongly advise you start to take one. If you already do, then consider increasing the dose in winter.
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u/Ok_Aardvark700 1d ago
Former Kentuckian here. It's the dry air that is so wonderful in the summer, but terrible in the winter. This past week I bet I haven't slept 12 hours total because of all of the itching that I get. And I have two humidifiers running in my house. I often wonder if it's just the fact that my body is trying to adjust to the differences in people here in general. No offense to anybody because there's good and bad in both places but there sure is a difference.
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u/Content_Preference_3 1d ago
Dry air? Seattle? No.
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u/Same-Neighborhood699 1d ago
It’s much more humid in the south. Especially Mississippi delta area
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u/Content_Preference_3 22h ago
Well yes. In regards to heat. Which is why I dot. Live there. But saying the pnw has dry air is ludicrous. It’s the wettest region west of the Rockies. I’ve lived in dry western regions. No comparison.
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u/Same-Neighborhood699 22h ago
Well if you didn’t notice, they were speaking comparatively. It is dry air compared to the south.
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u/hysys_whisperer 1d ago
Yeah, yall don't know 84 and foggy.
It's only humid here when the temperature is below 60.
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u/retrojoe 22h ago
That's half the year, brosef. It's the half we are just maybe kinda sorta breaking out of now.
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u/hysys_whisperer 22h ago
I think you read 44 when I wrote 84 brosef
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u/retrojoe 22h ago
It's only humid here when the temperature is below 60.
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u/hysys_whisperer 21h ago
Yes, it's only humid in Seattle when the temperature is below 60.
If you look at a psycrometric chart, you'll notice that the air doesn't hold that much water below 60 degrees. Above 80, it REALLY starts to take off.
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u/retrojoe 19h ago
Given that it's below 60 for about 6 months a year, saying "only" is pretty foolish.
I've lived in the tropics, where things mold in the closet. It was more humid there. That doesn't make Puget Sound 'not humid'.
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u/MrsDottieParker 1d ago
I also think this year was an especially bad one for flu, colds, and bronchitis. I have a bunch of friends and family all over the West Coast and New England who they have all been really sick this year with multiple illnesses and for longer than usual periods of time. I haven’t been ill since COVID and I ended up with an upper respiratory infection that then turned into a sinus infection in January and February.
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u/caitthegreat2483 1d ago
My family and I just moved to WA from NY and we can’t get over how much better my husband’s allergies have been since we moved here. It could be the same for you, just unfortunately, your allergies are worsening! He still takes otc allergy meds but we have noticed a big difference.
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u/twilightswimmer 1d ago
Atlanta to Eastside here. I get more allergies than I used to. And I guess you get used to the pattern of flu and stuff that moves a bit differently here. But otherwise, not really. I don't think I'm sicker than I was there. It's just a bit...different.
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u/TwinFrogs 1d ago
Probably allergies, but you’re also around a whole new batch of people your body isn’t used to.
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u/SlowGoat79 1d ago
We moved from South Carolina to western Washington when I was in junior high. I had to go on prescription allergy medication, it was so bad. Eventually I grew out of them, but the first few years were rough. Best of luck to you!!
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u/ha1029 1d ago
I grew up in the PNW and was sick a lot. When I grew up we’d call it the crud- mild fever runny nose and cough, nothing real bad just yuck. Moved to California much better , lived in New England, a few more colds occasionally get an ass kicker. Now I live Florida. I only get something once in a great while and it usually knocks me on my ass. I however try to avoid people so that could be adding to the mix lol.
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u/anynameisfinejeez 1d ago
Allergies are possible as others have mentioned. Also, there can be different strains of cold and flu around the country. Maybe you just hadn’t caught these ones before?
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u/SecretPersonality178 1d ago
Man, opposite for me. Sick AF living in the desert, never felt better up in PNW.
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u/SadNamelessPerson 1d ago
Fwiw I’ve lived here over 20 years and I am sick right now for the 3rd time in 6 months.
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u/Significant-Repair42 1d ago
check out your place for mold. common places to find it, window frames, in the bathroom and behind dressers/ large furniture. Sometimes landlords will scrape down the paint and repaint it.
it can be from poorly functioning bathroom fans, plumbing leaks, roof leaks, single pane windows, and just general humidity.
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u/No-Committee7986 1d ago
A couple things come to my 50f mom with a lot of kids mind: 1. Environmental allergies instead of or in addition to seasonal allergies— thinking mold/fungus
- Some years are just worse by like, a lot! Last year we had COVID for the first time, Adenovirus (that has so many flipping symptoms!😳), and colds that took a turn in ways we’d never experienced before, including 2 epic ear infections for my 13yr old that had him vomiting every 30 minutes, viral transient synovitis for my 9yr old with a 102 fever and could barely walk and all these and a few more things earned trips to urgent care or Children’s. This year hasn’t been perfect so far, but we’ve had a much better run.
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u/No-Committee7986 1d ago
Also, I’m not a southerner as I lived in PA and MI before this, but my oldest kid who’s 26 has lived in FL & TX in the last 5yrs and is about to move to NC, so pardon my butting in!😅
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u/ananders 1d ago
I moved here from Georgia five years ago and didn't experience any illnesses but that was...five years ago. People were being a bit more aware than usual, lol.
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u/Golden_1992 1d ago
Probably allergies. I️ never had them in my life until I️ moved out here (ironic since the South is known for them) but they literally make me feel like I️ have the flu they’re so bad.
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u/DFloydd 1d ago
I used to work with an allergy doctor who was super against prescribing antibiotics willy nilly anytime someone was sick here in WA and I asked him why? He first explained antibiotic resistance in viruses and how that whole thing works by overprescribing antibiotics to people without an actual virus and then told me in his 30 years practicing medicine in the PNW that the "sickness" people get over and over winter through spring is 9 times out of 10 just allergies due to Alder season. He said so many trees drop pollen but it's not like the yellow dust we see on drier days April through June so people think they are actually sick with some virus when in reality the winter trees around here are sneakily spreading tons of pollen. He said most times over-the-counter and sometimes, in extreme cases, prescription allery meds, solve most people's sickness within a couple of weeks. No idea how true everything he said was but it was interesting to consider....kinda makes sense...
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u/Friendly-Maybe-9272 1d ago
Yep, allergies are real. Even us natives to the area are suffering something terrible. If you are not accustomed to the varieties of trees and flowers we have, you may be allergic. More evergreens than you can shake a stick at. Some flowers that just won't grow in that Georgia region. Plus molds and mildew (they are year round (my favorite allergy, the one that really blooms on my test). All of it can make you feel like death warmed over.
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u/luvapug 1d ago
I have seasonal allergies and in the southwest, where I previously lived they were very bad in spring, summer fall etc. But here in Oregon I was having bad allergies the second I moved here. I finally got allergy testing and I am allergic to stuff year round. I am also allergic to dust and mold and basically everything inside and outside. I did put some air filtration things in my house and this helps quite a bit for when I am inside.
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u/Wonderful_Bottle_852 1d ago
I live in Washington and feel like poo all the time year round. I go to Nevada-Arizona every other month for a week to get relief. It’s the weather, the barometric pressure, the pollen, and pretty much everything.
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u/SanJacInTheBox 1d ago
I grew up in Oklahoma, and was stationed in CA and FL before getting stationed here and settling down 30 years ago. Many of the allergens here are the same as in other areas. What gets me here is the Ash, Alder and Cottonwood. However, could it be the environment you are living in? An apartment or home with dirty carpets/air ducts, pet dander or mold can make you feel really crappy.
I have two dogs and three cats, but since I got a heat pump system installed last summer with a MIRV-16 air filter, and a pair of WYNIX room air filters, my allergies have been significantly better.
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u/buni_bixler 1d ago
Grew up and lived in eky until my mid 20’s. Once i got here, the first couple years it was hell, especially when the cottonwoods get going. Been here 10 years now, it’s seemed to have eased up, not it’s just regular spring allergies.
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u/ayembeek 1d ago
I’m from West Virginia/Pennsylvania (northern panhandle), when I moved to western Washington I sneezed what felt like 2 years straight, then we moved to Portland shortly after. I took me another few years to get used to it. Give it time and maybe some allergy shots? The air is much, much cleaner here.
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u/ReasonableRaccoon8 1d ago
I got horrible allergies when I first moved to the PNW that made me want to die. Local honey consumed daily will eventually clear it up if that's the case.
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u/meta_muse 1d ago
Hi, fellow southerner who migrated to the PNW. The allergies are different here, that’s for sure. There’s different types of grasses and trees that offer new opportunities for allergies. It could also be the cool, damp weather. Some people’s constitutions thrive better in warmer or dryer climates. Funny enough, depending on where you are from in the Deep South, you could get more rain than you do in the PNW!
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u/ruhruhrandy 1d ago
Born in Mobile, AL the rainiest region of the US! But that’s only because of hurricanes 😂 I moved from there when I was 4 though. I spent most of my life in north Mississippi.
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u/meta_muse 1d ago
I’m from Birmingham! I love Mobile! That whole area really over to NOLA. Oo I bet that was rough Mississippi. I mean, probably no rougher than Alabama now that I think about it. Both states are pretty low on quality of life ratings etc lol. Glad we both made it out alive to tell the tale!
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u/ruhruhrandy 11h ago
I almost didn’t! But my mental health is a lot better now and I’m in a place that’s much more sane politically so my main issue currently is my physical health.
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u/meta_muse 2m ago
Oh dude same!! I’m so glad you’re doing better. I’m on my way there. It’s a hard fight I tell ya.
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u/GhostAnthonyBourdain 1d ago
Allergies are kinda bad here and have only gotten worse over time.
Also, there may be certain habits you need to pick up to help reduce how often you're getting sick. Take light jackets with you if there's a chance it could be cold. Take more vitamins, we're all hella deficient in vitamin D. Lol
Stop walking around barefoot. During the cool and cold seasons. I dunno, I think stuff like that. And whatever everyone else is saying.
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u/Seattleman1955 1d ago
I'm from eastern NC and I've now lived in Seattle for more than 30 years. I've had no problems.
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u/AdditionalTask6534 1d ago
Just moved to Tacoma from Florida a few months ago and have had zero issues. If anything, I feel healthier since moving here
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u/KarisPurr 1d ago
I think it’s just major climate shift. I’m from Austin so no stranger to wicked seasonal allergies, but rarely got sick. My first year in western WA I got covid x2 (yes im vaxxed), a cold that led to bronchitis, asthma induced by the wildfire smoke, a sinus infection, and 3 stomach bugs. I work from home so it’s not like I was out around tons of people. I’ve been pretty much back to baseline immune system since so so there’s hope for you yet.
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u/StrangePlantain 1d ago
It could definitely be allergies. I have asthma and this time of year feels like I'm getting pneumonia again. Maybe consider seeing an allergy specialist to rule it out?
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u/sunofasack 1d ago
Moved here from Vegas 10/21, and was immediately sick that winter numerous times, and since then a few times a year…way more than I was in Vegas, and a Florida transplant as well. Got Covid 3x, flu once (didn’t get the shot that year), and bad head colds. This year…so far, just 1x Covid and missed two days of work after three day weekend. I work around a lot of people and on commercial airplanes, so I’m around a lot of germs all of the time.
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u/Clean_Equivalent_127 1d ago
Lived in SC for about 20 years, felt like I was about 2 steps from my death bed. Moved to the willamette valley about 8 years ago and feeling better month by month.
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u/Perle1234 1d ago
I’m from the south and haven’t had one cold in a year. I work in the medical field and wear a mask anytime I’m around people though. We aren’t required to wear them but I like not getting everyone’s festering germs.
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u/SeaChange1356 1d ago
From Oklahoma. Getting used to the PNW took a year, even my wife was sick every other week and she comes from Toronto, CA.
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u/Caftancatfan 1d ago
We moved here from the east coast about ten years ago. We got sick a bunch and then it calmed down. I think you’re just acclimating to a new set of nasty bugs.
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u/CorkyHoney 1d ago
I am also not a native Oregonian. Lived here for years with no issues, then last year I was knocked out by seasonal allergies. They started in April and lasted until this past January. They returned a few weeks ago. Have your GP get you to an allergist. And welcome!
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u/anonymous5481 1d ago
I agree with what others have said. The PNW will bring out allergies you never knew you had. I've had several co-workers who have lived all over the world never had any issues with allergies until they moved here. One found out they were allergic to cats! Their cats were adopted 5 yrs before they moved here, and they grew up with cats. 😄 For those who are curious, the cats didn't go anywhere. The co-worker vacuumed everyday and took allergy meds. 🙂
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u/floofienewfie 1d ago
Medford Oregon gave me allergic asthma because of the inversion layer in the Rogue Valley, not unlike the inversion layer in Los Angeles, where I grew up. I live elsewhere now but 20 years in the Rogue Valley was enough.
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u/shanski89 1d ago
Sickest of my life moving here. From Virginia moved to Idaho almost two years ago.
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u/Ambitious_Mess5410 1d ago
It’s likely due to all the mold spores in the air from the constant cool, low-pressure moisture.
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u/PnwMexicanNugget 1d ago
Moved here from Alabama in 2017 at age 29. Never had a problem. Strong like bull.
You must have a week blood line. Not likely to survive a harsh winter. Godspeed
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u/HyperionSunset 1d ago
For me, it has been allergies. One thing I heard is you can build up resistance to it by eating locally sourced honey. I can't stand the taste of honey, so can't confirm or deny... but it seemed plausible.
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u/BlueSpruceRedCedar 1d ago
Did you get all your vaccines? The pollen the south is way way worse. The overall density of airborne pollen is in my experience much lower up here than anywhere on the East Coast… humidity is almost always within ideal range.
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u/PNW_Jeeper541 1d ago
I lived most of my life in Nashville Tennessee and Louisville Kentucky. I live in Oregon now, I was sick constantly for the first few months. I think I finally acclimatized to the PNW. Its definitely a different climate than what Im used to back home. Im not sure what the difference is? It definitely affected my health though.
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u/GourdFortune500 1d ago
This happened to me when I first moved from the Pacific Northwest to the south for the first year. Did not happen when I moved back 9 years later.
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u/TheGhostWalksThrough 1d ago
I grew up in So Cal and moved here later. In California I would get hay fever, but NOTHING compares to the moist climate here. It makes my allergies unbearable. It's like mold or something. Before I started taking Flonase those allergies used to rule my life. Before that I took allergy medicine and was constantly out of it. I'm so much better now, you can buy Flonase over the counter now, too. (It used to be prescribed only)
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u/Odd_Perspective_4769 1d ago
Moved a much shorter distance and was sick constantly. Go see a good allergist and an ENT and get yourself tested. I had major chronic sinus and upper respiratory infections for years until I ruled out anything structural going on in my ears, nose and throat. And then went to see an allergist who helped me figure out I was allergic to molds, grasses and dust mites. He ran titers and found my pneumococcal levels were low. Gave me a vax and recommended Xlear and budesonide mixed in a neti pot where I’d rinse daily and life was good again. It was a miserable time but I’m grateful I found a solution.
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u/Potential-Dog1551 1d ago
Oregon is the grass seed capitol of the world so there is a ton of grass being grown and seeded.
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u/RuleFriendly7311 1d ago
You may not have known that you're allergic to mold. Source: moved to Florida and my head exploded.
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u/CreditDry8107 23h ago
It's the immigrants this state has allowed in who are spreading diseases that have originated from their country of origin
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u/drtennis13 23h ago
The invasive Russian olive trees in the parks are HORRIBLE. Every year I feel like I have a 2+ month long cold because of the stupid trees. Worse when I walk along the river.
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u/jessa_plz 22h ago
It’s gotta be seasonal allergies. I never had them in TN and I’ve been here for 9 years and every fall through spring I’m sneezing.
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u/sallysuejenkins 22h ago
Allergies definitely kick my butt a few times a year. I think it could be that.
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u/HVNFN4Life 22h ago
Yes. I moved from the South to CA and was calling out once every two months and sometimes once a month for extended periods. Still sickly. Never had an issue until I moved.
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u/itsmeonmobile 22h ago
The same thing happened to me. I was never sick in TN or GA but am pretty I’ll at least once a year now. I just chalk it up to age; it’s easier than admitting this state might be killing me because I’m never going back.
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u/jaxopern 21h ago
I'm the exact opposite. Grew up in Alabama and suffered from allergies my entire youth. I moved to Seattle when I was 25 and everything cleared up. Been here 30 years and never have any allergy problems.
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u/NewRiver3157 21h ago
I was ill when I moved to PNW 30 years ago. I believe it’s what everyone says.you are reacting to allergens.
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u/Inconceivable_Goon 21h ago
I had the exact opposite happen. Moved here from Oklahoma in 2018 and my allergies vanished! I typically had two sinus infections per year, once in the spring, again in the fall. I’ve never been healthier since moving here.
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u/bdot2687 20h ago
Get some local honey and eat a tbsp everyday. Must be local. Really helped with my allergies when I moved here from NY!
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u/gagirlpnw 18h ago
This is the only place I have lived where I haven't been sick as much or had allergies. I grew up in the deep South. From mid Feb to summer I was always suffering from allergies. Here, nothing has triggered them, yet. I've been up here for 15 years now.
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u/embee33 18h ago
I’m going to go a different direction here .. It’s cold and rainy here for 9 months. For most of that time, people don’t leave their windows open or go outside as much. Without air flow indoors and sick people inhabiting close quarters in closed-up spaces, respiratory infections have a much easier time spreading.
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u/dwreckhatesyou 17h ago
There is a certain amount of mold and pollen in the air that makes at least 90% of transplants sick for a good portion of their first year or so here. I moved here from the desert around 30 years ago and I was sick for a while until my body got used to it. This is an entirely different biome than the Deep South with all sorts of different plants and such that your body isn’t used to yet. Give it time. You’ll acclimate.
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u/Good-Math3071 16h ago
I moved to Seattle from Georgia 30 years ago. When I first moved here, i did get sick a lot. I would always get an upper respiratory infection every March. Eventually found out that I was allergic to the mold in the bottom of the Kent valley. The dairy across the river didn’t help. I moved out of the valley to a hillside and have been better ever since. It’s a definite climate change that your body has to get used to.
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u/good4steve 16h ago
Not quite the South, but we moved here after living 10 years in Austin, Texas. Allergies have been much better here than they were in Austin.
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u/Purple_Internet3479 16h ago
I had to leave Seattle because of the Western Red Cedar pollen every spring. Getting bronchitis every spring was a deal breaker for me...but how I miss the PNW.
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15h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ruhruhrandy 14h ago
I’ll have you know my first 4 years of schooling was in the best school district in Georgia at the time! Granted the move to Mississippi really hampered my intellectual development. But I’m not unintelligent
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u/pandesal666 15h ago
Get you some claritin, a flu shot (WA has had highest uptick of flu this year), some Vitamin D cuz the sun here is soft as opposed to places closer to the equator, and hydrate! Good luck!
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u/ObviousDepartment744 14h ago
I have a friend who moved here from Hawaii, he lived here for like 15 years or so and he was constantly sick. Sinus issues, his asthma would always act up. A few years back he moved to Tahoe and all his issues are gone.
Personally, I moved here about 20 years ago and I’ve had some mild sinus issues ever since. Nothing major like my buddy, but when I leave the area for an extended period of time it goes away.
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u/Acceptable-Friend-48 14h ago
Quite the opposite. I used to go into my annual allergy induced respiratory failure (sometimes more than once) when I lived down there. I haven't been in respiratory failure once since moving to the PNW in '06.
My husband had never had allergies. He got them up here, and they really messed him up at first, so that would be my guess.
Allergies can do a lot of unexpected things, not just respiratory system fuckery. They can cause dermal, digestive, and ocular issues as well (from experience).
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u/tragiquepossum 14h ago
VITAMIN D
It's an immune system modulator; plus if your deficient you'll feel like shit.
Get tested so you know how much to supplement. The different slant of light up in these latitudes is consequential.
I was low (medically deficient), but I also have underlying thyroid issues/chronic illness that I've had since the South...I got my illnesses treated and I'm taking 10,000‐15,000 ius to maintain my Vitamin D status. This winter I was actually able to go out among crowds and not get sick! (Up until a recent RSV (?)/upper respiratory illness that is dragging on.
Also I get flu vaccine & would have gotten COVID booster (but got a mild case right before I scheduled). I'm at risk every time I have a viral illness worsening my chronic illness baseline, so I dont play around.
If you have continued mild illnesses, I would start looking at underlying immune issues. Frequent illness was one symptom of my thyroid disorder.
Are you missing sweet tea/BBQ/fried chicken/okra/greens yet? 😭
What do you like about your new home most?
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u/waldencarol 6h ago
Southern food 🤤 we do a lot of things right in the PNW with food… but southern isn’t one of them. The only time I miss being in the south is when I crave the staples we grew up with!
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u/lakeswimmmer 13h ago
you might be allergic to mold spores? Even if your house is a clean, dry, mold-free environment, the mold and funguses are very active outdoors as soon as the autumn rains begin.
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u/cordial_carbonara 11h ago
Moved from Texas back in October. I’ve never been healthier. Ragweed and dust are the bane of my existence, so my allergies up here have been nonexistent. I’ve got kids in public school so we picked up a couple viruses but not any more than usual.
Honestly, try a vitamin d supplement. The stuff does wonders for a lot of your body systems.
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u/Prettyokayrn 10h ago
I’m from the NW and had that exact problem when I moved to the south lol. Mine ended up being allergies causing all the sinus junk and occasionally would turn into something 🫠
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u/Pheebsie 9h ago
Oh man when I first moved here from ar 15 years ago I was sick all the time. Allergies were kicking my arse had constant colds. Give it another year and you'll suddenly have gills and webbed feet. Allergies still suck but I'm not as sick as I was then.
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u/dizzymslizzy66 9h ago
Start eating a tablespoon of local honey a day. Not store bought! It really does work. My son was allergy tested and was allergic to everything. Tree pollen is the worst. Also you can have allergies in the winter from the mold from all the dead leaves. The doc said to do this and it really works. Not over night but eventually you’ll see a difference
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u/ImportanceNo1880 7h ago
Happened to me too moving here from GA. Try using local honey - it builds your immunity to the naturally occurring pollen here. I went from 2-3 years of horrible to allergies to being unaffected.
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u/waldencarol 6h ago
And make sure the honey is local to your area. That way you’re exposed to what is active around you. Find a farmer in your area!
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u/waldencarol 6h ago
I’m from Georgia and YES. Non freaking stop! If you are financially able seek out a Naturopathic Doctor — not a Naturopath / health coach, etc. An actual Naturopathic Doctor. This is not medical advice: but I have found local honey, bee pollen and Vit. D have helped significantly along with other lifestyle, medications/ supplements. Have labs done to find out exactly what is going on with you.
Good luck, friend.
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u/Disastrous_Map4433 2h ago
People think that the Northwest is a soft place until nature chooses biological warfare. It helps to weed out the weak.
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u/marcikn68 55m ago
I have never been so sick as I have been this year and I live in Washington state. Not sure what’s going on. 🤷♀️
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u/bigtiddiepanda 1d ago
Are you sure it's not seasonal allergies? Not trying to be funny at all. I grew up in the Midwest and my husband grew up in GA, and neither of us had seasonal allergies, until we moved here.