hey you, first off... I know that having a prolonged allergic reaction is mentally and physically exhausting (non-stop sneezing, itching, tearing eyes etc etc). I want to say well done that when things were going rough, you didn't have a knee-jerk reaction and treat your hamster badly or leave her somewhere. Instead, you had the wisdom to seek help and advice from people here.
For substrate, I use Carefresh and Megazorb. They're much better than woodshavings which I found dusty and prickly. Megazorb also comes in a large sack which means it's not as expensive.
With noise, yeah, it's tricky. Our bedtime is their up and partying time. I can hear mine nibble and play all the way from the living room to the bedroom. How about earplugs? My partner is a big snorer too so I use them and they shut out all the noise!