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Hayfever advice

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 Sharp 05 Jun 2018

I seem to have developed hayfever and wondered if any one had any advice. It's obviously been quite a bad year for pollen and I've noticed the cars covered in it by my house but I was surprised how debilitating it was and I've never had more than the odd sneeze before. 

The pharmacist gave me steroidal nasal spray and boots own cetirizine, I took the nasal spray and benedryl (3 a day) till I ran out of the packet and it cleared it up in a few days. Started on the cetirizine, one in the morning as instructed and it's making me really drowsy even though she said it shouldn't do. I'm not sure whether to start taking them at night instead, to try something else or to stop taking them and see if the symptoms return.

I'm going to nip into the pharmacist again on the way home but I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how they manage it and what works for them. I work outside regularly but don't always know in advance whether I'll be out or not. Given that the medication seems to take a minimum of a few days to work how do you plan when to start taking them? Or is it something people just take all summer? Are the pollen forecasts useful? I hate taking medication unless I have to but apart from medicine the advice seems to be don't go outside and keep your windows shut which isn't really going to work for me!

 JohnBson 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

For me all the drugs don't really work. I take a single citrizine 1/2 an hour before I get up. Steroid sprays make me feel worse than the benefits.

I find application of hay max around the eyes and nose useful. I chew gum because while you chew it goes away and I wear sunglasses at all times. I find combining these with a breathing exercise allows me to keep it in check all day provided I don't let it overcome me.

Also avoid beer and cider!

 marsbar 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I use eye drops and nasal spray, I have given up on  tablets.  

I wash my face frequently with cool water at work or shower at home which helps me feel better.  Out and about a wet flannel in a plastic bag is OK.   

I spend my fun time messing around in boats.  

Aircon in the car instead of window open.

Post edited at 07:03
XXXX 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Citirizine is like anasthaetic for me even though it's supposed to be non drowsy. I take loratadine one a day before I go to bed and it works ok. I only really suffer in June to mid July so I just start taking it the day after it gets bad. Normally works for me pretty quickly.

 Trangia 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

For most of my life I've been on antihistamine during the Summer, most recently for the last 30 years Loratadine which is pretty effective and non drowsy. However it never really controlled the itchy eyes. Back in the Winter I developed a bad dose of rhinitis and was referred to ENT where the Consultant advised me to take a saline nasal douche every day. Not only did it eventually clear up the rhinitis but as I have carried on with these douches into the Summer, it has helped suppress my hay fever enormously, including the itchy eyes. I still take the daily antihistamine tablet as well, and for me, this has been by far the least bad hay fever season ever.

 jamscoz 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Suffered with it really bad for many years, mid May until end of June is my time... 

+1 for wearing sunglasses all the time. Helps a bit for sure but also disguises your ruined eyes from the world...

None of the over the counter stuff ever worked for me, except occasionally the nasal spray. The  last few years have been bad so I've taken to getting some extra strong tablets prescribed from GP.  They worked better but made me drowsy, not good for work or driving - catch 22 because neither is gradually turning into a liquid from the inside out.

This year though.... absolutely nothing! I've seen the pollen, the sunlight, the suffering potential but so far so good.  I switched to a keto diet a few months ago so thats getting the credit for now - it has been a late start to the season with a longer winter but I should be an un-presentable mess by now... there are forums filled with folk saying keto cured their hayfever but despite them I'm still skeptical. If I get through this summer clear and free I might join them...

 

Post edited at 08:10
Rigid Raider 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

The good news is that as you get into your fities you can expect to grow out of hay fever. Mine started when I was about 15 and began to diminish at around 50 and I've read of others experiencing the same. Nowadays if I get a bit of a sniffle, one Clarityn a day controls it.

 girlymonkey 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I would just experiment with the different products available. I used loratidine for years, but it eventually stopped working so well for me, so now use cetirizine. I start taking it in mid to late April and continue until about Sept. On bad days I use Pirinaise nose spray. I used to try another one but it irritated the lining of my nose. 

I used to get it so bad as a teenager that even with antihistamines I used to struggle to read exam papers at school. It always seemed very cruel that exams were in hayfever season.

Thankfully, it has got less severe in recent years. It's been a couple of years now since I had a night where it has kept me awake (was a regular summer occurence). 

I think there's no one answer, just try different stuff and see what works for you

 Doug 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Rigid Raider:

In my case I started to suffer much less in my mid 30s although, now aged 60,  I still get occasional attacks. When bad (not often nowadays) I take Aerius which I think is very close to Loratadine mentioned by some others. In my teens & twenties I mostly took Triludan which I think is no longer available and which made me drowsy much of the time (always found school & university summer exams difficult with a decision between taking anti-histamines to control my hayfever but be drowsy, or to not take them & to be awake but suffering)

Post edited at 08:39
 Sealwife 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I have taken just about every hay fever medication known to mankind over the years.  As others have said, it can ease off with age.  Mine started as a child and I was very badly affected, it started getting a bit better in my 40s.  Still get itchy eyes, nose, runny nose and itchy throat on bad days though.

Loratidine works well for me, with wrap around sunglasses and I try to avoid areas of cut grass and meadowsweet, which are my main allergy triggers.

On a bad day, shower, wash hair and change clothes immediately on coming into the house - wash hands and face if a shower isn't available.

In days gone by, I used to find smoking a fag helped - but I'm not recommending taking up smoking as a hay fever cure (kept midges at bay as well).

 Brev 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Loratadine for me,as it seems to keep my symptoms in check 99% of the time. I do take it daily (although I do forget every now and then) during the summer months. I also take 1-2 tablets a week during the winter to manage other, less intense, allergies. I do find it gets less effective after a couple of years, so will then switch to something else for a few months before switching back to Loratadine. Aside from that it works, for me the main benefit is that it is widely available and cheap. Most larger supermarkets and Boots will have a cheap/own brand which costs about £2-2.50 for 30 tablets.

 

 nathan79 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Another late bloomer to hayfever here. 

Cetrizine is knockout drops for me, I only take them when flying for their sedative effects.

I find Loratidine works with no associate drowsiness.

 blurty 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I started with the hay-fever in my 20's, when I gave up fags (well worth the down-side!).

 

Most over-the-counter remedies either made me drowsy or didn't work that well for me; over the last couple of years I've been taking Fexofenadine. Non drowsy, very effective, but quite expensive unfortunately - I buy them in bulk from UK based pharmacists on-line

 Toerag 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I've discovered that keeping cool (temperature-wise) has major benefits for me. This is because when you're warm your body sends blood into your nose so it can act like a radiator and cool you down. This engorges the tissues and makes them more sensitive to the pollen. By keeping cool you keep the blood out your nose and reduce your sensitivity.

 nniff 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Late developer here - past 20 years or so and no sign of it diminishing in my 50's.  It's tree pollen mostly for me, usually from the end of Feb up to September, with mid season fluctuations.

I get something from the GP as off the shelf stuff didn't touch it (and cost a fortune) - fexofenadine hydrochloride.  Works for me.  No side effects for me, other than strange dreams when I start taking them at the beginning of the season (not bad, just bonkers) and these disappear after a week or so.  I usually have to add eye drops and a nasal spray from time to time

 skog 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I take a loratidine tablet every day, all year round (I also have quite bad house dust mite allergy).

It works for me on all but the worst of the hayfever days.

It doesn't leave me drowsy, but I occasionally wonder whether taking it all the time is doing anything else awful to me. I checked with my GP once, and he told me I should just keep taking it if i worked.

 
 SAF 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Last summer I was on cyclyzine, an anti-histamine based anti sickness drug 3 times a day for severe morning sickness/ hyperemesis. It turned me into a zombie, but did stop me throwing up mostly. 

However, it was the first summer for about 30 year that I didn't suffer from hayfever... Every cloud!!!!

This year I'm stuck with cetrizine and loratadine as I'm breastfeeding... They are pretty crap and I'd much rather use benydryl (acrivistine) expensive but worth it, and as I suffer worst in the morning I often find I can get away with only one or two tablets a day. I also find they are good to carry around with me as they are fairly fast acting, so I can just take them as and when required.

 Ben07 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I've suffered with bad hayfever all my life, a couple of years ago I started having apple cider vinegar and honey.l and its made a huge difference. Ive all woay taken antihistamine, beconase nose spray. And opticrom eyedrops.  But the cider vinegar deffinatley makes a big difference .It needs to be raw and unpasteurised though. Same with honey. 

Don't just take stuff when your symptoms are bad, you need to take them all the time to work their best. 

 

 

 mik82 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Carry on with the steroid nasal spray. It takes at least 2 weeks to start working fully., and should be continued throughout the hay fever period, rather than stopped when you feel better.

Next year, consider starting a steroid nasal spray approximately 3 weeks before you think the hay fever will start. This allows it time to start working properly.

Post edited at 20:42
 pec 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

What time of day do you tend to get symptoms? For me it's worst at during the last few hours of sleeping (well when I should be sleeping if I wasn't kept awake by all the sneezing) and the first hour or two after I get up.

I used to alternate between different medicines, taking tablets as and when I was affected but the last couple of years have been a lot worse so I've been taking the tablets before I go to bed to get a full night's sleep. Unfortunately even that hasn't always helped so I've started using an air ioniser in the bedroom at night which has thus far prevented any sneezing fits when I should be sleeping.

I'd like to think what people have said about it easing with age was true but I'm now 50 and its getting worse every bl**dy year.

 squarepeg 05 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Pollinosan/luffa nasal spray, by A.Vogel/Bioforce.

OP Sharp 06 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Thanks for everyone's comments. I've recently stopped smoking so it was interesting to read that nicotine can supress reactions. I'm not sure what the worst trigger is but I live a few meters away from the forest and the cars outside my window have all been covered in pollen so I think having my window open probably hasn't helped. The worst day was stood on top of the climbing tower after the grass had been cut at work so perhaps both grass and tree pollen are triggers for it.

I've ordered up some loratidine, I really hope it works because it's by far the cheapest and if it's non-drowsy to boot then that's ideal.

I splashed out on an air conditioner for my room as well so I can keep my window shut (smallish south facing attick room with a slate roof ) I wish I'd bought one years ago.

Rigid Raider 06 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Just wa;k in to a chemist or supermarket and buy a pack of Clarityn or Allereze and end your misery.

 gethin_allen 06 Jun 2018
In reply to Rigid Raider:

> Just wa;k in to a chemist or supermarket and buy a pack of Clarityn or Allereze and end your misery.

Well that's one way to get your drugs, not sure the pharmacist would be to pleased

Rigid Raider 06 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Er.... Clarityn and Allereze are just two of the hayfever remedies that are sold OTC. The drug is Loratadine.

Gladio5 06 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Throw away all the toxic pharmaceuticals and used plain tap water, just rinse ya blower several times a day  either by snorting water under a tap or using soaking wet cotton buds.  Of course doctors won't give you this advice as they can't prescribe tapwater as they are the drug pushers of big pharma

6
 marsbar 06 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

Those doctors eh, big pharma.  It’s all a conspiracy and vaccines are poison.  </sarcasm>

 Baron Weasel 11 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

Copied from a facebook group - might be worth a shot:

All my life I suffered from hay fever. I pretty much chocked to death every summer. Then, few years ago, an old man (crazy old man according to my wife) told me to try nettles. Basically, as soon as the spring starts, he told me, and the first nettles sprout out, pick a bunch and sting myself with them. Do that once a week until the end of autumn. Apparently this would make my immune system concentrate on nettles and forget about the pollen...To my wife's horror and the amusement of the fellow walkers in parks and forests, I soon started the "therapy". This is my hand in the nettles bush And lo and behold it worked...I haven't had any problems with pollen for 3 years now...

So there you have it. Just wanted to share with you my experience. Just in case someone is interested in use of herbs for medicinal purposes...

And as the law requires, here is the disclaimer: don't do this at home

dareterr 12 Jun 2018
In reply to Sharp:

I've had hay fever for a long time and have gone through the circuit of OTC medications. One thing that has helped me is using a Neti pot to rinse out my sinuses during peak pollen season.

Gladio5 12 Jun 2018
In reply to marsbar

 

Dont know if vaccines are poison but they are only 4% effective and contain mercury, for some reason and as far as I can tell mercury isnt a very bio friendly substance...although if you wish to claim otherwise I have a bottle on my shelf that I would love to watch you drink.

3
 JoshOvki 12 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

:') So damn funny

 BedRock 12 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

4% effective? For what?

And mercury is no longer in UK vaccines - Thiomersal (the mercury based preservative) was removed from UK vaccines between 2003 and 2005. Since 2005 it is only used in non routine vaccs such as HepB and flu vaccines - it was used in the Pandermix (H1N1) vaccine in 2009 and 2010  but isn't used in the flu vaccines in the UK.

Also the mercury (ethyl) used in thiomersal can be broken down and excreted by the body, so does not acumulate so poses no health risk. Its riskier form a mercury point of view to eat tuna - this 'methyl' mercury isnt broken down and can therefore accumulate.

 MonkeyPuzzle 12 Jun 2018
In reply to BedRock:

Shill!

 marsbar 12 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

I think I'll give drinking mercury a miss thanks.  

I wouldn't want to turn into a thermometer.  

 La benya 12 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

Why would you have a bottle of mercury? 

Gladio5 13 Jun 2018
In reply to BedRock et al

Are you a medic?   I wouldnt trust any data from the NHS which is an organisation heavily infiltrated by the "Common Purpose"  modus operandi.

I dare any of you fine noble people to open up a thread on that topic!

I know from experience its pointless debating with the numerous 95% shabbos goy here, as most of you have your grubby careers to protect.

 

 

 

 

4
 Toerag 13 Jun 2018
In reply to Baron Weasel:

>  Apparently this would make my immune system concentrate on nettles and forget about the pollen...

More likely your body would increase it's production of antihistamines to combat the nettle stings which would also deal with the hayfever at the same time. You're essentially using the nettles as a pseudo-vaccine.

 

 BedRock 13 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

> Are you a medic? 

> I know from experience its pointless debating with the numerous 95% shabbos goy here, as most of you have your grubby careers to protect.

Yes, am medically trained, Phd, work in research and education, understand evidence based medicine but also understand limitations of research and (as in all walks of life) not every scientific papers is done without its bias (be it personal opinion,financial) etc

Referring to 95% of "us" as having "grubby careers" to protect is  as nonsensical as your theory of mercury in vaccines poisoning us all. I guess you just cant discuss things sensibly with some people. And I've annoyed myself by replying to you!

 

 marsbar 13 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

Ooh religiously based insults now. 

I'm not a medic or employed by the nhs, nor am I someone who carries out tasks for people who choose to live with irrational rules but think it OK for someone else to break them.  

How peculiar.  

 

 

In reply to Sharp:

I grew into hayfever in my mid-30's and well remember the feeling of being utterly wasted that it can bring before you get a grip on it.

Loratadine plus Beconase works for me; also, not going outside after a shower until my hair's dry, which doesn't take long but makes a big difference over the day.  I usually start on the tablets mid-Feb, as that's when the tree pollen kicks off (though it can be earlier, mid-Jan some years, and it does depend on what trees there are around you).  It peaks for me when the Hawthorn flowers, looks glorious but still reduces me to an eyes-watering snot monster despite medication.

If Beconase is good for you, at the moment it's £6 at my local Tesco or you could buy two and still only pay £6.  However, if you use Prevalin nasal spray, that's priced at £10 for one or £6 for two.  I suspect someone's entered something into a computer wrongly...

T. 

 

 Stuart S 14 Jun 2018
In reply to tomcats:

> In reply to marsbar

> Dont know if vaccines are poison but they are only 4% effective and contain mercury, for some reason and as far as I can tell mercury isnt a very bio friendly substance...although if you wish to claim otherwise I have a bottle on my shelf that I would love to watch you drink.


Do you put salt on your fish and chips?  Are you aware that table salt is a combination of sodium (a metal so reactive that it explodes on contact with water) and chlorine (used as poison gas during World War 1).  But combine the two and it's perfectly safe (in sensible quantities) to sprinkle over your food.  Because that's how chemistry works - the properties of elements often have little or nothing to do with the properties of compounds containing them.  What makes you think that mercury is any different?

 marsbar 14 Jun 2018
In reply to Stuart S:

If you can miss someone you never met, I miss Terry Pratchett. What is a man?  

 "Iron enough to make a nail

Lime enough to paint a wall

Water enough to drown a dog

Sulphur enough to stop the fleas

Potash enough to wash a shirt

Gold enough to buy a bean

Silver enough to coat a pin

Lead enough to ballast a bird

Phosfor enough to light the town

Poison enough to kill a cow"

Post edited at 09:20

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