Health Issues Hayfever & Seasonal allergies

[SummerRain]

I don't think we have a thread for this... so I thought I'd make one.

Do you have hayfever or related allergies, what treatments do you find work well?

I get hayfever through about half of the year but it's worst between February and May time. I take Loratadine (or something like that) because it doesn't make me drowsy and it works okay, but I still get a runny nose and itching and sneezing. I also use nasal strips to help me breathe at night, and I have an inhaler for when I get wheezy which can happen too, although not that much.

I find the nasal sprays give me headaches, and I don't use eye drops because of my contact lenses but I do find normal eye drops for dry eyes do soothe a little still.

I also have oral allergy syndrome which is related too, and means when I eat some (most) raw fruit and vegetables I get itchy, sneezy and my mouth/throat swells a bit. Not much I can do about that except not eat things I'm allergic to!

So yes, please share, I'd love to find something new which could ease my symptoms

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I had super bad seasonal allergies that lasted most of the year. They were so bad I ended up with sinus polyps, and virtually untreatable sinus infections that would last for months at a time. I've had sinus surgery three times. I used to have to take double or triple doses of most allergy meds. Zyrtec was the most effective for me, but it made me gain a lot of weight.

Then I went and got an allergy skin test (I tested "highly allergic" to 30+ things), and have now been getting allergy shots for about 18 months. They're helping me a lot.

Pollen counts are high right now, and my husband is having a lot of troubles, but I'm not at all. I am still taking OTC Claritin, just in case, as well as Singulair for asthma.

 

[Hannah1]

I take an herb called FeverFew for my seasonal allergies, this has worked so much better than any OTC Allergy Relief I've tried (they all tend to make me feel awful, in some way or another). I try to only use herbs and natural remedies as much as possible, because my body tends is quite sensitive to drugs and OTC meds.

 

[hungryraccoon]

^ will have to google that.

This year is definitely the worst summer for allergies. Everyone seems to be suffering. The only thing that takes the edge off is Benadryl but I've not yet tried anything prescription wise, or any kind of natural remedy (I should really go down that route.)

 

[SummerRain]

When I went to the doctor last year I was told they couldn't offer anything on prescription you can't get over the counter, it was just a matter of trying out the different drugs and seeing which worked best for you. Prescription charge costs more than the pills (if you buy own-brand, which are exactly the same as branded), but maybe you're doctor will say something different. I did get an inhaler to use when I get wheezy.

Luckily, my hayfever has pretty much gone now, I get it early (feb-june, tree pollen). But sympathies for everyone else.

 

[hungryraccoon]

Yeah that's why I've never bought it up with the gp...but I do hear there is some kind of injection you can have?

The only thing I haven't tried is Piriton. I'm not sure what drug that is, but I've tried all of the others. Benadryl doesn't seem to very effective any more really.

It's bothering me more than usual because I feel like I can't breathe properly a lot of the time. :/ I assume that's why you got an inhaler?

 

[KLS52]

I hate it so much when my allergies act up. I cannot stand the itchy watery eyes and drippy nose. I almost never get stuffy which, I suppose, is something to be grateful for.

The thing that works the best for me is an over the counter steroid nasal spray. It's more of a preventive measure so you have to use it for a few days before it starts to work. Claritin does an ok job if I'm not in a full blown attack. Benadryl works best but can only be used at night since it makes me semi comatose.

I do use OTC eye drops for the itching but they only give minimal relief. Ugh...allergies...did I mention I hate them?

 

[hungryraccoon]

Yeah Benadryl is the only thing that helps but it's makes me spacey too. Not with it at all hahaAlso you're only meant to have 3 a day?!.....which is useless to me.

 

[Moll Flanders]

My hayfever has been really bad this summer. I found some tablets in a drawer called Galpharm yesterday and I took one and it did work quite well. I would prefer a natural treatment though. I did put some vaseline in my nostrils but that didn't work at all!

 

[SummerRain]

Yeah that's why I've never bought it up with the gp...but I do hear there is some kind of injection you can have?

The only thing I haven't tried is Piriton. I'm not sure what drug that is, but I've tried all of the others. Benadryl doesn't seem to very effective any more really.

It's bothering me more than usual because I feel like I can't breathe properly a lot of the time. :/ I assume that's why you got an inhaler?

Yeah Benadryl is the only thing that helps but it's makes me spacey too. Not with it at all hahaAlso you're only meant to have 3 a day?!.....which is useless to me.

You should have a look at the 1-a-day ones which are better for hayfever because they last all day, the other pills are meant for short-term allergic reactions, they act quicker but don't last. Also, I believe you need to take them for a few days for the antihistimines to build up in your syem, so take them for a week or so before writing them off.

Yeah, I've read online about the injection but I think that's only for severe cases, where no other treatment works for you, so I haven't tried it/been offered it.

Benadryal is 10mg of Cetirizine Hydrochloride, if you look at own-brand products you can get the same drug for cheaper (just check there isn't less of it), and that's what Piritize and Zirtek are too. Piriton is chlorphenamine maleate, so a different drug, so might be worth trying and seeing if you like it more. I like loratadine, which doesn't give me that spacey feeling, Cetirizine Hydrochloride just made me dopey. (I'm only linking to boots because it was the website I looked on, all the stores/supermarkets do them). There are quite a lot of antihistimines so keep trying until you find one that suits you well.

Oh and yeah I got the inhaler because sometimes I get wheezy and can't breathe properly, my GP prescribed it. It helped so much, it was such a horrible feeling... and the inhaler makes it go right away. I wish I'd gone sooner to get one.

 

[hungryraccoon]

No the Benadryl I use is acrivastine 8mg which (as far as I'm aware) is not available in any other form/by any other company.

Thanks for the info about Piriton etc haven't tried that drug.

 

[SummerRain]

No the Benadryl I use is acrivastine 8mg which (as far as I'm aware) is not available in any other form.

Thanks for the info about Piriton etc haven't tried that drug.

Ah okay, I looked 'em up online, I didn't realise they did more than one.

 

[hungryraccoon]

Also I've just realised those capsules contain gelatin. **** man.

 

[SummerRain]

Oh no that sucks. It's still under patent protection which is why other manufacturers don't exist (I've been looking it up lol). I read some info on it and it seems different to the ones I've tried anyway - seems to kick in much quicker, but not for very long (~6 hours), so ignore what I said before anyway.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

Ah okay, I looked 'em up online, I didn't realise they did more than one.

To make it more confusing, Benadryl in the US is a different active ingredient, diphenhydramine.

In the US, cetirizine is marketed as Zyrtec. Acrivastine is marketed as Semprex (which I've never heard of).


I've had almost no allergy problems this year. I'm two years into getting the injections. I get an injection once a month now.

 

[LuvOurMother]

This year and last fall have been really bad for my allergies. I do take Benadryl when I am desperate for relief ( I found generics that do not have gelatin). I also use a neti pot almost daily ( nasal irrigation), drink green tea and eat spicy food. These things all help relieve some symptoms.

 

[KLS52]

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to see an allergist. I used to get shots years ago. Maybe I would benefit from them again. Plus, I would love to know that I am actually allergic to. I understand they can even test for food allergies.

When I take Benadryl it's the children's liquid.

 

[Blues]

Yerh hay fever sucks ....when i was a kid (I use to deck out with it in spring, summer) my Dr sent me for a allergies test, it came back with about a dozen positives , then , for the next 6weeks or so , I had two injections per week to counter the allergies .

Now , at the most , I get a couple of days of light hay fever in early spring and that's it . So i am one happy chappy .

 

[Pirate]

When I went to the doctor last year I was told they couldn't offer anything on prescription you can't get over the counter, it was just a matter of trying out the different drugs and seeing which worked best for you. Prescription charge costs more than the pills (if you buy own-brand, which are exactly the same as branded), but maybe you're doctor will say something different. I did get an inhaler to use when I get wheezy.

Luckily, my hayfever has pretty much gone now, I get it early (feb-june, tree pollen). But sympathies for everyone else.

I take an antihistamine that cannot be obtained over the counter! When I was younger I went through every OTC one out there and eventaully they all stopped working. I'm now taking one called Telfast (Fexofenodine is the drug name). It works in winter (for dust and other things), in summer it takes the edge off the hayfever but doesnt cure it completely on bad days. I've asked if theres anything else I can take and the answer apparently is no. My main issue is itchy eyes - but I wear contacts as well so can't use any eye drops so feel the pain there (doctors response: "thats a shame". wow I love my GP, so helpful. Anyone got any better ideas?!). And my throat keeps itching (like ive eaten strawberries which im allergic to, but I havent eaten anything). But yeah, prescription only antihistamines definately exist! Maybe it's just expensive so they avoid it.

ps. Last time I was in Sainsbury's they had all the antihistamines buy one get one half price.

 

[SummerRain]

Oh that's interesting, I'll bare it in mind. For my eyes I use regular, good quality contact lens eye drops - the ones you get for any contact lens discomfort. I got them because hayfever was drying out my eyes, causing my vision to go really blurry when using contact lenses - but I found they also soothe a little too. It's not medicated so you can use as much as you like, but it doesn't help with itching.