Poor DS suffering with hayfever - pls help!

[MaidInYorkshire]

My DS is ten, and has an unspeakably miserable time every May/June with his hayfever. He's had a particularly bad day today, and is crying as his nose is so blocked

He takes 10mg cetirizine every morning from the end of March onwards (the allergy consultant said he should take it well in advance of the season to build up the antihistamine effect - this does help to some extent, in that his eyes haven't completely closed up for the past two years). He also has a steroid nasal spray and eye drops, which he uses regularly. However, he is still suffering.

I'm wondering whether I can give him a dose of Piriton tonight in addition to this morning's cetirizine (I think I recall the GP saying it was fine to do one in the morning and one in the evening - but can anyone reassure me, as I'm not certain!). I'm also wondering if there are any herbal/alternative remedies that I could try. I bought local honey at vast expense, but he doesn't like honey!!

Any help or advice would be so gratefully received...

Hello

Your poor DS. I've had hayfever all my life and it can be miserable so I do feel for him and you.

My DD also has hayfever as well as loads of other food allergies and I think it is ok to give the additional dose of anti histamine as that's what we've been told by our GP and DD's allergist, expect we usually give the same one, so in our case Desloratidine (NeoClarityn) up to twice a day. If DD was already dosed up on the Neoclrityn but had an allergic reaction to some food, then we have been told that it would also be necessary to give Piriton as well.

As I said I've had horrible hayfever all my life and when I was pregnant with DD I couldn't take any anti histamine and after pulling a rib and being bedridden after a horrible sneezing fit I trawled the internet to find alternative options. This was about 5 years ago but I know the things are still available.

The first thing I tried was a balm called Haymax that you rub onto the nostrils and is supposed to stop pollen getting into the nose. It's available in lost of supermarkets and chemists now, but I got mine online. It did work and helped relieve the sneezing slightly but I still had the stuffy nose and tickly cough which made sleeping difficult.

Another thing I tried was an Air cleaner called Airfree Again I think that helped a little but it was difficult to tell whether it was actually doing anything as it makes no noise at all. The way this works is to draw air and particles incl pollen into it and the pass it through a heated element which incinerates the particles so they are no longer problematic. It sounds scary but it really didn't get too hot and was comfortable to touch which was good as you need to run it constantly.

The last and best thing I tried and now swear by was the Medinose. I bought mine from Amazon but I know Lloyds Pharmacy have their own version which is not as expensive. Basically it works by inserting the two probes into the nostrils and switching on for about 5 minutes. The probes emit a red light at a frequency that desensitises the nose to help it not react to the pollen. Honestly, it's the only thing I've used that actually helped me unblock my stuffy nose. After the first time I used it, I could breathe through my nose again. You use this about 3 times a day for a certain amount of time and then reduce this to once a day as a maintenance plan. If there are more of you with Hayfever in your family, you can buy separate probes so that you can share the unit. This really did help me. I have used antihistamines every year for as long as I can remember but the last 3 or 4 years, I've probably only needed anti histamines a handful of times.

Sorry for the long reply, but I hope this helps a little. Also, sometimes, some antihistamines either don't work for some people or stop being as effective, so it migh be worth asking your GP for a different one as that might also help.

Hope your DS gets some relief soon.

mumat39, I am so sorry for my belated reply (everything has rather got on top of me recently). I'm all the sorrier as it is such a kind and helpful reply too!

I'd never heard of any of the things you mention, and will be going to Lloyds tomorrow for a Medinose. I can't imagine what a hard time you must have had while p/g (fortunately, my DS will not have to suffer this one!!)

I will report back. Thank you again for taking the time to reply so fully - it is so kind of you.

Hi, my ds has hayfever and ecsema, he's often aggrivated by chemicals so along with local honey I use home grown camomile tea, which I keep pesticide free and oatmeal baths. He keeps this up regularly and has stopped needing anti-histamines.

I hope your ds is ok, I know how horrible it is for them.

My 10 yr old also suffers from allergies - dust, tree pollen (as well as nut) that often block his nose.

Things we do that have made a huge difference - Clarityn every morning with top up doses of Piriton when really bad in evenings, he has an air purifier/humidifier in his bedroom, he uses a nasal spray, Nasamist, to wash his nostrils morning and night (I think this has made the biggest difference), uses Nasonex once/day, showers in the evening to wash off pollen (including hair), keep bedroom window closed when high pollen count/windy.

If your ds' nose is blocked, his steroid spray will not be getting to where it needs to. Using the Nasamist has made such a difference to my ds. It does not feel very nice to spray it up your nose but makes a difference. He sprays, blows his nose, then sprays steroid.

Hope some of that may help!

I take Benadryl every single night of the year and Reactine (Cetirizine..the l2 hour) every morning when my allergies are at their worst ( I have horribly debilitating seasonal allergies...it's temporary so could be worse ). What really, really helps is when we turn our air-conditioning on (June onwards). I don't know if this is at all an option in the UK but it is enormously helpful for people with allergies...mine are at their worst when we have all the windows open at night. Hope he feels better soon. X

Hello Maid

I just PM'd you and noticed that you had replied today. Sorry.

Just wanted to say that the Lloyds one isn't called a medinose, they have their own version here. Sorry for any confusion.

Hope your DS is feeling ok and that you find something soon that works for you.

Take care and hope you have a lovely long weekend.
xx

hi OP my son is also 10 and suffers terribly. he could not leave the house some days as his eyes were so swollen, his nose was contantly blocked and he sneezed all the time. made worse was the fact anything i gave him piriton, cetizirine gave him a terribly headache within minutes of me giving it to him.

a friend of mine gave me a aerosol spray pump of vitamin D3 spray. on the tube it says vitaminD3spray.com - it worked on him instantly. we have used it for the last two summers and it has literally been a life saver. even now he wakes up itchng his eyes. i spray it 5 times inside his mouth on the inside of his cheeks. i literally see it working instantly. same in the evening if it gets bad again.

i'm not sure what it is it does all i know is without it he would be continuously uncomfortable. it makes me feel much better knowing im giving him a vitmain rather than what the other medicine did to him.

we also to me you can buy the vitaminD3 in tablets etc but these are not the same. the aerosol goes straight into his bloodstream.

the friend who gave it to me is a herbalist and swears by alternative medicine. cant say i ever really gave it a second thought until i used this spray. i truly believe it should be prescribed to every child with hayfever. if you need any more info on it just ask.

Hello Kylesmybaby

I'm interested, I'm always interested in any new remedies that don't involve conventional drugs. I'm not anti convential medicine, but am always interested in alternative therapies as well.

Is it something you can just buy? or does a therapist have to 'prescribe' it?

So pleased you've found something that works for your son. Hayfever can be a miserable thing to have to endure.

it really is just a vitamin so can be brought over the counter. a friend said she brought one in holland and barratt for about £6. if you put in the website wwwvitamind3spray.com the company i use is in america. however, i'm sure any vitamin d3 spray will work.

i think my friend must be the uk rep for the company. just make sure you get the spray for inside the mouth and not any drops or tablets as he said these do not work in the same way.

it has worked for every friend i have recommended it to for their kids.

i cant stress enough how bad ds has hayfever and how this keeps it under control. he takes it about 7am and then again about 5pm if it gets bad again - a couple of sprays completely stops it for the rest of the evening. i know its the spray working as if i dont use it his symptons just get worse and worse.

good luck and i hope it helps.

I looked at the website you linked to and was at the price but £6 in holland & barratt sounds more affordable.

I'll have a look. Thanks.

Just out of interest, how many times a day does your DS take it? At first I thought you sprayed it up the nose, so I guess that was wrong and you spray it into the mouth.

Thanks so much. :)

how much is it on that site? my friend charges me £7 a tube. im sure he charges me at cost but didnt think it was much more than that.

im sure the holland and barratt one is just as good. friend said they had it under the counter so if you dont see it ask.

we spray it as soon as he opens his eyes. they are already watery and hes sneezing as we have to sleep with window open as he gets headaches. which is one of the reasons we cant use the cetizirine etc. but that never worked for us anyway. he HATES nose sprays and eye drops. then sometime about 5pm if washing his face with flannel doesnt help when we get in from school. usually about 5 sprays each side inside of mouth in mornings and 3 in the evening. some evenings we dont need to do it.

i have to say i think the vitamind3 has more many more benefits. in the months he uses it he actually gets less headaches. i think its about us not having enough sun here in the uk.

What a fantastic host of suggestions. Thank you! I'm especially keen on things that don't involve yet more drugs. Poor DS is also allergic to dust, nuts, and animals, so spends much of the year sneezing and snorting (not helped by the fact that we are living in a renovation project, so there is lots of dust around!)

I will go and investigate at H&B today.

My DS has very severe hayfever and is 5. For the last 3 years we have had the most miserable summers with alot of time inside. We pushed hard for a allergy specialist referal as nothing seemed to work for him and eventually in January we were seen at St Thomas'.They agreed to put on a imunotherapy programme called Grazax where he has a grass pollen tablet dissolved under his tongue daily for 3 years. It is a big commitment and to start with it made him very poorly with a swollen throat and sometime vomiting. We advised to build the dose up gradually and now 4 months down the line he doesn't have any symtoms from taking it. I know we have not reached the peak of the season yet but all I know is that his symptoms are greatly improved on this time last year. Just going from the house to the car this time last year seemed to set him off. He is also using the Lloyds medinose daily so we try everything to help!

Hello craziedaisy

Just wanted to wish your DS (and you) well with the Grazax programme. It must have been hard to carry on when you first started if your son was having reactions like those but it sounds like he's doing well. .Fingers crossed that the programme is a success.

Take care and hope you have a lovely long weekend.

it says it has 240 sprays in each tube.

do let me now if it works for your children please. the H&B is about £6 so might be worth a try. over the last 2 summers it has cost me a bit but it has made ds more comfortable so i wouldnt think twice about doing it again. he really is an outside boy and those of you with kids who suffer know that it makes them so miserable.

Maid - im really hoping the vitamind3spray helps. when ds is bad even staying in doors doesnt help. and i find once it gets bad its so hard to then get under control. which is why i like to give him the spray first thing and then we seem to nip it in the bud.

i totally agree about the cetizirine etc - it really does give him an instant headache as soon as he takes it.

good luck.

Hi Maid

Hope you're well and that your DS is too.

Just wondering if you found anything for your DS?

Hope you've had a good long weekend
take care

Is this the right spray from H and B www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=2565&prodid=2843&cid=163

or does it have to be D3?

Confused!

that one seems to be vitamin D not Vitamin D3. my friend said the holland and barratt had just got it in. its an oral aerosol spray that i spray into inside of cheeks. they have a couple of them on amazon. health aid do one which i have not tried. the one of use is a slim orange tube. we recently run out and ds could not sleep with a blocked nose and his eyes were so puffy. it took me back to how our summer was before we started using this. its not cheap and i think i buy it as discount but i would'nt be without it. its actually working for a few of my friends now as well so dont think its a fluke! i wish the dr would supply it for all kids that suffer. its a completely natural vitamin not that horrid stuff that does nothing for ds.

kylesmybaby, hello.

Would D3 drops held in the mouth for a while help? I have some which I take when I remember but my hayfever is horrible at the moment, although I'm resisiting taking antihistamines as they give me a headache.

I've looked at the sprays and they seem to have other things in them, presumably to help the spray action. Just wondering if my drops would be okay as it'll save me a few £'s.

Matilda, D3 is also called Cholecalciferol and is more easily absorbed by the body. D2 is Ergocalciferol and although it's also vit D I think it needs to be converted to D3 by the body before it can be absorbed, or something like that.

I had very very low levels of vit D and the endocrinologist I was seeing about a hypothyroid issue recommended buying the cehapest version of D3 that I could get hold of and that I should take it everyday forever.

I think Vit D is a bit of an overlooked essential vitamin. It's not so easy to get it in the diet and in the UK climate, we don't often get the opportunity to get enough sun to make enough of it. I read somewhere that 20 - 30 minutes of full naked body exposure at midday on a sunny day is enough to make enough for one day. I also read that people who burn easily do because of a lack of vit D. I personally wonder whether alot of health issues are as a result of a deficiency of this.

Vitamin D is a wonder vitamin! Boots do a high dose vitamin D3 tablet, you can actually take quite high doses of vitamin D without any side effects. Actually you probably need to take high doses to see the benefits. Vitamin D is a natural steroid so perhaps that's why it does well to combat allergies?

I've also heard high dose vitamin C works on allergies (google it). Apparently taking a high dose but stopping short of the amount it would take to give you tummy trouble. As such, I find drinking rosehip tea (very high in vitamin c) really works when I'm having a bad hayfever day. It tastes ok, just don't brew too long and add a bit of sugar. Cheap too!

Don't know if your son is the same but I find that I take antihistamines continuously and then you just reach a point where they don't work anymore.

go to your gp and ask for desentizsation, this IS available on the NHS for hay fever only.

dont bother with the alternative stuff, if this is truely severe, get the treatment done and well before child hits GCSE exam times!

I thought that it can be dangerous to overdose on vitamin D. I was concerned that due not playing out so much in the summer due to hayfever that my son maybe depleted in vitamin D but our consultant tested him and said that his levels were good. He said that he must have a good diet. I think it would be wise to be tested before taking too much.