Allergy by night?

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

I keep waking up in the night and being awake for 2-3 hours with uncontrollable sneezing, pouring nose and itchy mouth.

It's not every night and I've found no pattern of food, bedding, activities etc.

When I wake up like this I take antihistamines, but they take at least an hour to have any effect, and it's at least 2 hours before I can sleep again

Any idea what it could be? I may have to start taking tablets before bed every night, but I don't want to build up a tolerance to them and it isn't a nightly thing

It started in April, so I assumed it was hayfever, but now I think about it, it actually seems to happen on nights when it's pouring down with rain outside, so that doesn't make sense.

Ideas?

[TheFirie]

It is quite common. The level of antihistamine in your blood lowers when it is dark. Have you noticed a difference shower/no shower (allergen from the outside in your hair), freshly hoovered carpet/ not hoovered (dust on carpet or dust from vacuum cleaner), in the activity done, do you use a specific detergent some days (bleach in toilet, stove cleaner, ...). It is very difficult to identify the allergen.

Try changing the pillowcase every night, and honestly I would just take an antihistaminic before going to sleep.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Interesting, thank you. Other then the rain, I've noticed no pattern yet. I have always had eczema pop up from use of soap etc, so I have to change my washing products a lot to prevent a build up of reaction to them, but AFAIK I've had that under control for 15+ years.

I can only use Fairy washing power / liquid for clothes and bedding as that sets me itching from head to toe, but I've used it for donkeys.

It's the intermittent nature that makes it so inconvenient. I think I'll take tablets for a few nights now as I'm absolutely shattered - 8hrs kip since I got up on Tuesday.

[SweetChickadee]

I take half my meds in the morning and half at night for this reason - mine is also bad when it rains.

And keep your bedroom window closed

[Bimbop5]

I have nighttime allergies too. It's annoying and does wake me in the night due to my super itchy roof of my mouth. I usually end up taking a chlortroponin or benadryl. You might have a dust mites allergy as I do. Make sure to wash all you bedsheets once per week in hot water. And look at Gering mattress dust covers that zip up.