Having had allergic Rhinitis for some 45 years I have picked up a few things and I thought I would share.

1. Clarityn (Loratidine) takes a while to build up its effectiveness and is an every day, once a day thing. I grew up on Actifed, switched to Clarityn on prescription and its worked well.

2. However, like all drugs, it has a break through time. Roughly every 6 months it simply does not work, nothing works. Its like the body has said I am pushing past this.

3. A pint of cold milk from a cold glass milk bottle drunk in one go and cool your throat, nose and head to such a level that it stops the symptoms.

4. You can take Benedryl on top of Clarityn, so a Walgreens pharmasist told me when I stayed in a brand new hotel full of brick dust .. serious allegen for me. That slowed the symptoms, but did not stop them.

5. The Lloyds red lights up the nose ... work. Not perfectly, but 15mins after use nose is clear ... 3 to 5x a day and you can contain the symptoms. I found this thread when looking to figure out how the work. They work with the majority, weird eh?

6. Spoon of honey from a local farm a day, this is good too .. although as its a training method it needs to be taken about a month before silly season. It has to be local, needs to be pollen based from local soils and pollen sources.

7. Vaseline on the inside of the nose, this works too ... as does the glasses, but as I wear glasses for vision I cannot wear wrap around sunglasses.

So, Clarityn, Vaseline and lights up the nose ... work well.

That said, this year has been the worst I can recall for that feeling of under attack from pollen ...

Kittybrown- ive spent quite a few afternoons snoring very loudly also

Glad to hear some are feeling better, ive had a few ok days but still too many bad days.

I havn't read through all of this thread but just wanted to say that my DD1 (4 yr) has awful hayfever and as a result of this has eczema as well from April through to September every year. She was on daily prescription antihistamines and endless steroid creams etc etc. We were on a slippery slope, so this year after 2 lots of anti biotics and the usual stream of anti histamines, drops etc we got desperate (nothing ever really sorted it out properly) and saw a homeopath. Her skin is now perfect with just the usual moisturisation, and her sneezing and sore eyes has stopped. All prescription drugs and creams are in the bin and she is so much better.

Thought I'd share.

I must admit last week especially towards the end and the weekend were awful for me. I only got 2 hours sleep on Friday night. It was my own fault really, we'd spent the evening at the summer fair at peak pollen time. Got to sleep at 2 with a flannel over my face and woke up at 4 even itchier. Then spent Saturday afternoon snoring really loudly and annoyingly!

Thanks to the rain it's been managable here. Yesterday was bliss as it drizzled all day. not looking forward to Friday as it's supposed to be a scorcher again here. perfect for all the pollen to come out and play after all the rain.

I hate wishing sunny days away.

Just wondering how everyone is now....my good news is that, touch wood, DS1 seems much better - for now anyway.

He has had 3 very miserable weeks and then woke up last Thursday a different child - woke up of his own accord, got dressed, did himself breakfast. And has been like that ever since. Am not sure if this is due to the combination of meds that we started last week (loratidine twice a day, beconase spray, eye drops) or that the pollen count has dropped (at least, of the pollens that were causing him problems). It is only now that he is himself again that I realise how bad he had got. He still has symptoms but they are manageable.

Am hoping that eevryone else's symptoms are lessening as well.

Just want to say thanks to everyone for all your helpful comments and support. Wish MN had been around when my DSs were babies!

yes ive had it forever
feel like ive snorted white pepper at the mo
can take a whole box of antihistamines and they dont do a thing
got some stronger tabs of docs called fexofenadine but even these are nt workin today
would consider the steroid injection but its not good for heatlh longterm
sympathy to other sufferers too
dont want to take ds swimmin cos i feel so bad feel guilty .....

Having a really bad time this year, eye's, ear's and throat itchy. Can't stop sneezing etc. Head feels like im full of cold. Can't go outside or even hang washing out cause im so bad.
just been told to stop being a drama queen and to stop feeling sorry for myself and you only get one life go live it! Also it only lasts a couple of months so stop moaning! (im on hayfever meds feb-oct, so its not just a couple of months)

How can i go live my life when i can't go out? Just had enough why dont people take hayfever seriously?

I have had hayfever for pretty much all my life,and have found the following things to be a help.
1) take antihistamines every day during the season,they are more effective with regular use
2)put eyedrops in before leaving the house
3) tumble dry bedding so pollen doesn't get on it.
4)have a shower when i get home and will not be going back out so all pollen is washed out of my hair.
5) use a nasal balm designed for hayfever. Boots do one called Haymax. I think it is safe to use even in pregnancy. you rub a little inside your nostrils . the theory being that the pollen can't then make contact with your nasal lining and so you don't react to it.I find it works really well and make sure i do it before leaving house and reapply as necessary
6) wearing sunglasses helps keep pollen out of your eyes.
7) if you do feel rally awful I find steaming your head over a bowl of boiling water with a couple of drops Eucalyptus oil added to it helps too.

I seem to have less hayfever as i get older so I really feel for all of suffering with it at the moment.

ibbydibby - double dose of loratadine and nasal spray should help a lot with the sore throat. Good luck with that - hopefully it will be under control in time for his trip.

I am sure DD's key worker thought she was making me cry going through DD's Early Years assessment stuff this morning - my eyes are so weepy...

Your poor ds ibbydibby. I think you done the right thing. least he will be home soon. Would be a nightmare PE and Sports Day and its so so humid. Dd has gone off ok. Got her still on max doses of cetirizine, dont usually like giving her so much! Was up in the night creaming her due to her scratching her eczema and had the ol flannel on the eyes again. its so horrid for them

We got some nasal spray from the GP yesterday - we finally saw our own and he was surprised that no-one else had prescribed it. Also suggested changing back to Loratidine, as he can take 2 a day. So with these and the eye drops (which we forgot today) we are hoping for an improvement.

Packed DS off to school today, though he has sports day this afternoon and PE just before lunch - so wrote his form teacher a letter asking for him to be excused these, and I will collect him late morning. Am not sure how they will take this, but to me it seems better to get him in for some lessons than none at all.

DS also had 2 teeth out by local anaesthetic yesterday afternoon - was unsure if to go ahead with this, but had cancelled last week's appt (due to hay fever), and GP yesterday thought it should be ok to go ahead. By last night he was feeling v weak and took ages to wake up this morning. Suspect this is due to teeth extraction on top of hay fever.

Just feeling a need to write all this down!

I'm with you with the supremely itchy eyes Stealth! I hid behind my sunnies on the way to school but still had tears streaming down my face. Cue lots of "oh, what's wrong" which I'm not keen on as I usually like to blend in to the background. It's hard though to be quiet and inconspicuous when your a snivelling wreck.

I have found the perfect place to be though. It's the cinema. I went with friends on Friday night and within 20 mins my eyes and nose were normal. They must have some super-duper air-conditioning I reckon. As soon as I came out my eyes starting to prickle and itch. I want to live there!

ow ow ow ow ow my eyes itch. I can't wear sunglasses to work (using computer). I can't work with the windows shut (I would cook - it is 27 deg in my office with windows open and fan on). The gardener (well, lawn-cutter) is strimming right outside my office which is driving me nuts and making my eyes worse. DD (2.5) was complaining that "there's something in my eye, Mummy" this morning [sigh]

Grr. Mondays. Who needs 'em?

She has been alot better over the weekend thanks ibbydibby, mind you we did stay in. Windows closed, fan on lol! Fully dosed up. She had sore throat late last night again but seemed to cope with it. I think trying to manage school in the week and with all their symptoms just tips them over the edge doesnt it. Not easy for them. Dd is seven, by the way. Im hoping it goes well this week. Poor you having his trip to france ahead of you. Not good. I know what its like, here a couple weeks ago I was sat fretting just over her school day trip!

SOunds like a lot of you are suffering, how is DD now chloesmum? How old is she? DS1 only started getting hayfever when he was 9, this year has been the worse by far. In the last 2 weeks he has had 5 days off school and 3 trips to GP. Thanks for tips about washing washing bedline, stealthsquiggle, had been drying it indoors, but not washing at 90 degrees. Will try that. DS1 has now been unwell for over 2 weeks, we can keep what I regard as the "primary" symptoms at bay in the daytime, but he has a persisitent sore throat which he seems unable to shake off, and often feels sick.

At the moment I feel as if we are just clutching at straws every time we go to GP and get a different prescription. DS is due to go on school trip to France in July, for 4 days, and I am now wondering if he will be fit to go.

Am up at this unearthly hour (well it is early for me!) as I woke up worrying about him.

Hi fellow sufferers, I too have quite severe hayfever but it affects my chest more than my eyes/nose (after reading some of your comments especially about blisters on your eyeballs I now feel lucky!)I have been rushed to hospital 3 times over past couple of years as literally could not breathe, my airways get really swollen and my lungs produce the same mucus that other people's noses do!

Anyway, whinge over, just wanted to let you all know not to dry your clothes outside during hayfever season as they get covered in pollen that can live for up to 3 months. (Sorry if you already know this)This is especially the case if they are out late afternoon or evening when the count is highest. This applies double for bed linen and towels and triple if they have been out during a shower or damp evening. A homoepath told me this and I have noticed a massive difference especially with bedding. Bit of a pain but worth a try

hi
can i join this thread?

my hay fever has been thev worst ever. In particular my eyes have been swollen, watery, and on friday they were bleeding beneath the surface. I am a teacher and i have even taking to wearing dark glasses in the classroom. It is terrible. I have tried to be happy and jolly but even the children keep asking me if there is anything that they can do to make my eyes feel better!

i have got eyedrops but like someone else said it is like putting bleach in my eyes. usually i have had to go to bed at 8 in a darkened room with a cold flannel on my eyes.

i take zirtek and sometimes clarytin.
today my eyes have been alright!

ibbydibby you probably have more advice from GP by now but yes, I would suggest your DS takes his one dose per day at bedtime, after a shower to get pollen etc out of his hair (and making sure bedding is washed at 90deg to get rid of allergens and then dried inside). I firmly believe that once the symptoms get hold, as it were, it takes a lot more to stop them - one dose late at night should at least get him through the school day, even if he is then miserable in the evening - it is easier to spend the evening lying on the sofa with a cold flannel over your eyes than to suffer through the school day.

mummyhill, i was pg last year and had started taking my meds cause i didn't know, was really scared when midwife advised me to stop taking them.

I went out for a walk on Wednesday and walked down a grassy lane(with seed heads on), almost as soon as I had come out of the fields, my eyes began to swell, although I didn't touch them, because they stung so much, and they were also watering like mad. When I got back to the office, I was alerted to the fact that something was wrong because a colleague immediately came up to me and said, "Oh my goodness, have you been beaten up?" and sure enough my eyes were like golf balls. I went home, but they continued to swell so that I couldn't see, and my daughter (5yo) couldn't look at me when she got home, because my eyes made her feel sick. It's Friday now, and my eyes are still swollen and puffy, although better than Weds. I've already had one course of steroids this year, and my GP won't prescribe another. I'm also taking antihistamines (neoclarytin), eyedrops (olapatadine?) and a nasal spray. What can I do?

MY GP is refusing to prescribe anything cause I am 28 weeks pregnant and I am in hell. Symptoms not much better even though we have had non stop rain since 3 this afternoon. Although we do have a cat so that may not help. We have had him for 10 years though and I thought I had become desensitised to him?!?!?!

On looking through this thread I think I may be going into the chemist for a light up the nose thingy!

I am absolutely dying at the moment with hayfever. I think it's particularly bad this year because the weather has been super - pollen having a bloody party! I have been overdosing on Clairtyn, Zirtek and and new thing called Cetrine - none of which work. Last 2 summer's have been complete crap and rained all the time not allowing pollen to get into air so not much hayfever. I would seriously consider the injection but a bit dubious about the fact it's a steroid.

Hi All

I can't believe how bad it is, I'm 33 and have had this since I was 2/3 years old. I feel sooo crap in so many ways. I am beginning to think it might not just be hayfever, bbut aafter reading this I think it is.

Sorry no tips to report.

However Dh who has never really got it like some of you have said, did get some symptoms the other day and it has diffo changed how he is with me re my hayfever....think he thought i was overactingbefore.

not read the whole thread so someone may have mentioned this before.
i think the reason that hayfever is much worse this year is the lack of bees. there are not enough bees to get rid of the pollen.
i have struggled terribly this year, my eyes are red raw. i put cucmber gel on them and that seems to soothe them abit

Oh ibbydibby, I was just looking on this thread to see if there was anything written about feeling sick with pollen allergies. Dd has been really affected. Had her on 2 doses of cetirizine evening and morning. Although you cant tell by looking at her (from other peoples point of view eg school ect) she has been going through it at home. Getting cold flannels at night for her eyes, worsened eczema and itching, feeling sick, and like you say has gone off food. She was very upset last night and distressed, took quite a bit to calm her down. She gone school today with a letter, because I honestly didnt know if the feeling sick was to do with it or whether she was just feeling low and depressed. Had her home recently feeling sick for days but didnt really understand what was up with her.

Thank you.

We are off to the GP later today (again - 3rd time in less than 2 weeks - DS joking about season ticket..). He is tired, had no appetite this morning, felt sick, sore throat. He wanted to go to school, but I worry about him going with no breakfast and feeling so rough. He has been unwell for 12 days now, and is so miserable.

I find the tiredness is a mixture of things. The heaveyheaded feeling, disturbed sleep at night and the antihistamines ( even the non-drowsy make me fuzzy!)
I take mine at around 9 and it stops me waking up at 3 with a blocked nose, etc.

I'm sure you can take them togeather (well my Dr said to do both at the same time). Check with your doctor or pharmacist to doubly make sure though.

Thanks for your reply kittyb

At the moment he is on 1 loratidine per day (that's all he is allowed I think), he takes this in the morning. Are you suggesting taking this say at bedtime as opposed to in the morning. Can you take beconase in conjunction with this? Maybe something I should speak to GP about.

He was v tired today, he does take a packed lunch to school but DH has just told me that he gave him extra money to buy something if he's tempted. He is eating so little at the moment, that we think the tiredness is due to this as well as the hay-fever. As DH said he will probably fill himself up with a load of junk, but it might just cheer him up.

Sorry your son is struggling ibbydibby.

Has he tried taking the antihistamine at night? I think it was stealthsquiggle that mentioned it as a preemptive strike earlier. I find with me that it really helps combat the tiredness. I get a good nights sleep and wake up only slightly swollen, wheezy and drippy! Eyedops and beconase help during the day. I find sudafed helps on bad days to ease the sinus headaches.

Hello again

Just wondering how everyone's hay-fever symptoms are...? DS1 still suffering v badly, have sent him off to school today, but an bracing myself for the phone call to go and collect. I asked him last night if he could think back to the last time when he felt well - he said it was a week last Thursday. That evening I suggested he and DH go out for walk in the evening as it was so lovely and warm, on their return he was v breathless and wheezy (though is not asthmatic) and we ended up in A&E. He has been struggling with hay fever symptoms ever since.

At present he is struggling to do anything - we spect approx 1.5 hours in my sister's garden yesterday afternoon, and once back home, was feeling so tired that he was talking of going to bed after tea (he is 12yrs). He ended up going to bed at 9pm as usual, but hardly talking as his throat is so sore. We woke him at 6.30am today to get him to take his medication, in the vague hope it might start working in time for him to have some breakfast and get to school.

Sorry for such a long post but it is really affecting him at the moment. Any suggestions? Have been to GP twice in 5 days, and am fully expecting to be taking him back at some point this week.

PS Stealthsquiggle, forgot to say in previous post that he wears glasses all the time and so can't really wear sunglasses, thanks for suggestion though.

Thanks for the suggestion, stealthsquiggle. His eyes are usually manageable, it's just that we forgot the eye-drops yesterday. Sadly he is off school again today. Woke up feeling sick, no appetite etc. I feel that at the moment the new medication is not working, but as he only started taking it yesterday we need to give it a bit longer.

Sadly I was due to go on school trip with DS2 today but have had to cancel as DS1 at home.

ibbydibby would the school be OK with you sending him with sunglasses, do you think? Only the single thing which makes most difference to my eyes is to always wear sunglasses outside...

Thanks for your replies Judyblume & Stealthsquiggle - much appreciated.

The tip to use meds every day is interesting, I had previously only encouraged him to have a tablet when he has syptoms (that has been every day for last 2 or 3 weeks, but not every day, prior to that - just some days). I did not realise the effect was cumulative. Hopefully the Loratidine will start taking effect soon (though I have the feeling he was on this when first diagnosed, and was changed as not v effective) We forgot about his eye drops today and he came home from school with horribly swollen eyes.

Stealthsquiggle, Telfast is fexofenadine. This seemed to work ok, when we were allowed to have it!

I had assumed that the worsening of DS1's symptoms was due to move to country, but maybe not. The only time I have ever experienced anything that I can remotely describe as hay-fever was walking down Whitehall in Londo 2 years ago. Apparently caused by pollen from the plane trees - I felt lousy (and so did 50% of the other passers-by, judging by the number who were rubbing their eyes)

Has anyone every tried taking local honey as a way of alleviating hay-fever symptoms?

ibbydibby, sorry your ds having such a hard time, sounds miserable. I'm from the countryside, but have lived in London for 12 years and started to suffer with hayfever for the first time last year.
My info is that nasal spray, eye drops and whichevetr ah you chose should all be used religiously, preferably before symptoms start, and to stick with them throughout whole 'hayfever' period as they are all cumulative (bar eye drops which I swear do nothing for me, but I'm sticking with anyway as am desperate!).

I don't get sore throat thank goodness, but my eyes are soooooooooooooo itchy!!! Am bf so no ah. Grrr

Got the nose light thingie today. My nose was nowhere near as runny or sneezy after using it, and I think my eyes were a bit better too, but couldn't promise as was far too busy to be thinking about it too much, which actually, come to think of it, is a good sign.

ibbydibby I am generally much worse in towns/cities than in the country [awkward]

Never heard of telfast, sorry - certrizine works for my DM, loratadine for me, but it takes a few days to ramp up. Has your DS tried any nasal sprays/ eye drops

(and yes, raging sore throat is one of my main symptoms, even when my nose is not streaming)

Am glad I have found this thread, (though sorry so many are suffering from hay-fever).

DS1 (12) has had hay-fever for 4 years, we moved from London to Norfolk in early 2008, and not surprisingly his symptoms have been worse both this June and last, compared to when we were in London.

In London, he was prescribed Telfast (and something prior to this which did not work). However once in Norfolk, new GP changed med to ceterizine (sp?). This has held off the symptoms reasonably well until last w/e, when he suffered v badly with runny itchy nose, irritated eyes etc. This has resulted in an extremely painful sorethroat, to the point where he can't eat, talk etc. Sent home early on Tues feeling rough, so took him back to GP yesterday (and kept off school). GP agreed to change med to Loratidine, not keen to revert to Telfast.

So, first Loratidine taken today - and by 10am DS had texted to say hay-fever back. Am posting out of frustration/despair etc. Anyone else suffer extreme sore throats with hay-fever? Anyone have difficulty getting Telfast? Suggestions appreciated - thanks

Thanks for the pregnancy advice, Squiggle. I'm off to Lloyd's!

just popping in! Have had a better couple of days...but it has been raining. Got some diff AH's (loritadine I think) which dont make me as fuzzy, but only partially helped on bad days. Today a bit worse. rain has stopped and very windy...still nowhere near as bad as wk/end so fungers crossed. Have to g to a BBQ at wk/end ...will need to dose up before I go LOL
Hope you're all not too bad today.

As DH works near a Lloyds Pharmacy, I asked him to get me one of those lights up your nostrils devices. Yesterday was so miserable for me I thought I might as well give this a go too. Used it twice yesterday, which gave both DH and DS1 the opportunity to have a good giggle as it makes your nose glow red a bit. I've used it once so far today. I've also had an AH and nose spray as usual. Feel much better today, although I'm not sure whether that's due to the fact that it's raining. A lot. Will keep you updated should the sun ever decide to show its face again.

2 weeks sailing sounds good - can I get that on the NHS, do you think ?

Pregnant people - you have my deepest sympathy. I would recommend:

- the sticking-up-nose light thing - seems to work for a lot of people
- wrap-around sunglasses at all times when outside
- cold damp flannels over eyes when resting
- a car with a good pollen filter!

I'm willing to give anything a try, so will give vaseline a go! Thanks

Two weeks sailing in the Greek Islands sorted mine out last year - I was completely clear for the rest of the summer.
Back with a vengeance now though.
I can't remember anything working in pregnancy I'm afraid - but Vaseline around (and up!) the nostrils staves it off for a bit.

Hello, another sufferer here!

leningrad I'm interested that you are able to take medication whilst pregnant, I'm 19 weeks and have been suffering with a blocked nose, runny nose (depends on the day) sneezing and headaches all of which I have been told are down to hay fever and just get on with it!
I've had hf since I was a teenager but during my last pregnancies it seemed to stop so wasn't an issue.

Can anyone recommend anything that is safe in pregnancy please?

Another sufferer here. Just worked out it's my 24th year of hayfever hell - and I didn't start until I was in my teens. Strangely, that makes me feel worse!

Haven't got anything helpful to post I'm afraid. Just needed to have a whinge.

My nose is either blocked or running. My throat is sooooo itchy. I've got a headache and my teeth hurt. In fact, my whole head just feels blocked. I'm very, very tired.

I've had an AH and nose spray today so don't know what I'd be like without them.

Feel bad for DS2 as he's hardly had any time outside today and he loves playing outside.

I'm hopeless at not feeling well, really, really whiny (in case you didn't spot that). It's proper role reversal in our house. DH just soldiers on when he doesn't feel well and I'm a complete drama queen!

Whinge over - feel a bit better!

I've just bought the lloyds hayfever thingie. This web site is brilliant: www.allergyclinic.co.uk/hf.htm and Dr Morrow Brown who must be 200 years old, is still going strong and extremely helpful and well regarded in hayfever circles

My hayfever has been worse this year than ever before - have had it all my life.

The worst thing I find is I get cold sores up my nose which make it so sore and uncomfortable to blow nose. Eyes run like taps and I wish I could just hibernate.

On new antihistamines as of yesterday - Telfast/fexofenadine so hoping these might made a bit of a difference.

[sniff]

is it my imagination or is the hayfever better today? i took cetirizine instead of loratadine today and i was wondering if that is what made being awake more bearable??
also did the vaseline around the eyes and nose things - very attractive!!!!

I am also suffering, bfing so can't have any proper drugs. Usually have the eyedrops but they don't seem to be working as well as usual. The light thing sounds worth a try though.
Hoping that the dc don't develop it, are they more likely too if one/both parents have hayfever?

My ds1 has been using the LLoyds allergy reliever and we have all noticed that he is much better. We are all very sceptical but it appears to be working.

I used to be very dismissive of HF sufferers and now I am eating my words. I only started about 4 years ago too, and I have also had it really badly this weekend. And feel very grim tonight. My eyes seems to ache, too.

Also loratidine (sp sorry), nasal spray and eye drops. Oh my hat, it is awful.

Going to bed so I can close me eyes!! Even the movement of my eyes under the eyelids is painful.....

Hello all, really quick post, but I'm desperate to read this thread, but it won't be until later as have to make lunch and take dd1 to nursery.

I had hayfever really badly for the first time last year, and now I am bf an 11 wk old baby. In the last 5 years I have also developed an allergic reaction to insect bites and at the moment look like I have leg ulcers, they are so swollen and blistered!

I am absolutely desperate for ways of coping with hideous itchy eyes, and snotty nose whilst bf. Am using eye drops and beconase atm.

Hopefully see you later.

For occasional sufferers - anthistamines ramp up over time (3-4 days) so stick with it.

Top tip for getting a good night's sleep is to take your anti-histamines last thing at night. If I don't do this then I wake up with a raging sore throat and itchy eyes at about 4am. I also think that it works as a 'pre-emptive strike' - by the time eyes, nose and throat have got hysterical I think it takes a lot more to calm them down again IYSWIM.

mines kicked in with a vengeance too...and im taking tablets, eyedrops and nasal spray and still bloody suffering...

Think it is a VERY bad year. I have never suffered like this before. Keep waking up during the night because my mouth and throat is so dry. Being congested and stressed out is also bringing on Migraines. Have one eye that streams constantly and actually have bleeding in the eye as another poster said. I never usually take anything, but tried Piriteze this year. Worked a couple of days but not consistent.

kylesmyloveheart - take your DS back to the GP. Different antihistamines work for different people (the one my mother takes does nothing for me, and vice versa) - keep trying until you find the best one for him. Also they seem sometimes to 'stop' working and you need to change...

My ears itch like mad too! And runny nose.

But so far this year it hasn't been too bad, apart from the weekend we spent near a pine forest, which was horrendous.

Worst thing is not having windows open at night. DH complains like mad!

gosh lots of us suffering. I have now locked myself in my hot , airless ( but therefore hopefully pollen free) bedroom to try to recover from having to spend time in the garden with DC (not that I dont enjoy playing with dc ...but you know what I mean!) Have taken 2 benadryl so far today...it makes me feel fuzzy, but it was the only way I could get through the day.
Didnt get to shops today , but will try and get a different AH tomorrow to see if it helps...

Well i've quarantined myself today - apart from hanging washing out i have not been outside and it does seem a little more bearable.

Look utterly dreadful too though as can't put make up on and have to scrape hair back as get too itchy if its on my face - lovely.

Bad day for me too today, feel like ive got flu, just want to sleep.
Eyes so itchy, and my nose is running like mad.
Get itchy ears and throat, but today it feels like my throat and ears are all bunged up so painfull.

if i could stop my ds 7 suffering then i would gladly take hs symptons. his eyes are so itchy and red. his nose running and sneezing constantly.

i have it but nowhere near as bad as him.

will take him back to the drs as the cetizirine is not working anymore.

when we come inside i could give him a bath to relieve him but that not even working now.

has just woke up and he is as bad as when he went to bed.

The last couple of days have been particularly bad. I have taken tablets once every 12 hours instead of 24 (I know, I know, but I am big and fat and was told by the GP years ago that it would be OK) but what I hate is just feeling generally ill. I had a cold/cough/chest infection a few weeks ago, but because hayfever makes me feel so lousy it took me days to realise that I had something more.

My top tip for when you really can't take the runny nose any more (especially last thing at night) is to take Contac (intended for colds, but works a treat in drying up constantly dripping nose).

I suffered through my teens (especially at exam time) with no medication and am still not sure, even with hindsight, if that was because my mother objected to drugs in general or because antihistamines were not available/effective in the 80's?

June is always worst of all - at least we're nearly through the worst of it.

Tracey - whereabouts are you? I grew up in East Anglia - the Suffolk/Essex/Cambs borders and one doctor I saw said it was the worst place in the whole country for hayfever - low down, wide open flat spaces etc.

Completely inappropriate but DD wants me to put a happy face in so here it is !

I've had since a small child and this year is particularly bad. Am also 33 wks pregnant so just struggling on without medication.

Does not help that i live very rurally.

Eyes super swollen and lips cracked and very wheezy - god i hate the month of june its always the worst one for me.

Sympathy for all other sufferers.

I've woken up feeling like I've been beaten up - my eyes are so puffy and my throat is closing up.

Think I'll go to the doctors anyway because my glands feel like they're up.

The worst thing is that DH is away and I'll have to be outside because it's not fair that DD misses out.

mine is bad this year...I am waking up with swollen, red eyes every day and they are getting no better

even my ears itch grrr

I feel like bending a hanger out, then sticking in down my throat and in my ears to ease the itching

Gosh a lot of us are suffering arent we. My eyes were swollen and blistered too by the end of yesterday evening. Went to bed with a cold faceclth over them to get some relief Will look into the nose thing... also need to get some more eye drops today and will also get a different ah I think.
Interesting point about moving...I think it could be something about getting sensitized to the pollen local to you.I have moved house fairly regularly till about 7 years ago. Never gotr hayfever till 4 yrs ago, which would coincide with staying inthis house for several years. We do also have a big field out the back behind the house with lots of wild grass though...Last year my HF was pretty bad and we went to a BBQ at my sisters house a long way away and surprisingly my HF wasnt too bad whilst there, started up the minute we got home though. So moving house every few years could be the answer....think I'll justhave to suffer htough LOL
Hope you're all not too bad this morning. I have managed to peel my eyes apart, blown my nose about 400 times, and sucking a throat sweet to combat my sandpaper throat....not too bad yet then!{wink]
Big sympathetic vibes to all fellow sufferers. Great tips so far....keep em coming!

The one I use is the Lloyds allergy reliever which works on the same principle as Medinose but is much cheaper at £15.

I don't think they work for everyone and you do have to use them regularly - I started off with 3 times a day and now use it twice. I was very sceptical at first but had to eat my words.

More info here (of all places!):

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-449017/The-hay-fever-survival-kit.html

What's the light up the nose thing? How does it work?

I had terrible blisters last night - had to wait until I was totally knackered before going to bed as my nose and eyes wouldn't calm down and I knew I'd struggle to sleep if I went earlier.

I've sworn by Clarytin (loratidine) the last few years, but this week it just stopped working. Have gone back to Benadryl every 8 hours which has worked, but makes me feel drowsy and cranky (I had a go at DS's teacher yesterday just for badness, for something which I would normally let go).

Someone said you should change your AHs every so often to keep their effectiveness.

That was a grim few days though.

Huge sympathies to you all. I've had it really badlysince I was 2 and have had many miserable summers but have been using the light up nose thing for the last couple and don't need much in the way of other medication, if I do I take anti-histamine.

DD started with it when she was 7 and the first year was horrendous, her eyeballs used to swell which completely freaked me out. She now has 2.5ml zirtek in the morning plus uses her light up the nose machine twice daily and has been fine so far this year.

HelloBeastie, the doctors can't do anything at is hayfever, except advising I use eyedrops more than the recommended dose, what they don't realise is that putting eyedrops in is the equivalent of bleach at the minute.

DP seems to have it this year for the first time ever which is interesting.

And what's with all the green and black fly everywhere, it's like a plague!

I have a raging throat and feel like getting a bottle brush and ramming it down my ears and scrubbing they itch and hurt and burn so much.

I take chlorphenamine and suck glucose throat lozenges like they are going out of fashion but am 7 months pregnant so can't got too mad on medicines.

Might see GP about a nasal spray, it's being blocked up that's drying out my throat at night I think.

OMG, lovemyshoes, that's awful! Have you seen a doctor about it?

Castille,

Blisters on the eyeballs are horific, they stick out a mile etc and you feel like you have a brick in your eye.

I have one in my right eye at the minute and it feels like it is growing.

I have a tip-- move! OK, perhaps not practical for everyone but I used to have crippling attacks but since moving much, much milder.

Has anyone had the hayfever test Tesco are offering? I mean, when you have it there isn't much doubt but I wondered if particular AHs worked best with particular types.

Me too

But I'm not sure if it's the cats that have adopted us or the pollen. I tried taking Aerius for the first time a couple of weekends ago when it was awful and that worked a treat.

Blisters in eyes sounds horrid, poor you

Oh lordy its been terrible this year, and yesterday and today particularly so.

I use ceterizine (sp?) tablets every day which usually is fine, but not the last couple of days!

For nasal problems, I have heard that putting a thin layer of vaseline on the inside of the nostril works, and, cold teaspoons/teabags to the eyes

I have had hayfever about 9 years, this year has got to be the worse ever.

I take 10mg lotarazine, 16 x shots of nasal spray and 8 x eyedrops a day. When I put the eyedrops in it is so so very sore.

This year I started with blisters on my eyes. AND after taking all those meds, I've just got them now.

No I haven't, is that the thing they sell at Boots?

Took Cetrizine Hydrochloride which worked for about 3 hours, didn't use eye drops cos had to drive and I always feel blurry afterwards!

<<Puts up hand>>

I can't work out if my throat is so bad due to hayfever or and Actual Throat Infection.

I think the pollen count must have been particularly high the last couple of days, my hay fever has really kicked off.

Have given up trying to blow nose/wipe eyes, just catching dribbles as they fall. God, I'm classy!

I only took the tablet today, should've done eye drops too but as I stayed indoors with the windows shut all day, thought it wouldn't be too bad. Boy, was I wrong!

Anyone tried that weird light you stick up your nose?

I'm in.

I'm sat here squinting at the screen through swollen eyes with a tissue contantly attached to right nostril (the left pne is blocked and doesn't run ).

I think my sinuses may explode.

And this is a good day as I took medication

Ok please ignore rubbish typing...obviously still cant see properly!

I never used to get hayfever till 4 years ago. Then that summer I just got it out of the blue. Really badly. Had it every summer since. The thing is till I had it i always used to think "hayfever - whats all the fuss about?" but boy do I know different now!
Today I have been so bad. My eyes tend to be the worst(although streaming itchy nose, tickly cough and sore throat arent much fun either!) Today my eyes are so bad ,they are all swollen, one even bleeding beneath the surface, streaming, stinging and iching so badly I want to tear themout
So far I have tried natural remedies, nasal spry, eye drops and cetirizine. This year I am now trying benadrylas I,m not BF for the firt time in 4 years!

Anyone else want to pop in for some support, tips of advice!