Hayfever remedies

[ElleDubloo]

Hi everyone! I get really bad hayfever every year, ever since I was a child, sometimes needing to take double the dose of antihistamines every day. I'm worried as I'm starting to get symptoms now, but I'm 7 weeks pregnant.

I looked it up in the BNF (british national formulary, used by doctors and pharmacists) which says:

"Most manufacturers of antihistamines advise avoiding their use during pregnancy; however, there is no evidence of teratogenicity except for hydroxyzine where toxicity has been reported with high doses in animal studies. The use of sedating antihistamines in the latter part of the third trimester may cause adverse effects in neonates such as irritability, paradoxical excitability, and tremor."

So I won't use them in the last part of the third trimester, but it's a bit vague about earlier in pregnancy. Have any of you been told by your doctors that you can or can't take antihistamines?

What are some alternative remedies that are safe for pregnancy?

[KLou1105]

I will b keeping an eye on this thread,as I was thinking the same today! I get very bad hayfever every year too :-( and usually starts early about now untill end of may! I'm 37+1 so hoping it will hold of for a few more weeks x

[KLou1105]

Some say a teaspoon of local honey a day ( but u need to have started it a few months before I think) x

[ElleDubloo]

Actually I just asked a midwife at Queen Charlotte's and she said it's OK to buy anything that's on the shelves at the supermarket (including loratidine) but not if you have to get it over the pharmacy counter.

[ismarah]

I have hay fever and severe allergies and normally I'd be starting my antihistamines on the 1st of March. I have asked every single medical professional I've run into (about 5-6 so far) about antihistamines and they are shockingly clueless, some of them.

However, the ones who did know said that piriton and clarityn were both fine. Because of my allergies, if I have a reaction, I have no choice. I will have to take the antihistamine. But it might be better to take one or two antihistamines early than wait and see and need an epipen.

Depending on where you are in your pregnancy when your hay fever is at its worst, I would actually take the antihistamines. At most they might make baby sleepy, but how miserable will you be on top of everything else if you don't take them?

[Becky2208]

I'm 22 weeks and my GP prescribed antihistamines today, as I suffer from severe eczema and allergies - he said to restrict them to taking 1 at night, and if I'm worried to try not to take them everyday. He also said that the main risks with taking any medication are in the first 12 weeks, as that's when the baby is developing, after that they're more or less fully developed, just getting bigger. I'd go and see your GP - they should be able to prescribe you some.

[LuckyAugust]

I saw my GP about this both times when I was pregnant with my sons as I suffer terribly with hayfever. He prescribed me Beconase nasal spray which works great and he said it was safe for me to use. I might be wrong but I'm sure you can actually buy this over the counter now but just to make sure I'm not giving incorrect advice go see your GP

[ilovepowerhoop]

loratidine is ok in pregnancy and is a non-sedating antihistamine

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/935.aspx?CategoryID=73&SubCategoryID=107 - says loratidine is the antihistamine of choice in pregnancy

[alwaysneedaholiday]

I have used homeopathic drops, eye drops and Beconase nasal spray during my pregnancies. I am not 100% sure you are supposed to use the nasal spray, but limited it to a couple of times a day.

For some reason, being pregnant seemed to reduce my symptoms naturally - I hope you are lucky too!

[mousmous]

loratidine and cetirizine are ok. as is low dose steroid nasal spray.

[BucketsnSpades]

I avoided antihistamines during my pregnancy to my peril. I sneezed so much i developed a painful nasal polyp. When i saw the doc at about 20 weeks i was prescribed beconase nasal spray.