Fexafenadine- anyone on it?

[Bluewavescrashing]

Hayfever is pissing me off. Itchy eyes, ears, throat. Whole world of snot. Can't sleep, full of gunk. Sore nose and eyes.

Is it prescription only? How severe does your HF have to be? Does it work??

My son has it on prescription and it works well

I get it on prescription and find it works well, in fact I just recommended it to a colleague tonight!

It’s prescription only.
I went to the GP and explained that over the counter stuff wasn’t helping anymore and he prescribed it to me.
I’ve been taking it for a year and half now and swear by it. I do think over time it loses a bit of its effect, so I’m going to stop for two or three weeks and start again (but I’m not doing that in the middle of hayfever season, will wait a bit).

Great, I'll ring the GP for a phone consultation. Thanks!

I've taken it in the past - it's great stuff!!!

Also used in past, currently breastfeeding and loratadine seems to doing the trick so far this year so haven't used it this season. But generally found it better than the others

Yes its great. I agree about it losing its effectiveness though. My hayfever is horrendous at the moment despite using that, eye drops, nasal spray and the electric thing you put up your nose.

Teenage Ds has had it for about the last four summers. When he had it initially he felt it worked very well. The last couple of years however he says he doesn't feel it is as effective for him as it used to be.

He tends to take it in the morning and by mid afternoon he's really struggling with symptoms again.

My DS has been on if for over a year and this summer it's not working he can't see because his eyes are so swollen and he's constantly sneezing so he can't sleep.

I've been on it for years. For the first few it was brilliant. It has started to lose its effectiveness now. The doctor now prescribes me the stronger dose of 180mg, which does take the edge off, but I'm still struggling a bit at the moment.

Yes, my DD has had it every summer (well, March to October as she is allergic to every type of pollen and the hay fever season is long for her) for the last 5 or so years. It’s a miracle drug when you’ve been suffering with hf so badly that you need an inhaler to keep your airways clear and your eyes are so swollen and gooey that she could only open them to slits. Her breathing was so bad without the fexafenadine that she ended up in a&e on nebulised steroids at least once a season, usually twice+. Horrible. The shop bought ones are useless, imo.

I've taken it for years for both hayfever and skin rashes. It is so much better than anything over the counter. I stop taking it over the winter to get it out of my system, ready for when it all kicks off again in the spring and this seems to work better than taking it all year round. It does mean my skin can flare up over winter but, for me, it's the best way of taking it.

As well as DD, I’ve also taken 180mg for the last few years and this year find myself having to take a top up shop bought one at about 6pm, @Punxsutawney. DD seems to manage ok though, despite having more severe hf and using the drug for longer 🤷‍♀️

It could have something to do with the fact that I take mine earlier in the day (7am vs noon when DD drags herself from her pit) and walk the dog in woods/long grass. I’m exposed to more direct pollen than she is and she is asleep when hers starts to wear off.

@lastburritos, we do the same. We take Nov-Feb off and restart in March.

DH occasionally has an allergy to something - don't know what despite lots of tests - and his skin comes out in huge welts, lips and eyes get puffy. Fexafenadine is the on thing that sorts it out. We lived in Australia when it first happened and you can buy it in pharmacies there as 'Telfast' so we were quite surprised it's only available on prescription here.

Yes it's great. And yes also prescription only

It's great, but it caused diarrhoea for me so I had to stop taking it.

Entirely last year I did top up Ds too, he's on 120mg. I think he took loratadine in the evenings. He was concerned this year as he was meant to be doing his gcses and thought it would be really unpleasant doing exams with nasty hayfever. No exams and he's barely out of the house and although the hayfever symptoms are still bothering him, we've not had to top up yet.

Dr is ringing me back later. Fingers crossed!

I take 180mg a day throughout hayfever season (March-sept for me ) and stop the rest of the year. Seems to work but not totally.

Result--prescription for Fexafenadine from GP!

Agreed, it's really strange to see it's prescription only, have been using it OTC for 15 years in Australia.

The 180mg is brilliant especially for surprise allergic reactions, but for one of my kids it's makes them feel a bit rough.

Hope it does the trick!

You can buy it in pharmacies in the USA in huge bottles too, @Iborgia. I always bring a couple home with me when we visit.