Hayfever so bad I can't do my job

[Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting]

Obviously I'm not taking time off sick for this as it sounds pathetic, but really I'm struggling so much. I teach full time in an infant school. I spend all day projecting my voice (not shouting). My class are absolutely lovely and they have been very sweet today but they deserve a teacher who is well. My nose is constantly streaming so I need a tissue attached to it. I'm really wheezy even with an inhaler every 30 mins. My voice is so croaky and sore. I can't pronounce the sounds for phonics correctly. My head is really congested and throat incredibly sore.

If I could hide away in a quiet office it would be fine but I need to be on good form. I've tried fexofenadine, all over the counter meds, benadryl 15 mins, phenergan, loratiditine, piriton, cetirizine, eye drops, nasal sprays. Does an injection help? Acupuncture? I'm desperate 😪

It was once so bad for me that I couldn't hardly talk. The urgent care doctor have me a short course of prednisone and that got me back on track so that my regular meds would keep it at bay.

OK. I am very reluctant to take time off but I will try to get an urgent appointment for steroids tomorrow evening. My son takes prednisolone for asthma. My nasal passages are burning, Airways are so swollen that talking is very difficult. Thank you

Have you asked your GP for the hay-fever injection, my sister gets it as she is horrendous with it.

No but I will, thank you. I will pay privately if it works

Hayfever is hideous. Running an air purifier overnight can help.

You can get much better antihistamines from the gp

Can kids have the injection too?

Sorry to derail

Have you tried honey?
Also hay-max?
Sorry to hear you are suffering OP

Is fexofenadine not the best one then @mayblossominapril as that's all I've been offered in the past by the GP?

Prednisone and prednisolone are essentially the same drugs. They also have some significant side effects, as you probably know if your son takes them, so doctors are often reticent about prescribing them.

Good luck. It's been really bad here in New York this spring. My car was so covered with tree pollen that it almost changed the color.

Whilst I'm on a moan rant. After this shirty winter, terrible weather (which is still far too bloody cold for my liking), no social life for months, difficult working conditions due to ridiculous 'coving safe' guidelines in schools, pressure to catch them up etc I was really looking forward to this time of year and now I feel like I have the flu except for a temperature. Everything hurts. I just want to sleep. Uggggggggggh

Shitty weather 😒💩

I have sympathy OP although fexofenadine works for me.

One year while a student I took a job on the bar at Chelsea flower show. I spent most of my shift shut in the walk in fridge trying to stop my eyes and nose from streaming. I couldn’t go back after that first day.

Oh no 😢

I think it is especially bad this year. I don't normally get hayfever, but my eyes are sore and I can't stop sneezing and blowing my nose.

You have my sympathy.

This afternoon I had a sneezing fit so bad that rivers of snot were dripping out of my nose. I couldn't see. My children needed me for various reasons and I just couldn't cope. I didn't know what to do!

Saturated o2 is 93 percent

I'm the same OP. I also take fexofenadine but it doesnt really work. Usually my face swells up so bad I can't open my eyes. Nose blocked to the point it hurts, throat is so itchy it's actually sore and I'm so sleep deprived I struggle to function even more.

I've not found anything that works, my GP drew a blank as well and told me I'd just have to learn to cope. I dread summer every year.

There has to be a solution
It's 2021 FFS

Sounds awful Op, I hope the GP can help.
There is an injection but I think there are pros and cons due to it affecting your immune system, especially this year with covid.

Just a thought but do you eat fruit? Try either washing or peeling it properly, or avoid it for a few days and see if that helps, as there is often loads of pollen on fruit, and also, oral allergy syndrome can have similar symptoms to hayfever. Just a thought for something to try in case it helps.

Do you use a nasal spray? I have found these helpful in the past & my sister also swears by them.

Do you have an inhaler? Does the GP know your O2 drops that low?

What dose of fexofenidine are you on? I am on 360 twice a day, plus cirtrizine, plus monteleukast and inhalers so there's definitely more your GP can do / prescribe.

Agree with the fruit comment - no stoned fruit for a few days and see if it makes a difference.

I've also had several doses of pred but I am now finding the side effects out sadly so I would not suggest that to be used too often.

I have had it as bad as you describe and feels like my lungs are on fire and my ears itch and my throat swollen and itch like horrifically and I can't talk and look like a green swollen shrek. And try abs teach and Mark exams that year was awful.

I have fexofenadjne and a steroid nasal spray called flixonase. Also use the Vaseline or similar in my nose and have a saline nasal rinse from Amazon as I have olfactory hallucinations (imagined smell of burning and gases) triggered by my allergies.

Get well soon

Thank you

I feel like a fraud at work as hayfever sounds like nothing but this is a full on allergic reaction. I also have issues with phoning in sick and asking for help due to having a long term illness a few years ago and subsequently coming out of employment for a while. Teaching has a very anti sick leave culture. We drag ourselves in as the guilt of not being there for your class is huge. However there comes a point where actually I can't physically teach effectively. I will reassess in the morning but having not had any time off firc18 months it might be needed now. Breathing is hard work.

DH has had desensitisation treatment for both hay fever and a dust mite allergy. It has really helped him. A drop of liquid on his tongue every day for about 3 years I think. It hasn’t cured the allergies, but they are a lot easier to deal with. Impacting work is the key with the drs he found, once he explained how his allergies were impairing his ability to work they started listening to him and referred him to the hospital for treatment.

You need to see someone tonight if breathing is hard work.

Get well soon.