Absolutely no drugs work for DH’s hay fever and he is exhausted - Help! 🤧

[NeverFull]

DH’s hay fever hasn’t stopped all weekend. His nose has been dripping constantly like a tap - and I mean constantly. He’s had very little sleep and he’s exhausted. So far this weekend he has taken:

Ceterizine hydrochloride tablets
Loratadine tablets
Fexofenadine tablets (prescription only)
Mometasone furoate nasal spray (prescription only)
Sudafed mucus relief (which usually helps dry up the nose)
Sudafed spray (again, usually works)

He is truly fed up. Is there ANYTHING out there that really works for hay fever?

I've heard local honey too.

My 16 year old is suffering terribly this year even with tablets and nasal sprays to the point where she is having daily nosebleeds because of the inflammation.

I've just ordered some local raw honey to try so I will try remember to report back!

Chlorphenamine (eg Puriton) seems to be more immediately effective than cetirazine or loratadine.
Echo what PP said re montelukast but if he doesn't have asthma he probably can't get it.

Definitely try 'Dymista' -

www.simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk/online-doctor/hay-fever/dymista-nasal-spray/

It's working a treat for my husband. Worth the £25 including postage!

I sympathise. He is doing everything right, the only things left are the garbagey suggestions like drink green tea or eat spoonfuls of wasabi. (Which both help me a little when its really bad and I'm fully drugged up but probably useless for others)

Take more than one type of antihistamine, or take more. I’ve previously been prescribed 720mg of fexofenadine in one day off label.

I take fexofenadine in the morning and clarityn at night plus Nasonex twice daily when it’s bad.

In my opinion, Sudafed isn’t worth the ink on the package since they took out the pseudoephedrine in almost all of it, which is what helped everyone that had colds or hay fever - people like your DH. But people were using it to make meth, apparently. Sudafed Mucus Relief just has phenylephrine, which is worthless shite, and has never done a thing for me. Get straight Sudafed Decongestant (MUST say pseudoephedrine in it - I've attached the pic from Sudafed.co.uk). It might be just on the shelf, but possibly behind the counter, and if they ask you any questions, tell them your husband has tried everything else.

Montelukast which is usually prescribed for asthma but did wonders for her hayfever.

Long term - consider sublingual immunotherapy. I am not if this is available on the NHS. I am paying as my hayfever was so bad

I second dymista - it is better than a normal steroid nasal spray

Weirdly my hayfever hasn't been as bad this year so a daily cetirizine has been fine but on a "usual" year I have to have a daily cetirizine (used to be loratadine as I think that works better for me but I can't take it with a different med I'm on), then the acrivastine someone else mentioned. Those are up to 3 times a day and make a huge difference to me.

My doctor prescribed me eye drops but I can't stand anything in my eyes and they were really hurting me so I switched to one of those eye spray things as well as a Beconase nose spray.

The Kennalog injection is amazing. Don't think it is available on the NHS though.

Both DCs suffer really badly with high strength fexofenadine not even touching it. Couple of days after the injection and they're symptom free.

Worth every penny.

My family member has a severe grass allergy, uses fexofendine, montelucast, dymista (nasal spray with steroid and antihistamine in), eye drops, blue inhaler for when wheezy.
No washing dried outside, windows and car windows kept closed, never sit on/ touch grass and uses an air purifier. Wears a mask when outside and this all keeps them as a low symptom level!

What dose of fexofenadine is he taking? I have very severe allergies alongside lupus so it can be very scary and I take 180mg fexofenadine up to 3 times day. And montelukast.

Dymista plus a decent air purifier is working pretty well in our house this year! The air purifier is the new addition and I've noticed sleep is much more quiet so I guess it's helping.

Acupuncture may be worth a try

My DH was the same, tried everything for years, really bad straight through from April to September.
I got him an allergy band which he wears on the pressure point on the inside of his elbow. Makes a huge difference.
A few people at work now have them now and swear by them.
Cold tea dripped into his eyes help as well

I found doing a nasal rinse followed by beconase every morning and evening really helps keep mine under control. My Dr recommended it to me, she was a big advocate for it. I was skeptical, but gave it a go. For me it really reduces the swelling/stuffiness/headaches

What dose is he on? 180mg + fluticasone propionate spray is what worked in my household. But doctors advised that tablets at that dose could be taken more regularly if needed - might be worth asking about.

What does of Fexofenadine - it only worked for me at 360mg twice a day.

I would also ask about monteleukast.

Have you tried local honey. So on beekeepers society and locate your local one. Honey would be made with pollen in your area and by consuming it, your body builds up a tolerance. Worth giving that a go

Bought an air filter, it was about £200 but it made a world of difference, plus regular showers and clothes change when people have been outside.

Fexofenadine did nothing for me. The only thing that helped was acupuncture.

Kenalog injection. Absolutely incredible. After struggling for decades with a cocktail of nasal sprays, tablets and eye drops which never seemed to work for me it has literally transformed my summer. My husband is happy too as I can now spend time in the garden with him without feeling miserable.
I get it at a private clinic and it costs £80 but it really is amazing and I would pay three times that for the relief it brings.

@cookingmygoose

Kenalog injection. Absolutely incredible. After struggling for decades with a cocktail of nasal sprays, tablets and eye drops which never seemed to work for me it has literally transformed my summer. My husband is happy too as I can now spend time in the garden with him without feeling miserable. I get it at a private clinic and it costs £80 but it really is amazing and I would pay three times that for the relief it brings.

How long does it last?

Mine is dreadful at the moment and I take Loratadine every morning all year round and some days wake up bunged up, headache, sore throat, have been sneezing, then get runny nose and feel dreadful - was talking to a number of people at the gym earlier and they are also bad.

@NeverFull

Do you manage it other ways, or just rely on medication?