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?

The only thing tht works for me is "Acrivastine (Benadryl - they also make a ceterizine btw so check it’s right one smile )"

I've had horrendous hayfever and other allergies since mittens. Recently tried the Benadryl Acrivastine and its working. Been through all others

@Digestive28

Reduce pollen in the house, windows shut, shoes off at the door, change clothes when get in and wash face. No pets in bedroom and keep pet hair short (our dog loves running through long grass...) But otherwise it’s awful and these things will only minimise it a bit

All this. Never dry clothes or bedding outside (sadly) and wear an anti allergy mask when out and about. A bit of olbas oil on the mask helps with breathing.

I’ll also vouch for montelukast.

It can have some side effects. It’s a bit of a marmite drug. But a game changer.

Azelastine nasal spray?

I’m surprised to see no one has mentioned Avamys here (POM).

Terrible lifelong sufferer here. Prescription tablets don’t work, cetirizine and Avamys works for me, normally!

It’s particularly bad at the moment I’ve found.

My oh has Nasalex sprays which work on whatever was causing his nose to stream awfully all through winter and summer..... Alongside a daily piriteze.... His Dr said it's due to all the pollutants in the air... We went sure as thought it was sinuses but amazingly it stopped his nose streaming! Worth a try

I have an epipen for grass allergy... I use fexofenadine (around 4 a day) plus dymista steroid nasal spray and I'm on resistance based immunology therapy.

The dymista is pretty new and, while HIDEOUS, does help symptoms

The pharmacist prescribed my son some antihistamine eye drops, although I can't remember the name of the drug and he's not here now to ask. They have worked amazingly well - his eyes and face were so itchy and swollen, sneezing uncontrollably etc to being perfectly normal within a day.

No charge as well, it was on the 'Pharmacy First' scheme that allows chemists to give prescription-only drugs to keep folk out of the GP practice.

A dollop of Vaseline in the nostrils.

Saline nasal rinse really helped me

Vaseline or hay max balm applied around eyes or nostrils massively helps, not a drug it just catches the pollen before it gets to you, really helps reduce the irritation

I agree Haymax really helps. I rub some on the inside of each nostril before I go outside. It stops the pollen getting in and really reduces the irritation in the nose and throat.

@PowPurry

I’m surprised to see no one has mentioned Avamys here (POM).

Terrible lifelong sufferer here. Prescription tablets don’t work, cetirizine and Avamys works for me, normally!

It’s particularly bad at the moment I’ve found.

Second this - Avamys has practically stopped all of my hay-fever symptoms all together and I very much hated summer and had to spend the worst days in bed with hay-fever.

It is an absolute game changer

The only way I've got my hayfever under control is by using beconase spray daily (I start this right at the beginning before my hay fever really takes hold) and certrizine 2-3 times daily. The doctor told me it's fine to be taken up to three times despite being marketed as once a day treatment.

DH is on monthly anti IGE injections, mega bucks but he was on max doses of everything else (all prescription strength) and it wasn't helping! We're hoping we can get them on NHS next year!

Oh, and I second what a PP said about Benadryl acrivastine - if he's not used it definitely get some, it cleared mine right up when I first tried it but after a few years i seemed to become immune to it's effects. It's a three a day treatment.

He could get the Hayfever injection (Kenalog). GPs these days are not keen on it, however if his symptoms are severe enough then the benefits will out weigh the risks.
He can also get these done privately

I take 180mg once a day Fexofenadine all year round and it doesn't do anything in summer months.

I know someone that had it bad so the other year they paid the £80 to have the injection and it has worked great for them

Skim-read the first page so apologies if this has been suggested! My DP has awful hayfever and was recommended (by a random woman who saw him suffering) not to drink or eat any milk products during spring or summer. It works amazingly.

Another vote for local honey 🍯

@NeverFull I was like this and then 3.5 years ago stumbled on promethazine - it's in night nurse and can also be bought over counter from pharmacist under brand name phenergan. Can also be prescribed. It has changed my life - chronic rhinitis and then hayfever on top on the summer months - now I barely notice pollen season. It is a sedative though so check with pharmacist before taking. I hope it helps, it's a miserable condition.

The only thing that will help DH is Benedryl Plus, it's acravastine and pseudoephedrine, you can get the acravastine version alone on the shelf but the plus version is over the counter. Really worth a go as it changed his life.

Honey thing isn't true

Beconase nasal spray
Eye drops
Vaseline up the nose
Benadryl tablets