Hay fever help

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Last year I started with a bit of hay fever for the first time. This year it’s just awful. I’m taking Piriteze, Sudafed from behind the counter and Pollenase nasal spray. Even doubling up on the doses, I’m still not getting any relief from the symptoms, and I can’t sleep at night. I’m hoping that someone may have some good advice on what else I can do?

Seasonal rhinitis?

This is brilliant -

I used to take tablets with Loratadine as the active ingredient. I now take the ones with Cetrizine Hydrochloride as the active ingredient. Maybe you should switch to Loratadine and see what happens.

You can buy packs of supermarket branded tablets for less than £1 to try it out. They have the same amount of active ingredient as the more expensive brands.

I assume you are washing your face before bed and sleeping with your hair tied back to keep it out of your face?
Wash your hands before touching your face.
Close your windows and external doors before pollen settles.
Don't buy pollen filled flowers!

See your GP. Montelukast worked wonders for our ds last year.

Also over the counter cetirizine and eye drops.

Do dry your laundry outside and shower and change your clothes as soon as you get in each day.

Try Telfast. It used to be prescription only but you can now buy OTC. I use it combined with eye drops and nose spray and it seems to keep the worst of my symptoms at bay. If the pollen count is really high I’ll also take a Piriton at bedtime which will also help with sleeping.

All the otc antihistamines stopped working for me. I am now prescribed Fexofenadine by my GP.

Thank you so much for all these ideas.

I believe you can now buy fexofenadine otc this year. But yes, try out all the different active ingredients as one might suit you better. However a different one might work better in the autumn or next year so don't think that nothing will work ever again.

The main thing that seems to help is washing the hands and face, and bathing the eyes with a wet piece of kitchen roll. It stops the pollen/dust being rubbed into your eyes which can make them very itchy.

Yes, fexofenadine now available without prescription. Allegra is a branded version but have seen generic. Superdrug had 30 for £9.40 which worked out similar to my prescription

Sinus rinsing really helps me too.

Fexofenadine is now OTC and literally life changing for me along with Beconase.

I do have to take it every day, much easier to stay on top of symptoms than taking it when you have symptoms and trying to get on top of it.

Thank you. The doctor prescribed me Fexofenadine and it’s made a massive difference!