October allergies?

[Ansumpasty]

Anyone with allergies that are particularly bad at the moment?
DS (11) has had allergies since he went camping in June. They seem to have really ramped up in the last few weeks. I know he’s allergic to dust, so have taken his book shelf out his room, and have all new anti allergy bedding and bought a blue air dust magnet air purifier. His bedroom is almost empty (with laminate flooring) and he’s using a saline nasal spray twice a day.
As soon as he gets into bed he starts to sneeze and coughing and was coughing none stop from 4am.
His window was open yesterday and we have a big, overgrown field next to our house. I’m wondering if it could be ragweed, as it’s not normal hayfever time? We are in Cornwall if that makes a difference!
It’s odd as the living room is much fuller and dustier, with all the windows open, but until he gets in bed, he’s not too bad (just the usual snotty nose.

Just to add- the allergies didn’t just appear when he went camping, he’s always had them, just that’s when I noticed them worsen!

If he’s coughing in bed I’d consider asthma.
And yes, my DS and a colleague have been suffering with hay fever recently.

You can do a hair strand allergy test & they check for everything! You buy it online it's called Sensitivity Check. I would do that then you'll know what he's allergic to as well as dust

This time of year is weed pollen time, so could be ragweed. Don't waste your money on hair strand tests as there is no scientific basis for them and they are not recommended by the British Society for Allergy. Only skin prick tests or bloods can test for allergy. You could ask doctor for a steroid nose spray such as Avymys, can use this all year round as it will help with dust mite allergy too. But as previous poster said consider asthma if having a night time cough.

Thanks!
He used an inhaler for years for potential asthma. 2 months ago, he went for the asthma test at the gp surgery, which came out as negative for asthma. Inhalers were stopped.
He’s had a blood test for allergies which only was positive for dust. Such a pain! Steroid nasal sprays trigger an immediate headache in him

Is he taking an antihistamine? My allergies are awful at the moment too, so its back to taking the max dose on various meds for me. A saline nasal spray would not help me at all. Once my allergies are under control I reduce the antihistamines to only taking them when I have a flare up.

Give him the inhalers if you’ve still got them.

Mine are always bad but at this time of year they’re off the scale. As soon as I wake up my nose is streaming. When I go outside my sinuses start burning and I can’t breathe through my nose for the waterfall of snot (sorry). Constant fuzzy head and plugged ears. I cough in bed too. It can be caused by allergy-triggered post-nasal drip which irritates the throat while lying down. I take two different types of antihistamine (cetirizine and max dose fexofenadine) plus Dymista which has a steroid plus another antihistamine, but nothing much helps.

Could be ragweed, mould spores, dust mites… perhaps keep the window shut and ramp up the hoovering and sheet changing in his bedroom. And don’t dry anything of his outdoors. My GP refused allergy testing as she said there’s no point. I’m on the (very long) waiting list to see an ENT about it all.

Thanks, everyone!

I’ve got a phone appointment with the nurse on Wednesday, but am going to give him inhalers in the meantime.
The only antihistamine that works for him is Piriton. He took 1 dose before bed for years (doctor’s advice) and then I read that it wasn’t meant for long term use and can cause issues, so stopped it.
Perhaps I should give it for a week or so, see if it settles. Currently steam washing his bedding!

You can take daily antihistamines safely, many people with house dust mite allergy do. Cetirizine is preferred to piriton as is a new generation of antihistamines and isn't sedating like piriton. Hope appointment goes well.

I wish certrizine worked for him! It either does nothing or gives him a migraine. So annoying!

I get perennial rhinitis, so I have the joys of a variety of different allergies all year round. At this time of year it is probably fungal spores from mushrooms and toadstools, and the last knockings of dust from harvesting. There are some plants that flower in the autumn, but not many.

That's a shame. Hopefully they might have some ideas at your appointment

We are in Cornwall too and my daughters allergies get bad between October going into November! She’s also allergic to dust mites!

Fungi spores can cause hay fever type symptoms.

Ive just had a really bad three days of swollen and sore eyes and bumpy head! I couldn’t work out why, I’ve never had this at this time of the year.
its (sort of) nice to know it’s not just me.

Such a pain! I’ve been out and got a dehumidifier and a salt water nasal spray. You know how damp Cornwall gets…maybe helping a little!

Same here!

OP my allergy symptoms have been the worst ever this Autumn so maybe there's something peculiar going on this year... what with the record breaking heat etc. In our part of the UK trees are normally bare by now but some still have green leaves. Maybe something is producing pollen that shouldn't be in October/ November.

I didn't realise you could take two antihistamines at the same time @IDriveMySupernova 🙀 will try that today

That’s really strange , I live in Kernow too and although my allergies weren’t as bad during the summer, I’m taking antihistamines at the moment in November. We are in a semi rural area, lots of farms, mainly growing cauliflower. My DH reckons it’s the chemicals on the fields

Mine have been absolutely shocking these past couple of weeks. The other day I took 2x fexofenadine plus 2x cetirizine and a couple of sprays of Dymista and it still didn’t get it under control.

My daughter has seasonal rhinitis and cough variant asthma. I highly suggest putting her on a supplement that contains Quercetin. My daughter has benefitted immensely. I have used Snifflex (6-12 )as well as Trace Minerals quercetin gummies.
This could help with eczema too, It stabilises mast cells so they produce less histamine. It is a bioflavanoid. Continue with the prescribed medicines , this is additional.