Winter allergies

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

I get really bad hay fever all summer but for the last couple of years I seem to be getting the same symptoms in winter - cough, drippy nose, itchy ears and eyes and a tight throat. It's not a cold, it's been going on for too long for that. Does anyone else have winter as well as summer allergies? I'm fed up now, winter used to be my respite from hay fever!

Hi. Was just searching on Google and see this posted yesterday!

Im in a similar boat, had post nasal drip for at least 2 months when I sleep, dry tickly cough starting about 1am, skin is wrecked, hands look like I’m 80 years old all cracked and bleeding, dry nose and mouth, had a 40 minute nose bleed the other day just from blowing my nose, wake up every morning feeling like I’m full of cold, which goes as the morning goes on.

Eyes are dry, irritated and itchy and burning, much of the time, I’ve been trying all different eye drops and even been to the opticians, he said eyes look healthy but look mildly dry and mildly irritated, just recommend eye drops which aren’t helping, eyes are totally pissing me off. I’ve even started omega 7 as supposedly good for dry eyes. Central heating is making everything worse so I’m having it on sparingly as possible, I’ve put bowls of water near all radiators and even bought a hygrometer to check humidity in house (which seems ok, apart from overnight in my bedroom it’s quite high humidity - 60 ish) I’ve also tried antihistamines which aren’t helpful.

No idea what is happening. Anybody?

Bumping this for you (and shamefully for myself!)

Sorry no advice but I've been wondering about this myself because my 14mo DS has severe hayfever in summer but seems to still be sneezing and having itchy throat/ears and hes definitely not got a cold. Is this something new I wonder 🤔

I seem to have it this year no idea why. My allergies are usually late summer early autumn so wondering whether the odd weather we had in autumn has just pushed everything back a bit.

Yes!

Used to take antihistamine everyday from early spring onwards. Thought I could give it up for December/Jan as what could I possibly be allergic to?

Very very wrong decision. Now I just go everyday the whole year with antihistamine.

I have allergic rhinitis and take antihistamines all year round. I was tested as a kid and mainly came out allergic to house dust and house dust mites, but I'm also allergic to a lot of aerosols. Over the years, it's morphed into asthma and I've also now got chronic urticaria. Central heating is definitely a trigger, too. The dry eyes thing I can also relate too. Warm weather exacerbates it as does the heating in winter.

I think if you're prone to hay-fever, it can definitely start to develop into year round allergies. Mine have evolved every seven years or so. My DD is 12 and also showing signs of year round sensitivities so takes a daily antihistamine now.

I think it's worth trying your usual antihistamines to see if they keep on top of it. I'm on four a day (prescribed by my Immunoolgy consultant) but next week I'm starting monthly injections as it's not controlled. In the meantime, wet dusting and opening windows for fresh air helps a bit. A nasal spray and eye drops can also be helpful (I found the cheapest simple eyedrops better than the £10 greasy ones that the optician sold me)

I forgot about heating.

Dustmites and mould are your most likely culprits if nothing else has changed.

Thanks everyone and sorry to hear there are other people suffering. My cough had ramped up but I'm putting that down to over 3 hours in the car with the heating on yesterday. I've done a covid test which as I suspected was negative -it's been going on too long! I'm already taking 2 antihistamines a day so I'm going to up it to 3 (GP said I could have up to 4) and see if that helps. I'm also thinking of getting an air purifier to see if that helps.

Last time I saw the GP all they said was I was allergic to my cat but he died earlier this year so it's definitely not him. As soon as I said I had a cat they weren't interested! Winter used to be my down time from allergies 😢