Losing the battle with Hayfever, help!!

[USCAnnaBelle]

I have always suffered from hayfever my entire life. I usually take something like Clarytn and use a nose spray. Well now that I am pregnant (in my 11th week), I have been really struggling. I tried to do what was advised and not take anything and try to use preventative measures (not go out when pollen is at its highest, don't hang wash outside, etc).

But it has become unbearable. I sleep propped up on three pillows to help the drainage but still wake up 4 or 5 times a night unable to breathe. My usual routine at night is blow my nose until I think it is 'stable' use a saline nose spray to wash it out then apply vapour rub under my nostrils. This is then repeated numerous times throughout the night.

Before the weekend I called the doctor and asked if there was anything they could give me and I was told 'sodium chromo something' could be used in a worst case scenario but that I should avoid meds at all costs. I said thanks and that I would check with the pharmacist as to what I could get over the counter that would be an alternative. Went to Boots and was told that if I needed soemthing I would have to get a preseciption from the doctor (who did not mention this alternative wasn't over the counter). I about broke down right there because I have not been able to have a good night sleep in weeks and was very miserable and stressed. So I called my midwife and she said to call the out of hours doctors (this was on Saturday) and they would give me a prescription.

To make a long story short, after much demanding (that doctor was also against me having anything) I got a 7 day perscription. It has helped my sneezing and itchy eyes, but I am still soooo stopped up.

I am losing this hayfever battle and I know it is not good for the baby because of the stress it has put me under. Does anyone have any alternative ideas for helping with hayfever?

Thanks for reading my saga, I just really need some help

i would look at trying sudafed nasal spray, its used for colds and unblocking the nose but i find it works on my hayfever as well. use it at night when your nose is blocked and it helps you sleep through the night. i think i used it when i was pregnant (Not sure if you are supposed to but i was like you and avoided tablets)

County - That is what I would normally use as well but it says not to use when pregnant which is why I have avoided it. Thank you for the recommendation thought

Ask your Doc. if you can have acupuncture on the NHS.

Does not work for everyone I know but really can help . Son has been using it for years and rarely a problem these days. Ideally the course should start earlier than April but worth a try.

Other than that local honey, or as local as you can get. A spoonful or so in any form you wish a couple of times a day.

Hope that is some help.

Local honey. Nettles tea with some thyme added. It helps me. Try to find really local honey.

Good luck.

you can take "piriton" and I did with all of my pregnancies although less than I do normally. The GP recommended I avoided it if at all possible in the first 14 weeks but that it has been around for a long time and any side affects would be known about by now.

It does make many people drowsy but it never had that affect on me unfortunately!

Another thread you might find useful here

GPs will weigh up how much the mother is suffering and provide a prescription if necessary.

Thanks for the tips! I found some West Berkshire honey makers, now just have to track down the shops that have it. Hopefully that will help. I will also ask about piriton too!

If anyone has any other remedies, I am still open to other options!

My GP prescribed me piriton when I was pg with my 3rd DC as hayfever was so bad. I just took one when it was unbearable. Also was told I could take Beconase spray - just one squirt up each nostril once a day - but don't think I tried it.

Have heard accupuncture effective but think you have to start having it in about January for it to really work.

Thankfully (as I suffer terribly) my GP just told me to carry on with what I was taking (benadryl) as its been around a long time and the stress and illness I'd suffer instead was worse than the potential effects to the baby.
I also used a topical steroid nose spray and allereze eye drops.

If its affecting you so badly then surely its worth taking something, even at a half dose just to make life bearable?

The anti-histamine Doxylamine is used as a anti-nausea drug in Canada.
Few problems have resulted from it's common use.

In the U.K., as you have found, medics are generally wary of prescribing any anti-histamine tablets but you can find Doxylamine in Syndol and other headache combination tablets.

I'm pretty sure the other ingredients are OK for pregnancy as well.

I'd also push for topical options, eye drops & nasal sprays as you get less systemic absorption and risk.

Oh, and acupuncture/local honey have not been found to be effective in good quality clinical trials.
Butterbur has but there is no data to support it's safety during pregnancy.