Allergy by night?

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

I keep waking up in the night and being awake for 2-3 hours with uncontrollable sneezing, pouring nose and itchy mouth.

It's not every night and I've found no pattern of food, bedding, activities etc.

When I wake up like this I take antihistamines, but they take at least an hour to have any effect, and it's at least 2 hours before I can sleep again

Any idea what it could be? I may have to start taking tablets before bed every night, but I don't want to build up a tolerance to them and it isn't a nightly thing

It started in April, so I assumed it was hayfever, but now I think about it, it actually seems to happen on nights when it's pouring down with rain outside, so that doesn't make sense.

Ideas?

It is quite common. The level of antihistamine in your blood lowers when it is dark. Have you noticed a difference shower/no shower (allergen from the outside in your hair), freshly hoovered carpet/ not hoovered (dust on carpet or dust from vacuum cleaner), in the activity done, do you use a specific detergent some days (bleach in toilet, stove cleaner, ...). It is very difficult to identify the allergen.

Try changing the pillowcase every night, and honestly I would just take an antihistaminic before going to sleep.

Interesting, thank you. Other then the rain, I've noticed no pattern yet. I have always had eczema pop up from use of soap etc, so I have to change my washing products a lot to prevent a build up of reaction to them, but AFAIK I've had that under control for 15+ years.

I can only use Fairy washing power / liquid for clothes and bedding as that sets me itching from head to toe, but I've used it for donkeys.

It's the intermittent nature that makes it so inconvenient. I think I'll take tablets for a few nights now as I'm absolutely shattered - 8hrs kip since I got up on Tuesday.

I take half my meds in the morning and half at night for this reason - mine is also bad when it rains.

And keep your bedroom window closed

I have nighttime allergies too. It's annoying and does wake me in the night due to my super itchy roof of my mouth. I usually end up taking a chlortroponin or benadryl. You might have a dust mites allergy as I do. Make sure to wash all you bedsheets once per week in hot water. And look at Gering mattress dust covers that zip up.