coughing with allergies?

[sunshine99789]

since roughly the start of March I have had a cough that seems to come for a week or so...settle down, go away and then fare up again.

My GP doesn't want me to go in due to Corona they are not offering face to face appointments.
This cough starts as a tickle and feels like I'm breathing in dust so I have to cough. The worst bouts have left me coughing and heaving.
I have had a chest xray that has come back clear..I have been to the urgent care centre on the advice of my GP which was no help at all.
Its really getting me down now :(
The GP has now said he thinks its hay-fever.
He has prescribed a antihistamines which don't seem to be helping but the nasal spray does.
The cough started when our central heating system was replaced but it hasn't been used as the weather is warmer. I'm wondering if it could have triggered some sort of dust allergy but if that was the case then why aren't the antihistamines working?
Only symptoms are very dry cough and occasionally my inner ear itches.
Its not Corona as the GP has made me test twice
Can anyone offer advice please?

Have you read up on Hayfever? This causes me to cough and have itchy inner ears. Hayfever has many symptoms I wasn’t aware of until I read more about it.

The coughing and itchiness in the ears sounds like allergies. I have hay fever and my inner ears are always itchy through summer. There are several different types of antihistamines so maybe the one he's prescribed just isn't the right one for you and something else would be more effective.

Also did you start any new medications around the time you started noticing your cough? It could be a side effect.

I have tried clarityn, lorotadine and I'm now on fenlofaxine (probably spelt all of those wrong!)
This cough is horrendous, every time I breathe in its honestly like breathing in dust :(

My DH went through a spell of continually sneezing - he could sneeze 30 or more times in a row. Dr thought it was hay fever but antihistamines did nothing so they tested him for asthma. He was prescribed 2 inhaler (prevention and reactive) which solved the problem. He was convinced he didn't have asthma so I told him to stop the medication if he was so sure, he didn't but started sneezing again when it was running out so showed he needed it. Had it for a couple of years before moving abroad and has never needed it since. All very odd - he was mid 30's at the time. We've lived in several other countries and he hasn't suffered since. Sometimes allergies can present themselves in strange ways.

I have also been prescribed an inhaler which again did nothing. I realise its trial and error and a process of elimination but 4 months of this has been so depressing. I don't know how much more I can take

OP is the fenlofaxine that you take the antidepressant Venlofaxine? I know you said you may have spelt the names wrong, I don’t know why medication has to have such complicated names.

If the nasal spray helped them I'm going to guess you've post nasal drip. Mucus from your nose drips down the back of your throat and irritates it. Keep using the nasal spray and keep hydrated as it will keep the mucus thin. Also maybe you could speak to the chemist over the phone and they could suggest a different antihistamine

Probably OP means fexofenadine which is a prescription only antihistamine

Thats the one! Fexofenadine! (Although I have previously used Venlofaxine which is probably why I mixed the 2 up!)

I'm not on any other medication other than the pill which I have taken for years

@BoobsOnTheMoon these medication names are confusing

I second @rowdowa suggestion to speak to your Pharmacist I know my local one is fabulous!