Hay fever hell

[BooseysMom]

I have never been a hay fever sufferer but the last few years, and this year particularly, it's off the scale. I have all the symptoms plus what feels like a chest infection and a tickly cough so bad that I feel I'm going to throw up. It's utterly miserable. Even DS has been suffering. He's 9. He had time of school for what we thought was a cold but maybe it's hay fever. He won't take any medication. I've been taking a tablet daily plus nasal spray and nothing works. When we went out of the area we live in, it was much improved. So it must be something in the area. What is out atm that would cause this and what can we do, if anything, to help ease it?
Why have we never suffered so badly before? Is it because the atmosphere isn't as healthy any more because of co2 build-up or just you get more intolerant as you age?
Thanks

Yes, it's awful. It's birch tree pollen and it's making my life a misery.

There are various types of antihistamines, so it can be trial and error to find what works best.

I also have had horrific hayfever but only since I was about 21. Zero before that literally no allergies ever!! First summer I ended up in hospital as the asthma was so bad I couldn’t breathe! Never had it that bad since but still it really bothers me every April/may/June. I take loratadine religiously from mid April and also find a hayfever nasal spray and eye drops are essential - use them at the very first sign. The other thing I found last year was some anti hayfever wipes - they were like facewipes and I kept them in the fridge; it was so lovely and refreshing!! Washing your face/hair can also help as it gets all stuck on there during the day. I’ve seen this nasal product which is like Vaseline to put up your nose to catch the pollen, might be worth trying if it’s hell. Good luck.. here in solidarity!! X

My youngest isn't great with oral antihistamines, but we've found that eye drops are best tolerated and relieve his worst symptoms.

The Citrizine tablets work very well for me - Better than loratadine - but they knock me out so much I prefer to take loratadine as otherwise I’d be in bed for 4 months of the year I’m that drowsy on citrizine

@babyproblems

Do you know what the nasal Vaseline-type cream is called please?

If you can find some honey that's made in your very local area (admittedly much easier in some places than others) then a spoon of it a day can help.

I don't suffer especially from hayfever but I have sympathy as an ex suffered terribly for months of every year.

@LulooLemon i think it’s called Allergieblock. My brother uses it and before it was ‘invented’ he would just put Vaseline up there and always said it was a good hack!

@babyproblems Thanks! I'll look for this in Boots tomorrow.

The most effect way to take antihistamine is in advance of the seasonal allergen appearing. Make a note in your diary/ phone calender that your hayfever is bad now and then next year start regularly taking antihistamine at least 1 week before that time comes round again.

There are several different antihistamines to try and now you can buy fexofenadine without a prescription which for a lot of people is the most effective.

I have hayfever virtually all year round. I can ease off medicating somewhat in december and January. The rest of the year I take cetirizine daily and when I have to ramp it up I add fexofenadine daily and a nasal steroid.

I didn't have allergies as a child but I developed food allergies as a teenager and hayfever in my late 20s. I believe allergies can develop at anytime in one's life.

• try different medications. Loritadine does NOTHING for me. Certrazine works well for me. It has to be take first thing in the morning, daily. If I leave it until I've already started reacting, it won't do anything.
• top up with nasal spray and eye drops.

-wash your hair and shower every night before you go to bed.

• don't hang any washing outside (I know it's rubbish).
• if you have pets they will be bringing pollen into the house on their fur.

My dd has to take fexofenadine every day. The brand name of the one she takes is allevia and it's widely available. I just take Claritin and I'm ok but it's not strong enough for her.

With antihistamine you have to take it every day like @babyproblems says.

I didn't get hayfever until I was in my 40s. If it's birch pollen it will pass soon.

My son in law swears by fexofenadine for hay-fever but it didn't touch my urticaria!

Priton, liquid medicine

Ah thanks! That's helpful. I never get it like this so it took me by surprise and so I hadn't started the antihistamines soon enough. Even DH has it really bad this year. It's since we moved to a new rural area. There must be something really evil about it!! 👹

Thanks everyone for your posts 🙂

Thanks for this..that's interesting about the honey. We sometimes get it from a local beekeeper so will get some more asap!

Thanks for the advice. I have made a note in my phone calendar now for next year. It's a good idea as obviously this is going to be a regular thing!

Calendar of different pollen releases in UK

Thanks for posting this, I'll bookmark it.
My hay fever seems to have calmed right down now..thank god as it was awful! How's everyone else?