That this is fucking up my life??

[snottery]

Some kind of hay fever / allergy / mild asthma.

I realise it's not 'serious' in the grand scheme of things, but it's really affecting my life and my sleep.

Had phlegm / post nasal drip for years and years and that's bad enough, but recently it also includes such delights as

Hours upon hours of streaming / blocked nose / sneezing almost every day
Taking in too much air when blowing that I get heartburn and trapped wind. Can't burp so this is horribly uncomfortable until it comes out other way
Throbbing bridge of nose
Even my teeth hurt at times
Itchy skin
Sometimes wheezing and a bit hard to get a breath.

It's embarrassing as I'm constantly wiping or blowing my nose or making horrible choking noises trying to get phlegm up.

The final straw has been the past 24 hours. I got 4 hours sleep last night because of it, my neighbour was banging down at me cause of the noise of my nose blowing last night, and I cancelled a family outing this morning cause of embarrassment and just generally feeling shitty because of this.

Finally gave in and took an antihistamine which I found in the cupboard. It's helped somewhat. Not completely but enough.

Please, Please tell me that these tablets work long term and that your body doesn't get 'used' to them??

It's making me miserable.

No idea what I'm allergic to, but it happens when I'm indoors for days and the phlegm has happened year round. I'm guessing dust.

Should of said -see your GP and ask for a referral.

I felt very sorry for you until the end of your post... not taking medication (that would absolutely help!!) is completely mental, do you have some kind of martyr complex???

I get very much like that when I have too much dairy. Really not nice.

Can’t believe you would martyr yourself all night rather than just take a harmless pill

Definitely try a nasal spray. I have an allergy to something - no idea what, it's been on and off for a few years and I can't pinpoint what's causing it - and a nasal spray made such a difference to my constantly dripping/stuffy nose. For some reason I was slightly sceptical of them, possibly because I've always found lemsip, Vicks, most painkillers etc. to be pretty useless, but I'm so glad I tried it out.

I take a daily fexofenadine (on prescription) and a nasal spray when it’s bad. Especially in the summer. I have done for many years now. If I don’t take them I’m like you describe. Cetirizine doesn’t touch the sides for me, I need the stronger stuff. I don’t need the meds in the winter unless I’m visiting someone and am allergic to their pet or a lot of dust or something.

Try a daily over the counter antihistamine (Like the one you have) for a few weeks. And definitely try a nasal spray. And if it doesn’t work go to the GP and get a prescription for stronger stuff. No need to suffer!

Stop pussyfooting about
Take the drugs then moan if they don’t work

I suffered for years until I went to acupuncture....
I went in unable to breathe and came out clear. This was 20 years ago!!

Poor you

I can relate as I am extremely allergic to pollution, cigarette smoke and various chemicals as well as the usual pollen, dust etc.

The sinusitus is the worst for me and I have ended up with horrible sinus infections as a result. I also sometimes get a thing where my lungs feel like they are on fire, especially if expose to 2nd or even 3rd hand smoke

I wash my clothes often, wash my hair often (and wear a hat to protect my hair from smoke / pollution).

I take 3 x 1 a day cetirizine tablets and also flixonase nasal spray which helps a good deal but it's still horrible

On the bright side the social distancing thing hasn't been as bad for me as other people as I have done it for years to avoid people who smoke as much as possible

One tablet daily of Cetirizine all year round works wonders for me. Diprobase for itchy skin, and hypoallergenic eyedrops are very soothing.

Also ask for a referral to allergy clinic. I was surprised at the resuts - far more allergies than simply a high pollen count.

I take an antihistamine and nasal spray all year round. Every few years, I stop them yo check I still need them. It's hell on earth so I start taking them again.

If it's hay fever don't dry your bedding outside at this time of year because as soon as you go to bed you are covering yourself in pollen. My DS has chronic hay-fever and is now on immunotherapy for it. He takes antihistamines, nasal spray and eyedrops from April till September. Antihistamines work but you need to stay on top of it and not miss days when you think the pollen count is low. Wash your face regularly as well to take the pollen off. There is no reason to be suffering like this - speak to a pharmacist and go and see your doctor.

I take a loratidine tablet every day in hay fever season and saline irrigation and a combination steroid and antihistamine nasal spray when it gets really bad, couldn't function without it.

You can take a little tablet once a day (that your body doesn't get used to and it does keep working)) or you can ignore and hope it goes away but I'll tell you something - allergies that affect your nose and airways like rhinitis can aggravate things called polyps which can grow and fill up your sinuses. Then your sinuses get chronically infected if they are blocked and can't drain, and then it can spread via post-nasal drip and you can get a chest infection that will turn into pneumonia and pleurisy and you will end up in hospital at death's door gasping for every breath being given IV antibiotics. Ask me how I know...

You are all right, I don't really know why I'm a bit averse to medications. I will stop being silly and take the antihistamines more regularly.

If I ask to be referred are there tests which will show what I'm allergic to??

Going to look at hypoallergenic bedding if I can afford it I'll try it. Don't know if pillows are feathers, I sleep on loads of pillows, most of which are very old. I do wash bedding often though.

I have the worst hay fever ever, I understand I’ve been hospitalised due to it I feel ridiculous! Try 180mg of Fexofenadine, a blue inhaler, steroid nasal spray and Doxycycline anti malaria drugs should make you feel human again.

I get awful hay fever and it makes me feel so unwell I sometimes literally tke to bed. I have prescription antibiotics which are 180mg then vicks sinex soother is a miracle at unblocking noses. Ask your doctor for something stronger like fexofenadine which I what I take but you have to take it everyday for a while and continue to take it

I’m allergic to multiple things, increasing over time too lucky me. It could be more than one thing you are allergic too. But I have used over the counter antihistamines - tablet and nose spray, every day and they work for me. I have to use them everyday without missing them though.

I get bad hay fever. I take loratidine at night and a nasal spray (generic version of beconase). I also have asthma which has been really bad recently. I just spent money (saved from being shielded!) and bought an air purifier. It seems to be making a big difference.

I was going to suggest feathers in your pillows as well. You Don't forget to check cushions, I had a reaction to them in a holiday cottage.

I could of written this 3 weeks ago.

I’ve just been diagnosed with hay fever which I was surprised as I’ve never had it before.

I had a intermittent cough instead of the sneezing, was lucky to get a couple of hours sleep of a night so as you can imagine I was exhausted most of the time, but the phlegm in the morning was truly awful and trying to get rid of it was near on impossible even being sick didn’t help.

I rang the doctors in the end and he put me on Fexofenadine and a Beconase spray, the spay in particular helps enormously with the phlegm and I honestly feel like a new person.

You have to take them every day for a cumulative effect. I start taking them at the end of February right through into winter, autumn leaf moulds doncha know. We have two dogs and a cat, they bring in the pollen too. I have feather pillows never had a problem with those.

OH was so bad gp prescribed beconase which helped him with the sinus problems.

The final straw has been the past 24 hours. I got 4 hours sleep last night because of it, my neighbour was banging down at me cause of the noise of my nose blowing last night, and I cancelled a family outing this morning cause of embarrassment and just generally feeling shitty because of this.

I'm trying to work out how anyone can get to this point and not have tried seeing a doctor or taking some meds.

For that, YABU.

I see an allergist. I have allergy shots every few weeks, take antihistamines during birch pollen season, and use a nasal spray as needed.

As a result I rarely sneeze or sniff any more, I get itchy eyes maybe 3 days a year, and I can once again eat apples, pears, cherries, peaches, pears, nectarines and cherries.

Life is Good.

If I ask to be referred are there tests which will show what I'm allergic to??

Yes, but get the tests your doctor offers, not the woo tests.

I manage with just the spray, it really works.

My DH and I both suffer with terrible hay fever. I take antihistamines every day and have been fine this year with little or no symptoms. He refuses to take anything (because "I'm diabetic and take enough meds already" 🙄) and he has suffered terribly all summer so far.
Antihistamines work but you have to take them daily.

I can't believe you would suffer like this and refuse to take antihistamines
Get yourself sorted out love. Drugs are good, mostly. I bought anti allergy covers for my mattress and pillows and pulled the bed out and had a good clean under. You should wash bedding no less than weekly. Take an antihistamine every morning and get some beconase from the chemist and use that. If the beconase doesn't work go to the GP and request a prescription only spray.
Don't suffer for no good reason.