To ask you for help with my hay fever?

[IWantToClawMyEyesOut]

As per the name change I genuinely feel like clawing my own eyes out. Nothing is touching it this year and I can barely see out of one eye.

It's making me a very grumpy human being and ruining the few days of summer we've had so far this year.

I've spoken to pharmacists, taken tables, drowned my eyes in drops and I have a nasal spray. I have also spoken to the GP but they told me to call back in the morning to speak to someone about a steroid inject although I hold little to no hope at getting an appointment. Therefore I'm seeking any wisdom is there anything else I can do to stop me going bat-crack crazy and removing my eyeballs for some relief!

if you’ve tried all the normal stuff apparently being stung by nettles helps.

Have you tried fexofenidine (allevia)? Workd the nest for me. I also top up with loratidine. But honestly the only thing that.keeps it at bay is montelukast which was prescribed by hospital immunologist

Yes! The pharmacist said it would work wonders and unfortunately it's done absolutely naff all to help the symptoms. Even when topped up with loratadine. Did your GP put you in touch with the immunologist?

I'm not convinced stinging myself with nettles is going to make a difference in how i look at present so please do tell me more....

Go to your gp and ask him for a prescription for montelukast. It is mostly considered for asthma issues but it can definitely be prescribed for severe allergies. It is the only thing that works for me when my hayfever flares up. I also get severe eye symptoms. You can start and stop it too with no issue.

I'd love to think it was that simple but alas I am under one of those GP surgeries where actually getting an appointment is like winning the lottery. I also suspect if I actually got an appointment they wouldn't be quick in prescribing something it would be a case of well we will try this for a while and then this etc.

Is it genuinely likely they would just give me a prescription if I asked or would they want to do tests etc first?

Loritadine and fexofenadine do not work for me at all. Cetirizine does. You can take up to 4 a day according to my GP even though it says one a day in the packaging. You also need to take it every morning religiously. I take one every morning from March until October pretty much and have to double up some days. I also use nasal spray and eye drops on the bad days.

The usual stuff like -

Don't hang your washing outside.
Wash your hair and shower before bed.
Apparently local honey can help but I haven't tried it.
If you are going outside vaseline up the nose can help create a barrier.

My allergies have intensified so much this year. I don't understand if it's a weather thing or a post-covid thing but it absolutely sucks. I'm so sorry for you OP.

I spent years thinking Piriton was a wonder drug. Until after a couple of decades it just stopped working for me. I started taking Benadryl instead with a double dose of Fexofenadine twice a day (1 tablet, twice a day). Took a few days to kick in, but the doubling of the Fexofenidine seemed to do the trick.

Cetrazine never worked for me sadly and loratadine used to be enough with the occasional eye drops or nasal spray but literally nothing is touching it at all this time around.

I've tried the honey thing in the past and it's done nothing. Honestly never known anything like it but this year it's totally kicking my arse and I feel like sorry I can't because of hay fever just gets people who don't understand how bad it can be eye-rolling you unfortunately.

Sorry you're also struggling although it's quite comforting on a way to know it's literally not just me suffering so much more this time round.

I understand but I would definitely go see your GP. People think allergies are just treated with OTC drugs but there are still many other antihistamines and options that are prescription only. I also use bilastine which is prescription only. But it is still an antihistamine. Montelukast has a different mechanism of action which is why it helps in severe flares. It is almost like a steroid. Honestly I wished I’d gone sooner after I got it. You could say ‘a friend uses it and swears by it, I am suffering so much’ LAY IT ON

I had to leave work one day a few weeks ago because it was so bad. Had I just called in sick with hayfever I think everyone would have thought I was taking the piss but my colleagues couldn't believe the state of me (and didnt want me sneezing all over the place).

I hope you find some relief soon.

Mine has got worse and worse over the last few years - nothing really touches it, not even prescription strength Fexofenadine and steroid nasal spray.

I’m going to try the hayfever injection next year. A couple of people I know have it and said it’s the only thing that works for them.

Literally don't think I'd be much good at work too, to be honest. It's unbelievable how puffy my face is and how uncomfortable I am but as you say if you rang in sick with hay fever everyone would think you a complete piss taker who just wanted a day off to enjoy the sunshine.

I'll definitely ring the GP tomorrow I'm not holding out much hope for an appointment, I might force myself to the surgery first thing. I feel like they might be more inclined to help of they can physically see me!

Apart from meds, mine has been loads better since I had to start wearing glasses. I guess they must be shielding my eyes from pollen.

Sorry to hear you too are struggling and nothing is working.

I've heard good things about the injection hence wanting to ring to ask about it but the pharmacist said they are reluctant to offer it so I'm not holding my breath, hopefully yours is more helpful and mine sees sense in offering it when they see the state of my face. 🤣

The local honey remedy has now been proven not to work.

I also suffer from itchy eyes all year round. Sometimes it develops into an infection and I have to use chloramphenicol eye drops.
If your eyes are stuck together in the morning and have a discharge it could possibly be infected, which means antihistamines won't work.

I haven’t even asked about it from a pharmacy (although I might do)!

I’ll probably just pay to have it done privately, think it’s around £80. Well worth it for a spring and summer of NOT feeling like this!! It is miserable. You have my sympathies OP!

My regime is montelukast, fexofenidine, dymista nasal spray and eye drops. Top up with loratidine and I still itch but I was cripple before

My sons immunologist warned against the injection, it's injected in the muscle and is slow release so if you have a reaction your basically fucked until it works it way out over months.

You need to not dry anything outside, keep windows closed, wash your hair as soon as you get into the house and change your clothes which go straight into the wash. Try not to bring anything in with you from the outside, wear sunglasses if you leave the house and have a fresh hankie with you to stop you reusing tissues to wipe your nose/eyes. They're softer and less irritating.

Montelucast is brilliant, get an online doctors appointment and suggesta at it. DS has hay fever which is so bad it triggers asthma and the inside of his mouth and ears itch terribly. We've found him in the shower itching the roof of his mouth with a fork before until it bled! Montelucast was a life saver for him along with a twice daily dose of fenofexadine

Friend swears by injection but no idea what it is

I had the steroid injection, it cost £70 at a private GP and was the best £70 I've ever spent! I went from total misery and barely functioning to zero symptoms. It's called Kenalog, no side effects beyond mild nausea for a couple of days

Seems a mixed bag with regards to the injection however at this point I think I've tried pretty much everything else apart from that and the prescribed tablets. I'll try to get an appointment tomorrow but in the mean time I shall be googling to see where nearby offers the injection. I can hardly see and my face looks like it's been sting by a thousand jellyfish so fingers crossed if someone sees me they will take pity!

Thanks for all the advice so far and I'm sorry so many of you suffer just as badly with it!

You can take up to 4 180mg fexofenadine for severe allergic reactions with oedema (swelling of the face). It takes me 4 a day plus montelukast during grass pollen season in June.

Also, I found several chinese herbal remedies very effective in helping even though every medic scoffed at me.

I also gave in and had the injection this year. I was a miserable mess! Could barely even open my eyes!

£40 privately,

Within 48/72 hours it was like my hay fever was non existent!

I'm on 3 tablets a day so far so not sure if one more will help but it can't hurt to try.

I've looked into the jab and several places near me offer it but none seem to have availability at present so I've pinged off a few emails to enquire further.

I'm living on hope that it's as effective as many of you have said because at the moment I'm no use to anyone as all I want to do is hide in a dark room with a wet towel over my face!