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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be absolutely sick of DS non stop allergies

92 replies

Purrdy · 12/10/2024 16:46

They are driving me literally insane.
DS 13 asthmatic spends his whole entire life doing huge shouting type massive gargantuan sneezes, over and over and over again, they are non stop. Imagine a big dog barking and barking non stop - that's what his sneezing is like and they're that loud too. And non stop sniffing up snot sniff sniff sniff sniff, his nose is like a tap of never ending cattarh. Jesus, the arguments we have about his nose. "Freddy blow your nose!!!!" "No" "BLOW YOUR NOSE!!!" "No" "Freddy your constant sniffing and snorting is driving everyone in the house mad - BLOW YOUR NOSE". "Nooooo!" "Freddy BLOW YOUR NOSE!". He finally blows his nose, blows and blows and blows, as much as he blows it out the snot instantaneously refills, he blows, snot refills, he blows, snot refills. Immediately goes back to sneezing and sniffing and snorting and says "See, this is why I don't blow my nose, there's no point whatsoever, it's pouring out of my nose straight after no matter how much I blow it". This goes on all day, all night. Kids at school turn round at their desks or nudge him and say "Mate, blow your nose". Sitting round the table for dinner is appalling, my other DC shout "Ughh, it's putting us off our food! He's sneezing over our food! (Even though he covers his mouth and nose as much as he can with his elbow or a hankie) his snot is so loud it's disgusting!" He sits there looking dejected at the table.
I am at my wits end.
It goes on all summer because of pollen. Now it's October so there's no pollen but it's still the same level of relentless 100 decibel repetitive sneezing and gallons of catarrh pouring in to his nose. It will go on all winter too, just like it has the past 2 winters. Then all spring. It is year round every year.
We're dusting everywhere, cleaning the floors non stop, pulling out his bed non stop to clean under it, I've removed curtains, got rid of carpet and rugs, bought hypoallergenic mattress covers/pillow covers/duvet, boil wash at 90 degrees his bedding every few days, OMG the work it's creating is exhausting me on top of everything else I have to do. Mometasone and beconase nasal sprays don't work at all. He takes 180mg Fexofenadine daily which is an adult dose for treating hives - you'd think if it treats hives in an adult then it would sort out a 13 year olds non stop sneezing and running cattarh....but no, it doesn't touch it. GP said he can't have any higher dose than that.
I just don't know what to do.
It's making him really depressed and it's sheer HELL to live with.
It's driving the whole family insane but me especially as I spend most time with him.
Can anyone at all give me any help or experience?!

OP posts:
Bigearringsbigsmile · 12/10/2024 16:50

Get him an ENT referral.
My son was constantly snotty and blocked up.
He had a deviated septum. Once that was operated on and corrected, he was much more comfortable and could breathe more easily.
Also some tests to see what his allergies actually are.
Poor boy

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 12/10/2024 16:50

This isn’t actually a solution to the underlying problem, but could your DS learn to sneeze silently so that he’s less disruptive to the family and class mates? It’s something people train themselves to do in parts of the military, so as not to give away their position, so I know that it’s a skill that is possible to learn.

Beyond if the GP is at a loss, could you get a referral to an allergist and an ENT specialist?

Alwaystired2023 · 12/10/2024 16:57

Sounds like me until I gave up milk and generally overhauled my diet, also have a deviated septum

Purrdy · 12/10/2024 17:01

Alwaystired2023 · 12/10/2024 16:57

Sounds like me until I gave up milk and generally overhauled my diet, also have a deviated septum

I get why milk can make some people produce cattarh. But the sneezing? Surely lactose doesn't cause repetitive sneezing?

OP posts:
Wittyapple · 12/10/2024 17:04

I had a similar problem and it’s horrible living with so I feel for your ds.
other posters have already suggested above but I also got an ent referral from my gp. It took ages due to backlogs but when I finally got the appointment they did refer me for scans/ tests including an allergy test- it might help to get to the bottom of what’s causing it.
while I was waiting, the gp could only suggest fexofenadine, salt water sprays and steams.

mumonthehill · 12/10/2024 17:04

Is he taking an antihistamine every day? Ds has to nearly all year round and it does help.

porridgecake · 12/10/2024 17:05

He needs urgent allergy testing if it hasn't been done. Ditto ENT referral. You need to know what the allergens are before you can take any meaningful action.

AntiHop · 12/10/2024 17:07

Does he also take a steroid nasal spray? Poor kid, must be unpleasant for him.

WinterOfMyLife · 12/10/2024 17:07

My DS is similar. It’s unpleasant for him and I do feel for him, but compared to many other childhood diseases it’s an absolute breeze. I try and be thankful that he’s basically healthy other than the allergies. Things could have been so much worse.

DiscoBeat · 12/10/2024 17:08

Poor kid. I'm sure it's driving him far more insane than it is you. Get on to his doctor, keep pushing because he obviously needs to see someone knowledgeable who can actually help.

DiscoBeat · 12/10/2024 17:09

Do you or family member/friends have pets?

Purrdy · 12/10/2024 17:11

To snswer questions:
No, no pets at all.
Yes twice daily steroid nasal spray.
Yes daily adult dose hives treat level antihistamine Fexofenadine.

OP posts:
WinterOfMyLife · 12/10/2024 17:12

DS has recently been using sterimar (wash) and allevia tablets plus beconase (spray)which he says have improved things. Sorry if you’ve already tried these

Procrastinates · 12/10/2024 17:15

Poor kid! Imagine being unable to stop constantly sneezing and sniffling to the extent you're actively becoming depressed and instead of trying to continue to find appropriate help for the situation and be sympathetic your own mum shouts at you, argues with you about it and makes constant comments. 😥

dcbgr · 12/10/2024 17:23

Get him tested for allergies: most common are dust mites, pollen, moulds and a few more. Desensitisation to allergens is very effective: either a longish series of injections, a rapid series of injections (rush desensitisation) or sublingual drops.

Notmanyleftnow · 12/10/2024 17:29

Dymista nasal spray together with fexofenadine helped me.
Poor kid.

MikeRafone · 12/10/2024 17:31

Your son sounds like me this year (apart from the not blowing my nose) the relentless sneezing nose blowing, irritating itchy ears, dry eye and taking antihistamine and nose spray. Its relentless and so frustrating but unlike your son I haven't got you moaning like fuck about it - thank goodness

and yes pollen from ragwort is still around in October until the frosts come in

PortiaWithNoBreaks · 12/10/2024 17:34

Has he tried Avamys spray? Twice a day, the last one just before sleep? Sounds awful for you all.

PortiaWithNoBreaks · 12/10/2024 17:35

Also is he using the spray properly, directing the nozzle towards his ear? Have a look at Dr (Prof?) Adam Fox on Instagram.

Londontown12 · 12/10/2024 17:36

Could also be nasal polyps !! Ent referral he can’t live like that it’s not fair on him or your family !

Smileatthesmallthings · 12/10/2024 17:37

Get him to the doctor's and get allergy testing and referral to immunology. DW has had terrible hayfever for years and, although it's been a long wait, now knows exactly what she's allergic to, was given more effective medication and has just started a course of immunotherapy.

Poor boy must be so miserable. I know with DW that blowing her nose or any sort of nasal spray etc can make it worse and sore. She gets headaches from it and is generally miserable march-october.

rubyslippers · 12/10/2024 17:38

Get him referred to a really good paediatric allergist / consultant - if you’re in London / Home Counties get to the royal London and Dr Aston (the best) and a respiratory specialist as well
Get him tested for everything
find an excellent drug regime - it will take time
his life will be transformed
do it now so he can have a year to find a really good med regime and before his GCSEs

ObelixtheGaul · 12/10/2024 17:44

Procrastinates · 12/10/2024 17:15

Poor kid! Imagine being unable to stop constantly sneezing and sniffling to the extent you're actively becoming depressed and instead of trying to continue to find appropriate help for the situation and be sympathetic your own mum shouts at you, argues with you about it and makes constant comments. 😥

Edited

I agree. No wonder the poor mite is depressed, his own mother is treated his ailment like some sort of deliberate act of annoyance, his siblings are allowed to make comments about it to his face, he probably feels like an absolute social pariah at school and at home.

TeamPlaying · 12/10/2024 17:52

I get that it must drive you up the wall, but geez you can’t show that to him! And how can you let your other kids have a go at him?! Poor kid, he’s the one actually going through it.

I agree you need an ENT referral and full allergy testing.

BarbaraHoward · 12/10/2024 17:54

Poor kid, he must be constantly feeling miserable. Quite possible he doesn't even realise how tired he is, given he's asthmatic his body is probably working so much harder just to keep going. Probably getting shit quality sleep too.

The problem here is definitely his own health, not anyone else's frustrations with having to hear it.

Definitely long past time for a specialist. Would you be able to go private? (Reputably, not a high street allergist.)