Calling all Hay Fever sufferers

[PumpkinSpicedLatte]

Posting here for traffic.
I am SUFFERING the worse I’ve ever suffered from Hay fever. I work part time so when I’m at work (hospital) it isn’t too bad but my days off and the weekend, fucking awful. I have two 4 year olds , both of which love being in the garden, I simply want to pass away 🤣🤦‍♀️
I am currently using all the hayfever wipes, nose sprays, Vaseline, nasal sprays, face refreshers, eye drops and doubling the dose of Fexofenadine to no avail.

please can someone help me?
I am epileptic so do take two epilepsy meds a day, not sure if that limits any options but at this point I’m willing to try anything.
I am sneezing so much it’s making me almost vomit, I am pissing myself at the age of 31, my eyes are red raw and my nose is peeling from wiping it so much.

thanks ladies, gents and anyone else!

I totally feel your pain. Yesterday took two fexofenadine, two chlorphenamine, a loratafine and then a phenergan before bed. I use a cp as p nasal mask and the last two nights I’ve had to rinse it 3 times in the night as it’s just full of constant snotty seepage. I’ve used a full bottle of eye drops this week too. I read somewhere that intentionally rubbing stinging nettles on your skin every day can help and honestly I’m thinking about trying it. My head is so heavy and cotton woolly, my top teeth are killing me and I’m wheezy.

and they say it’s not a serious affliction! It’s absolutely shit.

Could you look into the kenalog jab? Last year I paid for it privately and was anti-histamine free for the first summer in about 25 years! Had it again this year and there have been a handful of days I’ve taken a fexofenadine but mostly symptom free. It cost me £150 and worth every single penny.

Have you tried Clarinaze nasal spray?
(momentasone furoate)

I have been using this he past couple of hay fever seasons and my hayfever does seem better.

I thought taking too many antihistamines was dangerous? Heart issue type of dangerous. I looked into mixing antihists or taking additional doses and decided to suffer through the symptoms instead.

As for advice. I had some success anti inflamatories aspirin or ibuprophen but I suffer more in the early spring with tree pollen which gives me a persistent cough. Inhaler and cocodamol at night for cough depression helped.

My DS (22)has suffered since age 5 lasting 7 months of the year. 2 years ago we paid for him to have the kenalog jab. He had 2 jabs both years. This year no symptoms until 3 weeks ago and even then nothing as bad as usual. I think if you can afford it it's worth looking into the immunotherapy. It's available privately for about £400. I had it on NHS in the 80s and haven't suffered since. I understand a new drug is available for grass pollen allergy, https://allergyandimmunology.heartofengland.nhs.uk/new-tablet-treatment-for-hay-fever-approved/

He has been prescribed a very short course of oral steroids in the past for GCSEs and A levels which worked very well for clearing up the worst of it.

The NHS stopped using this due to safety concerns. You may not have had side effects but others may. Just so people are aware.

Yes the NHS don’t use it. The private GP went through all the info. It is a steroid injection so not suitable for everyone. You’d have to weigh up the risks for yourself.

@OnyourbarksGSG honestly I was worried I’d get rinsed in here so I’m almost relieved to read this but also so sorry! It’s bloody miserable. I think I’ll try the nettles

@Cerialkiller yeah I think in large doses but the few times I’ve done it I’ve been ok, but I wouldn’t do it long term for sure. But I’ve felt so dreadful I couldn’t see any other way to get through. It’s honestly been so miserable

The NHS no longer uses Kenalog. But it does have specialist allergy clinics which will give you better advice than people DIYing their regime on mumsnet. My GP referred me, I saw the consultant, had tests to figure out which pollens it was, and was given a combination of high dose fexofenadine, dymista, and montelukast plus new advice about when to take them given my own circumstances. That was me, ymmv, so try to get on the waiting list for an actual specialist.

Long-term sufferer here and this year is BAD. I had a course of Grazax in my late teens and it improved my symptoms by 75% I'd say, so I still needed antihistamines but it was totally manageable, whereas before I would have to hide inside with a damp cloth on my eyes most days. I'm not sure if it's wearing off now (twenty years later) or if the pollen levels are just getting worse year on year. I'm doubling up on fexofenadine currently and taking cetirizine ad hoc to tide me over. I find the avamys nasal spray really effective.
I'm considering the kenalog injection but not sure we can spare the money at the moment 😢

Ask for a referral to allergy clinic given how bad you get.

I met someone recently who had had desensitization for hayfever through allergy clinic, he described it as life changing.

Yeah it's been horrific for the last three weeks. It affects me with systemic inflammation so as well as the usual head/ nose/ throat horribleness I get awful dragging fatigue and body aches and pains. It feels like flu. Truly nobody who doesn't have bad hayfever knows how awful it can make you feel. Today it's rained and I can feel a little bit of blessed relief

The steroid injection really helped someone I know. He had suffered terribly with it since childhood.

I have extremely bad hay fever and I would go up to 720 mg fexofenadine or ask for montelukast for a week or two to lower the reactions.

My sister is a respiratory doctor and strongly advised against kenalog. It can have serious side effects, especially if you have any history of mood or anxiety issues.

www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-and-cap-take-action-against-illegal-hayfever-jab-adverts-online

Please don’t do this. Listen to Dr Adam Fox a leading allergy specialist who advises against the injection.

My hayfever is bad this year but ten year old dds is awful. I'm taking her to the doctors next week as the two types of tablets we've been trying are doing nothing at all, Im hoping they can give her a nasal spray. She is really struggling, poor thing.

It is very bad this year. I suffered badly as a child, less so as an adult but DS (5) has started this year ☹️

I used to be the same as you. Then it all stopped suddenly two days into following a ketogenic diet. By experimenting I discovered that the hay fever returns every time I eat anything made of grains. I've now been grain-free for 6 years and even today, when the pollen was super-high, I had no symptoms.

Pollen is very bad this year. Do you wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors? A friend has to shower as soon as she gets inside, clean clothes and those she was wearing go straight into the washing machine! Hope you find a solution