Help! DD’s hayfever hell & GCSEs

[JamNittyGritty]

Dd gets awful hayfever - blocked nose, streaming eyes - all of it. Affects her sleep, concentration and just feels crap. Last year she really struggled with it through mocks in spite of full dose piriton each day and I really want to do everything I can to minimise it while she’s got her GCSEs.

So please recommend your top antihistamines, meds, natural remedies - open to anything!

Fexofenidine (sp?) From the gp. Life changing for ds. Takes a week or so to kick in

Nasal spray daily, antihistamine and eye drops. Keep going even when it's rainy. Antihistamines alone often not enough. All available OTC or online

Top tips!
Piriton makes most people drowsy, I would try her on a one a day non drowsy one asap to see if it works for her.
Shower daily including hair wash. Clean clothes every day.
Wear sunglasses out of the house.
You can use eye drops and nasal sprays as well as tablets on bad days.
Vaseline in nostrils.
Don't dry bedding or clothes outdoors. Keep windows in bedroom closed. Don't go out during high pollen count days if you can avoid it.

Would wearing a mask like in covid times help?

GP can prescribe more effective antihistamines if OTC ones don't cut it.

You can now buy otc if you can’t see the gp.

Thank you, looks like I can get it online as she’s over 12

Try a different antihistamine as there are many different types. Also take one in evening before bed and one in the morning even if she doesn't feel "that bad" as it needs to build up in her system. If OTC ones don't help then speak to your GP for a prescribed one as these are a lot stronger.

Read the instructions carefully. A one a day antihistamine only lasts 8 hours, so you could take two. My DD has been prescribed one that she can take every 6 hours, four maximum in a day, so her protection is evened out throughout the day. Its trial and error really.

DS1 is 14 and has a horrible time with hay fever. We have found a nasal spray to be the most effective thing, combined with Piriton at night and Benadryl during the day. Prescription Fexofenadine did precisely nothing for him. He uses the Benadryl Plus with pseudoefedrine when he's really bad and the regular Benadryl the rest of the time. Pseudoefedrine can be addictive so it needs to be used with care. When he's consistent with the nasal spray, though, it seems to be the thing that makes most difference.

Thanks for all the replies - not sure I could get her to wear a mask, staying indoors however, is her favourite thins so that won’t be a problem :)

Any particular nasal spray recommendations?

Wear a mask would be my number one. I take loratadine as it’s non drowsy, gp used to prescribe me a stronger dose when I was younger as I suffered in the extreme. Nasal spray and eye drops. Get some hayfever wipes from places like b and m or home bargain, they also do a balm for your nose. Great for refreshing the face and I always wore sunglasses when out and about

She needs the infrared thing you put up your nose. It's amazing. I can't remember what it's called.

One of my work colleagues who has suffered badly for years has just paid privately for an injection around £70 I think and he said its been unbelievable the difference!! Well worth the money. Not sure what age you need to be though?

Have you tried cetirizine or loratadine? They are the first I'd try as usually non- drowsy, very easy to buy from supermarket or pharmacy, and once daily dose. They come branded (expensive) or generic (much cheaper).
Eye drops are great - Opticrom or Optrex Hayfever Relief.
We've never needed to advance beyond these for the children, but there are so many options available. Some you can take together, but some you can't.

My daughter was exactly the same (still is!)
she had eye wash and nose things and medication to get her through! We also asked she not be sat next to an open window.

We’ve never tried the injection but seen it recommended a lot. After trying a few of the medications, for her a Lloyds own brand that isn’t once a day works best for her and doesn’t make her to drowsy.

For the past few years pirinase nasal spray has worked best for me but its not working this year so I've been taking allevia tablets which seem to be working great at the moment.

This year she trying the local honey as well - it seems to have made a small improvement but she still needs the tablets.

not sure the age limit but I can second the injection mentioned by @pinksparkly , it’s called Kenalog, costs about £70 annually, you can get it privately.

I was like your DD and clicked on the thread as I have vivid memories of sitting exams with streaming nose, which made me feel really self conscious in the exam and didn’t help my concentration! My husband’s colleague mentioned it to me as I suffer so badly and it sets off asthma. It is honestly life changing, when I have it I have no symptoms. This year i’m pregnant so I can’t have it and already starting to get symptoms!

piriton is awful and diesn't do much (ime) for hayfever and makes you feel drowsy.

first line should be cetirizine or loratadine.
possibly eye drops as well.
at her age you coukd try a basal steroid spray (beconase or similar).

also look up how to minimise allergens in the house for relief. (synthetic bedding, no pets in bedroom, no stuffed toys on bed, hair kept out of face, hairwashing before bed...)

good luck!

Avamys nasal spray and fexofenadine for me - I get both on prescription. I would ask pharmacist for recommendations rather than buying online as you might qualify for free meds from the minor aliments scheme. If what they give you doesn't cut it then GP appt.

Worth knowing that she may be eligible for special consideration of 1% on her exams for hay fever on the day of the exam. https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guide_to_spec_con_process_2223_FINAL.pdf see page 7.

Maybe ask the school in advance what evidence they would need.

The injection is amazing! My other tip is to take meds at night rather than in the morning after a sneezing fit 😂

Allevia is the OTC fexofenadine.

https://www.boots.com/allevia-120mg-tablets-x-30-10311751

We found children’s Benadryl reasonably effective too, coupled with nasal sprays.

You can only get the 120mg otc. If you want the hard hitter 180 I believe it’s still gp

Another vote for the Kenalog/Triamcinalone injection, by the time you've bought half the stock in Boots you could have paid for one, hope she grows out of it, it's a nightmare bless her.