Anyone else had runny nose and sneezing that won't go away or recurs over weeks?

[rigmarolo]

About 2 and a half weeks ago, I had the classic cold symptoms of runny nose and non-stop sneezing, followed by shortness of breath and a right chest. I got negative LFT and PCR tests and after a few days, the sneezing largely stopped, just leaving the shortness of breath.

Assumed it was probably a cold but maybe Covid.

Anyway, after over 2 weeks during which I've still had a slightly 'tickly' nose but not non-stop sneezing, the full-on sneezing and runny nose have come back - or started again!

Not sure if this is the same cold, or another one, or if it was Covid that never went away.

I've never previously had a cold where the sneezing/runny nose stage lasted for more than a couple of days max.

Has anyone else got a weirdly long-lasting or repeated cold? Or Covid symptoms which have come back like this.

So fed up of sneezing!!

Hay fever! It stops when the rain comes along.

No. Not shy fever. Unless I've just developed it aged 50! Never had it before, at all.

Hay fever not shy fever!

I've had the worst hay-fever I've ever experienced this year, starting from the end of Feb and continuing to now.
In other years I've only had a few triggers and have had breaks between this year its been almost constant (living rurally we get a good range of potential triggers throughout the year as there are generally 3 crops plus the usual grass, flower and tree pollen).
Strangely I went away for a week and actually got 5 whole days without the sneezing etc. within 24hrs of getting home it had all restarted

*I know its hay-fever, had countless PCR tests and it's eased (if not completely cured) by a combination of antihistamines.

@Iggly

Hay fever! It stops when the rain comes along.

I wish mine was improved by the rain, this year rain really hasn't helped at all

I have just developed hay fever in late 40s. Surprisingly common, but still a surprise. Or some other kind of 'allergic rhinitis'.
It isn't just grass pollen, there may be other types of pollen or allergens that trigger it, depending on the individual.

You can just develop hayfever, or allergic rhinitis

I agree hay fever. Or possibly another allergy (have you recently bought a pet or are in contact with one; have you started using air freshner; changed your washing powder ....)

DH has never suffered from hay fever but then randomly got it one year. Never had it since.

Yeah, I developed hay fever two years ago at the age of 47. I had Covid earlier this year and couldn't understand why my sneezing and runny nose symptoms weren't going away after two weeks after all the other symptoms had disappeared ... then realised that it had overlapped with / segued into hayfever season ...

Another vote for hayfever! I didn't get hayfever until my 30s.

Rain can make hayfever worse, depending on the amount of rainfall www.bbc.com/future/article/20190510-five-myths-and-truths-about-hayfever

yeah - it's hay fever (or allergy rhinitis). mine just appeared a few years ago. The other day i sneezed well over 200 times and used an entire roll of toilet paper to blow my nose (and i can't take anything for it as pregnant and thought i was going to wet myself everytime i sneezed!)

Hay fever.

Try an antihistamine like priton and see if it makes a difference. It’s a fairly simple way of helping to deduce if it’s an allergy or a bug.

Allergies can develop at any time so having no history isn’t necessarily a good indicator. I believe pollen levels have been high this year and my garden certainly seems to have been invaded by triffids.

Yes. I got Covid last year pre lockdown, and have had constant sneezing, blocked nose etc for over a year and a half. It's so frustrating.

Thanks. I will try antihistamines as suggested then. Guess I'd rather have hay fever which is treatable than Covid which might not be, but bloody hell, the sneezing is annoying!

@YouJustDoYou - do you think the sneezing and runny nose are definitely Covid-related?

I've had a sinus cold. Horrible and laid me up for a week. It went away and cams back a week later with sneezing etc like you, I bought a Beconase nasal spray, used it twice a day for 3 days and I'm fine now. Would recommend it

They used to say that you couldn't develop hayfever as an adult.

Until inconveniently large numbers of us did.

My hay fever didn't start until I was well in to my 40s, and I know from friends that I'm far from alone in that

Interesting, I get hay fever but early in the year, so to tree pollen.

When my DH had Covid back in July I had many of the symptoms he had - feeling like I was getting a cold, sneezing, a bit bunged up. It was definitely not hay fever. My sneezing was late in the evening. I took loads of LFTs and a PCR, all negative. I did wonder if it was an immune reaction to being exposed to Covid? I’d be interested to know if that’s possible. So did my immune system kick in? We are both double jabbed, DH with Astra Zeneca and me with Pfizer.

I had it again last night and LFT negative. Fine today.

@rigmarolo, I have no idea. I've lived here for years with no similar symptons... it's only since I had covid last year it's happened

@Deux pollen levels are higher at night (something to do with how it settles as the temperature cools) so I wouldn’t rule out hay fever personally. You may have developed another sensitivity or there’s just higher levels about to trigger a reaction of something you previously just didn’t notice.

I would PCR test too so I’m not looking to deny that covid could have been a factor, but I wouldn’t be so quick to rule it out if you’ve had lots of negative tests.

I thought I had hay fever or sinusitis last week, tested negative on LFTs. Until the weekend, when I tested positive, confirmed by PCR. My conclusion would be that you’re unlikely to be repeatedly testing negative if you have symptoms. I did also lose my sense of taste/smell at the weekend, though I felt this could happen with congestion either way.

I get these on and off all the time and find it hard to tell when it's allergies or a cold.
I've currently had a long-running recurring one like you describe. LFTs all negative but did a PCR where they seem to have lost my results so might do another.

I wouldn't normally think it's covid but people have been describing similar symptoms so it's in the back of my mind. Family is unaffected though!

I don’t think I’ve got Covid and won’t be having a PCR test.

I guess my question is: if you’ve had both vaccines then are exposed to Covid even if you don’t develop it, are there any symptoms/signs when your immune system is munching it all up and fighting it off?

I have it. Nonstop or persistent sneezing.very hot or cold water, perfume, spices can trigger it. Believe it's non-allergic rhinitis or NAR. Off the counter sprays, antihistamines didn't work for me. It lasts days. Just time and sleep helps.