Perennial Allergic Rhinitis - any other sufferers out there?

[SlinkyB]

Hello, I was diagnosed with this a few years ago and used to take an antihistamine (ceterizine or loratadine) every morning to help with the sneezing.

However, I would still have "bad days" when I would sneeze and have a runny nose from dusk til dawn. I'm currently pregnant so can't take antihistamines - does anyone else out there suffer and have any hints or tips please? Had a particularly bad day today and am worn out!

Thanks

Me. You can take antihistamines. They just don't recommend them because they are officially untested in pregnancy. In my first pregnancy, I had terrible hayfever / rhinitis, and I used beconase. Second time around, I had terrible itchy skin and the doctor prescribed me piriton but I am pretty sure I read that loratadine is the drug of choice in pregnancy - think this is on NHS choices website. Boots wouldn't sell them to me when I was obviously pregnant, but my local pharmacy did. The safest thing is to talk to your GP and get something prescribed.

My DD. She snots for Britain poor lamb.

Thermo I'm currently taking Cyclizine (one per morning, tho it used to be three times per day) for the Hypremesis Gravidarum I had in the first trimester. These have been helping, as I read they contain antihistamine, but as my sickness is now waning I wanted to come off them. I don't think the GP will take me seriously or prescribe anything for 'just' the rhinitis? (Just had to put up with it last time around, grr). Have a new GP now tho so will give it a shot.

Exit - your DD has my sympathies. Spent a lot of my childhood going everywhere with a roll of toilet paper for my runny nose.

Just sympathy, I developed this when I became pregnant with dd2. It went when she was about 2. Ever since then I've suffered with hay fever for most of the summer & use beconase. Dd2 is 12 now but I still remember having to sleep with loo roll stuffed up my nose.

Slinky if you have no luck with your GP, speak to your midwife, as that was how I managed to get Beconase the first time, after being told by the unsympathetic GP that there was nothing I could take. She went and told the GP to prescribe it for me. Hope you get sorted - its thoroughly miserable.

loratidine is ok in pregnancy

www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/935.aspx - nhs says loratidine is ok

I have suffered with my nose for as long as I can remember, and currently use a nasal spray "nasonex" on prescription which helps but does not make the symptoms go away completely (and can make my nose a bit sore from time to time). A few months ago I cut gluten out of my diet for other medical reasons. Aside from a far more settled tum, bowels and losing weight - I haven't had a sneezy day since I stopped eating bread etc ! Only realised this last week, but I'm sure there is some sort of connection - I usually spend the whole of the summer with a snotty tissue in every pocket, this year - none!!!

Hi, I was diagnosed with the same thing 8 years ago-constant runny nose, sneezing, oh it was awful.
My doctor prescribed Nasonex Spray which pretty much clears it. I also used it all through my recent pregnancy, and was told by GP it was safe to do so.

Hope this helps- I know how annoying it is.

I think I have this. I have constant thick mucus draining down the back of my nose and throat - it smells and tastes horrible

GPs have prescribed Beconase, then Nasonex - neither made any difference. I'm now trying Flixonase but that doesn't seem to be working either, although I'm only 5 day in with that one. I went back to the GP and he was all so I demanded an ENT referral.

Can one get loratidine over the counter?

Rhinocort cured me! I bless the day my doctor told me about it.

yes you can buy loratidine in the supermarkets, chemists, home bargains, etc. We often have to buy some when i forget to order dh's repeat prescription! DH currently uses Nasacort nasal spray and a daily loratidine tablet (both on prescripton)

Ah, my next question would be whether I could take flixonase nasal spray and loratidine together, so thanks ilovepowerhoop

Is Rhinocort a prescription job or can you get it OTC?

Rhinocort is prescription medicine.

Thanks Old

Thanks for the link and advice ilove - that's a relief I can still take Loratadine whilst pg. So annoying that I went to two different chemists and they both trotted outtthe usual "no antihistamines whilst pregnant" line Mind you, one lady in the local chemist I got my antiemetics from was a bit reluctant to give me the prescription as didn't think you were meant to take anything.

bald that's really interesting that a gluten free diet seems to have helped loads, I've often wondered if there was something I could do with my diet. Mind you, after the horrors of hg, there's no way I'm giving up bread, pizza and cake for the rest of this pregnancy! Maybe something to try next year.

I was so hoping someone was going to come on and say they'd found a miracle cure that didn't involve cutting out cake! Even if I take my antihistamine at the same time every day, 6.30am, I still have a random few days a month where I have a bad sneezy day. Wish I could fathom what caused them.

P.s have tried every nasal spray on the market over the years, but they were all useless as just used to run straight out again/down the back of my throat.

Oh, and does anyone else find a sudden change in temperature causes them to have a sneezing fit?!

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