Hayfever - taking two tablets per day

[Youdontneedacriminallawyer]

DD2 currently takes loraldatine (?sp) tablets on prescription for hayfever. She's finding them less effective than last year, though last year she switched to these from cetirizine the previous year as they had become less effective.

The instructions on the packs of both medicines say one tablet per day. Would anything dreadful happen if she took one of each per day? Or two of just one type per day (she finds the effects wear off towards late afternoon).

Thanks

I would go and speak to a pharmacist rather than mumsnet. I find the same (effects wear off towards the end of the day), and am planning to supplement with a nasal spray - but only after checking.
They give maximum doses for a reason.

When my hayfever isn't controlled by one cetrizine a day, I take cetrizine in the morning and loratidine in the evening, and it works well. The pharmacist said it was fine to do this

I will, but they are closed by the time I get home from work. I'm going to pop into town on Saturday - no hope of getting a GP appt this side of Christmas :(

Until I got a prescription for stronger meds I was taking two a day, plus decongestants, plus nasal sprays, eye drops etc. no ill effects here!

So sorry for your DD it is bloody awful. The GP should be able to offer something better.

Cool - thanks Dibbler

Could be worth going to the GP and asking for a prescription for something more effective? I find that when the pollen count is really high, loratidine just doesn't cut it, but I have something called fexofenadine (Telfast) which is prescription only and is really effective. There are also eye drops, nasal sprays etc which might help.

FWIW, I do sometimes double-dose on loratidine (or have one loratidine and one cetirizine) if I have run out of fexofenadine and I am, for example, staying with someone who has cats. I don't think double-dosing occasionally is a major problem, but probably not a great idea to do it regularly without checking with a doctor.

My DD takes 1 cetrizine in the morning and a piriton at night plus nasal spray. This is with medical advice. She also showers every night. She is still suffering at the moment though.

Do you use a nasal spray as well - is your DD old enough?

For my DD the GP said to take tablets twice a day when it's really bad, which she does, but the most effective thing for this years is the nasal spray which can take two weeks of consistent results to work best. She even has days where she doesn't need the pills, and that hasn't happened for years.

But you shouldn't exceed the over the counter dose of any medication without getting advice from a pharmacist or your GP - not mumsnet

Our old GP told DH he could take up to 10 a day- same product- this was not a recommendation (!) but telling him they were pretty harmless . DH has terrible hay fever at times and has had to have steroid injections just to be able to work - he coughs and loses his voice.
Depends how old your DD is because children are different of course.

See your GP.
DH has exactly the same problem with Loratadine.

Pharmacist helped us try everything else in conjunction with Loratadine (sprays, other OTC antihistamines) but without success. He's doubling up without noticeable side effects (getting 95% relief), pharma said OK in short term until GP app but that's because DH would be useless at work without relief.

We investigated the jab, as that's supposed to be very effective and lasts all summer and found it is only available privately now. May be worth checking out?

You can also get fexofenadine (telfast) (mentioned by exexpat thanks for this) through Lloyds Pharmacy online doctor service if your GP appointments do not meet your requirements or OTC ("Allegra") if you're stateside. I am investigating now, looks promising.

How old is DD? DS1 (now 17) struggled with HF at age 12, tried several diff things but worked in the end was one loratidine in the morning and one in the evening. Could you write a note to GP asking him/her to prescribe for twice a day? (Have recently done this for DS2, who has been on up to 12 year old dose of Piriton, but is now 13, so can have 2 spoonfuls instead of one...needed it in writing on med label as keeps it as school)

DD is 17, and has a nasal spray and eye drops too. She doesn't much like using the nasal spray though, and I can't say I blame her!

I'll try to get her a GP appt to discuss, but as I said, GP appts are like rocking horse shit round here.

I wasn't aware there was a jab - will definitely ask about that for her, thanks for that info.

In the meantime, I'll suggest she takes one of each tablet if it gets very bad, and we talk to the pharmacist until waiting for GP appt.

You have to be really suffering for the steroid jab.

Use of steroids is always a risk and long term or regular use is an issue for other health conditions.

Steroid tablets- Prednisoline- are the other option as a very low dose- DH takes 5mgs a day. But i think any dr would be wary of giving to younger people.

She should really give the nasal spray a good try before even considering oral or injected steroids. I'd be surprised if any GP was willing to prescribe the latter if you've not given the former a good go.
The side effects of oral and injected can be seriously 'unfunny'. I'm on oral steroids for a different condition and it has helped the hay fever - but I wouldn't choose it over the spray and the odd tablet otherwise. A quick skoosh twice a day and a drink of water to get rid of the nasty taste - and you need to use it for a few weeks to get full effect.