Ok ... I give up ... talk to me about 'hayfever'

[NotQuiteCockney]

Because I think I have it. I have a very runny nose, teary eyes.

What are the symptoms? What treatment options are there?

Well those are pretty much the symptoms. Also plenty of sneezing. I also get itchy skin with mine and constant blocked up feeling in my nose.

Only thing that sorts mine is anti-histhamine and specifically on ly Cetirizine (brand name Zirtek).

Thing is, if I take non-drowsy antihistamines, generally, they make me really angry. [weirdo]

I take the drowsy-making ones, at night time, when I have a runny nose etc and need to sleep. (Only of course I've run out, even of the weird Mexican ones with the stupid name.)

I can cope with a runny nose, I can't cope with the bad feeling in the back of my throat I get from antihistamines while I'm awake, I think.

Oh, and yeah, I sneeze.

google and look for a local keeper of bees, and ask to buy a jar of honey, consume the honey and this is supposed to be very good for hayfever

This really sucks, this means I have all the common broken immune system disorders (asthma, exzema, allergies and hayfever). Are there any others I should be watching for?

Hmmm, I'll look into the honey thing. I was going to say, I live in East London, there are no bees, but of course there are bees.

snort the stuff you can get over the counter in boots (flixonase or beconase). I find it works well (especially if I start it in advance of the symptoms - if I forget, it takes a few days/week to kick in).

The teary eyes are a pain though but you can get allergy eye drops.

me too

The honey thing didnt work for me.

Being pregnant, and also regular b/feeding DID.

I'm assuming its to do with the way the body changes during pregnancy so as not to react to the 'foreign body' in your body etc.

I get sneezing, itchy eyes, itchy skin usually around my mouth during major sneezing fits and sometimes I feel really wheezy with a funny feeling in my throat.

I usually go to the dr's and get some antihistimine. If the hayfever starts before I've made it to the dr's I'll buy some over the counter in the chemists, think it might be zirtek.

It's summer when I really wish that air conditioning was more popular in this country as at least that way the house would be cool without having to have all the windows open letting in the pollen.

The snortable stuff also makes me angry, I think. I would rather have a runny nose in the day than that, unless there's a medical reason why I need to treat myself?

How long does the snortable stuff work for? Maybe I'll try it, just warn DH about the anger thing ...

Agree with flixonase or beconase.
Have you tried the blue Benadryl (acrivastine) normally it's the only thing that works for me - but not at the moment, nothing's touching it.
Eye dropwise, opticrom is usually quite good but if that doesn't work get your gp to prescribe Rapitil.

Oh, daytime antihistamines work for me, they just make me really annoyed. It's a weird thing, I haven't taken them for years because of the anger.

well, I don't know about you but I find if I don't treat the hayfever, eventually my body seems to get pissed off (what with being all allergic and that) and eventually, the hayfever turns into either sinusitis, a raging ear infection or some chesty horror. The ENT (who I only saw once as I forgot to go again and got struck off for forgetting ) told me that because of the inflammation, it becomes easier to pick up an infection.

Also, I find the runny eyes, nose pouring like a tap and general hayfever horror makes me so tired, irritable and extremely puffy and unattractive that treating it really becomes the only option .

If you can manage oral antihistamines rather than the snortables, then that would work. I find the oral stuff makes me far too knackered and even the non drowsy stuff makes me feel kinda weird.

Hmm, I think I have a fairly mild case. I sneeze some, my nose runs a bit, my eyes water a bit. Nothing is running like a tap.

Let's put it this way ... I've been having these symptoms for a few years now ... maybe 10. And I've generally chosen not to treat them, it's only because someone said something about it being hayfever season locally that I've given up and acknowledged that that's what it is.

does it not make your asthma worse? (are you on steroids for that? if so, might be worth checking with the GP as to what steroids you can take with whatever you are on, if you go down the snortable route)

I am on a tiny bit of steroids (brown, one puff/day), only started this past winter. I had noticed my asthma being a bit worse lately, but not as bad as cold weather. I am hoping to get off the steroids in summer, tbh.

My asthma is v v mild, it was only a bout of no exercise and a run of colds that put me onto the steroids this winter. Normally it's really more a case of exercise-induced bronchospasm, regulated by having a puff of blue before a run.

aah, hope you get to come off them this summer then.

You don't have to treat it if it's not bothering you that much - I guess it's when it interferes with whatever you need to do and/or makes things like your asthma/eczema worse.

NQC, just noticed this before I logged off. Haven't read the other posts so forgive me if I repeat.
Firstly, I can't remember how long you have been in London, but my hayfever was at its worse when I lived there. Something about the pollen being kept at a certain level by the pollution
I am trying the local honey approach this year, and so far my symptoms are not too bad.
Other things I do apart from taking a nasal spray (btw, bfing and antihistemines is not encouraged although some pharmacists will say its fine, esp if you don't do it immediately before a feed) Can't remember if you are still bfing.
I always wear sunglasses, any sunlight can set me off. I also soak a flannel in cold water and put it on my nose, it helps the nose hairs to settle down again. Also, I use cucumber slices on my closed eyes (just to soothe them)
Windows should be closed esp at night, and don't dry clothes outside. Avoid any areas where grass has just been cut. Don't leave clothes lying around in your bedroom, put away, they will have pollen on them. Have a shower when you get in at the end of the day
You probably know these things, but they do help imo

Interesting tips, Overrun. I am still bf, but DS2 is 2.5, so I don't really fear him being exposed to drugs any more (pharmaceutical stuff, I'm not back on the heroin or anything like that ).

I think I have had some degree of hay fever for years, but like my excema (chronic excema on hands and feet - only kicks up if I let them get + stay sweaty), it's pretty minor stuff, more an annoyance than a real problem.

Ooooh, we have an air purifier! I might try using that more. And I'll have a hunt for local honey. I don't think I'll try new drugs, but I will try to make sure I always have drowsy-making antihistamines, I find a half dose before sleep just helps me get (and stay) asleep. Well, actually, I find just having the option helps me sleep, iyswim. (I bought my last packet last February in Mexico. Finished it this week.)

one more small tip, cover your bed with asheet during the day. Take it off carefully at night, stops any pollen settling on bed

Also, turn pillow over before you get in

NQC - so it is not really bad but enough to piss you off? Neals Yard remedies does a good hayfever set that I bought for my lovely friend who suffers really badly. She said it helped but she might be being polite! I think if it was me and my symptons were not drastic but annoying I would go this route but I am a bit of a hippy.

If you can get some honey it won't hurt will it. I tried to google it but I only came up with this but you could always go there and drink lots of wine - that might help.

I found acupuncture helpful a few years ago.

Have you tried any of the non-drowsy anti-histamines lately? The formulations may have changed and now not may you angry?

I get severe hayfver at this time of year from the tree pollen, the pollen count must be particularly bad this year as I've suffered more than last year and people who have never had it have got it this spring.

I find Zirtek and Beconase (nose spray) the best. You can also get eye drops but I can't remember the name.
When it gets too much I snort cold water up my nose, seems to wash away and pollen and also ease the inflammation and swelling.

The skin around my eyes and nose gets really itchy but I do think the Zirtek reduces it, I don't feel drowsy taking it.

I think with the Honey thing you have to start having it BEFORE hayfever symptoms occur.
There is also an injection available but again you have to have this before your hayfever starts I think.

I sympathise as hayhever is really miserable and can make you feel pretty ill

I last tried antihistamines about a year ago I think? Every so often I forget how much I hate them and give them another go (generally for a cold). And then they annoy me.

Is the Neal's Yard thing herbal? Or homeopathic? Or what? I can do herbal, but not homeopathy, I have no faith in it, to put it mildly.