Nothing working for hayfever eyes

[AutumnBrooke]

I've had awful hayfever since mid-Feb. Gone through all of the usual OTC meds and natural stuff as well. GP prescribed me a nasal spray antihistamine but my eyes and sinuses were both still really swollen so he then gave me a combined antihistamine and steroid nasal spray. I think it's called Dymista. It has totally cured the nasal symptoms but my eyes still itch like mad all day and night, are bloodshot and sometimes swollen.

I asked him about fexofendadine as I've heard it's good but he didn't want me to take it as I have tachycardia which is controlled by beta blockers.

Are there actually any other options put there for me? Thinking of calling the GP again but he seemed fed up with me last time. But I've now spent 2 months scared to go outside because my symptoms get so bad.

I've tried Optrex hayfever eye drops, Optrex itchy eyes, Hycosan dry eye drops, Optrex Actinist, cold eye mask. Optrex itchy eyes works the best but they're still constantly itchy, sore, red and swollen.

Any ideas? Is it worth bothering the GO or do I just put up with it and hope it goes away soon?

Do you dry your washing outside? If you do you're bringing loads of pollen in which will affect you, especially on bed linen. We don't dry anything outside and it's made a huge difference to DS who is a snotty, sneezy, weepy asthmatic mess due to his hay fever.

Thank you. Good to know there are antihistamine eye drops that might help.

I don't dry any washing outside and it's got to the point where I've stopped doing any gardening/going for walks or runs as I get such a bad reaction afterwards. I keep my bedroom effectively sealed!

It's frustrating as it's affecting my life so much but I feel like the GP just sighs and thinks I'm annoying as I keep calling about hayfever.

I have the same problem, and haven't been to find anything that helps even when I can keep on top of the other symptoms. The only thing that works for me is air-con! Tesco or the car is heaven!

As well as the prescription drops, my son carries cucumber slices to instantly cool his eyes, as his eyes puff out and close if he stays outside without wraparound glasses on.
Anything that cools is a good way to take the itch down to a less overwhelming level.

Also it really angers me that hay-fever is fobbed off. It causes absence from work and school. Underperformance in exams. Lack of participation in sport.
It's not just sneezing. It's debilitating.

I had a friend with debilitating hay fever. She used to get de sensitisation therapy.

He has prescribed me Azelastine eye drops. Hope they work.

Does anyone else get dizziness/vertigo with hayfever? I've had it since mid-Feb, same time as my hayfever started. The GP said it could be part of hayfever and see how it goes with the eye drops. But surely the eye drops won't have any effect on dizziness?

It’s frustrating that hayfever isn’t recognised as debilitating as it is. My doctor has recently removed eye drops and nasal spray off my prescription (I’d asked for it to be included as I get a prepay certificate), so now I have to pay extra, which says it all really.

I’m exhausted at the moment, as my hayfever wakes me up around 4am every morning

I think I've had itchy eyes for about 80% of the day for 2 months now. Its exhausting and I'm worried it might somehow damage my eyes as they are always so red and swollen.

Does anyone know how long it should take for the eye drops to help? Didn't have any immediate effect but I think antihistamines normally need to build up a bit?

I think they do take a few days to build up as do nasal sprays.
I used to get rapitil eye drops on prescription, they are antihistamine but there was a manufacturing / supply problem and I haven't been able to get them for ages. My optician suggested dry eye drops which I find help a bit.
Interesting about the fexofenadine and tachycardia. I have atrial tachycardia controlled by calcium channel blockers (similar to beta blockers). I find all OTC antihistamines set it off a bit and was planning to ask GP for fexofenadine. Maybe I shopuld ask my cardiologist when I see him.

The cardiologist actually said fexonfenadine would be fine with my kind of tachycardia (sinus) but the GP wasn't happy for me to take them.