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Hayfever....anyone got any good recommendations to help?

13 replies

whispywhisp · 06/06/2008 19:48

I started getting hayfever about 5yrs ago...mildly at first but as the years have gone by its got worse. Its particularly bad this year. We do live in an area with fields around us but nothing that's being harvested - its just scrubland. My eyes are really bad - they itch like crazy and are so hot and they're giving me some bad lingering headaches.

I've tried taking the herbal remedy New-Era which helps but doesn't seem to do much long-term. I've also tried Benadryl...again it helps but not for long.

Anyone else got any recommendations? Hayfever remedies are so expensive and I could really do with some advice! TIA.

OP posts:
hobbity · 06/06/2008 20:00

Just wanted to sympathise I've been sneezing professionally for the last 2-3 days and have really itchy eyes and the weather is finally ok for long enough for me to do some work in the garden. yuk, yuk,yuk

whispywhisp · 06/06/2008 20:39

Do you take anything to help hobbity?

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Katisha · 06/06/2008 20:42

Someone on another thread today is recommending this

whispywhisp · 06/06/2008 20:46

Thank you Katisha...We've got a Lloyds down the road - I will take a look tomorrow. I don't mind paying a few quid for something providing it works! These hayfever rememdies are so pricey and you only get a week's worth in a packet!

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MrsThierryHenry · 06/06/2008 20:47

This isn't going to help much, but the best thing I did was...nothing. I had hayfever for about 15 years, then got fed up with the fact that nothing worked at all so I decided to only take eye drops (which were brill) and live with the rest.

After a few years (told you it wouldn't help much) I started to notice my symptoms reducing until now (maybe 8 years on) I get nothing at all. Except that it came back during preg and bfing, then left again. I'm assuming my immune system sorted it out by itself, as hayfever is an immune response.

For short-term relief you could try blowing on a glass of water (my DH uses cold, but I don't see why warm/ hot water shouldn't be as good if not better) - the water molecules go up your nose and I believe they either cool your nostrils or attach themselves to pollen molecules, then effectively wash them out of your nose. Good luck, and lots of sympathy to you and hobbity.

Heated · 06/06/2008 21:01

The recent suggestion was to eat locally produced honey but I was listening to Dr Hilary something on radio 2 a couple of weeks ago & he said he gave cortisone injections to his patients who really suffered badly & it had 100% record but that quite a few doctors don't like using it because it's a steroid but in the correct dose it's perfectly safe. Never heard of this myself but made a mental note to investigate if my hf got worse.

whispywhisp · 06/06/2008 21:15

Thanks - interesting reading!

I can't use eyedrops, unfortunately. I used eyedrops a couple of years ago and my eyes got worse so I went to the GP who prescribed me with some cream which turned out I was allergic to - my eyes ulcerated at the backs of the eyeballs and at one point my left eye popped out and the side of my face swelled up so much it was very scary. I got rushed into hospital and turned out I was simply allergic to the cream and drops. As a result the damage done to the eyes means I have to be so careful what drops I use...so I tend not to, to be on the safe side. I actually just use cold water to bath them which is lovely and refreshing but doesn't exactly help.

I love honey but how does eating locally produced honey help? Interesting!

What about on the shelf tablets? Any good ones around?

OP posts:
Katisha · 06/06/2008 21:24

Zirtek does it for me. Flixonase works for DH.

Tiggerish · 06/06/2008 21:25

mine got so bad about 10 years ago that I was referred for desensitising injections. I only managed 6 i think before i over-reacted (very scary) but even that helped enormously and it is now manageable. I take cetirizine and use opticrom eyedrops (both on prescription which works out cheaper)

whispywhisp · 06/06/2008 21:31

Thanks for that....I'm just so fed up with it - every year it seems to find me! I drove down the motorway the other day - rape-seed fields either side of me...I've got a pollen filter in my car which I thought would help...but no, within a couple of miles my eyes were so bad I had to pull over and let DH take over the driving. My eyes burn if I shut them. Its simply horrible. They itch like crazy but I daren't rub them because in the morning they'll be glued together.

OP posts:
ScienceTeacher · 06/06/2008 21:42

Cetrazine (sp?) is the best OTC atm.

Heated · 06/06/2008 22:35

The latest idea behind eating locally produced honey is that the honey will contain the nearby pollens that are setting off your hayfever and that eating ingesting a small dose will set off body's immune system - but no good if you're allegic to grass pollen.

I've cut and pasted this for you:

Antihistamines

These work by blocking the effects of histamine, a body chemical produced during an allergic reaction and responsible for causing the eyes and nose to become inflamed and irritated.

This treatment is good at reducing sneezing fits, a runny nose and itchy eyes but has little effect on a blocked nose. Some of the so-called first generation antihistamines are known to cause drowsiness - they cross the blood-brain barrier to block histamine in the brain, where it helps to keep people alert.

Remedies containing first-generation antihistamines include Aller-Eze, Piriton, Haymine and Histergan syrup.

Newer versions of the medication were thought to have no sedative effects, but a study of more than 40,000 patients by doctors at Southampton University's drug safety research unit last year found that even some of these cause slight drowsiness.

The least sedative of those on the market seem to be Clarityn and Zirtek, neither of which readily cross the blood-brain barrier, and the nasal spray Rhinolast.

Topical treatments

These are applied locally to the nose and eyes, from the first sign of symptoms right through the hay fever season.

Anti-inflammatory corticosteroids come in the form of nasal aerosols or sprays and are available either on prescription or over the counter as products such as Beconase Hay Fever.

They are particularly effective for treating sneezing, running nose, itching and nasal blockages. Topical anti-allergy agents for itchy mouth and eyes or a runny nose often contain a short-acting substance called sodium cromoglycate, which means they need to be applied four times daily for optimum relief.

Immunotherapy

Campaigners are trying to get this treatment to be made available on the NHS again.

Until January, hay fever sufferers could undergo immuno-therapy, a series of injections with small doses of pollen allergens over three years.

Though it appeared to be effective at reducing symptoms for up to five years, the Medical Controls Agency (MCA) decided to ban immunotherapy until further clinical trials are carried out to prove its efficacy and safety.

Experts are concerned that the medication's withdrawal will cause problems for patients with extreme hay fever.

'This treatment has been shown to work for severe hay fever sufferers when other remedies have failed,' says Dr Pamela Ewan, president of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 'Research shows that after seven years, some sufferers found that their symptoms had completely disappeared.'

Xolair

This new treatment is set to revolutionise the treatment of hay fever. It could be available by next year if its safety is approved by the MCA.

Xolair is the first drug of its kind to target an antibody called Immunoglobin E (IgE), which is responsible for triggering the allergic reaction in both asthma and hay fever.

The drug works by binding to IgE and acting early in the inflammatory process so that symptoms are reduced.

If it is approved, it will be available on prescription only.

Doctors will inject Xolair into the sufferer once or twice a month, depending on their weight and levels of IgE.

Hay fever guard

A tiny air filter designed to fit neatly into hay fever sufferers' nostrils is about to go on sale in the UK.

The British-designed Hay Fever Guard could bring relief to anyone who is forced to endure the summer with a blocked or runny nose.

According to its designer, forensic pathologist Adrian Soper, there was a 100 per cent success rate in trials of 120 people.

The clear plastic clip fits under the nose, and two small filters go into each nostril where they block pollen before it reaches the airways.

According to manufacturers, the Hay Fever Guard should be on sale at chemists by the end of July.

Food

Naturopaths suggest that some foods can help alleviate the symptoms.

Foods with a natural anti-inflammatory action - those high in C such as citrus fruit and blackcurrants - are thought to relieve congestion.

One plant which can help with hay fever symptoms is nettle. Some alternative therapists suggest drinking nettle tea for relief.

Eating a tablespoon of locally produced honey every day for three months leading up to the hay fever season is also believed to help sufferers become desensitised to pollen.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that most of the pollens associated with hay fever come from grass or trees, which are not used by bees to make honey.

Some sufferers find that certain foods, especially dairy products, may worsen their symptoms by triggering the immune system and causing mucus formation in the nose.

So it is worth cutting down on cow's milk, cheese and yoghurts if this is a problem.

Threadwormm · 06/06/2008 22:45

The Boots brand eyedrops for hayfever are quite effective.

For a long time I just took anti-histamine tablets. Then I discovered that supplementing these with symptom-specific stuff (drops for eyes and Beconase for nose) was really helpful.

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