Novice hayfever sufferer, how long will this hell go on for?

[MinkyBorage]

I am having a dreadful time, very congested, eyes unbelievably itchy and watery. Will it be like this for the whole summer? Nothing has worked so far, I'd be really grateful for any tips.

Depends on what you are allergic to.

I find to get any relief I need to adopt a triple-pronged approach -- take an anti-histamine (try some version of cetirizine) and use eyedrops (sodium cromoglicate) and use a nasal spray (try Beconase (beclometasone dipropionate) or Flixonase (fluticasone propionate) and see which suits you better). You need to keep using the nasal spray whether you're experiencing symptoms or not because the effect is cumulative.

Mine has been particularly bad the past week.

It usually finishes by July htough.

%Thanks, I have no idea what I'm allergic to unfortunately, am going to gp Monday so may try to get allergy tested, but no idea if that will be any use. I've heard from someone else that beconase is good, but for some reason I completely forgot about it and haven't tried it, am off to find 24 hr chemist NOW. Many Thanks.
Hope you're right about July LR

Not much point with the allergy testing. It's more a tree pollen/grass pollen/flower pollen thing -- based on when your season is you can work out which you are allergic to.

cut-and-pasted:

During the spring months the main problem for hay fever sufferers is tree pollen. Some types such as alder and hazel, can be in the air as early as January. These types are followed by elm, willow and ash in March. Pollen from these trees affects only a small percentage of hay fever sufferers but can cause symptoms in some allergic people. The pollen from silver birch trees is the most important tree pollen type for hay fever sufferers and usually occurs in April. This pollen type affects about 25% of hay fever sufferers. The season usually lasts for about four weeks and counts will be high on dry, warm days with some wind in areas where there are birch trees. The birch tree pollen season is followed by the oak tree pollen in late April and early May, although oak affects fewer sufferers than birch.

The most important pollen type for hay fever sufferers in the UK is grass pollen. This season starts in late May and continues through to mid August, with the main peak occurring usually in June and a second smaller peak typically occurring in early July. About 95% of hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen. The amount of grass pollen in the air can differ a lot from day to day and even within days depending on the weather.

Weed pollens affect a small amount of sufferers from June to September with a peak in August.

Also -- wear sunglases all the time when you are outside. That really reduces the amount of pollen that reaches your eyes.

If it's really bad, have a shower when you get in. That will get the pollen out of it (otherwise, particularly if you have long hair, you carry on releasing your own little personal clouds of pollen).

brilliant, thnks PortAndLemon, I need to do more research clearly, i had no idea about any of that. I'm guessing that since I've only been suffering a couple of weeks, I hve an allergy to grass Pollen. Great tips too, thanks. Do you still suffer at all or have you completely cracked it with your medications?