Hayfever - is there anything that really works?

[alexandre]

DD is taking ceterizine hydrochloride (aka zirtek) prescribed by the doctor but even though she is taking the maximum dose (same as adult dose) it hardly seems to work. Her sneezing etc wakes her up at 4 and 5 am and she is getting exhausted.

I asked about desensitization but they fobbed me off. Has anyone tried this, is it worth enquiring privately?

Is there anything else that really works?

Thanks Mutt. We have been splitting the dose. It just doesn't seem to work.
I will investigate the nasal spray.

Is desensitisation an idea you had from someone else, alexandre, or just a random enquiry? I have never heard it in the context of antihistamines. It does however seems to be the case that different antihistamines work for different people, so it would be worth pushing for an alternative (can DC have Loratadine?)

I actually came on to post exactly the same question on my own behalf. Loratadine (aka Clarityn) has worked brilliantly for me for years and now appears to have given up completely and I feel so ill. Does anyone have any brilliant suggestions for what I should try next? I am more than slightly annoyed as DH went to the US and brought me back an entire summer's supply of Loratadine but I have to do something

here

My friend underwent desensitization (but in Switzerland) and she thinks it's the most wonderful thing ever in the whole world. She suggested it for dh who's had to move onto piriton as loratidine and ceterizine hydrochloride have stopped working.

Am watching this thread with interest and may ask doctor for something different to Ceterizine for ds1 as I don't think it actually works. Poor sod went to Scout camp at the weekend and was in a real state when I picked him up despite taking his meds. which he took under supervision. His eyes were red raw and he was wheezing so much that I gave him an extra dose of piriton in the night and then bundled him off to the doctors this morning. he has been given a heavy dose of steroids, a new nasal spray, cream for his nose and eyelids and was looking slightly less like a character out of a horror movie by bedtime. Am keeping him off school tomorrow as they are off on a field trip studying rivers which will involve lots of grass - he is not impressed.

My dd has had fexofenadine (only on prescription)in the past after the usual things didn't work. Piriton seemed to make her really grouchy and out of sorts - thought Dr would think I was being a mad mummy for mentioning this but she said it wasn't uncommon. We are doing the rudolph thing at the mo too.

Piriton turns my DS into a complete Zombie - he is awake but not really there IYSWIM. Fortunately he doesn't seem to have inherited hayfever - no more than a slightly snotty nose, anyway. He has had Piriton following allergic reaction to penicillin and during chicken pox and it definitely has to be a last resort.

I am definitely going to order one of those Lloyds Pharmacy thingys - it has to be worth a try, and I can't take many more days like yesterday.

Hi Mutt

he has cromolux eye drops - not sure if they are the same. It would seem that on bad days the only thing to do is spend time in doors and shower lots.

We have the same problem with Piriton which is why we initially wentto the docs. for a prescription.

How long do the gadgets from LLoyds start to work. is it immediate or does it need time to build up immunity?

we have the same problem. ds2 (9) has suffered with hayfever for 6 years now.
we are actually under an immunologist now as he also has other issues with his immune system. The consultant has put ds2 on a cocktail of things , and so far this has been the most successful :

Rapitil eyedrops
flixonase nasal spray
double dose cetirizine (i.e 10ml morning and night)
budesonide inhaler

we have tried pretty much everything i think. The nasal spray isn't bad, it has to get into the system and then has an overall effect so eyes can be better too. it is a corticosteroid though, so , would prefer him not to be on it but he really can't manage otherwise.

have had 2 days off school this year so far which is a vast improvement!

Thanks to all of you.

Ceterizine has worked for me better than everything else in the past that I've managed to get hold of in England - and I have tried everything including steroids - but this year it isn't working. Didn't know it could stop working.

In Germany they use desensitisation for every allergy - our au pair had it because of our cat. They used to do it here on the NHS but apparently someone died in the 1950s so they stopped it as they thought it was dangerous. I'm going to see if I can get to an allergy clinic and check it out. I can't bear to see DD so miserable.

I had desensitisation (the then current version of Pollinex) in the late 1960s and had an anaphylactic shock after the third injection. Probably one of the reasons why it hasn't been on offer much since then.

my acupuncturist recommended the Qu-Chi acupressure band. i bought it about 2 months ago and havent had any had any symptoms since. sleeping much better. its not advised during pregnancy but fortunately my symptoms disappeared when i had jemima. some friends did try putting vaseline by their nostrils at night and said that works