How’s your hay fever at the moment?

[ShutUpJennie]

I can normally control my hay fever with OTC cetirizine; I take it most of the year as a one-a-day tablet, before bed, with no side effects

This year it has been really bad - I always get symptoms from tree pollen when the blossom comes out but this time they’ve stayed and I’m a sneezing mess with red eyes still. I also have a nasty sun rash which I can get rid of

Is anyone else suffering more than normal? What do you take and is it worth looking for something stronger that might cause drowsiness?

Awful, I am on high-dose Fexofenadine and also have been given Montelukast to take before bed at night and both of my asthma puffers have been upgraded. I also have a combination steroid and anti-histamine nasal spray. I'm actually going back to my GP surgery on Friday for a follow up with the Spirometry Nurse to see if that is any more that can be done. Also take E45 anti-itch to deal with heat rash, as well as Lanacane. I can't take first generation antihistamines like Chlorpheniramine as they cause an allergic reaction. It is not the most fun time of year for me. I'd advise speaking to your doctor - all my stuff is prescription.

That sounds terrible @Arlanymor what a drag!

It was fexofenadine that I’ve seen recommended here; I might need to look into it in more detail

Yes sadly it is!

So Allevia is the most popular version of OTC Fexofenadine - they sell it up to 180mg I believe. Might be worth a try? Good luck! Tree pollen, blossom and bark are the things that cause me the most trouble at this time of year. Roll on the end of June - cut grass isn't remotely an issue!

Thank you - that is really helpful. I’m going to start with Allevia and hope this is just a one-off year!

The only thing that helps me is Fexofenadine but I have to start taking it about a month before my ‘season’ starts. I get the higher dose on prescription.

Awful this year.

I take x4 prescription fexo a day. Inhalers are being used a lot too.

Terrible excema all over my arms, neck, face, shoulders.

Won't do montelukast as can't risk the side effects.

I picked up a tube of E45 bumpy skin this afternoon as although I don't have excema, I do get drier skin as a result of urticaria. It is amazing - I highly recommend. I am like a lovely little slippery eel now! Just thought I would mention it as it's a new product and honestly, just with one application, it's made a world of difference. Sounds like you and I suffer very similarly in this season.

Honestly not great. I’m taking fexofenadine in the morning, loratadine at night and also using Dymista for sleep. Usually it has eased off by now.

Not too bad so far, surprisingly. I take a Loratadine every morning which seems to be keeping a lid on it.

Oil seed rape pollen is my main trigger in May & there doesn’t seem to be much of the stinking yellow muck around this year. The fun of the main grass pollen season is still to come, of course. Can’t wait.

I started on Allevia last year (I think) after seeing it highly recommended on here. It has meant that I'm not having take a tablet, followed by administering eye drops, herbal tablets, balm, some nasal light therapy things and everything else that I tried to control it! I do have to take two a day (I work long hours, outdoors, and live rurally), but I'll do anything that works. My worst ones are tree pollen (pussywillow especially), lilies and freshly cut grass. My heart sank when I had no option but to walk past someone strimming this morning!

@TheeNotoriousPIG is allevia fexofenadine?

I take fexofenadine 180 x4 a day via GP. So it is possible to take more if you need to.

Bizarrely I'm fine with rapeseed. Love the smell. We live in the middle of a farm, and have been surrounded by it this year. Heavenly smells.

@Arlanymor i can't usually tolerate E45 ( or any emollients other than Aveeno). Is this a different preparation?

I can't use vaseline or Epaderm or Diprobase or anything ointment based.

Last night I put hydrocortisone on my arms as my excema was so sore and woke up after an hour, my arms were on fire with itchy heat - they often react to hydrocortisone. I ended up standing at the freezer rolling a frozen vodka bottle up and down my arm, plus taking yet another antihistamine!

It's like a balm if that makes sense? It's not a heavy-duty emollient like lots of their other products are. Maybe do a patch test?

Went for a walk an hour ago and walked past something that has triggered it horrendously. Eyes still streaming. Usually take 1 Loratadine tablet in the morning and top up with a non-medicated nasal spray from Boots during the day and that is normally keeping it at manageable level. But nothing is helping at the minute

So much worse this year, though now I apparently have bacterial sinusitis so not sure what symptoms are hayfever and what are sinusitis.
I've been taking cetirizine and dymista as usual but not helping enough this year. Think I might need to switch to fexofenadine but wondering whether to wait until I get to the UK next year in case its cheaper there (medicines tend to be more expensive in my country)

Fexofenedine 180 from the gp

Then buy fexofenedine over the counter, 120mg xx

@sittingonabeach you can take more than one a day.

I saw a derm privately a few years ago, as the skin around my mouth always breaks down with the allergic reaction from pollen.

She told me that I could take two a day. I now take one at the first sign of a reacrion, on top of the basic dose which I take all year round.

@Arlanymor thank you, I will check it out!

Thank you all - and sorry to hear so many people have got it bad this year!

I went to the pharmacy and got fexofenadine but it’s only 120mg as that is the strongest they give OTC. Presumably I could work it up to a higher dose, and if it works, ask for a prescription?

I wondered about a “lead in” time @JuliaBraverman so will have to see (but also hadn’t realised it could be doubled up with other anti histamines so it looks like I have some research to do)

Its bad at the moment, I too take fexofenadine. But also Avamys spray is excellent I even dab it around my eyes when they are bad.

Awful as the grass season has started. I saw an allergy specialist who has given me two different eye drops, nasal sprays, sinus rinse and fexofenadine. He also gave me the option of immunotherapy for next year to be started in November. It’s hell from now till August.

So far I am ok. I’ve suffered so badly in previous years. This year I started taking Allevia and a steroid nasal spray every day from March. It seems to have made a difference.

I saw the Boots private dr for some stronger eye drops as that is usually my worst symptom. I’m left with an annoying scratchy throat I have to cough to clear.

Feel for everyone on this thread. I know how miserable it is.

My GP has upped my fexofenadine to 180 because I was taking piriton at bedtime too. She's also put in a request for an appointment with the asthma nurse. Haven't seen her for five years.

DH has heat rash bumps now usually only gets that abroad.

This week has been my first hint of hay fever - the Horse Chestnut has bloomed

I first got hay fever at 7 - and until my 20's it was hell on earth . Since then it comes in cycles. Ill have a few bad years and then not bothered until the chestnut flowers for years

Before I used to run the gauntlet of every pollen and grass. Rapeseed used to make my life hell , now Im not so sensitive

This week was the perfect storm, Hawthorn in full bloom, Chestnut also and then the silage was gut. Even DH who has never suffered is suffering the snotty nose and sneezing

I think probably most posters here know a lot more than me but if anyone is lurking that doesn’t:

I just listened to an episode of What’s Up Docs (Chris and Xand VT on BBC) which covers hay fever; a good amount of science and lots of advice and explanation from an allergy specialist. Would recommend, if only for reassurance!

@Gardeningsideeffects Yes, Allevia is fexofenadine, and it's a relief to know that I'm not overdosing too much after all! It is a godsend as I work on a farm, but it doesn't mean that I don't still dread silaging season!

@TheeNotoriousPIG i take 4x Fexo180 and get absolutely no side effects at all. GP happy to prescribe.

Deffo double up if you need to.

Yes, I get worse again at the end of July when the clouds start rolling in off the fields as the combines start working!

Though last year my allergies didn't ease off until late November and I was bad again by February.