Hay fever-help!!!

[Artesia]

Am currently 8w pregnant, and really struggling with hay fever. Is there anything I can take/ do to alleviate it without any risk of side effects? If not, I would advise you all to invest in shares in Kleenex......

My doctor gave me piriton. It has helped so much as my hayfever has been worse than ever. X

Local honey, I'm trying a teaspoon of it in the morning and some of my usual symptoms haven't been too bad...

Thank you! I checked the piriton leaflet and it said not to take while pregnant, but assume they are just being over cautious. Will check with the doctor tomorrow, as not sure I can cope with being this sniffy for much longer!

Yep, Piriton here as well. For hay fever I started off with nose sprays and eye drops but then developed a pregnancy rash thing which is treated with Piriton. Supposedly the drug is safe in pregnancy but not technically tested on hay fever in pregnancy. No reason to think there would be a problem but running trials on pregnant women for non pregnancy things is an ethical minefield and drug companies don't want the hassle (according to my GP).

here are my hay fever prevention tips - for the third summer in a row I'm without my drugs -> preg, bf, preg. joy!

vaseline around eyes, and in nostrils. re-applied throughout the day.
windows closed sun up and sundown, and inside in the evening when the pollen drops.
windows closed for mowing the lawn (and stay inside)
dh mowing clothes off in kitchen and straight into machine
no outdoor clothes onto the bed
shower when you come in

if you get it - more vaseline, shower and cold flanel s on afflicted area.

nose spray stuff and eye drops as last resort
drugs as laster resort

luckily dh gets it too so he is fine with the regime although basking in his drugs

There's a nasal spray called Prevalyn you can buy from Boots which I found pretty effective. It specifically says it is safe for use in pregnancy.

Thanks all for your advice. saw the doctor this morning, and he was very nervous about giving me anything, given am so early on in pregnancy. Looks as though will have to rely on honey and barricading self in the house on nice days!

Your GP was rather over cautious there given the NHS guidelines for anti-histamines in pregnancy

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/935.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=129

I bought a little gadget from Lloyds pharmacy (saw it on this morning few years back) it's little red lights u put up your nose and it desensitises you, I wouldn't say it's a 100% cure but definitely makes me feel a bit better (and gives friends and a family a laugh when I look like rudolph!)

I had the nose gadget as well. Only gives short term relief but it does work. Try haymax it's less gooey than vaseline, can get it in various pharmacies.

Thanks Foof- guessed that was probably the case, but am being a bit precious myself as it took ages to get pregnant and I ended up having fertility treatment, so if he wants to be over cautious, I will put up with snotty nose!

Will hunt out the gadget though blondies. Will provide a much needed laugh if nothing else!

New era homeopathic hayfever tablets you can get them from holland and barretts and are fine to take during pregnancy. The heartburn ones also saved me x

I also referred to that nhs site and rather than get an emergency appointment with gp on Tuesday I went straight to pharmacy and asked for eyedrops and a nasal spray. Pharmacist checked and was happy to provide (and even though it wasn't on prescription was able to give them to me free because of my maternity exemption card)
They're not as good as tablets but do offer some relief.
Other thing that my midwife at ante natal classes recommended was nettle tea sweetened with local honey.

you can take antihistamines (cetrizine for example) or steroid nasal spray (beconase and the like).
do not let the chemist fob you off, that makes me really angry

as you are not showing yet I would just go and buy the stuff over the counter, but I haven't advised you to.