Hay fever?

[Jennifersox]

Just wondering if anyone's suffering badly with hay fever and had any helpful advice. I've been struggling this week, no sleep, constant sneezing, running eyes, itchiness. Horrible. Asked midwife today who said she had no idea and I should ask the pharmacist. Pharmacist just simply said no there was nothing I could take and carried on with the next customer. It's a whole month before I can get a GP appointment (I'll have delivered baby by then) so was just wondering if anyone's heard anything more helpful re- advice for managing symptoms and whether there's ANY antihistamines I could take if it gets really bad?

Hi, wear sunglasses and Vaseline by nostrils! Really does help.

Feel for you as the pollen is really strong!

On the HG thread they talk about cyclizine (sorry about spelling!!) being an old fashioned anti-histamine.. its used for morning sickness now, and safe for pregnancy.. so maybe it works for hay fever (?!) but you would need a GP appointment to get it.. can't you get a walk in appointment?

No the GP is really stretched here (I live in the country) you can only get an emergency appointment and I know this really isn't an emergency. Think my SIL was prescribed cyclizine for morning sickness though so she might have some kicking about. Don't want to muck about with prescription drugs tho :S

I feel your pain and went to the pharmacy this morning where I picked up prevalin nasal spray which is safe in pregnancy. Might be worth going to another pharmacy as there is stuff that you can take over the counter.

Hope that helps.

www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/935.aspx?categoryid=54 - there are things you can use including loratidine or cetirizine

I took antihistamines throughout both of my pregnancies. The advice I was given by my GP (and I'm a pharmacologist) is that there are unlikely to be any effects on a foetus but because we can't test on pregnant women we have to put the warning on the label.

I take cetrizine every day and superdrug do a 30 pack which is cheaper, the pharmacist suggested prevalin as its drug free and safe in pregnancy.

I have used it twice today and it makes your nose run but its made my head clearer. She said using it first thing before symptoms start is better

My friend who's currently 24 weeks pregnant spoke to a doctor on the phone and they prescribed beconase nasal spray. She also used this in her last pregnancy and was fine. Hope that helps!

You can just request a phone call from the GP, you don't need an appointment. Just call in the morning and they should ring you back that day. That's what I did. I'm now on eye drops, nasal spray and loratidine which are all not as effective as what I'd usually take but hey, it helps a little!

Thanks I'll phone tomorrow morning and see if I can get any advice. Have quite a selection in the house from last year tbh. Cetrizine, loratadine, piriton, benadryl, actifed

Hello, here is a leaflet, hope it is helpful
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Hay-fever/

My GP said that Chloraphenamine was the safest to use during pregnancy as it has been around for ages and there hasn't been any reported side effects. He said not to use the one a day ones so I bought Piriton.

Hi!

I can highly suggest a boots product. It's a nasal spray (I hate them but this is more of a powder so more pleasant). It is called boots allergy barrier nasal spray. It has been a god send. It is suitable for pregnant women and breastfeeding women. I asked my midwife and she couldn't offer anything. This is only product the pharmacist could suggest.

I hope that helps!