Severe Hayfever - first trimester

[Loulou2202]

Hoping for some advice from wise mumsnetters …

I am suffering horrendously with hayfever. I get it every year for the last 5 or so and usually take prescribed anti histamines from the GP. Headaches, blocked and then runny nose , violent sneezing, eyes so itchy that I want to rip them out… the standard hayfever hell!

I’m 11 weeks pregnant with an ivf pregnancy and a miscarriage history so am very nervous about taking any medications at this early stage.

The NHS website says some types of anti histamines are ok but I spoke to my GP to double check and get some advise who basically put the fear of god into me mentioning risks and birth defects.

I naturally don’t want to take any risks with my baby so have been just putting it with it so far but it’s getting to me. I’m utterly miserable, I can’t go outside and haven’t slept properly for a week and a half and wondering if anyone has any advise on natural remedy’s or anything that might help me safely relieve my symptoms

So far iv tried / using :

eye drops
barrier balm
hayfever wipes
becodefense ( drug free nasal spray)

any advice would be appreciated

Local honey made from local pollen sometimes helps.

I thought the "safe" treatment for morning sickness was an anti-histamine (doxylamine) plus one of the b vitamins, though? Have you tried speaking to a pharmacist?

I had the same issue last summer and whilst I didn’t find anything that worked as well as actual antihistamines, there’s a salt spray called Sterimar that my gp recommended which works well for clearing pollen out of your nose and then applying Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen before it goes in. It worked reasonably well and I managed to struggle through the summer 🙃

That's weird. My GP and pharmacist recommended loratadine whilst I was pregnant and I took them every day throughout both my pregnancies. I would talk to a pharmacist, they probably have alot more knowledge.

Doesn't help for leaving the house but if you have the money then one or those fancy air filter things for your house? There are ones that are supposed to help remove allergens. Might at least help you sleep. Though I would see a different GP. I was actually prescribed antihistamines for the duration of my pregnancy because I had a pregnancy related breathing thing. It's unethical to test drugs on pregnant women, so lots of medication has a disclaimer not to use while pregnant, without there having been a study into whether it's safe or not. Totally understand why you're reluctant to risk it though.

My doctor always prescribed me antihistamines. Speak to your doctor about it - I'm sure they're pretty safe. This was also from two separate doctors as I moved between pregnancies.

Local honey and the salt water nasal spray (which made me gag) just about got me through the same situation last summer.
It's rubbish at the time, but worth the struggle through for peace of mind 💐

If you breastfeed you'll get the paranoia next summer about whether they will enter your milk and have an effect 😉

I took Fexofenadine in both pregnancies following discussion with my doctor. When my hayfever is out of control, my asthma goes out of control and so my doctor felt my hayfever was the bigger risk to my pregnancy than the medication. I've tried other things like honey and it didn't work for me. With a lot of medication it's the fact they've not done a study in it rather than they know it's a risk. Check out https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/ for information on your hayfever drugs.

Re air filters, there are cheapish pollen filters screens available to install on your windows just like fabric mosquito screens - cut to size and install with straps of velcro. Semi-effective but certainly better than nothing.

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice.

I have tried local honey for years ( neighbours keep bees) which is lovely but made no difference to my hayfever unfortunately and I didn’t mention but did buy an air purifier at the weekend from B&q but it seems to be doing very little despite me keeping windows and curtains closed.

The pharmacist wouldn’t even let me buy eye drops for hayfever but I might try and speak to my midwife and see what they say. I know nothing can be categorically safe in pregnancy it seems most people have taken antihistamines with no negative effects which is good, I guess I will have to decide how much more of this I can cope with before going down that route.

thanks again, and sympathy to anyone who suffers!

I’m also suffering, and wary of taking antihistamines. I know I’d probably be fine, but like you OP this is an IVF pregnancy I’ve waited many years for.

Remember to change pillow cases regularly and shower before bed. I’m drying my clothes indoors too so the pollen doesn’t settle on them.

I do miss my lunchtimes walks for exercise though 🙁

I'm absolutely certain that there are some you can take because many of the 'first stage' treatments for morning sickness are actually antihistimines.

They won't have been medically tested on pg women as that is not ethical, but due to the morning sickness usage they will have a proven track record of being safe.

I took antihistamines in pregnancy for a weird skin thing that kicked off, hives basically. Supposedly the antihistamines were tested and deemed safe for this pregnancy related condition but haven't been officially tested in pregnancy just for hay fever. Common sense says they are safe overall but pharmacist can only advise on study results.

They aren't going to study it as women won't die from hay fever and therefore have to suck it up.

I had this with both of my pregnancies. I also have really bad hay fever now when I am taking antihistamines, if it's any consolation to remember that it might not cure it even if you could take them!

Honestly what happened both times is I got fed up, bought a load of the sort of remedies you've mentioned, they were mildly but not particularly effective, and then within a week or so the pollen waned and I never used them again.

I've been taking cetirizine every day for rhinitis, as my asthma gets worse when it flares up. So far haven't had any issues but I've got my 12 week scan and booking appointment tomorrow, so will update you if you like.
I did a lot of googling and they say loratadine is safe because more studies have been done on it in pregnancy. Studies on cetirizine were done on less than 500 pregnant people and were ok, but because it was a small study they won't confirm its safety.
It seems that's the way with a lot of medications in pregnancy - no one wants to conduct studies on pregnant women due to risks so there's limited research on so many things!

Same position here, now 16 weeks. My midwife recommended this site for medications during pregnancy:

https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/medicine--pregnancy/

I usually take fexofenadine but was told I can't by GP who recommended piriton. Went to buy said piriton and pharmacist lost their nut saying none of them are 'safe' and if I can't 'stick it out for the sake of my baby' they'd say loratadine but only second trimester onwards. Midwife shrugged and said either piriton or loratidine would be fine but it is true that none are proven safe as can't ethically test on pregnant women. She said lots of pregnant people take them and never seen any issues from it and that it's a balancing act as your body's stress response if the hayfever is really bad (e.g. cortisol) that can also be bad for baby.

I ended up very put off and trying to stick it out. I wear large glasses outside to act as a barrier from getting in my eyes, cover as much skin as possible and shower when I come in. Windows closed, air purifier, not outside more than needed. It sucks, I'm grass and tree so the end of 'no-mow may' plus tree pollen coming up has been a nightmare!

Im sorry to hear you’re all suffering / or have suffered badly too! I know in the grand scheme of things hayfever vs healthy pregnancy might not seem much of an argument but I wrote that post last night out of sheer desperation and feeling thoroughly fed up with it all. I actually feel a little better today but it’s the first day in couple of weeks that Iv had any kind of relief!

Thank you all for the advice, general consensus seems to be if your really struggling then loratadine would be the best way to go.

@ES1986 congratulations on your pregnancy and best of luck with your 12 week scan @Charlielechat

@aSofaNearYou your right, I suffer every year, tablets or not but either the pollen is extra evil this year or I had just forgotten how horrible it was lol

@FlyingHighFlyingLow thank you for the link that will be useful, sorry you had that kind of response from the pharmacist, they must realise “ most” pregnant women don’t just take medications for the sake of it.

My next door neighbour is mowing his lawn as i type … is it unreasonable that I want to throw something at him lol ( I know it is :) )

Yeah and NHS website itself also says that cetirizine and loratadine can be used in pregnancy, which is good enough for me. It does say that loratadine might be recommended more often because there's more information on it. Loratadine has never worked as well for me as cetirizine which is the only reason I don't take it.

The pollen is particularly bad this year. You're not imagining it.

I feel your pain.

Inflammation is also bad for your pregnancy so a couple of days so far (I'm 6+3) I've taken loratadine, but no more than one a day, and only when the eye drops/non-steroid nose spray haven't worked. It's miserable feeling like Will Smith in Hitch after he eats the shellfish.