I will kill someone if I don't get a hayfever cure........grrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Twelvelegs]

What can I take? I am 18 weeks pregnant and my hayfever consists of sneezing fits lasting up to 20 minutes, terribly itchy and sensitive nose, blisters on my eyes and very irritable (or is that the pregnancy??).
I can't go on like this I spend my days inside with the curtains drawn but even showering and cleaning is setting it off. I have quite a bit of dust around but can't clean it with fear of a really bad hayfever fit.

Nasal spray and eye drops?

vaseline around the nostrils, and sunglasses are supposed to help...

I have a gadget that I bought when PG from Lloyds pharmacy. You put 2 plugs up your nose and the light it sends out reduces the sensitivity in your nose. Can't remember the name atm but I can check if no one else remembers!

It was resonably effective but takes a while to work.

Also I really empathise about the dusting, DP thinks I am winding him up but at this time of year it is full of pollen and makes me really bad.

You have to speak to your GP, but mine told me nasal sprays are fine because the doses are so small. You may have to go to him to ask for a prescription because pharmacists are not allowed to give it to pregnant women. However, because I took it through my last pregnancy and am not showing yet I just walked into the chemist and bought some. I'm using Beconase. CHECK WITH YOUR GP I AM JUST SOMEONE OFF THE INTERNET! But you can't spend all day sneezing all the time like I tried to for 2 weeks of my first pregnancy, it's impossible and you just want to sleep all the time.

Locally produced honey (like within a mile of your home).

the nasal thing that callmeovercautios mentioned is great - i got my yesterday it i'm less congested already! it was £15 or £20 with an ioniser which i fully recommend as well

Chewing gum helps me for some reason.. I think it's something to do with saliva production and keeping your airways closed. I did take antihistamine with dd as I didn't relaise I was pregnant but not with ds.

Oh yes an ioniser, DP bought me an air purifying tower fan (was PG Summer of 06 when it was hot ALL the time) it has pollen filters and an ioniser. Must go and get it from the loft!! Cost about £70 though so not cheap but was worth every penny when 8m PG in 28C heat.

You can take some antihistimines safely during pregnancy - Piriton is the main one, you can ask your GP. However, it does make you drowsy so it depends whether sneezing or drowsiness is worse.

hay fever balm. from boots.

Wow, some great ideas... certainly beats the attractive toilet roll up the nose idea!!
I'm off to see the gp tomorrow.

I think the main thing with Piriton and nasal sprays is - it's your own personal choice and that of your GP.

In one chemist i went to, she asked about my blood pressure, iron levels, and problems in pregnancy etc and said i would be ok with piriton but because the box said "do not use if pregnant" she then changed her mind but said it was up to me! the other chemist just straight away said "Nothing" without asking me!

I think the best thing is to see your GP and get your blood pressure etc checked out and hopefully he/she will give you a prescription (lets not forget these things are free while we are baby houses!).

I have now done 5 goes with my nose probes and i am feeling a lot better today. Still very congested but my eyes are no where near as itchy as they were yesterday! Yiipeee

The toilet roll up the nose job is called Lloyds Allergy reliever. It doesn't work for everyone but I have found it incredibly effective, despite DH taking childish delight in calling me Rudolph.

I've had bad hayfever for er 36 years now and this year I have only had two doses of anti-histamine, the machine has been controlling my symptoms the rest of the time. It does take a bit of time to work and this year I started using it a couple of weeks before the season.

DD gets hayfever as well now and the last two years had a horrible time as anti-histamines just didn't do the job and there was a daily struggle for the poor TA at school to get eye drops in. Using the machine as well has made a big difference to her, she hasn't had any eye drops yet this year.

Sorry to go on but I am a bit evangelical about this as it has made a huge difference in the Teapot household ! I found out about it on the moneysavingexpert.com forum, worth a search on there to read what other people think of it.

Hi twelvelegs, I went to my GP on MOnday as I was suffering so badly with hayfever (sneezing, itching eyes, runny nose and feeling even more tired)... GP prescribed me Nasal spray and eye drops - it has helped and I have lost the urge to murder someone which is a very good thing! There is lots of contradictary things about Nasal spray but my GP has assured me it is safe to use in the limited dosage I use....

I have beconase!! All manufacturers of anti histamines advise not to use in pg, my GP and I agreed it must be serious if the money grabbing s*&^s say no!!!
Chocolate, Is the machine called Lloyds Allergy reliever??

Have you tried mixed pollen tablets? My husbnad used piriteze etc for years and it made it no better but these seem to work wonders and he is much happier, plus they are quite cheap at £5.50 for 125 tablets.

Just a thought

piriton doesn't make everyone drowsy, I ended up taking it during all 3 of my last pregnancies as I have allergies to lots of stuff and can't cope without some sort of anithistamine.

Piriton can cross into the placenta

"my GP and I agreed it must be serious if the money grabbing s*&^s say no!!!"

Well the money grabbing s*&^s are terrified of law suits if even the slightest link is indicated, and of course it's impossible to test any medicine on human foetuses, so they just play it safe.

EBenes, just thinking about the anti depressants that may cause suicide that went unreported.....