Hayfever - Grass pollen

[Paul Dishman]

Anthony Micallef said:

tr7v8 said:

This year only Benadryl has worked, Cetrizine & Loratadine have not had any effect this year & I take them all the time for Urticaria.

Benadryl is just the brand name for Cetrizine. I take the one a day tablet which works fine for me, a long with Beconase Nasal Spray.

I was told by a Professor of Allergies that they used Loratadine as a placebo its so weak.

From memory (because I've retired)- the Benadryl One a Day is Cetirizine, but the Benadryl Allergy Relief which you'd take 8 hourly is Acrivastine

[civicduty]

ThunderGuts said:

p1stonhead said:

Noodle1982 said:

p1stonhead said:

Noodle1982 said:

After being hayfever free for about 8 years it came back a few weeks ago and this time a vengeance! I dont think ive ever had it this bad. Pounding headaches, sore sinuses but surprisingly eyes are ok.

The usual over the shelf stuff has been useless. I've got the GP to renew my previous recurring prescription (which i havent renewed for years) for Telfast antihestamines. These use to work well but i think even these may struggle.

I think Telfast was Fexofenadine as I mentioned above. If it is, lucky that you can still get it!

Is it hard to get these days?

I was originally prescribed it for an allergy to soap based products which I suffered with. That allergy has also come back along with the hay fever. It's the soap allergy the prescription/medication will be based on.

I'm meant to be picking up the medication tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Mine has stopped prescribing (and said generally everyone will phase it out) due to bad side effects long term which can be possible. Didn't say what they were but wouldn't give me anything and told me to get over the counter stuff.

I'm on Fexofenadine, works 95% of the time, not last week though! AHHH

I have been on Fexofenadine since 2004 when I was first prescribed by an RAF doctor, since leaving I have had this prescription renewed by 2 civilian doctors, the last time being 14th June this year.

None of these doctors have ever said anything about it being phased out and the last doctor didn't even question my request for it.

Hmm may have to look into the long term side effects myself, though I don't look forward to being unable to sleep for 6 months of the year.

[p1stonhead]

civicduty said:

ThunderGuts said:

p1stonhead said:

Noodle1982 said:

p1stonhead said:

Noodle1982 said:

After being hayfever free for about 8 years it came back a few weeks ago and this time a vengeance! I dont think ive ever had it this bad. Pounding headaches, sore sinuses but surprisingly eyes are ok.

The usual over the shelf stuff has been useless. I've got the GP to renew my previous recurring prescription (which i havent renewed for years) for Telfast antihestamines. These use to work well but i think even these may struggle.

I think Telfast was Fexofenadine as I mentioned above. If it is, lucky that you can still get it!

Is it hard to get these days?

I was originally prescribed it for an allergy to soap based products which I suffered with. That allergy has also come back along with the hay fever. It's the soap allergy the prescription/medication will be based on.

I'm meant to be picking up the medication tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Mine has stopped prescribing (and said generally everyone will phase it out) due to bad side effects long term which can be possible. Didn't say what they were but wouldn't give me anything and told me to get over the counter stuff.

I'm on Fexofenadine, works 95% of the time, not last week though! AHHH

I have been on Fexofenadine since 2004 when I was first prescribed by an RAF doctor, since leaving I have had this prescription renewed by 2 civilian doctors, the last time being 14th June this year.

None of these doctors have ever said anything about it being phased out and the last doctor didn't even question my request for it.

Hmm may have to look into the long term side effects myself, though I don't look forward to being unable to sleep for 6 months of the year.

I had it back in 2004 and to be honest only got it slightly last year when I asked for it again and was told no.

From looking online there are some articles referencing it and dementia but I have no idea if it's conclusive or not. I suppose if doctor says no I should probably take their word for it.

Thankfully I haven't had hay fever too bad this year.

[tr7v8]

Paul Dishman said:

Anthony Micallef said:

tr7v8 said:

This year only Benadryl has worked, Cetrizine & Loratadine have not had any effect this year & I take them all the time for Urticaria.

Benadryl is just the brand name for Cetrizine. I take the one a day tablet which works fine for me, a long with Beconase Nasal Spray.

I was told by a Professor of Allergies that they used Loratadine as a placebo its so weak.

From memory (because I've retired)- the Benadryl One a Day is Cetirizine, but the Benadryl Allergy Relief which you'd take 8 hourly is Acrivastine

Correct it is the Acrivastine. For the Urticaria I normally swap between Cetrizine & Loratadine with Desloratadine from the GP on prescription when the other two fail!
As for the hayfever I cannot stand shoving stuff up my nose!

[Noodle1982]

Finally got the chance to pick up my prescription and they have given me........loratadine

I'll give it a go but I know from past experience only fexofenadine has worked for me.

[Halb]

Noodle1982 said:

After being hayfever free for about 8 years it came back a few weeks ago and this time a vengeance! I dont think ive ever had it this bad. Pounding headaches, sore sinuses but surprisingly eyes are ok.

The usual over the shelf stuff has been useless. I've got the GP to renew my previous recurring prescription (which i havent renewed for years) for Telfast antihestamines. These use to work well but i think even these may struggle.

Same...just...what the heck??? I mentioned this to someone and they said it goes in 7 year cycles.
Not as bad as when I was a kid, christ that was bad, but it's bad enough that it affects my day activities if I have the window down.

Locally sourced true honey is a good idea. Never heard of these drugs, I've only ever bought the one a day anti's, I'll have to investigate!

[TwistingMyMelon]

Noodle1982 said:

Finally got the chance to pick up my prescription and they have given me........loratadine

I'll give it a go but I know from past experience only fexofenadine has worked for me.

Blimey hope you didnt pay £8 or whatever for it, you can get a pack for about 90p

I tried Loracdine for some skin rashes, didnt really help them, but really reduced my hayfever. It also reduced my sex drive a bit and I felt like I had less concentration, I took it for 6 months.

Thing I have learnt with Hayfever is that you need to take a medication continuously for a decent period of time for maximum effect. For example start taking a tablet/spray in march and then every day through to Winter , Ive found that gradually my hayfever eases off then

[Noodle1982]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Noodle1982 said:

Finally got the chance to pick up my prescription and they have given me........loratadine

I'll give it a go but I know from past experience only fexofenadine has worked for me.

Blimey hope you didnt pay £8 or whatever for it, you can get a pack for about 90p

I tried Loracdine for some skin rashes, didnt really help them, but really reduced my hayfever. It also reduced my sex drive a bit and I felt like I had less concentration, I took it for 6 months.

Thing I have learnt with Hayfever is that you need to take a medication continuously for a decent period of time for maximum effect. For example start taking a tablet/spray in march and then every day through to Winter , Ive found that gradually my hayfever eases off then

I'm in Wales so had it free

Surprisingly it's working quite well at the moment although only lasts about 8 hours.