Hayfever remedies?
Discussion
Normally I survive the summer by taking Claritin (Loratadine) and using Beconase nasal spray (beclometasone dipropionate). This seemed to work well for me.
However, this year, due to a case of Central serous retinopathy I have been told to avoid any steroids. I didn't think this would mean anything for me as I'm not exactly Ben Johnson, mainlining huge amounts of anabolic steroids. However, it turns out that the Beconase is now off limits as it uses steroids.
I cannot get by on Loratidine alone. I'm suffering one of the worst summers in 20 years.
Any recommendations for non-steroidal nasal sprays, other tablets, eye drops?
However, this year, due to a case of Central serous retinopathy I have been told to avoid any steroids. I didn't think this would mean anything for me as I'm not exactly Ben Johnson, mainlining huge amounts of anabolic steroids. However, it turns out that the Beconase is now off limits as it uses steroids.
I cannot get by on Loratidine alone. I'm suffering one of the worst summers in 20 years.
Any recommendations for non-steroidal nasal sprays, other tablets, eye drops?
Edited by AstonZagato on Sunday 30th June 22:53
Opticrom eye drops for me, superb stuff. Over the counter as well, get the larger bottle.
Not sure about the rest, tried the usual suspects over the years and they never worked as well as the steroid jabs. No help there, sorry.
Edit. No idea if steroids are used in the eye drops, was told it was inert stuff that fills the eye displacing the stuff that makes them itch like crazy.
Not sure about the rest, tried the usual suspects over the years and they never worked as well as the steroid jabs. No help there, sorry.
Edit. No idea if steroids are used in the eye drops, was told it was inert stuff that fills the eye displacing the stuff that makes them itch like crazy.
Edited by jmorgan on Sunday 30th June 14:11
I use Pirinase (formerly flixonase) spray which I've always found better than Beconase but it's probably still a steroid.
I used to take terfenadine years ago which was brilliant, but it was withdrawn. It's been replaced by fexfenadine but Doc's are reluctant to prescribe it - you may have better luck in your circumstance though.
I used to take terfenadine years ago which was brilliant, but it was withdrawn. It's been replaced by fexfenadine but Doc's are reluctant to prescribe it - you may have better luck in your circumstance though.
It is particularly bad this year. I don't normally get hayfever in summer, just tree pollens in spring, but this year even I'm sniffling.
Best thing I've found is bog-standard 'Sudafed' tablets for nasal congestion. A friend told me about these as she gets bad hayfever, but wasn't allowed to take anti-histamines when she was pregnant.
These work brilliantly on their own and are about a quarter of the price of anti-histamines. Top up with half an anti-histamine tablet if need be.
Best thing I've found is bog-standard 'Sudafed' tablets for nasal congestion. A friend told me about these as she gets bad hayfever, but wasn't allowed to take anti-histamines when she was pregnant.
These work brilliantly on their own and are about a quarter of the price of anti-histamines. Top up with half an anti-histamine tablet if need be.
egomeister said:
I use Pirinase (formerly flixonase) spray which I've always found better than Beconase but it's probably still a steroid.
I used to take terfenadine years ago which was brilliant, but it was withdrawn. It's been replaced by fexfenadine but Doc's are reluctant to prescribe it - you may have better luck in your circumstance though.
I have taken most of the many hay fever cures over the years but this year was terrible for me so I went to the doctor who looked at my umpteen drugs list and consulted his pharmacopoeia and came up with fexfenadine as the best probable palliative. It does work but causes me serious dopey tendencies which are already a natural ability I have which does not need magnifying. Sadly the side effects are sufficiently serious for me to stop after the first few days. Back to loretadine and citrozene hydrochloride and beconase for me. Good luck to you I will be interested to see if anything does work it does seem a bad year. Given your eye trouble I would be very cautious in every medicine you are taking you need to clear everything with your doctor specifically IMO. No room for error with that kind of challenge.I used to take terfenadine years ago which was brilliant, but it was withdrawn. It's been replaced by fexfenadine but Doc's are reluctant to prescribe it - you may have better luck in your circumstance though.
Fexofenadine. Prescription only. Utterly destroys my hayfever even if its in full flow having forgotten to take it say in the morning. Ive never had any side effects personally.
Works within 10 minutes and its like ive never had hayfever.
One small tablet each morning throughout Summer and I get not a hint of it. Forget to take it in the morning - catastrophic!
Works within 10 minutes and its like ive never had hayfever.
One small tablet each morning throughout Summer and I get not a hint of it. Forget to take it in the morning - catastrophic!
rhinochopig said:
Be careful shovelling the antihistamines, prolonged use is linked to early development of Alzheimer's. It's a pisser isn't it as for those of us who suffer badly with it.
Very good advice which hay fever sufferers need to consider carefully. There is clear evidence that prolonged use of antihistamines causes mental deterioration and confusion. Without overblowing the side effect this does require serious consideration.Loratadine and Citirizine do absolutely nothing for me. If you want to try an over-the-counter option then the Benadryl with a blue box containing Acrivastine seem to work well for me. If it's a bad day for the pollen count then I still end up with a runny face, but it definitely helps most of the time.
Steffan said:
rhinochopig said:
Be careful shovelling the antihistamines, prolonged use is linked to early development of Alzheimer's. It's a pisser isn't it as for those of us who suffer badly with it.
Very good advice which hay fever sufferers need to consider carefully. There is clear evidence that prolonged use of antihistamines causes mental deterioration and confusion. Without overblowing the side effect this does require serious consideration.I can certainly Google, but to avoid me wading through thousands of wannabe class action posts, do you have any references for relevant articles?
jmorgan said:
^^^^^
Scary, or should it be? What doses are we talking about? Not a doctor and not going to use google.
All drugs have side effects. The common sleep inducer Niytol was discovered in a search for effective hay fever remedies but the soporific qualities became far more interesting and hence Nytol is the most common sleep tablet. Nytol is only sold by Chemists who warn of the long term risks every time they sell it. Once again the problem is the mental confusion that these drugs can cause in some individuals.Scary, or should it be? What doses are we talking about? Not a doctor and not going to use google.
There are no drugs without side effects. Some like Asprin have totally changed use because the side effect are beneficial. Exercise reasonable care in drug use is good advice to everyone.
I understand there are side effects, just wondering how much for the problem (probably asking this the wrong way or not really understanding the situation?). I have pretty much not used what I have supposed to over the years due to seeing no real benefit and other than having a box of kleenex for the nose I have just muddled through. The eye drops are pretty much what I get away with and the steroid jabs stopped 30 years ago. (30! 
).
).vescaegg said:
Fexofenadine. Prescription only. Utterly destroys my hayfever even if its in full flow having forgotten to take it say in the morning. Ive never had any side effects personally.
Works within 10 minutes and its like ive never had hayfever.
One small tablet each morning throughout Summer and I get not a hint of it. Forget to take it in the morning - catastrophic!
The only thing i've ever had that works, although i've still had hayfever this year, mental.Works within 10 minutes and its like ive never had hayfever.
One small tablet each morning throughout Summer and I get not a hint of it. Forget to take it in the morning - catastrophic!
jmorgan said:
^^^^^
Scary, or should it be? What doses are we talking about? Not a doctor and not going to use google.
The research doesn't indicate dose - severity / time-frame correlations afaik, just that there is a relationship.Scary, or should it be? What doses are we talking about? Not a doctor and not going to use google.
One remedy that might work for some is locally produced - and it needs to be very local - honey. The theory being you build up a tolerance to local pollen throughout the year thus reducing the effects.
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