Hayfever 2020!

[strath44]

Hi folks how's everyone's hayfever going?

Mine seems to be the worst its been in a few years and I'm wondering if its because I'm at home all the time and not in the office!

[Animal]

Terrible - if I forget my antihistamines for the morning I end up coughing and sneezing all over the place. Obviously not great at the minute...

[strath44]

I take Fexofenadine which seems to pretty much get rid of my red and itchy eyes but still pretty blocked up and sneezing a fair bit. I think there's been quite a bit of chat with bad hayfever this year and people worrying they have Covid!

[emperorburger]

Bad - Worse than it has been for many years.

[MrGman]

Another bad - worse than it’s been for years here.

It’s making feel so tired all the time, think it’s just where I’m struggling to breathe through my nose so I’m not breathing properly.

[JFReturns]

Yes, feels much worse this year! As above, I wondered if it is because I’m at home and not in an air conditioned office...

Aldi Special anti-histamine Does nothing but the branded ones (Piriton I think it’s called) a bit better. Wife thinks I should go to the doctors but I really don’t want any that cause drowsiness for work reasons...

[emperorburger]

JFReturns said:

Yes, feels much worse this year! As above, I wondered if it is because I’m at home and not in an air conditioned office...

Aldi Special anti-histamine Does nothing but the branded ones (Piriton I think it’s called) a bit better. Wife thinks I should go to the doctors but I really don’t want any that cause drowsiness for work reasons...

If you are taking Piriton, the active ingredient is Chlorphenamine. It's a first generation anti-histamine and whilst very effective, can be highly sedating.

Piriteze on the other hand is Cetirizine Hydrochloride, which is a second generation anti-histamine. The sedating effect will be lessened compared to a first generation anti-histamine, however they are not always as effective as first generation products. Generic supermarket anti-histamines will either be Cetirizine Hydrochloride or Loratadine. A generic Cetirizine anti-histamine should perform no differently to a big label brand, so it may be that you tried Loratidine and found it to be less effective than Piriteze.

If you are suffering with itchy eyes, I would recommend Sodium Cromoglicate eye drops and if you are really struggling with all symptoms I would suggest a steroidal nasal spray using Beclomethasone (Beconase or generics) or even better Mometasone (Clarinaze, Nasonex), which will be more effective than ant-histamines alone and won't cause drowsiness.

[strath44]

Someone recommended Fexofenadine (120mg daily x1) to me and I got it on prescription, I'm in Scotland so not sure how it works else where but under the current covid situation I would have thought a call to your local surgery and a GP will probably prescribe it without much need for a medical unless you have current health issues or are over 65.

Its definitely worth a go if you are suffering.

I understand the tiredness in general with hayfever is to do with the body producing and expelling large amounts of Histamine.

I've had a blocked ear this week which I've had before and until now never realised that hayfever can also cause this!

[feef]

Glad to hear it's not just me. This year seems especially bad. Never had eyes so itchy. I'm keeping it at bay for the most part with Beconase nasal spray as it's usualyl my nose streaming and sneezing that are my primary symptoms..but this year.. my eyes!


My working practice hasn't changed this year so it's not that

[I-A]

I've really struggled the last few days - I take Benadryl Allergy Relief where the active ingredient is Acrivastine. I feel like it used to work..

Something that does provide me with some relief is paracetamol.

Has anybody tried desensitisation therapy?

[emperorburger]

I-A said:

I've really struggled the last few days - I take Benadryl Allergy Relief where the active ingredient is Acrivastine. I feel like it used to work..

Something that does provide me with some relief is paracetamol.

Has anybody tried desensitisation therapy?

It's fairly common to find that a particular anti-histamine may work for you one year and the next year it doesn't provide much relief. I would recommend changing it for something else and see how you get on.

[strath44]

I always had some relief from Cetirizine Hydrochloride but about 2 years ago it didn't have as good an effect so changed!

I do worry somewhat about taking any of these long term but when its as unbearable as it can be needs must!

[mcelliott]

Coughing and sneezing here, all whilst having three broken ribs.

[strath44]

mcelliott said:

Coughing and sneezing here, all whilst having three broken ribs.

Fully sympathise with that having had a cough with broken ribs before!

[AI1694]

I think I need to get fexofenadine. Cetirizine isn’t working for me this year.

[mike74]

Pretty bad year for me so far, although still very random, one day it will be terrible the next day I'll feel fine.

[strath44]

I've used Haymax in / around my nose before and found that works well / vasaline also works very similarly.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haymax-Pure-Organic-Polle...

[geeks]

Never used to suffer with hayfever when I was growing up, maybe a little around cut grass but other than that I was fine, however the last couple of years (I am now 35) I have started suffering, today was fine until about an hour ago, in comes the symptoms, runny nose, itchy eyes etc etc. I have always found Piriton better than Piriteze.

[Fatball]

Fexofenadine or Telfast on the box has worked wonders for me for the last two years. Lat year the dr prescribed it. This year I’ve gone on to Lloyd’s pharmacy online doctor service and they’ve prescribed it within the day for collection from one of their pharmacy’s.

I’ll get the odd sneeze but it’s done away with the itchy and red baggy eyes I used to get.

[Steve91]

I take Cetirizine and it's ok for the most part, but I've found that it's not really doing too much. It only seems to work for a few hours.

Spent the evening in the garden last night and I'm awake at 4am this morning coughing and sneezing. Probably the worst I've had it for years.